System and user interface supporting processing and activity management for concurrently operating applications

• US 20020133641A1
• Filed: 03/26/2001
• Published: 09/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cerner Innovation, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions Health Services Corporation (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Royer, Barry Lynn, Heil, John Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 7,334,031 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/329
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/41 where a single sign-on provides access to a plurality of computers
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/30 Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames name-to-address mapping H04L61/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0815 providing single-sign-on or federations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 above the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

A system and associated communication protocol enables network compatible applications to be integrated into any process involving concurrent operation of applications. A system for use in a first application concurrently operating together with a plurality of network compatible applications includes an entitlement processor. The entitlement processor enables user access to the first application in response to validation of user identification information. The system also includes a communication processor for intermittently communicating an activity indication to a managing application within a timeout window and the activity indication is communicated sufficiently often to prevent an inactivity timeout of the first application. The managing application receives activity indications from multiple concurrently operating applications sufficiently frequently to prevent an inactivity timeout of the individual applications and maintains corresponding activity monitoring indicators.

Claims

1. A system for use in a first application concurrently operating together with a plurality of network compatible applications, comprising:

an entitlement processor for enabling user access to said first application in response to validation of user identification information; and

a communication processor for intermittently communicating an activity indication to a managing application within a timeout window, said activity indication being communicated sufficiently often to prevent an inactivity timeout of said first application.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said activity indication notifies said managing application of activity by said first application and includes one or more of, (a) a session identifier for identifying a particular user initiated session, (b) a URL to be contacted if said activity notification is not successful, (c) an identification of a type of event preventing said activity notification from being successful.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said communication processor stores a plurality of activity indications and sends said plurality of activity indications as a batch to said managing application.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein

said plurality of activity indications comprise at least two PC function activity indications representing, (a) keyboard activity, (b) mouse activity, (c) other data entry device activity, (d) PC application operation activity indication.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said first application and said managing application reside in the same PC.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said communication processor intermittently communicates activity indications to said managing application using a plurality of different commands including an activity notification command and a command involving at least one of, (a) determining a user operation session identifier from said managing application and (b) sending a URL to said managing application.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said communication processor communicates to said managing application a request to receive an activity indication associated with said first application and maintained by said managing application, said activity indication indicating time since the last activity update.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said communication processor communicates with a browser application providing a user interface display permitting user entry of identification information for validation by said validation processor.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said communication processor communicates a time-out threshold value comprising said timeout window to said managing application.

10. A system for use by a managing application supporting concurrent operation of a plurality of Internet compatible applications, comprising:

an input processor for intermittently receiving activity indications from a plurality of concurrently operating applications;

an activity monitor for updating individual activity status indicators, corresponding to said plurality of concurrently operating applications, in response to said received activity indications;

a comparator for comparing individual activity status indicators with corresponding time-out threshold values to identify an application time-out event indicated by a status indicator exceeding said time-out threshold; and

a communication processor for communicating notice of said application time-out event to one of said plurality of concurrently operating applications.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein

said input processor receives and stores a time-out threshold value for individual applications of said plurality of concurrently operating applications.

12. A system according to claim 10, wherein

an activity status indicator comprises a time indication identifying when activity of a particular application was last reported, and

said time-out threshold comprises a predetermined time duration and said managing application determines said particular application to be inactive if said time indication exceeds said time-out threshold.

13. A system according to claim 10, wherein

said input processor receives activity indications from a plurality of different commands including an activity notification command and a command involving at least one of, (a) determining a user operation session identifier from said managing application and (b) sending a URL to said managing application.

14. A system according to claim 10, wherein

said communication processor communicates notice of said application time-out event to applications of said plurality of concurrently operating applications that have previously requested a notification of session termination.

15. A system according to claim 10, wherein

said communication processor communicates notice of said application time-out event in response to at least one condition of, (a) a received command requesting notification and (b) a received communication from an application session having previously produced a time-out event and (c) automatically upon generation of said time-out event.

16. A system according to claim 10, wherein

said activity indication includes one or more of, (a) an identification of a particular user initiated session, (b) a URL to be contacted if said activity notification is not successful, (c) an identification of a type of event preventing said activity notification from being successful.

17. A system according to claim 10, wherein

said corresponding time-out threshold values comprise a common timeout period for said plurality of concurrently operating applications.

18. A system according to claim 10, wherein

said comparator uses a predetermined default value for said time-out threshold values.

20. A system according to claim 19, wherein

said activity indication notification includes one or more of, (a) an identification of a particular user initiated session, (b) a URL to be contacted if said activity notification is not successful, (c) an identification of a type of event preventing said activity notification from being successful.

21. A system according to claim 19, wherein

a common timeout period is used as said inactivity timeout for said plurality of concurrently operating applications.

19. A system supporting concurrent operation of a plurality of Internet compatible applications, comprising:

a browser application providing a user interface display permitting user entry of identification information and commands for a plurality of Internet compatible applications; and

a managing application for receiving activity indications from a plurality of concurrently operating applications initiated by user commands via said browser user interface, said received activity indications being provided by individual applications sufficiently frequently to prevent an inactivity timeout of said individual applications.

22. In a system supporting concurrent operation of a plurality of network compatible applications, a method comprising the steps of:

intermittently receiving activity indications from a plurality of concurrently operating applications;

updating individual activity status indicators, corresponding to said plurality of concurrently operating applications, in response to said received activity indications;

comparing individual activity status indicators with corresponding time-out threshold values to identify an application time-out event indicated by a status indicator exceeding said time-out threshold; and

communicating notice of said application time-out event to one of said plurality of concurrently operating applications.

23. A method employed by a first application operating in a system supporting concurrent operation of a plurality of network compatible applications, said method comprising the steps of:

enabling user access to said first application in response to validation of user identification information; and

intermittently communicating an activity indication to a managing application within a timeout window, said activity indication notification being communicated sufficiently often to prevent an inactivity timeout of said first application.