Application usage and process monitoring in an enterprise environment having agent session recording for process definition

• US 20130173351A1
• Filed: 12/29/2011
• Published: 07/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IEX Corporation (Nice Ltd)
• Original Assignee: IEX Corporation (Nice Ltd)
• Inventors: Nahshon, Itai, Leamon, Paul Harold, Livne, Eshai
• Granted Patent: US 10,783,474 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.38
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06395 Quality analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function

Abstract

A real-time activity monitor (RTAM) operates within or in association with a machine (such as a desktop) within a back office environment to automatically track and record desktop processing activities, application usage, as well as manual processing. The real-time activity monitor provides visibility into real-time task processing at the client desktop to enable an enterprise to address back office operational inefficiencies that are exposed by the data. According to a further feature, a recording approach is used to enable a user of the system to automatically define processes and tasks to be monitored. The approach obviates manual configuration by recording application usage actions and then using these interactions as a template for a new process object to be monitored. In an alternative embodiment, the process recorder captures screenshots and enables screen element bookmarking.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a processor, direct a data processing system associated with an agent desktop machine to:

initiate recording of an agent session;

as the agent session is being recorded, continuously capturing a set of events associated with the agent session;

generating a process tree based on the captured set of events;

instantiating the process tree into a business process object; and

using the business process object for a subsequent monitoring activity with respect to the agent desktop machine.

2. The computer-readable medium as described in claim 1 wherein the data processing system also is directed to:

for at least one event in the set of events, receiving first data classifying the event.

3. The computer-readable medium as described in claim 2 wherein the first data is data indicative of one of:

a process start, a process stop, a Task Start task start, a Task Pause task pause, a Task Resume task resume, and a task stop.

4. The computer-readable medium as described in claim 1 wherein the data processing system also is directed to display a table of the set of events, wherein a row in the table is associated with a given event.

5. The computer-readable medium as described in claim 4 wherein the table comprises a set of columns.

6. The computer-readable medium as described in claim 5 wherein the set of columns includes one of:

an application column specifying a name of an application then in focus, a window title column specifying given information as shown in a window title bar for the application in focus; and

a browser URL column specifying a URL if the application in focus is a browser opened to the URL.

7. The computer-readable medium as described in claim 5 wherein the set of columns includes a column that indicates a type of event.

8. The computer-readable medium as described in claim 5 wherein the set of columns includes one of:

a time column that specifies a start time for the event, and a duration column that specifies duration of the event.

9. The computer-readable medium as described in claim 5 wherein the set of columns includes a trigger type.

10. The computer-readable medium as described in claim 9 wherein the trigger type is one of:

a process start, a process stop, a Task Start task start, a Task Pause task pause, a Task Resume task resume, and a task stop.

11. The computer-readable medium as described in claim 4 wherein the data processing system also is directed to display a filter pane by which data displayed in one or more rows of the table are filtered against user-defined criteria.

12. The computer-readable medium as described in claim 4 wherein the data processing system also is directed to display a recorded event pane by which data displayed in a given row of the table is modified.

13. The computer-readable medium as described in claim 1 wherein the data processing system also is directed to:

capture a screenshot of an active application or page; and

receiving data classifying a screen element associated with the active application or page.

14. The computer-readable medium as described in claim 13 wherein the data classifying the screen element includes a property having a condition parameter, or an event.

15. Data processing apparatus associated with an agent desktop machine, comprising:

one or more hardware processors;

software executing on a processor to initiate recording of an agent session;

software executing on a processor as the agent session is being recorded to continuously capture a set of events associated with the agent session;

software executing on a processor to display a recording of the set of events;

software executing on a processor to generate a business process object based on the captured set of events; and

software executing on a processor to use the business process object in a subsequent monitoring activity of the agent desktop machine.