Supporting user interaction with a computer system

• US 20070130542A1
• Filed: 12/02/2005
• Published: 06/07/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Kaiser, Matthias
• Granted Patent: US 7,979,295 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0053 Computers, e.g. programming

Abstract

User interaction with a computer system is supported by maintaining, in a computer system, a model comprising several concepts having properties associated therewith and any relationships existing between the several concepts. A current state of the several concepts, properties and relationships reflects a real-world situation that involves a user of the computer system. An output is made to the user that identifies at least a subset of several predefined goals, the model indicating the subset as being possible to accomplish based on the current state. At least a first action of several predefined actions in the computer system is performed, the model associating the several predefined actions with accomplishing respective ones of the several predefined goals. The first action is identified as associated with accomplishing a first goal that the user selects from the subset. The current state is updated based on performing at least the first action.

Claims

1. A computer-program product tangibly embodied in an information carrier, the computer-program product comprising instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform operations to support user interaction with a computer system, the operations comprising:

maintaining, in a computer system, a model comprising several concepts having properties associated therewith and any relationships existing between the several concepts, wherein a current state of the several concepts, properties and relationships reflects a real-world situation that involves a user of the computer system;

making an output to the user that identifies at least a subset of several predefined goals, the model indicating the subset as being possible to accomplish based on the current state;

performing at least a first action of several predefined actions in the computer system, the model associating the several predefined actions with accomplishing respective ones of the several predefined goals, the first action having been identified as associated with accomplishing a first goal that the user selects from the subset; and

updating the current state based on performing at least the first action.

2. The computer-program product of claim 1, wherein the output is triggered by an instruction to evaluate the current state and recommend to the user any of the several predefined goals that can be accomplished in the current state.

3. The computer-program product of claim 1, wherein a group of the several concepts are involved in the real-world situation, and wherein the subset is identified by analyzing the current state of the group, their properties and relationships.

4. The computer-program product of claim 1, wherein performing at least the first action comprises performing a sequence of operations that the model associates with accomplishing the first goal.

5. The computer-program product of claim 1, wherein performing at least the first action comprises guiding the user in making at least one input.

6. The computer-program product of claim 1, wherein performing at least the first action comprises requesting a user input relating to the real-world situation, the user input being taken into account when updating the current state.

7. The computer-program product of claim 1, wherein the several concepts correspond to actors or items involved in the real-world situation.

8. The computer-program product of claim 1, wherein the first goal is one selected from the group consisting of:

a validation, an authentication, an authorization, a confirmation, a verification, and combinations thereof.

9. The computer-program product of claim 1, wherein the first goal belongs to a domain in which the user is knowledgeable, and wherein the real-world situation is part of the domain.

10. The computer-program product of claim 1, implemented to provide a user interface in the computer system.

11. The computer-program product of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise making another output to the user, before performing the first action, that explains the current state.

12. The computer-program product of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise making another output to the user that explains the performance of at least the first action, the other output being generated using information from the model.

13. A computer system comprising:

a model comprising several concepts having properties associated therewith and any relationships existing between the several concepts, wherein a current state of the several concepts, properties and relationships reflects a real-world situation that involves a user of the computer system;

several predefined actions that can be performed in the computer system, the model associating the several predefined actions with accomplishing respective ones of several predefined goals; and

an output device for identifying to the user at least a subset of the several predefined goals that the model indicates is possible to accomplish based on the current state, wherein, upon the user selecting a first goal from the subset, the computer system performs at least a first action having been identified as associated with accomplishing the first goal and updates the current state based on performing at least the first action.

14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein a group of the several concepts are involved in the real-world situation, and wherein the computer system identifies the subset by analyzing the current state of the group, their properties and relationships.

15. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the computer system, in performing at least the first action, requests a user input relating to the real-world situation and takes the user input into account when updating the current state.

16. A computer-program product tangibly embodied in an information carrier, the computer-program product comprising instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform operations to support user interaction with a computer system, the operations comprising:

generating a first output from a computer system to a user that describes a current state of the computer system, the current state being obtained from a model in the computer system that comprises several concepts having properties associated therewith and any relationships existing between the several concepts, the current state reflecting a real-world situation that involves the user;

generating a second output to the user that identifies at least a subset of several predefined goals obtained through an indication in the model that the subset is possible to accomplish based on the current state;

performing at least a first action of several predefined actions in the computer system, the model associating the several predefined actions with accomplishing respective ones of the several predefined goals, the first action having been identified as associated with accomplishing a first goal that the user selects from the subset; and

generating a third output to the user that describes the first action and how it changes the current state.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein performing the first action requires user input and wherein the operations further comprise guiding the user in making the user input.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the first and second outputs are generated essentially simultaneously.

19. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein at least a portion of the third output is generated while performing the first action.