Patents Assigned to salesforce.com, inc.
  • Patent number: 9075766
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems, apparatus, methods and computer-readable storage media for determining whether to continue relationships in an online social network. For example, a server can maintain data entries in one or more database tables. A given data entry can include: an identification of an entity, an identification of a user having a social networking relationship with the entity, and an affinity score indicating an amount of interaction by the user with the entity. For each entry, a ratio of the affinity score to a measure of an amount of content associated with the entity and published in a feed accessible by the user can be determined. Depending on the implementation, such ratios can be compared with a threshold and/or ranked to identify candidates for discontinuing social networking relationships.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventor: Joel Palmert
  • Patent number: 9075677
    Abstract: In accordance with embodiments disclosed herein, there are provided mechanisms and methods for automating deployment of applications in a multi-tenant database environment. For example, in one embodiment, mechanisms include managing a plurality of machines operating as a machine farm within a datacenter by executing an agent provisioning script at a control hub, instructing the plurality of machines to download and instantiate a lightweight agent; pushing a plurality of URL (Uniform Resource Locator) references from the control hub to the instantiated lightweight agent on each of the plurality of machines specifying one or more applications to be provisioned and one or more dependencies for each of the applications; and loading, via the lightweight agent at each of the plurality of machines, the one or more applications and the one or more dependencies for each of the one or more applications into memory of each respective machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventors: Pallav Kothari, Philip Oliver Metting van Rijn
  • Patent number: 9071658
    Abstract: A method for presenting a meeting in a cloud computing environment is disclosed. The method embodiment includes providing by a server a virtual planning space in a cloud computing environment, wherein the virtual planning space is associated with a meeting and is associated with planning content comprising data objects loaded by a plurality of meeting collaborators. The method also includes receiving by the server an indication to launch the meeting, and in response, generating a virtual meeting room associated with the meeting and an identifier for the virtual meeting room. Thereafter, the server is configured to transmit a message to a plurality of meeting participants that includes an invitation to attend the meeting and the identifier for the virtual meeting room, and to present meeting content comprising at least one data object of the planning content to the meeting participants via the virtual meeting room.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventors: Jager McConnell, Ciara Peter
  • Patent number: 9069858
    Abstract: The technology disclosed relates to identifying entity reflections that refer to a same real-world entity. In particular, it relates to using statistical functions to make probabilistic deductions about entity attributes, which are used to construct optimal combinations of entity attributes. These optimal combinations of entity attributes are further used to generate search queries that return more precise search results with greater recall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventor: Alon Talmor
  • Patent number: 9070137
    Abstract: Methods and systems for compiling marketing information for a client are provided. Data can be obtained from a plurality of social media websites, where each of the social media websites includes a universal resource identifier that points to a client website. A plurality of insights can be extracted from the obtained data, resulting in extracted insights. Each of the extracted insights comprises text elements that denote product approval for at least one product available for sale at the client website. Measurements of traffic to the client website can be collected, the traffic being referred to the client website by the plurality of social media websites. A referred traffic dynamics summary table can then be generated based on the extracted insights and the measurements of traffic. The referred traffic dynamics summary table aggregates the extracted insights across the plurality of social media websites to rank the extracted insights.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventor: Christopher Daniel Newton
  • Patent number: 9071594
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for providing user credentials over a network to a remote computer application. User credentials for the remote computer application are stored in a central repository that is accessible through the network. A request is sent to a service to perform, on behalf of a user, a particular task involving the remote computer application. It is determined whether the service has been granted permission to act on behalf of the user with respect to the remote computer application. When the service has permission to act on behalf of the user, the service is used to retrieve the user's credentials for the remote computer application from the central repository and to supply the retrieved user credentials to the remote computer application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventors: Thomas Nabiel Boulos, Prasanta Kumar Behera
  • Patent number: 9069593
    Abstract: In an embodiment, first and second lists of virtual machine datastore paths are obtained. The first list includes datastore paths on a datastore. The second list includes datastore paths that are associated with existing virtual machines. The first and second lists are compared and non-matching datastore paths are deleted from the datastore, thereby freeing up disk space on the datastore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventor: Andrey Falko
  • Patent number: 9069788
    Abstract: An embodiment of a multi-tenant database system includes a multi-tenant database, an entity definition table, and a data processing engine. The database has objects for multiple tenants, including an existing object for a designated tenant. Each entry in the existing object has a respective entity identifier. The definition table has entries for the database objects, including a metadata entry for the existing object. This metadata entry has a tenant identifier for the designated tenant, an entity name for the existing object, and an old key prefix for the existing object. Each entity identifier of the existing object begins with the old key prefix. The engine performs a data truncation operation on the existing object by updating the metadata entry to replace the old key prefix with a new key prefix. This results in an updated object that is identified by the new key prefix and the tenant identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventors: Arup Dutta, Simon Wong, Dan Soble, Nathanael Black, Walter Macklem
  • Patent number: 9069901
    Abstract: Methods, software, frameworks, and systems for automating test procedures for a computer processing system. An embodiment of the method includes steps of determining a plurality of available automated test procedures, determining a plurality of available test options, and generating a plurality of test specifications. Each test specification may include option data corresponding to one of the available test options as well as procedure data corresponding to one of the available automated test procedures. The present invention advantageously supports reuse and extensibility of automated test procedures for a variety of configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventor: Arunkumaran Varadharajan
  • Patent number: 9069448
    Abstract: Various techniques and procedures related to filtering objects in a virtual application within a multi-tenant system are provided. One approach involves providing a first graphical user interface element enabling indication of a first filtering criterion and a second graphical user interface element enabling indication of a second filtering criterion within the virtual application being accessed over a network from a client device. After indication of the first filtering criterion and the second filtering criterion, a filtered set of objects is identified based on the first filtering criterion and the second filtering criterion. At least a portion of the filtered set of objects may then be presented within the virtual application on a client device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventors: David Park, Neelav Rana, Donovan Schneider, Marko Koosel
  • Patent number: 9069803
    Abstract: A computer implemented method of developing computer applications, the method comprising providing to multiple users access, over a network, to information on a data center, with a subgroup of the users having access to a sub-portion of the information that is different from the sub-portion accessible by the remaining tenants of the subgroup; and communicating with the data center over the network employing a computer system associated with a user of the sub-group to establish application functionality with the sub-portion that may be accessed, over the network, by additional parties authorized by the user. Also disclosed is a machine-readable medium and a data center, both of which facilitate carrying-out the steps of the method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventors: David Brooks, Lewis Wiley Tucker, Benji Jasik, Timothy Mason, Eric David Bezar, Simon Wong, Douglas Chasman, Tien Tzuo, Scott Hansma, Adam Gross, Steven Tamm
  • Patent number: 9064339
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems, apparatus, and methods for updating and visualizing information stored in a database system. In various implementations, a request to search contact data is received, where the contact data provides contact information associated with at least one entity. Search parameters may be retrieved responsive to the search request, where the search parameters define the search and include a geographical location associated with a source of the request. In various implementations, a first contact is identified based on the retrieved search parameters, where the first contact is identified based at least in part on a geographical distance between the first contact and the source of the request. In some implementations, a geographical representation of the first contact is generated, where the geographical representation indicates a geographical location of the first contact, and where the geographical representation is capable of being displayed at a user interface of a computer system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventor: Tyler A. Ziemann
  • Patent number: 9064287
    Abstract: Disclosed are computer implemented methods, apparatus, systems, and computer readable media for providing information to an information feed associated with a group of an online social network. In some implementations, a network communication including a group address and data is received at a computing device. The group address is encoded to include a first identifier associating the network communication with a first user and a second identifier associating the network communication with the group. The group address is decoded to obtain the first identifier and the second identifier. At least a portion of the data in the network communication is provided as an information update to the information feed associated with the group, and the information update is included in the information feed for display on a display device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventor: Rasmus Mencke
  • Patent number: 9063632
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods, apparatus, systems, and computer readable storage media for interacting with one or more records via a single user interface. The user interface includes a publisher and an information feed. A user may request to interact with a first record from the publisher. Information may be submitted through the publisher to interact with the first record to update the record. A feed item may be presented for inclusion in the information feed based on the update, where the feed item includes one or more actionable selections providing a reference to the first record. When a user selects one of the actionable selections, the user can perform additional interactions with the first record or perform a new interaction with a second record.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventors: Scott D. Beechuk, Steven Tamm, Orjan Kjellberg, Arvind Krishnan, Benjamin Snyder, Luke A. Ball, Shannon Hale, Khanh Kim P. Nguyen, William Gradin, Anna Bonner Mieritz, Beril Guvendik Maples, Gregg Johnson, Andrew Waite, Scott Peter Perket
  • Publication number: 20150172322
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for facilitating communication among a plurality of entities via an interoperability network. Each entity has policy data corresponding thereto governing interaction with the entity via the interoperability network. A message is transmitted from a first one of the entities to a second one of the entities. The first entity has first policy data corresponding thereto and the second entity has second policy data corresponding thereto. The transmitted message was handled in the network according to combined policy data representing a combination of the first and second policy data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2015
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Applicant: salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventors: Alexander Lerner, Michael K. Dewey
  • Patent number: 9059981
    Abstract: In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for security verification of communications to tenants of an on-demand database service. These mechanisms and methods for security verification of communications to tenants of an on-demand database service can enable embodiments to allow tenants to selectively implement security measures with respect to inbound communications, etc. The ability of embodiments to provide such feature may allow tenants to efficiently and effectively implement security measures for in-bound emails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventors: Michael P. Cadden, Richard Alan Stevens, Ron H. Kimble, Rasmus Mencke, Travis D. Corson, Susan Shanabrook
  • Patent number: 9058361
    Abstract: In accordance with embodiments, there are provided mechanisms and methods for applying a group of instructions to metadata in the context of an on-demand database service. These mechanisms and methods for applying a group of instructions to metadata can enable embodiments that ensure that “all or none” of the operations corresponding to the grouped instructions are performed. The ability of embodiments to provide such feature can prevent a scenario where only a portion of a desired effect is accomplished which, in turn, may complicate any effort to undo the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventors: Benji Jasik, Simon Fell, Bill Eidson, Lexi Viripaeff
  • Patent number: 9058309
    Abstract: Techniques to provide multiple styles in a single HTML text object. An input field to receive user-generated input is presented. User-generated input is received via the input field. The user-generated input based on formatting criteria. The formatting criteria provides N formatting types to be applied to the user-generated input, where N is at least two. An underlay field is provided for each of N?1 formatting types. One of the formatting types is applied to each of the N?1 underlay fields and the input field. The N?1 underlay fields are aligned with and the input field. Portions of the user-generated input are displayed within the corresponding fields while maintaining spacing of the user-generated input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventor: Jamison M. Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9059851
    Abstract: A method for generating an encryption dictionary, the method includes generating a random value for each plaintext symbol of multiple plaintext symbols; and calculating a random token for each plaintext symbol based on a random value of the plaintext symbol and on random values of other plaintext symbols that have a lower lexicographic value than the plaintext symbol; wherein the calculating comprises applying a monotonic function; wherein the encryption dictionary comprises a mapping between the multiple plaintext symbols and random token of the multiple plaintext symbols.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventor: David Movshovitz
  • Patent number: 9058363
    Abstract: A distribution list of users of an online social network can be used to communicate database record information to the users. In some implementations, one or more users of the online social network are identified as being relevant to the record and who are not following the record. A distribution list is provided and includes the information identifying the one or more relevant users. A network communication can be sent to users identified in the distribution list. The network communication identifies the record or information associated with the record.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: salesforce.com, inc.
    Inventors: Zachary Dunn, Joseph Olsen