Task flow interface in a popup region

• US 10,359,902 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2016
• Issued: 07/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Sullivan, Blake, Schneider, David, Van Matre, Gary, Subramaniam, Pavitra
• Primary Examiner(s): Collins, Timothy D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Filosi, Terri L
• Application Number:
  US15/011,043
• Publication Number:
  US 20160196009A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,271 Days
• Field of Search: 715772, 715804, 715797, 715791
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces

Abstract

In one set of embodiments, methods, systems, and apparatus are provided that include presenting, by a computer system, a task flow in a popup component of an application user interface executing in a user interface layer, where the task flow executes in an application layer of the computer system, and also include communicating, by the computer system, a first notification from the application layer to the user interface layer in response to normal completion of the task flow, and updating, e.g., closing, the component in the application user interface based upon the first notification. A second notification may be communicated from the user interface layer to the application layer in response to a user interface event that is associated with the popup component and causes an abnormal termination of the task flow. Presenting may include displaying the task flow in a region component in the popup component.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

presenting, by a client computer and using a library that includes code shared by one or more applications to implement application logic, a task flow comprising a sequence of tasks in an application user interface, the application user interface executing in a user interface layer of the client computer, the task flow being executed in an application layer of a server computer and encapsulating business logic associated with the sequence of tasks,

wherein the presenting comprises displaying the task flow according to the business logic in a region component and displaying the region component in a first popup component, the first popup component being displayed in a window of the application user interface using a second library that includes code shared by one or more applications to implement user interfaces;

in accordance with one or more view activities remaining in the sequence of tasks, receiving one or more next view activities from the application layer, and presenting the one or more next view activities, the one or more view activities being tasks including one or more user interface components from the second library;

in accordance with no additional view activity remaining in the sequence of tasks;

receiving, by the client computer at the user interface layer, a first notification indicating completion of the task flow from the application layer in response to completion of the task flow; and

updating, by the client computer, the first popup component in the application user interface in response to receiving the first notification;

receiving, by the client computer, a request to close the first popup component and a user response to a confirmation dialog displayed in the user interface layer, wherein the user response indicates that transaction data is to be saved; and

communicating, to the application layer, the user response, wherein the server computer is configured to cause the transaction data to be saved and the first popup component to be closed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the updating comprises closing the first popup component.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first popup component overlays at least a portion of the application user interface, the method further comprising:

presenting, by the client computer, a second task flow in a second popup component, wherein the second popup component overlays the first popup component in the application user interface.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first and second popup components are presented in different regions.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the task flow is a bounded task flow having defined start and end portions.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the task flow includes one or more page fragments, and the presenting comprises rendering the one or more page fragments in the region component.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the request to close the first popup component further comprises:

receiving, by the client computer at the user interface layer, a user interface event that indicates the request to close the first popup component; and

communicating, by the client computer, a second notification indicating the request to close the first popup component from the user interface layer to the application layer in response to receiving the user interface event,

the server computer being configured to receive, at the application layer, the second notification and execute an action in the application layer in response to receiving the second notification.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein, while executing the action, the server computer is further configured to roll back and terminate the task flow.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein communicating the user response further comprises:

receiving, by the client computer in the user interface layer from the application layer, a message instructing the user interface layer to update the region component of the popup with the confirmation dialog indicating the transaction data, the transaction data comprising uncommitted transaction data;

receiving, by the client computer, the user response to the confirmation dialog in the user interface layer, wherein the user response indicates that the uncommitted transaction data is to be saved; and

communicating, by the client computer, the user response to the application layer, the server computer being further configured to;

receive, at the application layer, the user response;

cause, at the application layer, the uncommitted data to be saved in response to the user response; and

roll back and terminate, at the application layer, the task flow.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the business logic is configured for displaying the task flow in the region component, at design time and via an integrated development environment (IDE), by:

the sequence of tasks being linked to specify an order and conditions in which the sequence of tasks are to be executed at runtime; and

control flow rules being specified that define transitions between the sequence of tasks.

11. A client computer, comprising:

a processor configured to;

present, using a library that includes code shared by one or more applications to implement application logic, a task flow comprising a sequence of tasks in an application user interface, the application user interface executing in a user interface layer of the client computer, the task flow being executed in an application layer of a server and encapsulating business logic associated with the sequence of tasks,

the task flow being displayed according to the business logic in a region component, the region component being displayed in a first popup component, and the first popup component being displayed in a window of the application user interface using a second library that includes code shared by one or more applications to implement user interfaces;

in accordance with one or more view activities remaining in the sequence of tasks, receive one or more next view activities from the application layer, and present the one or more next view activities, the one or more view activities being tasks including one or more user interface components from the second library;

in accordance with no additional view activity remaining in the sequence of tasks;

receive, at the user interface layer, a first notification indicating completion of the task flow from the application layer in response to completion of the task flow; and

update the first popup component in the application user interface in response to receiving the first notification,

wherein the task flow is a bounded task flow having defined start and end portions;

receive, at the user interface layer, a request to close the first popup component and a user response to a confirmation dialog displayed in the user interface layer, wherein the user response indicates that transaction data is to be saved; and

communicate, to the application layer, the user response, wherein the server is configured to cause the transaction data to be saved and the first popup component to be closed.

12. The client computer of claim 11, wherein the first popup component overlays at least a portion of the application user interface, and the processor is further configured to:

present a second task flow in a second popup component, wherein the second popup component overlays the first popup component in the application user interface.

13. The client computer of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to present the first and second popup components in different regions.

14. The client computer of claim 11, wherein the task flow includes one or more page fragments, and the processor is configured to render the one or more page fragments in the region component.

15. The client computer of claim 11, wherein, while receiving the request to close the first popup component, the processor is further configured to:

receive, at the user interface layer, a user interface event that indicates the request to close the first popup component; and

communicate a second notification indicating the request to close the first popup component from the user interface layer to the application layer in response to receiving the user interface event,

the server being configured to receive, at the application layer, the second notification and execute an action in the application layer in response to receiving the second notification.

16. The client computer of claim 15, wherein, while executing the action, the server computer is further configured to roll back and terminate the task flow.

17. The client computer of claim 15, wherein while communicating the user response, the processor is further configured to:

receive, in the user interface layer from the application layer,

a message instructing the user interface layer to update the region component of the popup with the confirmation indicating the transaction data, the transaction data comprising uncommitted transaction data;

receive the user response to the confirmation dialog in the user interface layer, wherein the user response indicates that the uncommitted transaction data is to be saved; and

communicate the user response to the application layer, the server being further configured to;

receive, at the application layer, the user response;

cause, at the application layer, the uncommitted data to be saved in response to the user response; and

roll back and terminate, at the application layer, the task flow.

18. A non-transitory machine-readable medium for a client computer, the non-transitory machine-readable medium having stored thereon a series of instructions executable by a processor, the series of instructions comprising:

instructions that cause the processor to present, using a library that includes code shared by one or more applications to implement application logic, a task flow comprising a sequence of tasks in an application user interface, the application user interface executing in a user interface layer of the client computer, the task flow being executed in an application layer of a server and encapsulating business logic associated with the sequence of tasks,

the task flow being displayed according to the business logic in a region component, the region component being displayed in a first popup component, and the first popup component being displayed in a window of the application user interface using a second library that includes code shared by one or more applications to implement user interfaces;

instructions that cause the processor, in accordance with one or more view activities remaining in the sequence of tasks, to receive one or more next view activities from the application layer, and present the one or more next view activities, the one or more view activities being tasks including one or more user interface components from the second library;

instructions that cause the processor, in accordance with no additional view activity remaining in the sequence of tasks, to;

receive, at the user interface layer, a first notification indicating completion of the task flow from the application layer in response to completion of the task flow;

update the first popup component in the application user interface in response to receiving the first notification, wherein the task flow is a bounded task flow having defined start and end portions, and the task flow includes one or more page fragments; and

render the one or more page fragments in the region component;

instructions that cause the processor to receive, at the user interface layer, a request to close the first popup component and a user response to a confirmation dialog displayed in the user interface layer, wherein the user response indicates that transaction data is to be saved; and

instructions that cause the processor to communicate, to the application layer, the user response, wherein the server is configured to cause the transaction data to be saved and the first popup component to be closed.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 18, further comprising instructions that cause the processor to close the first popup component in response to receiving the first notification.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the first popup component overlays at least a portion of the application user interface, the series of instructions further comprising:

instructions that cause the processor to present a second task flow in a second popup component, wherein the second popup component overlays the first popup component in the application user interface.