Consolidating Related Task Data in Process Management Solutions

• US 20110066647A1
• Filed: 09/01/2010
• Published: 03/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Jung, Roke, Chan, Laura M., Santos, Neil R., Thomsen, Kaylee M., Ng, Tinny M., Kapadia, Dipali, Tsao, Kim
• Granted Patent: US 8,768,957 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/770
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2471 Distributed queries

Abstract

A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for managing task data. A task advisor identifies a set of queries and a set of data sources mapped to a task type in a mapping entry. The task type is associated with a selected task. The mapping entry maps the task type to the set of queries. The set of queries is mapped to the set of data sources. The task advisor sends each query in the set of queries to a corresponding data source in the set of data sources. The task advisor aggregates the data received from the set of data sources in response to the set of queries. A user may utilize the aggregated data to complete the selected task.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of managing task data, the computer implemented method comprising:

a computer identifying a set of queries and a set of data sources mapped to a task type in a mapping entry, wherein the task type is associated with a selected task, and wherein the mapping entry maps the task type to the set of queries, and wherein the set of queries is mapped to the set of data sources;

the computer sending each query in the set of queries to a corresponding data source in the set of data sources; and

the computer aggregating data received from the set of data sources responsive to the set of queries to form aggregated data, wherein the aggregated data is usable by a user to complete the selected task.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

the computer transforming the aggregated data into a neutral common data format to form normalized data; and

the computer sending the normalized data to a user interface composer for presentation to the user.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

the computer receiving a task identifier for the selected task from a task processing portlet; and

the computer identifying the task type based on the task identifier.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

responsive to receiving a new query for a new data source, the computer updating the mapping entry, wherein updating the mapping entry further comprises mapping the new query and the new data source to the task type in the mapping entry.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

presenting the aggregated data to the user on a display device, by a single task details portlet, wherein the task details portlet presents data from the set of data sources associated with the selected task to the user.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

responsive to receiving an updated query for an existing data source in the set of data sources, the computer mapping the updated query and the existing data source in the set of data sources to the task type in the mapping entry.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein a first query in the set of queries is mapped to a first set of data sources and wherein a second query in the set of queries is mapped to a second set of data sources.

8. A computer implemented method for a task advisor, the computer implemented method comprising:

a computer receiving an updated mapping entry for a task type in a mapping entries database, wherein the task type corresponds to a set of tasks, wherein the updated mapping entry comprises an updated set of queries, wherein the set of queries is mapped to a set of data sources;

responsive to receiving a user selection of a task associated with the task type, the computer transmitting the updated set of queries mapped to the task type and the set of data sources mapped to the set of queries in the mapping entry to a query engine, wherein the query engine queries each data source in the set of data source for data associated with the selected task, and wherein the task advisor aggregates data received from the set of data sources in response to the queries for presentation to the user in a single task details portlet.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 8 further comprising:

responsive to receiving a new query for a new data source, the computer mapping the new query and the new data source to the task type in the updated mapping entry.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 8 further comprising:

responsive to receiving an updated query for an existing data source in the set of data sources, the computer mapping the updated query and the existing data source in the set of data sources to the task type in the updated mapping entry.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 8 further comprising:

presenting the aggregated data to the user on a display device, by the task details portlet, wherein the task details portlet presents data from the set of data sources associated with the selected task to the user.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 8, wherein a first query in the set of queries is mapped to a first set of data sources and wherein a second query in the set of queries is mapped to a second set of data sources.

13. A computer program product for managing task data, the computer program product comprising:

a computer usable storage medium having computer usable program code recorded therewith, the computer usable program code comprising;

computer usable program code configured to identify a set of queries and a set of data sources mapped to a task type in a mapping entry, wherein the task type is associated with a selected task, and wherein the mapping entry maps the task type to the set of queries, and wherein the set of queries is mapped to the set of data sources;

computer usable program code configured to send each query in the set of queries to a corresponding data source in the set of data sources; and

computer usable program code configured to aggregate data received from the set of data sources in response to the set of queries to form aggregated data, wherein the aggregated data is utilized by a user to complete the selected task.

14. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising:

computer usable program code configured to transform the aggregated data into a neutral common data format to form normalized data; and

computer usable program code configured to send the normalized data to a user interface composer for presentation to the user.

15. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising:

computer usable program code configured to receive a task identifier for the selected task from a task processing portlet; and

computer usable program code configured to identify the task type based on the task identifier.

16. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising:

computer usable program code configured to update the mapping entry by mapping a new query and a new data source to the task type in the mapping entry in response to receiving the new query for the new data source.

17. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising:

computer usable program code configured to present the aggregated data to the user on a display device, by a single task details portlet, wherein the task details portlet presents data from the set of data sources associated with the selected task to the user.

18. The computer program product of claim 13 further comprising:

computer usable program code configured to map an updated query and an existing data source in the set of data sources to the task type in the mapping entry in response to receiving an updated query for an existing data source in the set of data sources.

19. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein a first query in the set of queries is mapped to a first set of data sources and wherein a second query in the set of queries is mapped to a second set of data sources.

20. A computer program product for a task advisor, the computer program product comprising:

a computer usable storage medium having computer usable program code recorded therewith, the computer usable program code comprising;

computer usable program code configured to receive an updated mapping entry for a task type in a mapping entries database, wherein the task type corresponds to a set of tasks, wherein the updated mapping entry comprises an updated set of queries, wherein the set of queries is mapped to a set of data sources; and

computer usable program code configured to transmit the updated set of queries mapped to the task type and the set of data sources mapped to the set of queries in the mapping entry to a query engine in response to receiving a user selection of a task associated with the task type, wherein the query engine queries each data source in the set of data source for data associated with the selected task, and wherein the task advisor aggregates data received from the set of data sources in response to the queries for presentation to the user in a single task details portlet.

21. The computer program product of claim 20 further comprising:

computer usable program code configured to map the new query and the new data source to the task type in the updated mapping entry in response to receiving a new query for a new data source.

22. The computer program product of claim 20 further comprising:

computer usable program code configured to map the updated query and the existing data source in the set of data sources to the task type in the updated mapping entry in response to receiving an updated query for an existing data source in the set of data sources.

23. The computer program product of claim 20 further comprising:

computer usable program code configured to present the aggregated data to the user on a display device, by the task details portlet, wherein the task details portlet presents data from the set of data sources associated with the selected task to the user.

24. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein a first query in the set of queries is mapped to a first set of data sources and wherein a second query in the set of queries is mapped to a second set of data sources.

25. An apparatus comprising:

a bus system;

a communications system coupled to the bus system;

a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes computer usable program code; and

a processing unit coupled to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the computer usable program code to identify a set of queries and a set of data sources mapped to a task type in a mapping entry, wherein the task type is associated with a selected task, and wherein the mapping entry maps the task type to the set of queries, and wherein the set of queries is mapped to the set of data sources;

send each query in the set of queries to a corresponding data source in the set of data sources; and

aggregate data received from the set of data sources responsive to the set of queries, wherein the aggregated data is utilized by a user to complete the selected task.