# US 8,751,590 B2 · Method and system for managing a virtual actionable conversation

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- Number: US 8,751,590 B2
- Document ID: US8751590B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/211,176
- Filed: 2011-08-16
- Published: 2013-02-21
- Granted: 2014-06-10
- Earliest claimed: 2011-08-16
- Assignees: Neudesic, LLC
- Applicants: Jason Noble; Jesse A. Ezell
- Inventors: Jason Noble; Jesse A. Ezell
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8751590B2

## CPC

- H04L 65/403: Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences (data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15)
- G06Q 10/0631: Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
- G06Q 10/103: {Workflow collaboration or project management}
- H04L 51/046: Interoperability with other network applications or services
- H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A social activity stream application for managing virtual actionable conversations allows participants in a conversation to request actions to be performed in various external systems. A request to perform an action in an external system is received from a conversation participant, and sent to the external system, in which the requested action may then be performed. In this manner, conversation participants may use a single application to monitor and request actions in multiple external systems.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of managing a virtual actionable conversation between a plurality of subscribers, comprising:
receiving, via a computer network, notice of an occurrence of an event in a system external to a virtual actionable conversation system, wherein the virtual actionable conversation system is configured to enable a virtual conversation between the subscribers;
determining the event meets a threshold requirement;
creating an electronic activity record corresponding to the event;
identifying subscribers associated with the event, the subscribers comprising a first subscriber;
sending, to the subscribers over the computer network, information corresponding to the activity record via the virtual actionable conversation system within a virtual conversation between the first subscriber and one of the other subscribers;
receiving, from the first subscriber over the computer network, in response to the information sent, a request for a data feed;
sending the data feed over the computer network to the first subscriber, the data feed comprising 1) the information corresponding to the activity record and 2) an action link for requesting an action to be performed in the external system;
receiving, over the computer network, an indication that the action link was activated by the first subscriber;
sending, in response to the indication, a request to the external system to perform the action;
receiving data from the external system confirming the action was performed in response to the request sent to the external system; and
updating the activity record to reflect the action was performed.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising sending, via the
computer network, an updated data feed to the first subscriber, the updated data feed including information corresponding to the updated activity record.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving from a second subscriber, over the computer network, a request for the data feed.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the action link is related to the event.

### Claim 5

A method of managing a virtual actionable conversation between a plurality of subscribers, comprising:
monitoring, via a computer network, activities occurring in a system external to a virtual actionable conversation system, wherein the virtual actionable conversation system is configured to enable a virtual conversation between the subscribers, the activities comprising a first activity;
determining the first activity meets a threshold requirement;
creating an activity record associated with the first activity;
associating an action link with the activity record, wherein activation of the action link initiates a request for an action to be performed in the external system;
routing, through the computer network, the activity record and the associated action link to a first subscriber for display via the virtual actionable conversation system within a virtual conversation between the first subscriber and one of the other subscribers;
determining the first subscriber activated the action link; and
routing to the external system, through the computer network, a request for the action to be performed by the external system.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further comprising determining which one of a plurality of action links to associate with the activity record.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further comprising associating a second action link with the activity record.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further comprising monitoring activities occurring in a second external system.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further comprising creating a uniquely identifiable data structure associated with the first activity.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein routing the request to the external system comprises attaching the request to the uniquely identifiable data structure.

### Claim 11 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, further comprising determining the first subscriber is associated with the first activity.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein determining the first subscriber is associated with the first activity is based at least in part on input from the first subscriber.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein the input from the first subscriber comprises at least one of: identification of an external system in which the first subscriber is interested; identification of an external system event in which the first subscriber is interested; and an event associated with one or more other subscribers.

### Claim 14 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the external system is at least one of: an enterprise resource planning system; a customer relationship management system; an accounting system; a travel system; an expense reporting system; a timekeeping system; a human resources system; and a workflow management system.

### Claim 15 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the action link is a link configured to cause at least one of the following actions to be performed in the external system:
approve; reject; accept; reassign; share; and complete.

### Claim 16

A method of using a system for managing a virtual actionable conversation between a plurality of subscribers, comprising:
providing subscription parameters to a server to create a subscription to the system; receiving, through a user interface, a data feed tailored to the parameters, the data feed
including an action link for causing an action to occur in a system external to a virtual actionable conversation system, wherein the virtual actionable conversation system is configured to enable a virtual conversation between the subscribers;
activating the action link via the virtual actionable conversation system within a virtual conversation between at least two of the other subscribers; and
receiving, from the server, an updated data feed reflecting the action was performed by the external system.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein at least part of the method comprises using a mobile device.

### Claim 18

A system for managing a virtual actionable conversation between a plurality of subscribers, comprising:
a server;
a computer network; and
a client computer in electronic communication with the server through the computer network, wherein the server is programmed to:
receive notice of an occurrence of an event in a system external to a virtual actionable conversation system, wherein the virtual actionable conversation system is configured to enable a virtual conversation between the subscribers;
determine the event meets a threshold requirement;
create an electronic activity record corresponding to the event;
identify subscribers associated with the event, the subscribers comprising a first subscriber;
send, to the subscribers over the computer network, information corresponding to the activity record;
receive, from the first subscriber over the computer network, in response to the information sent, a request for a data feed via the virtual actionable conversation system within a virtual conversation between at least two of the other subscribers;
send the data feed over the computer network to the first subscriber, the data feed comprising 1) the information corresponding to the activity record and 2) an action link for requesting an action to be performed in the external system;
receive, over the computer network, an indication that the action link was activated by the first subscriber;
send a request to the external system to perform the action;
receive data from the external system confirming the action was performed in response to the request sent to the external system; and
update the activity record to reflect the action was performed.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, wherein the client computer is a mobile device.