Method to indicate context synchronization of applications on a computer desktop

• US 20070050359A1
• Filed: 08/30/2005
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Change Healthcare Holdings, LLC (UnitedHealth Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: McKesson Information Solutions LLC (McKesson Corp.)
• Inventors: Anderson, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,752,178 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 15/00 ICT specially adapted for medical reports, e.g. generation or transmission thereof

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a method to indicate context synchronization of applications on a computer desktop that polls information from disparate applications and provides an indication of whether or not the information is synchronized. The disclosure uses an application located on each workstation that performs the “polling” and displays the synchronization state. The present disclosure does not involve a server process. Because of the rules governing abstracts, this abstract should not be used to construe the claims.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

retrieving identifying information from at least two computer applications;

comparing the identifying information; and

displaying a result indicative of said comparing.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said retrieving includes directly interfacing with the at least two computer applications.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said retrieving includes indirectly interfacing with the at least two computer applications.

4. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising defining the identifying information as critical or non-critical.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein retrieving occurs approximately every two seconds.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the result includes one of synchronized, not synchronized, or indeterminate.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the result is displayed in color.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the result is displayed as an icon.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the result is displayed as a link to additional information.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the result is displayed in a consistent location.

11. A method for indicating context synchronization of applications on a computer comprising:

reading a configuration file to determine at least two applications;

reading a configuration file to determine identifying information to retrieve from said at least two applications;

retrieving identifying information from said at least two applications;

comparing the identifying information; and

displaying a result in response to said comparing.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said retrieving includes directly interfacing with the at least two computer applications.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said retrieving includes indirectly interfacing with the at least two computer applications.

14. The method of claim 11, additionally comprising defining the identifying information as critical or non-critical.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein retrieving occurs approximately every two seconds.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the result includes one of synchronized, not synchronized, or indeterminate.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the result is displayed in color.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the result is displayed as an icon.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein the result is displayed as a link to additional information.

20. The method of claim 11 wherein the result is displayed in a consistent location.

21. A computer readable medium carrying a set of instructions which, when executed, perform a method comprising:

retrieving identifying information from at least two computer applications;

comparing the identifying information; and

displaying a result indicative of said comparing.

22. The medium of claim 21 wherein said retrieving includes directly interfacing with the at least two computer applications.

23. The medium of claim 21 wherein said retrieving includes indirectly interfacing with the at least two computer applications.

24. The medium of claim 21, additionally comprising defining the identifying information as critical or non-critical.

25. The medium of claim 21 wherein retrieving occurs approximately every two seconds.

26. The medium of claim 21 wherein the result includes one of synchronized, not synchronized, or indeterminate.

27. The medium of claim 21 wherein the result is displayed in color.

28. The medium of claim 21 wherein the result is displayed as an icon.

29. The medium of claim 21 wherein the result is displayed as a link to additional information.

30. The medium of claim 21 wherein the result is displayed in a consistent location.