Custom Action Feed Tracking for Real-Time Database Updates
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Solution Overview
Problem
In cloud computing environments, conventional database management techniques make it difficult for users to track the activities of other users or access relevant information in a timely and efficient manner, leading to inefficient reporting and lack of timely updates.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for tracking updates to records and user actions within a database system, allowing users to subscribe to records and receive feed tracked updates, which are automatically generated and pushed to relevant feeds, enabling real-time information sharing and collaboration across a unified user interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If conventional database management techniques are used, then users can access database resources, but users cannot efficiently track other users' activities or access relevant information in a timely manner
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-generates feed items and maintains feed queues before users actually need the information. When a user performs an action on a record, the system immediately creates a feed item and queues it for delivery, so that subscribers receive notifications without delay. This preliminary preparation of information delivery mechanisms resolves the contradiction between information accessibility and access time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces feeds as an intermediary mechanism between database actions and user notification. Instead of users directly monitoring other users' activities or manually checking for updates, the feed system acts as an automated intermediary that captures, formats, and delivers relevant information asynchronously. This intermediary layer enables timely information access without requiring users to continuously poll or manually track activities.
2Loss of information
If users manually create and send reports about their activities, then information can be shared, but the process becomes inefficient and not timely
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables self-service information sharing where feed items are automatically generated from user actions on records. When a user performs an action such as updating a record or completing a task, the system automatically creates a feed item describing the action and delivers it to relevant subscribers. This eliminates the need for users to manually create and send reports, thereby maintaining complete activity information sharing while dramatically improving reporting efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The feed system implements automated feedback loops where user actions on records immediately trigger notification delivery to subscribers. The system monitors user actions, generates appropriate feed items, and delivers them through the feed queue mechanism. This automated feedback replaces manual reporting processes, ensuring that activity information is shared completely and efficiently without requiring user intervention in the reporting process.
3Loss of information
If a unified user interface is implemented for tracking records and user actions, then real-time information sharing is enabled, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the information delivery system into distinct functional components: feed items (data structures containing action information), feed queues (storage and management mechanism), and delivery processes (notification distribution). By dividing the complex task of real-time information sharing into these manageable segments, the system achieves real-time sharing capability while keeping each component relatively simple and well-defined.
Solution Approach 2:
The feed system serves multiple functions within a single unified interface: it tracks user actions on records, stores action information, manages notification queues, and delivers real-time updates to subscribers. This multi-functional feed mechanism consolidates what would otherwise require separate systems for each function, enabling real-time information sharing while actually reducing overall system complexity through functional integration.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are methods, apparatus, systems, and computer readable storage media for interacting with one or more data objects in an online social network. A user interface includes a publisher with a custom action. The custom action is defined in accordance with custom action instructions provided by a first entity via an application programming interface (API). Such custom action instructions may declaratively or programmatically define the data object, the interaction to be performed with the data object, and other attributes associated with the custom action. A user may request to interact with the data object via selection of the custom action by a second entity. Information may be submitted through the publisher to interact with the data object to update a database system associated with the data object. A feed item may be presented for inclusion in the information feed based on the update.