Abstract:
Techniques for distributing information over a network having a database in data communication with said network include a method that records in the database a plurality of computer readable profiles. Each computer readable profile corresponds to one of multiple users of the network. One of the computer readable files includes a query term that is associated with it. Generated on a common user interface are both perceivable stimuli in response to activity on said network of users corresponding to subgroup of the plurality of computer readable profiles, and information corresponding to computer readable profiles of the subgroup. The corresponding users of the subgroup possess knowledge related to the query term. A region of the user interface in which the perceivable stimuli is present defines an activity stream region. A region of the user interface in which said information is present defines a connections region of the user interface.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/542,676, entitled COLLABORATIVE LEARNING, filed on Oct. 3, 2011, which is hereby incorporated by reference as if set forth in full in this application for all purposes. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Some of the daunting tasks in an organization are identification of experts for collaboration, sharing of knowledge with peers and colleagues, and ensuring the acquired knowledge is shared uniformly so it may be re-used over and over again. A common problem individuals in an organization have is finding enough ongoing or up-to-date learning to help them be effective in their jobs. The nature of work is that it is changing sufficiently fast enough that a corporate university or set of class offerings by an organization approach may not be able to provide sufficient up-to-date content to meet the needs of the organization and/or the individual. 
         [0003]    As a result, individuals may resort to the traditional method of finding critical content and experts by simply asking people they know or using corporate knowledge systems and forums. Such approaches may be ineffective because there is no way to ensure the appropriate expert is found as one is limited to who they directly ask. These approaches may also be a waste or inefficient use of resources because a search for experts must be repeatedly performed by each individual seeking an expert. The problem exists both for the experts and the people looking for them because the ability for an individual to share widely their expertise in a way that can be consumed effectively by others does not exist with current approaches. 
         [0004]    E-mail, phone or face-to-face communication do not provide a central place to review or store information. Rather, information is scattered in different places and at times may not be accessible by the appropriate people. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide an efficient and effective way to communicate expert information. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    Techniques for distributing information over a network having a database in data communication with the network include a method that records in the database a plurality of computer readable profiles. Each computer readable profile corresponds to one of multiple users of the network. One of the computer readable files includes a query term that is associated with it. Generated on a common user interface are both perceivable stimuli in response to activity on the network of users corresponding to subgroup of the plurality of computer readable profiles, and information corresponding to computer readable profiles of the subgroup. The corresponding users of the subgroup possess knowledge related to the query term. A region of the user interface in which the perceivable stimuli is present defines an activity stream region. A region of the user interface in which the information is present defines a connections region of the user interface. The query term is usually a term descriptive and/or indicative of a subject for which the user corresponding to the one of the plurality of computer readable profiles desires additional information. For example, the query term may relate to a goal and/or a topic related to a task for which the user is responsible to complete. To acquire additional information the user posts the query term on the network with the expectation that a response from another user with information concerning the query term will be received. Also disclosed are a system and a computer readable medium to facilitate carrying-out the method. These and other embodiments are described more fully below. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a plan view of a network in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a plan view of a first page of a user interface in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a plan view of a second page of a user interface in which filtering rules are established for the Activity Stream shown in  FIG. 1 , in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of a third page of a user interface in which distribution options are established for the Activity Stream shown in  FIG. 1 , in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a plan view of the first page of user interface, shown in  FIG. 1 , demonstrating additional content regions that may be rendered thereon in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a plan view of a fourth page of a user interface in which distribution options are established for content regions of the social network region of the first page of the user interface shown in  FIG. 1 , in accordance with the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is a plan view of a fifth page of a user interface in which goal information may be defined for a user; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  is a plan view of a sixth page of a user interface by which searches of the database is undertaken in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0014]      FIG. 1  illustrates computer network  10  for distributing information product incentives over a data communication network  12  that includes one or more client terminals  14  in data communication over data communication network  12 . Also in data communication with client terminals  14  is a server  16  including a database  18  stored in a memory space  20 . Server includes a processor  22  that is in data communication with memory space  20 . Processor  22  may be any known processor sub-system in the art, e.g., the CORE DUO® or the CORE 2 DUO® from Intel Corporation of Santa Clara, Calif. Memory space  20  includes drive storage, shown as one or more hard drives  23  and  24 , as well as data and instruction registers, shown as  28 , and volatile and non-volatile memory shown as  30 . Similarly each client terminal  14  includes a processor  32  in data communication with memory space  34 . Processor  32  may be same as processor  22 , but need not be. Memory space  34  includes drive storage, shown as hard drive  38  and includes one or more input/output devices, such as mouse, keyboard and the like, shown as  40 , as well as a display  42  in data communication with processor  32 . Data communication network  12  may be any network or combination of networks of devices that communicate with one another. Network  12  can be any one or any combination of a LAN (local area network), WAN (wide area network), telephone network, wireless network, point-to-point network, star network, token ring network, hub network, or other appropriate configuration. As the most common type of computer network in current use is a TCP/IP (Transfer Control Protocol and Internet Protocol) network, referred to as the Internet. However, it should be understood that the networks that the present invention might use are not so limited, although TCP/IP is a frequently implemented protocol. 
         [0015]    Referring to both  FIGS. 1 and 2 , rendered one or more displays is a user interface  40 , which is divided into multiple regions, shown generally as that includes Included in each client terminal  14  is a display upon which a user interface  40  may be rendered. User interface  40  includes a global navigation region  41  and a local navigation section  42 . Local navigation region  42  includes a plurality of tabs  43 ,  44  and  45 , each of which corresponds to a different page of content. Global navigation region  41  allows access to different group of tabs. The current group of tabs is referred as the home group and includes tab  43 ,  44  and  45 . Tab  45 , entitled My Portrait tab, renders a page  46  that includes a personal profile region (PPR)  47  and a social networking region (SNR)  48 . PPR  47  includes information corresponding to the home user, i.e., the user to which page  46  applies. Although virtually any content may be rendered in SNR  48  the present example includes six separate regions,  49 ,  50 ,  51 ,  52 ,  53  and  54 , however more may be present, discussed more fully below. Regions  49 ,  50  and  51  augments information present in PPR  47 . In the present example region  49  includes information corresponding to the activities and interests of the user identified in PPR  47 , and region  50  includes contact information for the same. Region  51  includes information concerning the career goals. Region  52  includes information from users of network  10  that have experience interacting with the user corresponding to PPR  47 . As shown, an image of the user may be shown next to a comment that the user contributed to the user corresponding to PPR  47 . Region  52  is referred to as the Kudos region, for that reason. 
         [0016]    Region  53 , referred to as the Network Activity region  53  includes an Activity Stream  55 . Activity Stream  55  includes information related to activity on network  10  of users having connections with the home user. An example of users may be those included in Connections Region  54 . An example of activity that may be reflected in the information of Activity Stream  55  is the communication between two users of network, shown by entry  56  in which a message is indicated as having been sent. It should be understood that the communication need not include the home user. Rather it may relate to multiple users having connections with the home user. Additionally, Activity Stream  55  may include information related to accolades for the home user that are present in Kudos Region  52 . While this information is redundant on the home user&#39;s page  46 , it should be borne in mind that Activity Stream  55  is present on each client terminal  14  so that other user of the network  10  may concurrently have rendered on the display corresponding thereto common information. In this manner, Activity Stream  55  functions as a news feed for network, such as the type commonly associated with a “feed reader” or “aggregator”. It is possible that Activity Stream  55  on each of client terminals  14  render information corresponding to each and every activity undertaken by all users on network  10 . However, such an onslaught on information might prove counter-productive to each user. To that end, a filtering process may be employed to prevent all but desired content from being rendered in Activity Stream  55  relate to activity of users on network  10 . For example it may be that only user with connections to the home user will have content rendered in the home user&#39;s Activity Stream  55 . In this fashion, it is possible that Activity Stream  55  on different client terminals  14  have different content rendered therein. As shown in  FIG. 3 , an example of a filter screen  56  is shown as including a pull down box  57  that provides several options of filtering. In the present example filtering is undertaken based upon the age of the activity, e.g., activity greater than seven day old is omitted from Activity Stream  55 , shown in  FIG. 2 . Other filtering operations may be implemented by activation of the Option virtual button  58 , which renders an Activity Stream Options Interface (SOI)  60  shown in  FIG. 4 . In another, implementation it may be that information rendered in Activity Stream  55 , shown in  FIG. 2 , being related to a common interest, topic or the like, referred to as a query term, discussed more fully below. 
         [0017]    Referring to both  FIGS. 2 and 4 , SOI  60  includes a plurality of tabs People Tab  61 , Spaces Tab  62  and Settings Tab  63 . People Tab  61  allows the home user designate users of network that will receive information concerning the home user&#39;s activity on network  10  using pull-down menu  64 . Spaces Tab  62  allows the home user to designate users of network that are members of collaborative spaces to view the home user&#39;s activities using pull down menu  65 , discussed more fully below. Settings tabs enables the home user to determine which activities the home user performs on network  10  will be reflected in Activity Stream  55 . This is achieved by use of check boxes  64 . 
         [0018]    Referring to both  FIGS. 2 and 5 , as discussed above more than six regions of content may be viewed on page  46 . This is achieved by activating one of a plurality of floating virtual buttons (FVB) buttons, seven of which are shown as  70 - 76 . In  FIG. 2  FVBs  70 ,  71 ,  74  are activated resulting in Regions  49 ,  50  and  51  being rendered on page  46 . More FVBs may be shown by activation of scroll arrow  77 . In this manner, the home user may render additional regions on page  46  in lieu of one of regions  49 ,  50  and  51 : Experience and Qualification Region (EQR)  78 , for example by activating FVB  80 . FVB  80  was exposed by activation scroll arrow  77 . Regions,  52  and  53  are always rendered on page  46  in each client terminal  14 . 
         [0019]    Referring to both  FIGS. 2 and 6  control over the sharing of content in each of regions rendered in SNR  48  may be managed by activation of virtual button  82 . In response to activation of virtual button  82  a matrix  84  of check boxes rendered superimposed upon page  46 . Although three categories of groups with whom content may be shared is shown, any number may be provided, dependent upon the application. Three categories are shown, My Manager  86 , Connections  88  and Everyone  90 . Everyone  76  refers to all users of network  10 . Connection  74  refers to users with whom the home user has connected, in a manner analogous to friending a user in a common social network application, discussed more fully below. My Manager  72  refers users of network  10  having supervisory control over the home user, e.g., such as an employer-employee relationship of supervisor-employee relationship and the like. 
         [0020]    Referring to both  FIGS. 5 and 7  one advantage of the present embodiments is the ease with which collaboration may be achieved. As mentioned above, included in SNR  48  is content concerning Experience and Qualifications  78 . The ability to search network  10  for specific qualifications, e.g., expertise, in desired areas of interest is a powerful feature. For example, the home user may desire to establish a goal, such as a career goal on Goal Integration Page (GIP)  80 . GIP  80  is accessed through the Development and Growth Region (DGR) (not shown) that is access through FVB  76 , shown in  FIG. 2 . Specifically a list of goals (not shown) is present in DGR (not shown), each of which links to a page associated therewith, one of which is shown as GIP  80 . In this manner, the home user may enter information related to the goal. For example, in the Additional Detail Region (ADR)  82  of page  80  the home user may include information related to the details of the goal. In this case, Effective Time Management is the stated goal. Also included on GIP  80  is a Spaces Virtual Button (SVB)  84 . Activating SVB  84  causes a Space Associate Menu (SAM)  86  to be rendered in which the stated goal may be associated. Specifically SAM  86  allows the home users to associate the stated goal with an existing Space on network  10  that includes content related to the goal. Alternatively, SAM  86  enables the home user to generate a new spaced directed to the goal. 
         [0021]    A space is merely a functional feature of network  10  that allows collaborative communication between users of network  10  to discuss a topic. It is the intention that off-topic communications would not be present in a given space. In the present example, the space generated by SAM  86  is entitled Time Management, as indicated in dialog entry box  88  of SAM  86 . Upon generating a space, which in this example relates to time management, a collection of data related to the topic is generated on database  18 , referred to as Time Management Space (TMS) data  90 . TMS data  90  is made available to all users of network  10 , as are all spaces created thereon. In this manner, network  10  provides multiple public forums through which users of network  10  may communicate. Ideally, each space is topic independent of the remaining spaces on network  10  so as to minimize, if not prevent, redundancy of topics. This facilitates centralizing information for each topic of interest, on the network  10 , in one area. In this manner, space utilization of network  10  hardware is maximized and collaboration is facilitated. 
         [0022]    Referring to both  FIGS. 2 and 8 , as might be expected countless numbers of topics may be present on database  18 . To facilitate identifying an appropriate topic a Personal Gallery Page (PGP)  90  may be employed to search for topics of interest, as well as users of networks having knowledge related to a topic of interest. As shown therein a data entry box  92  into which search terms may be entered. A Search Results Region  94  is also included in GPP 90  in which results of the search of the term entered into data entry box  92  are recited. In the example shown, the term search is “Java”. The results shown in SRR  94  are arranged in a matrix as a plurality of columns  95 - 100  and multiple rows  102 . Column  95  is an action column that allows a person having supervisory responsibilities over home user to indicate Human Resource Actions undertaken with respect to the home user. Column  96  includes information, such as name, e-mail and the like of users that satisfy the query term. For example, the users of network  10  may be identified as having experience with the topic that is the subject of the search terms, e.g., expertise. This is shown in column  100 . Column  99  identifies the users&#39; position and location within the network, e.g., company. Column  98  is a link that enables the home user to establish a connection with the user that is identified in SRR  94 . Column  97  shows a user&#39;s position amongst other users in an organization chart. In one example, the term entered into data entry box  92  may be a goal of the home user. In this manner, the goal established in ADR  82 , shown in  FIG. 7 , functions as a search term. 
         [0023]    The search term functionality of the goal may be employed to seeking additional information from network  10  related to achieving the goal. The configuration of network  10  facilitates this, in part, by the inclusion of information in the SNR  48  related to the user&#39;s experiences and expertise as shown in EQR  58  of  FIG. 5 . The content contained therein that matches the search query, in this case, the home user&#39;s goal, is use to identify users of network  10  with knowledge related to the topic that is searched, in the case the goal. As the search query is run database is searched for information associated with users&#39; experience and expertise that matches the search query. Information corresponding to these users is rendered in SRR  94 . Moreover, the links in column  98  facilitates quickly creating a connection with the desired users, i.e., users having knowledge related to the search query. Upon activating links in column  98  associated with the desires users of network  10 , the personal profiles thereof are included in Connections Region  54 , shown in  FIG. 5 . Thereafter, in accordance with the setting established, activities of these users on network  10  may concurrently be rendered in Activity Stream  55  concurrently with the activities taking place. By monitoring Activity Stream  55  the home user is afforded an opportunity to be notified in real time of communications that ostensibly related to the search query, i.e., goal. In this manner, rapid distribution of information tailored to a desired topic may be distributed and observed efficiently throughout network  10 . 
         [0024]    It will also be appreciated that computer code for implementing embodiments of the present invention can be implemented in any programming language that can be executed on a client system and/or server or server system such as, for example, C, C++, HTML, any other markup language, Java™, JavaScript, ActiveX, any other scripting language, such as VBScript, and many other programming languages as are well known may be used. (Java™ is a trademark of Oracle Corporation. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.