Patent Document ID: 8214746
Application ID: 11686728

Base Claim:
1. In a processing device having a graphical user interface including a display and at least one user input device, a method for establishing a context of a discussion between users of a collaboration system, the method comprising: displaying, on the display, a plurality of discussions between users of the collaboration system; selecting, via the at least one user input device, the discussion from the plurality of discussions; displaying, on the display, a graphical context activation mechanism associated with the discussion; receiving, via the at least one user input device, a selection input indicating that the graphical context activation mechanism has been selected; and displaying, based on the selection input, a graphical illustration of information regarding the users participating in the discussion, wherein the graphical illustration of the information regarding the users comprises an organization chart illustrating at least one of the users in an organization hierarchy; wherein the graphical illustration of the information regarding the users further comprises at least one pin on a geographical map indicating a location of at least one of the users; and wherein selection of the at least one pin causes display of an overlay window displaying information concerning at least one of the users' contact information and contribution to the discussion.

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Claim 4:
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: displaying, on the display, a textual context activation mechanism associated with the discussion; receiving, via the at least one user input device, another selection input indicating that the textual context activation mechanism has been selected; and displaying, on the display based on the other selection input, a text-based context regarding the discussion.