Business intelligence system with interface that provides for immediate user action

• US 20060089939A1
• Filed: 12/12/2005
• Published: 04/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Powers, Craig R., Broda, Tal, McGraw, Kimberly
• Granted Patent: US 8,165,993 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application

Abstract

A business intelligence system includes a business activity monitor with a data cache to receive and store enterprise data integrated from a plurality of enterprise applications, the data cache being updated in real-time as the enterprise data changes. A computer coupled with the data cache runs a program that produces a graphical user interface on a display. The graphical user interface provides a user with a real-time report of the enterprise data and a page that allows the user to specify at least one action affecting operation of the enterprise. The page also including a button selection of which causes the computer to send a first message designating one or more selected actions to the BAM. In response, the BAM sends a second message to one or more of the enterprise applications to execute the one or more selected actions in real-time. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

Claims

1. A business intelligence system for an enterprise, comprising:

a business activity monitor (BAM) that includes a data cache to receive and store enterprise data integrated from a plurality of enterprise applications, the data cache being updated in real-time as the enterprise data changes;

a computer coupled with the data cache to run a program that produces a graphical user interface on a display, the graphical user interface providing a user with a real-time report of the enterprise data and a page that allows the user to specify at least one action affecting operation of the enterprise, the page including a button for causing the computer to send a first message designating one or more selected actions to the BAM, in response the BAM sending a second message to one or more of the enterprise applications to execute the one or more selected actions in real-time.

2. The business intelligence system of claim 1 wherein the BAM further comprises:

a report engine that accesses the enterprise data in the data cache, formats the enterprise data, and then streams it to the computer for real-time display, the report engine inserting a data object into the data cache in response to the first message, the data object for generating an alert; and

an event engine that generates the second message in response to receipt of the alert from the data cache.

3. The business intelligence system of claim 2 wherein the report engine comprises a report server.

4. The business intelligence system of claim 1 wherein the page further includes a data field listing of the one or more actions after each has been completed.

5. The business intelligence system of claim 4 wherein the data field listing is displayed within a period of 10 seconds or less after selection of the second button by the user.

6. The business intelligence system of claim 2 wherein the first message comprises an Extensible Mark-up Language message.

7. The business intelligence system of claim 2 wherein the second message comprises a web service call.

8. A business intelligence system comprising:

means for real-time integration and delivery of the enterprise data generated by a plurality of enterprise applications, the means updating the enterprise data in real-time responsive to a business event that produces a change in the enterprise data;

a dashboard to display the enterprise data delivered by the means in real-time, the dashboard including a user interface that allows a user to select one or more actions based on the enterprise data being displayed, the user interface sending a first message to the means in response to a command to perform at least one action selected by the user, the first message causing the means to sent a second message to one or more of the enterprise applications for executing the one or more actions.

9. The business intelligence system of claim 8 wherein the first message comprises an Extensible Mark-up Language message.

10. The business intelligence system of claim 8 wherein the one or more actions constitute a new business event that changes the enterprise data, the changed enterprise data being displayed on the dashboard within a period of 10 seconds or less after input of the command by the user.

11. A business intelligence system for an enterprise, comprising:

a computing environment that includes a plurality of enterprise applications that produce enterprise data;

a data integration engine that integrates, in real-time, the enterprise data;

a business activity monitor (BAM) that includes;

a data cache to receive and store the enterprise data integrated from the enterprise applications, the data cache being updated in real-time as the enterprise data changes; and

a report engine that accesses enterprise data in the data cache, formats the enterprise data, and then outputs the enterprise data as a data stream that changes in real-time as the enterprise data in the data cache changes;

a computer that runs a program to produce a graphical user interface on a display, the graphical user interface including a presentation of the enterprise data provided in the data stream, the graphical user interface also providing a page for inputting user-specified actions to effectuate a change in a process of the enterprise, the graphical user interface generating a first message output to the BAM in response to a command to perform at least one action selected by the user, the first message causing the BAM to sent a second message to one or more of the enterprise applications for executing the at least one action.

12. The business intelligence system of claim 11 wherein the first message comprises an Extensible Mark-up Language message.

13. The business intelligence system of claim 11 wherein the at least one action constitutes a new business event that changes the enterprise data, the changed enterprise data being displayed by the computer within a period of 10 seconds or less after input of the command.

14. The business intelligence system of claim 11 wherein the report engine is further operable to insert a data object into the data cache in response to the first message, the data object for generating an alert, and wherein the BAM further comprises:

an event engine that generates the second message in response to receipt of the alert from the data cache.

15. The business intelligence system of claim 11 wherein the report engine comprises a report server.

16. The business intelligence system of claim 11 wherein the page further includes a data field listing of the one or more actions after each has been completed.

17. A computer-implemented method for operational management of business processes, comprising:

(a) integrating enterprise data in real-time, the enterprise data being obtained from a plurality of enterprise applications;

(b) storing the integrated enterprise data in a data cache;

(c) extracting portions of the enterprise data from the data cache;

(d) delivering the portions of the enterprise data to a graphical user interface (GUI) for viewing by a user;

(e) providing, on the GUI, a page that allows the user to specify one or more operations that trigger a change in the enterprise data.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 17 further comprising:

(f) repeating (a)-(e) in response to the change in the enterprise data.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 17 wherein the changed enterprise data is displayed on the GUI within a period of 10 seconds or less after input of the one or more operations by the user.

20. A computer-implemented method for operational management of business processes, comprising:

displaying of enterprise data on a dashboard screen, the enterprise data being obtained from a plurality of enterprise applications;

updating the display in real-time responsive to a business event that results in a change to the enterprise data;

providing a user interface on the dashboard screen with a field that allows the user to specify one or more operations for changing the enterprise data;

receiving a command from a user via the user interface to implement the one or more operations.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 20 wherein the changed enterprise data is displayed on the GUI within a period of 10 seconds or less after input of the one or more operations by the user.

22. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium and computer readable code embodied on the computer useable medium, execution of the computer readable code causing the computer program product to:

display enterprise data on a dashboard screen, the enterprise data being obtained from a plurality of enterprise applications;

update the display on the dashboard screen in real-time responsive to a business event that results in a change to the enterprise data;

provide a user interface on the dashboard screen with a field that allows the user to specify one or more operations aimed at changing in the enterprise data;

receive a command via the user interface to implement the one or more operations.

23. The computer program product of claim 22 wherein the one or more operations affect the enterprise data produced by the enterprise applications, and wherein execution of the computer readable code further causes the computer program product to:

display changed enterprise data on the dashboard screen within 10 seconds or less after input of the command, the changed enterprise data reflecting execution of the one or more operations.