Unified Communication Interface for Third-Party Object Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing communication platforms require users to leave the platform to access and interact with third-party objects, leading to inefficient and frustrating user experiences due to the need for multiple interface transitions.

Innovation Solution

Integrate third-party objects and functionality directly into the communication platform, allowing users to access and interact with them without leaving the interface by partitioning the user interface into sections that can be independently interacted with, enabling seamless interaction between the communication platform and third-party platforms.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If users access third-party objects through external platforms, then third-party functionality is available, but user interaction efficiency deteriorates due to multiple interface transitions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess to third-party functionalityVSAvoiduser interaction efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the communication platform interface and third-party platform interface into a single unified user interface. The user interface includes a first section for communication platform data and a second section for third-party platform data, allowing users to access both platforms simultaneously without switching interfaces. This merging resolves the contradiction by maintaining versatility (access to third-party functionality) while improving ease of operation (eliminating interface transitions).

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The unified user interface is segmented into multiple independent sections: a first section displaying communication platform data and a second section displaying third-party platform data. Each section can be independently interacted with, allowing users to access communication features and third-party functionality simultaneously within the same interface. This segmentation enables the platform to maintain both versatility and ease of operation by organizing different functionalities in distinct, accessible areas.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If users switch between communication platform and third-party platform, then access to different functionalities is enabled, but processing resources are wasted due to repeated interface loading

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess to different functionalitiesVSAvoidprocessing resources

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

By merging both platforms into a single unified interface that loads once, the system eliminates the need to repeatedly load and unload interface components when switching between platforms. The unified interface maintains both communication platform and third-party platform functionalities simultaneously, reducing processing resource waste while preserving access to different functionalities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The unified user interface maintains continuous availability of both communication platform and third-party platform functionalities without requiring repeated loading or initialization. Once the unified interface is loaded, users can continuously access different functionalities (communication features and third-party services) without interruption or resource re-allocation, thereby eliminating wasted processing resources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple interfaces are used for communication and third-party access, then functionality is comprehensive, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomprehensive functionalityVSAvoidinterface structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple separate interfaces (communication platform interface and third-party platform interface) into a single unified user interface. This unified interface comprehensively provides both communication functionalities and third-party functionalities while maintaining a single, manageable interface structure. This approach reduces device complexity by eliminating the need to manage multiple separate interfaces while preserving comprehensive functionality through integrated access.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The unified user interface is segmented into distinct sections for different functionalities (first section for communication platform, second section for third-party platform). This segmentation allows comprehensive functionality to be organized in a structured, manageable way within a single interface, reducing the complexity of managing multiple separate interfaces while maintaining access to all required features.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS12537788B2Integrating a communication platform into a third-party platform

Publication Date: 2026.01.27 SALESFORCE INC

AI summary

Integration of a group-based communication platform into a third-party application is described. In an example, an affordance associated with the group-based communication platform can be presented via a user interface of the third-party application. Based at least in part on detecting an input associated with the affordance, at least the message can be retrieved from the group-based communication platform. The message can be presented via the user interface of the third-party application, wherein one or more messages associated with the group-based communication platform, including the message, are presented via the user interface of the third-party application.