State-specific commands in collaboration services

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11010539-B2
Application number	US-201514755950-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 30, 2015
Priority date	Jun 30, 2015
Publication date	May 18, 2021
Grant date	May 18, 2021

Abstract

Implementations of enhanced content collaboration technology are disclosed herein. In an implementation, a collaboration service determines which collaboration commands to surface in association with each user in a list of users collaborating on a document. The collaboration commands are selected based on each user's collaboration state. The service updates local applications with information indicative of the user state, so that the local applications may surface a user-specific, collaboration state-driven selection of commands.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
one or more computer readable storage devices; and
program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage devices for presenting a user interface to a collaboration service that, when executed by a processing system, direct the processing system to at least:
in the user interface, render a shared document and a list of users;
receive information from the collaboration service indicative of a collaboration state of a user in the list of users, wherein the collaboration state of the user comprises one in a set of possible collaboration states, and wherein the set of possible collaboration states comprises a presently editing state and an idle state;
identify, based at least in part on the collaboration state of the user, which combination of collaboration commands of multiple combinations of the collaboration commands to associate specifically with the user, wherein each of the multiple combinations of the collaboration commands corresponds to a different one of the set of possible collaboration states; and
responsive to a selection of the user, render, in the user interface, the combination of the collaboration commands specifically associated with the user;
wherein when the collaboration state of the user comprises the presently editing state, the combination of the collaboration commands includes an instant message command and a call command and excludes an invite again command; and
wherein when the collaboration state of the user comprises the idle state, the combination of the collaboration commands includes the invite again command and excludes the instant message command and the call command.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the program instructions further direct the processing system to merge a base list of users associated with the shared document with an other list consisting of users presently editing the shared document, wherein merging the base list and the other list produces the list of users.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the program instructions further direct the processing system to render the list of users in an order based at least in part on a collaboration state of each user of the list of users.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the program instructions further direct the processing system to:
receive updates, from the collaboration service, indicative of updated collaboration states associated with the list of users; and
responsive to the updates, re-order the list of users based at least in part on the updated collaboration states.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the program instructions further direct the processing system to render, at a top position in the list of users, users that have the presently editing state.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the collaboration commands are selectable to initiate communication actions with the user.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the collaboration commands comprise an instant message command, an email command, a call command, a follow command, a nudge command, and an invite again command.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the shared document comprises one of a word processing document, a spreadsheet workbook, and a presentation document.

9. A computer-implemented method of operating a collaboration service comprising:
monitoring a collaboration state of a user of a plurality of users associated with a shared document, wherein the collaboration state of the user comprises one in a set of possible collaboration states, and wherein the set of possible collaboration states comprises a presently editing state and an idle state;
identifying, based at least in part on the collaboration state of the user, which combination of collaboration commands of multiple combinations of the collaboration commands to surface in association with the user, wherein each of the multiple combinations of the collaboration commands corresponds to a different one of the set of possible collaboration states; and
updating, with the collaboration state of the user and the combination of the collaboration commands, a plurality of applications associated with the user;
wherein when the collaboration state of the user comprises the presently editing state, the combination of the collaboration commands includes an instant message command and a call command and excludes an invite again command; and
wherein when the collaboration state of the user comprises the idle state, the combination of the collaboration commands includes the invite again command and excludes the instant message command and the call command.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 wherein the collaboration commands are selectable to initiate communication actions with a given one of the plurality of users.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 further comprising organizing the plurality of users in an order based at least in part on a collaboration state of each user of the plurality of users.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 further comprising:
receiving updates, from the collaboration service, indicative of updated collaboration states associated with the plurality of users; and
responsive to the updates, re-ordering the plurality of users based at least in part on the updated collaboration states.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 further comprising rendering, at a top position of the order, users that have the presently editing state.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 further comprising merging a base list of users associated with the shared document with an other list consisting of users presently editing the shared document, wherein merging the base list and the other list produces the list of users.

15. A method of presenting a user interface to a collaboration service, the method comprising:
in the user interface, rendering a shared document and a list of users;
receiving information from the collaboration service indicative of a collaboration state of a user in the list of users, wherein the collaboration state of the user comprises one in a set of possible collaboration states, and wherein the set of possible collaboration states comprises a presently editing state and an idle state;
identifying, based at least in part on the collaboration state of the user, which combination of collaboration commands of multiple combinations of the collaboration commands to associate specifically with the user, wherein each of the multiple combinations of the collaboration commands corresponds to a different one of the set of possible collaboration states; and
responsive to a selection of the user, rendering, in the user interface, the combination of the collaboration commands specifically associated with the user;
wherein when the collaboration state of the user comprises the presently editing state, the combination of the collaboration commands includes an instant message command and a call command and excludes an invite again command; and
wherein when the collaboration state of the user comprises the idle state, the combination of the collaboration commands includes the invite again command and excludes the instant message command and the call command.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising, responsive to a selection of a collaboration command, launching a communication service through which a communication action is performed.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising rendering the list of users in an order based at least in part on a collaboration state of each user in the list of

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Wilde Benjamin G
• Kessler Jade
• Zoecklein Ashlyn D
• Milvaney Douglas L

Classifications

• G06F11/2076

  Synchronous techniques · CPC title

• G06F40/166 Primary

  Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting · CPC title

• G06F40/169

  Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes · CPC title

• G06Q10/103

  Workflow collaboration or project management · CPC title

• G06Q10/101 Primary

  Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services · CPC title