Accessing previously viewed windows

• US 20050160353A1
• Filed: 07/02/2004
• Published: 07/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Kuehn, Michael, Mayer-Ullmann, Dietrich, Conrad, Peter, Held, Theo, Rodgers, Deborah, Kumar, Janaki P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,015,501 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/206
• 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

Abstract

One implementation provides a method for accessing a window previously viewed by a user in a graphical user interface (GUI) during an interaction with an individual. The method includes displaying to the user a first window in the GUI. The first window contains a collapsible/expandable menu. The menu contains an entry that refers to a window previously viewed by the user. Upon selection of the entry in the menu, the method further includes displaying to the user the corresponding window previously viewed by the user in the GUI. The corresponding window has a data-entry field that contains a latest version of information that is related to the interaction with the individual that was previously entered or modified by the user.

Claims

1. A method for accessing a window previously viewed by a user in a graphical user interface (GUI) during an interaction with an individual, the method comprising:

displaying to the user a first window in the GUI, wherein the first window contains a menu, wherein the menu contains an entry that refers to a window previously displayed to the user, and wherein the user is able to expand or collapse the menu in the GUI; and

upon selection of the entry in the menu, displaying to the user the corresponding window previously displayed to the user in the GUI, wherein the corresponding window has a data-entry field that contains a latest version of information that is related to the interaction with the individual that was previously entered or modified by the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the menu contains additional entries that refer to specific windows previously displayed to the user.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising providing forward and back buttons in the GUI that allow the user to select an individual entry from within the menu according to its respective order in the menu.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising providing a back button in the GUI that allows the user to select an individual entry from within the menu that corresponds to a last window previously displayed to the user.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the entries in the menu are arranged in an order opposite to that in which the corresponding windows were displayed to the user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the entry in the menu includes a title of the window previously displayed to the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the menu is a drop-down menu.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first window contains a data-entry field containing information related to the interaction with the individual.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the corresponding window previously displayed to the user contains additional data-entry fields that each contain a latest version of information previously entered or modified by the user relating to the interaction with the individual.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the interaction has been initiated by the individual.

12. The method of claim 1I, wherein the menu contains additional entries that refer to specific windows previously displayed to the user.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising providing forward and back buttons in the GUI that allow the user to select an individual entry from within the menu according to its respective order in the menu.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

providing a back button in the GUI; and

upon user selection of the back button, displaying to the user a last window previously displayed to the user.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the entries in the menu are arranged in an order opposite to that in which the corresponding windows were displayed to the user.

11. A method for processing information during an interaction between a user and an individual, the method comprising:

displaying to the user a first window in a graphical user interface (GUI), the first window containing information related to the interaction with the individual that has been entered or modified by the user;

storing the information contained in the first window;

displaying to the user a second window in the GUI, the second window containing a menu having an entry referring to the first window previously displayed to the user, wherein the user is able to expand or collapse the menu in the GUI; and

upon user selection of the entry in the menu, displaying to the user the first window, such that the first window contains a latest version of the previously stored information.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising retrieving the latest version of the previously stored information.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving input from the user that modifies the previously stored information prior to user selection of the entry in the menu.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising retrieving the modified version of the previously stored information as the latest version.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the entry in the menu includes a title of the window previously displayed to the user.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the menu is a drop-down menu.

21. The method of claim 11, wherein the interaction has been initiated by the individual.

22. A computer program product tangibly embodied in an information carrier, the computer program product including instructions that, when executed, perform a method for accessing a window previously viewed by a user in a graphical user interface (GUI) during an interaction with an individual, the method comprising:

displaying to the user a first window in the GUI, wherein the first window contains a menu, wherein the menu contains an entry that refers to a window previously displayed to the user, and wherein the user is able to expand or collapse the menu in the GUI; and

upon selection of the entry in the menu, displaying to the user the corresponding window previously displayed to the user in the GUI, wherein the corresponding window has a data-entry field that contains a latest version of information that is related to the interaction with the individual that was previously entered or modified by the user.

23. A computer program product tangibly embodied in an information carrier, the computer program product including instructions that, when executed, perform a method for processing information during an interaction between a user and an individual, the method comprising:

displaying to the user a first window in a graphical user interface (GUI), the first window containing information related to the interaction with the individual that has been entered or modified by the user;

storing the information contained in the first window;

displaying to the user a second window in the GUI, the second window containing a menu having an entry referring to the first window previously displayed to the user, wherein the user is able to expand or collapse the menu in the GUI; and

upon user selection of the entry in the menu, displaying to the user the first window, such that the first window contains a latest version of the previously stored information.

24. A system for accessing a window previously viewed by a user in a graphical user interface (GUI) during an interaction with an individual, the system being programmed to:

display to the user a first window in the GUI, wherein the first window contains a menu, wherein the menu contains an entry that refers to a window previously displayed to the user, and wherein the user is able to expand or collapse the menu in the GUI; and

upon selection of the entry in the menu, display to the user the corresponding window previously displayed to the user in the GUI, wherein the corresponding window has a data-entry field that contains a latest version of information that is related to the interaction with the individual that was previously entered or modified by the user.

25. A system for processing information during an interaction between a user and an individual, the system being programmed to:

display to the user a first window in a graphical user interface (GUI), the first window containing information related to the interaction with the individual that has been entered or modified by the user;

store the information contained in the first window;

display to the user a second window in the GUI, the second window containing a menu having an entry referring to the first window previously displayed to the user, wherein the user is able to expand or collapse the menu in the GUI; and

upon user selection of the entry in the menu, display to the user the first window, such that the first window contains a latest version of the previously stored information.