Method, apparatus, and computer program product for authorizing and authenticating user communication within an enterprise group-based communication platform

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12288190-B2
Application number	US-202318232873-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 11, 2023
Priority date	Oct 14, 2016
Publication date	Apr 29, 2025
Grant date	Apr 29, 2025

Abstract

The disclosure generally relates to an enterprise group-based communication system. Group-based communication channels may be created and access by client devices associated with users within the enterprise group-based communication system that have various identifiers associated therewith.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, perform a method of authorizing a user of a group-based communication system, the method comprising:
receiving a request, from a first user associated with a first organization, to create a communication channel,
wherein the request comprises channel settings,
wherein the first organization is associated with enterprise settings;
authorizing the first user to create the communication channel based on the enterprise settings,
wherein the communication channel is a virtual communications environment configured to display messages between channel members;
based on a comparison of the channel settings and the enterprise settings, authorizing creation of the communication channel;
creating the communication channel according to the channel settings;
receiving a channel access request from a second user,
wherein the second user is associated with a second organization that is distinct from the first organization;
obtaining a second user identifier from a client device of the second user;
verifying, by the channel settings and by the second user identifier, that the second user is authorized to access the communication channel; and
enabling the second user to access the communication channel.

2. The media of claim 1 , wherein the enterprise settings override the channel settings.

3. The media of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
determining a channel type from the channel settings,
wherein the channel type is indicative of the communication channel being associated with the second organization; and
further obtaining a global identifier from the client device of the second user to verify that the second user is authorized to access the communication channel.

4. The media of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
determining a channel type from the channel settings,
wherein the channel type indicates that the communication channel is one of a group-to-group channel or a private group channel; and
further obtaining a group identifier from the client device of the second user to verify that the second user is authorized to access the communication channel.

5. The media of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises updating a user profile associated with the second user with a communication channel identifier verifying that the second user is authorized to access the communication channel.

6. The media of claim 1 , wherein the channel access request comprises one of a global identifier or a group identifier, and wherein the method further comprises verifying that the second user has access to the communication channel based on the global identifier or the group identifier.

7. The media of claim 6 , wherein the method further comprises sending an invitation comprising the global identifier or the group identifier to the second user to join the communication channel.

8. A method of authorizing a user of a group-based communication system, the method comprising:
receiving a request, from a first user associated with a first organization, to create a communication channel,
wherein the request comprises channel settings,
wherein the first organization is associated with enterprise settings;
authorizing the first user to create the communication channel based on the enterprise settings,
wherein the communication channel is a virtual communications environment configured to display messages between channel members;
based on a comparison of the channel settings and the enterprise settings, authorizing creation of the communication channel;
creating the communication channel according to the channel settings;
receiving a channel access request from a second user,
wherein the second user is associated with a second organization that is distinct from the first organization;
obtaining a second user identifier from a client device of the second user;
verifying, by the channel settings and by the second user identifier, that the second user is authorized to access the communication channel; and
enabling the second user to access the communication channel.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the enterprise settings override the channel settings.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
determining a channel type from the channel settings,
wherein the channel type is indicative of the communication channel being associated with the second organization; and
further obtaining a global identifier from the client device of the second user to verify that the second user is authorized to access the communication channel.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
determining a channel type from the channel settings,
wherein the channel type indicates that the communication channel is one of a group-to-group channel or a private group channel; and
further obtaining a group identifier from the client device of the second user to verify that the second user is authorized to access the communication channel.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising updating a user profile associated with the second user with a communication channel identifier verifying that the second user is authorized to access the communication channel.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the channel access request comprises one of a global identifier or a group identifier, and wherein the method further comprises verifying that the second user has access to the communication channel based on the global identifier or the group identifier.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising sending an invitation comprising the global identifier or the group identifier to the second user to join the communication channel.

15. A system for authorizing a user of a group-based communication system, the system comprising:
at least one processor;
a datastore; and
one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, perform a method of authorizing the user of the group-based communication system, the method comprising:
receiving a request, from a first user associated with a first organization, to create a communication channel,
wherein the request comprises channel settings,
wherein the first organization is associated with enterprise settings;
authorizing the first user to create the communication channel based on the enterprise settings,
wherein the communication channel is a virtual communications environment configured to display messages between channel members;
based on a comparison of the channel settings and the enterprise settings, authorizing creation of the communication channel;
creating the communication channel according to the channel settings;
receiving a channel access request from a second user,
wherein the second user is associated with a second organization that is distinct from the first organization;
obtaining a second user identifier from a client device of the second user;
verifying, by the channel settings and by the second user identifier, that the second user is authorized to access the communication channel; and
enabling the second user to access the communication channel.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the enterprise settings override the channel settings.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises:
determining a channel type from the channel settings,
wherein the channel type is indicative of the communication channel being ass

Assignees

• Salesforce Inc

Inventors

• Frank Ilan
• Butterfield Daniel Stewart
• Henderson-Begg Callum
• Underwood April
• Jones Leah
• Grant Myles
• Wirth Todd
• Vierhaus Eric
• Stoller Samantha
• Pelly Gregory
• Deng Yongxing
• Mullen Matthew

Classifications

• H04W12/76

  Group identity · CPC title

• H04L63/104

  Grouping of entities · CPC title

• H04W12/08

  Access security · CPC title

• H04W4/08

  User group management · CPC title

• H04L63/101

  Access control lists [ACL] · CPC title