Collaborative workflow through messaging conversations

• US 8,990,310 B1
• Filed: 09/11/2013
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Rochelle, Jonathan, Lemonik, Micah, Khosrowshahi, Farzad, Danaher, John Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tammy
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUI, JONATHAN A
• Application Number:
  US14/023,696
• Time in Patent Office: 559 Days
• Field of Search: 709/205, 709/204, 709/206
• US Class Current: 709/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/106 Display of layout of documents; Previewing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments

Abstract

A networked application and email application were described herein that provide for an intuitive system by which users can participate in collaborative workflow relating to a network document. In one implementation, a system includes a messaging server component to provide messaging services and an application server component to provide a networked application. The application server component interacts with the messaging server component in response to a user command to initiate collaboration on the network document. The interaction with the messaging server component includes providing a link that refers to a version of the network document as created or edited by the user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a processor, a modification of a document from a first user of a plurality of users with access to the document via a network application; and

generating, by the processor, a message to one or more second users, of the plurality of users, based on receiving the modification of the document,

the message including a link to a first version of the document and an embedded second version of the document,

the embedded second version of the document being located in a body of the message, and

the embedded second version of the document being included in the message without user interaction, and

the embedded second version of the document including the modification of the document from the first user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from at least one of the one or more second users, an edit to the embedded second version of the document; and

processing the edit to the embedded second version of the document.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection of the link to the first version of the document; and

providing, for presentation and based on the received selection, the first version of the document.

4. The method of claim 3, where, when providing the first version of the document for presentation, the method includes:

determining content information associated with the link; and

determining, based on the content information associated with the link, that the first version of the document is associated with the link.

5. The method of claim 1, where

the first user is associated with a first set of privileges and the one or more second users are associated with a second set of privileges, and

the first set of privileges is different than the second set of privileges.

6. The method of claim 1, where the message is an email message.

7. The method of claim 1, where the network application includes a spreadsheet application.

8. A device comprising:

a memory to store instructions; and

one or more processors to execute the instructions to;

receive a modification of a document from a first user of a plurality of users with access to the document via a network application; and

generate a message to at least a second user, of the plurality of users, based on receiving the modification of the document,

the message including a link to a first version of the document and an embedded second version of the document,

the embedded second version of the document being located in a body of the message, and

the embedded second version of the document being included in the message without user interaction, and

the embedded second version of the document including the modification of the document from the first user.

9. The device of claim 8, where the one or more processors further execute the instructions to:

receive, from the at least one second user, an edit to the embedded second version of the document; and

process the edit to the embedded second version of the document.

10. The device of claim 8, where the one or more processors further execute the instructions to:

receive a selection of the link to the first version of the document; and

provide, for presentation and based on the received selection, the first version of the document.

11. The device of claim 10, where the one or more processors, when providing the first version of the document for presentation, further execute the instructions to:

determine content information associated with the link; and

determine, based on the content information associated with the link, that the first version of the document is associated with the link.

12. The device of claim 8, where

the first user is associated with a first set of privileges and the at least one second user is associated with a second set of privileges, and

the first set of privileges is different than the second set of privileges.

13. The device of claim 8, where the message is an email message.

14. The device of claim 8, where the network application includes a spreadsheet application.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

one or more instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to;

receive a modification of a document from a first user of a plurality of users with access to the document via a network application; and

generate a message to at least a second user, of the plurality of users, based on receiving the modification of the document,

the message including a link to a first version of the document and an embedded second version of the document,

the embedded second version of the document being located in a body of the message, and

the embedded second version of the document being included in the message without user interaction, and

the embedded second version of the document including the modification of the document from the first user.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the instructions further comprise:

one or more instructions to receive, from the at least one second user, an edit to the embedded second version of the document; and

one or more instructions to process the edit to the embedded second version of the document.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, where the instructions further comprise:

one or more instructions to receive a selection of the link to the first version of the document; and

one or more instructions to provide, for presentation and based on the received selection, the first version of the document.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, where the one or more processors to provide the first version of the document for presentation include:

one or more instructions to determine content information associated with the link; and

one or more instructions to determine, based on the content information associated with the link, that the first version of the document is associated with the link.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, where

the first user is associated with a first set of privileges and the at least one second user is associated with a second set of privileges, and

the first set of privileges is different than the second set of privileges.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, where

the message is an email message, and

the network application includes a spreadsheet application.