Computer implemented methods and apparatus for integrating a social network information feed with a network communications application

Abstract

Disclosed are systems, apparatus, and methods for integrating an information feed. In various implementations, an identity of a user may be determined based on authentication information, where the authentication information identifies a user profile. In some implementations, profile information is identified based on the determined identity, where the profile information identifies one or more entities tracked using one or more information feeds associated with the user profile, and where the one or more information feeds comprises one or more feed items stored in a database system. In various implementations, the identified profile information is associated with a user account provided by a network communications application.

1 . A computer implemented method for integrating an information feed, the method comprising:
 determining an identity of a user based on authentication information, the authentication information identifying a user profile;   identifying profile information based on the determined identity, the profile information identifying one or more entities tracked using one or more information feeds associated with the user profile, the one or more information feeds comprising one or more feed items stored in a database system; and   associating the identified profile information with a user account provided by a network communications application.   
     
     
         2 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the network communications application is capable of accessing the identified profile information and displaying the identified profile information on a display device. 
     
     
         3 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the network communications application is an email application. 
     
     
         4 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more tracked entities comprise one or more contacts. 
     
     
         5 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 identifying the one or more information feeds as being associated with the one or more tracked entities; 
 retrieving the one or more feed items from one or more database tables of the database system; and 
 associating the one or more feed items with the user account. 
 
     
     
         6 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein associating the identified profile information with a user account further comprises including the profile information with one or more database tables configured to store the user account. 
     
     
         7 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein determining the identity of a user includes verifying the identity of the user based on authentication information associated with the user profile. 
     
     
         8 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the network communications application stores information in a first schema and the profile information is stored in a second schema. 
     
     
         9 . The computer implemented method of  claim 8  further comprising:
 converting the profile information from the second schema to the first schema. 
 
     
     
         10 . The computer implemented method of  claim 9 , wherein the first schema is extensible markup language (XML) and wherein the second schema is JavaScript Object Notation (JSON). 
     
     
         11 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the profile information is stored in one or more data fields of a first one or more records, the one or more data fields arranged according to a first configuration, and wherein the network communications application is configured to access and read a second one or more records having one or more data fields arranged according to a second configuration. 
     
     
         12 . The computer implemented method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 mapping the profile information from the first configuration to the second configuration. 
 
     
     
         13 . The computer implemented method of  claim 12 , wherein the mapping is performed by one or more implementations of classes of data objects. 
     
     
         14 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the profile information includes one or more items selected from the group consisting of: a username, an email address, a phone number, an organization name, and an occupational title. 
     
     
         15 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more information feeds are part of an online social network. 
     
     
         16 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more feed items include a message. 
     
     
         17 . The computer implemented method of  claim 16 , wherein the message includes one or more items selected from the group consisting of: a post, a comment, audio data, video data, a status update, an uploaded file, a link to a file, a link to a web page, a link to a record, and an indication of a personal preference. 
     
     
         18 . The computer implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the profile information is stored in one or more storage mediums included in a multi-tenant database accessible to a plurality of entities in an on-demand computing services environment. 
     
     
         19 . One or more computing devices for presentation of feed items in an information feed to be displayed on a display device, the one or more computing devices comprising:
 one or more processors operable to execute one or more instructions to:
 determine an identity of a user based on authentication information, the authentication information identifying a user profile; 
 identify profile information based on the determined identity, the profile information identifying one or more entities tracked using one or more information feeds associated with the user profile, the one or more information feeds comprising one or more feed items stored in a database system; and 
 associate the identified profile information with a user account provided by a network communications application. 
   
     
     
         20 . The one or more computing devices of  claim 19 , wherein the network communications application is an email application. 
     
     
         21 . The one or more computing devices of  claim 19 , wherein the one or more tracked entities comprise one or more contacts. 
     
     
         22 . The one or more computing devices of  claim 19  further comprising:
 identifying the one or more information feeds as being associated with the one or more tracked entities; 
 retrieving the one or more feed items from one or more database tables of the database system; and 
 associating the one or more feed items with the user account. 
 
     
     
         23 . The one or more computing devices of  claim 19 , wherein associating the identified profile information with a user account further comprises including the profile information with one or more database tables configured to store the user account. 
     
     
         24 . The one or more computing devices of  claim 19 , wherein determining the identity of a user includes verifying the identity of the user based on authentication information associated with the user profile. 
     
     
         25 . The one or more computing devices of  claim 19 , wherein the network communications application stores information in a first schema and the profile information is stored in a second schema. 
     
     
         26 . The one or more computing devices of  claim 25  further comprising:
 converting the profile information from the second schema to the first schema. 
 
     
     
         27 . The one or more computing devices of  claim 19 , wherein the profile information is stored in one or more data fields of a first one or more records, the one or more data fields arranged according to a first configuration, and wherein the network communications application is configured to access and read a second one or more records having one or more data fields arranged according to a second configuration. 
     
     
         28 . The one or more computing devices of  claim 27  further comprising:
 mapping the profile information from the first configuration to the second configuration. 
 
     
     
         29 . The one or more computing devices of  claim 19 , wherein the one or more information feeds are part of an online social network. 
     
     
         30 . The one or more computing devices of  claim 19 , wherein the one or more feed items include a message. 
     
     
         31 . The one or more computing devices of  claim 30 , wherein the message includes one or more items selected from the group consisting of: a post, a comment, audio data, video data, a status update, an uploaded file, a link to a file, a link to a web page, a link to a record, and an indication of a personal preference. 
     
     
         32 . The one or more computing devices of  claim 19 , wherein the profile information is stored in one or more storage mediums included in a multi-tenant database accessible to a plurality of entities in an on-demand computing services environment. 
     
     
         33 . A non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage medium storing instructions executable by a computing device to perform a method for integrating an information feed, the method comprising:
 determining an identity of a user based on authentication information, the authentication information identifying a user profile;   identifying profile information based on the determined identity, the profile information identifying one or more entities tracked using one or more information feeds associated with the user profile, the one or more information feeds comprising one or more feed items stored in a database system; and   associating the identified profile information with a user account provided by a network communications application.   
     
     
         34 . The non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage medium of  claim 33 , the method further comprising:
 identifying the one or more information feeds as being associated with the one or more tracked entities;   retrieving the one or more feed items from one or more database tables of the database system; and   associating the one or more feed items with the user account.   
     
     
         35 . The non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage medium of  claim 33 , wherein associating the identified profile information with a user account further comprises including the profile information with one or more database tables configured to store the user account. 
     
     
         36 . The non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage medium of  claim 33 , wherein the network communications application stores information in a first schema and the profile information is stored in a second schema. 
     
     
         37 . The non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage medium of  claim 36 , the method further comprising:
 converting the profile information from the second schema to the first schema.   
     
     
         38 . The non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage medium of  claim 33 , wherein the profile information is stored in one or more data fields of a first one or more records, the one or more data fields arranged according to a first configuration, and wherein the network communications application is configured to access and read a second one or more records having one or more data fields arranged according to a second configuration. 
     
     
         39 . The non-transitory tangible computer-readable storage medium of  claim 38 , the method further comprising:
 mapping the profile information from the first configuration to the second configuration.