Message handling apparatus and method

• US 6,384,848 B1
• Filed: 06/10/1998
• Issued: 05/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Kojima, Yoshihiro, Hasegawa, Toshitaka, Yamaguchi, Shinichirou
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Luu, Sy D.
• Application Number:
  US09/095,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20020054143A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,427 Days
• Field of Search: 345/347, 345/326, 345/340, 345/965, 345/966, 345/975, 345/808, 345/809, 345/700, 714/46, 714/48, 714/49, 714/57, 714/2
• US Class Current: 715/808
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/966 Computer process, e.g. operation of computer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/975 Pop-up dialog box for entry

Abstract

An apparatus and method for handling messages output to a computer console, including easy and accurate definition of message handling procedures. The apparatus includes a response definition unit that dynamically selects a console message, receives definition information pertaining thereto, and stores the information in a storage unit. The received definition information defines at least a portion of a predetermined procedure to be executed in response to the selected message. The selected message may be displayed on a display unit in a message selection window. The received definition information may be entered through a definition window. When the selected message is reported to the apparatus, a response execution unit, coupled to the storage unit, executes the predetermined procedure.

Claims

1. A message handling apparatus, comprising:

a message processing unit processing messages for command execution and message definition and comprising a message display unit displaying received messages, a message selecting unit controllable by an operator for selecting a message to be provided with definition information and a definition unit displaying a definition window defining plural automatically performed procedures selectable by the operator as definition information for a respective, selected message;

a response definition unit, coupled to a storage unit and an input device, that dynamically selects a console message from a plurality of console messages, receives the respective definition information input to the input device for the selected console message, and stores the received, respective definition information to the storage unit, each of the plurality of console messages providing corresponding status information regarding a computer system and at least one console message indicating a fault status, and the received, respective definition information defining at least a portion of a predetermined procedure to be executed automatically by the message handling apparatus in response to the selected console message indicating a fault status; and

a response execution unit coupled to the storage unit and, in response to the selected console message, automatically executing the predetermined procedure and thereby correcting the fault.

2. The message handling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the received definition information includes first information indicating whether the predetermined procedure includes display of the selected console message on a display unit.

3. The message handling apparatus of claim 2, wherein the predetermined procedure includes display of the selected console message on the display unit.

4. The message handling apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a message displaying unit that displays the selected message on a display unit when the predetermined procedure includes display of the selected console message.

5. The message handling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the storage unit stores definition information including the received definition information and comprising:

a message identification code that identifies the selected console message;

a text for the selected console message; and

an indication of whether the predetermined procedure includes execution of a specified command.

6. The message handling apparatus of claim 1, wherein said response definition unit selects the selected console message in response to a message selection input.

7. The message handling apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a message transmission unit that transmits a specified message to another apparatus in response to the selected console message when the predetermined procedure includes transmitting the specified message.

8. The message handling apparatus of claim 7, wherein the other apparatus is a paging system.

9. The message handling apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a display unit, and wherein:

at least one of the plurality of console messages is displayed on said display unit, the at least one console message including the selected console message; and

the message selection input is generated by a pointing operation carried out with a pointing device coupled to said display unit, the pointing operation indicating selection of the selected console message.

10. The message handling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the received definition information defines the predetermined procedure to include execution of a specified command.

11. The message handling apparatus of claim 1, wherein said response definition unit comprises:

a message selecting unit that selects the selected console message in response to a message selection input;

a message displaying unit that displays the selected console message on a display unit; and

a definition unit that receives the received definition information in response to a message definition input.

12. A method of message handling, comprising the steps of:

selecting a console message from a plurality of console messages, each of the plurality of console messages providing corresponding status information regarding a computer system and at least one console message indicating a fault status;

processing messages for command execution and message definition and comprising displaying received messages selectable by an operator to be provided with definition information and displaying a definition window defining plural automatically performed procedures selectable by the operator as definition information for a respective, selected message, the definition information defining at least a portion of a predetermined procedure to be executed automatically by the computer system in response to a selected console message indicating a fault status;

storing the created definition information; and

when a console message is selected indicating a fault status, automatically executing the predetermined procedure and thereby correcting the fault.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the creating step includes defining whether the predetermined procedure includes display of the selected console message on a display unit.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the predetermined procedure includes display of the selected console message on the display unit.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein:

the storing step stores the created definition information to a storage unit storing other definition information corresponding to the selected console message, whereby the other definition information is modified to include the created definition information; and

the modified definition information, including the created definition information, includes;

a message identification code that identifies the selected console message;

a text for the selected console message; and

an indication of whether the predetermined procedure includes execution of a specified command.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the predetermined procedure includes transmitting to a specified apparatus a specified message corresponding to the selected console message.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the specified apparatus is a paging system.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the selecting step includes the steps of:

displaying at least one of the plurality of console messages on a display unit, the at least one console message including the selected console message; and

indicating selection of the selected console message with a pointing device coupled to the display unit.

19. A computer-readable medium encoded with a program for message handling within a computer system, comprising the functions of:

selecting a console message from a plurality of console messages, each of the console messages providing corresponding status information regarding a computer system and including a fault status;

processing messages for command execution and message definition and comprising displaying received messages selectable by an operator to be provided with definition information and displaying a definition window defining plural automatically performed procedures selectable by the operator as definition information for a respective, selected message, the definition information defining at least a portion of a predetermined procedure to be executed automatically by the computer system in response to a selected console message indicating a fault status;

storing the created definition information; and

when a console message is selected indicating a fault status, automatically executing the predetermined procedure and thereby correcting the fault.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the selecting step of said program includes the steps of:

displaying at least one of the plurality of console messages on a display unit, the at least one console message including the selected console message; and

indicating selection of the selected console message with a pointing device coupled to the display unit.

21. A message handling method, comprising:

selecting a console message from a plurality of console messages providing corresponding status information regarding a computer system including a fault status;

processing messages for command execution and message definition and comprising displaying received messages selectable by an operator to be provided with definition information and displaying a definition window defining plural automatically performed procedures selectable by the operator as definition information for a respective, selected message;

storing the definition information defining at least a portion of a predetermined procedure to be executed automatically by the computer system in response to a selected console message indicating a fault status;

when a console message is selected indicating a fault status, automatically executing the predetermined procedure and thereby correcting the fault.

22. A computer readable medium encoded with a program for message handling within a computer system and comprising a process of:

selecting a console message from a plurality of console messages providing corresponding status information regarding the computer system including a fault status;

processing messages for command execution and message definition and comprising displaying received messages selectable by an operator to be provided with definition information and displaying a definition window defining plural automatically performed procedures selectable by the operator as definition information for a respective, selected message;

storing the definition information defining at least a portion of a predetermined procedure to be executed automatically by the computer system in response to a selected console message indicating a fault status; and

when a console message is selected indicating a fault status, automatically executing the predetermined procedure and thereby correcting the fault.

23. A message handling apparatus, comprising:

a message processing unit processing messages for command execution and message definition and comprising a message display unit displaying received messages, a message selecting unit controllable by an operator for selecting a message to be provided with definition information and a definition unit displaying a definition window defining plural automatically performed procedures selectable by the operator as definition information for a respective, selected message;

a response definition unit, coupled to a storage unit and an input device, that dynamically selects a console message from a plurality of console messages, receives the respective definition information input to the input device, and stores the received, respective definition information to the storage unit, each of the plurality of console messages providing corresponding status information regarding a computer system and at least one automatic performance console message providing status information requiring automatic performance of an action of a specified type, other than communicating and/or displaying the status and/or other information of the automatic performance control message, and the received definition information defining, for each automatic performance console message, at least a portion of a corresponding, predetermined procedure to be executed automatically by the message handling apparatus and thereby to perform automatically the required action of the specified type; and

a response execution unit coupled to the storage unit and, in response to a selected automatic performance console message requiring performance of an action of a specified type, automatically executing the corresponding, predetermined procedure and thereby automatically performing the required action of the specified type.

24. A message handling apparatus as recited in claim 23, wherein:

the selected automatic performance console message provides status information indicating a fault status and the received definition information defines at least a portion of a corresponding, predetermined procedure to be executed automatically in response to the selected console messenger indicating a fault status thereby to correct the fault; and

the response execution unit, in response to the selected automatic performance control message, automatically executes the corresponding, predetermined procedure and thereby automatically corrects the fault.

25. A message handling apparatus as recited in claim 23, wherein:

at least another automatic performance console message provides status information requiring both automatic performance of an action of a specified type and also communicating and/or displaying the status and/or other information of the another automatic performance console message; and

the response execution unit, in response to a selected another automatic performance control message, automatically executes the predetermined procedure and thereby automatically performs the required action of the specified type and also communicates and/or displays the status and/or other information of the selected, another automatic performance control message.

26. A method of message handling, comprising:

selecting a console message from a plurality of console messages, each of the plurality of console messages providing corresponding status information regarding a computer system and at least one automatic performance console message providing status information requiring automatic performance of an action of a specified type, other than communicating and/or displaying the status and/or other information of the automatic performance control message;

processing messages for command execution and message definition and comprising displaying received messages selectable by an operator to be provided with definition information and displaying a definition window defining plural automatically performed procedures selectable by the operator as definition information for a respective, selected message and thereby, for each automatic performance console message, providing definition information defining at least a portion of a corresponding predetermined procedure to be executed automatically and thereby to perform automatically the required action of the specified type;

storing the provided definition information; and

when an automatic performance console message is selected requiring performance of an action of a specified type, automatically executing the corresponding predetermined procedure and thereby automatically performing the required action of the specified type.

27. A method of message handling as recited in claim 26, wherein the selected automatic performance console message provides status information indicating a fault status and the received definition information defines at least a portion of a corresponding, predetermined procedure to be executed automatically in response to the selected console message indicating a fault status thereby to correct the fault, further comprising:

in response to the selected, automatic performance control message, automatically executing the corresponding, predetermined procedure and thereby automatically correcting the fault.

28. A method of message handling apparatus as recited in claim 26, wherein at least another automatic performance console message provides status information requiring both automatic performance of an action of a specified type and also communicating and/or displaying the status and/or other information of the another automatic performance console message, further comprising:

in response to a selected, automatic performance control message, automatically executing the predetermined procedure and thereby automatically performing the required action of the specified type and also communicating and/or displaying the status and/or other information of the selected, another automatic performance control message.

29. A computer-readable medium encoded with a program for message handling within a computer system, by:

selecting a console message from a plurality of console messages, each of the plurality of console messages providing corresponding status information regarding a computer system and at least one automatic performance console message providing status information requiring automatic performance of an action of a specified type, other than communicating and/or displaying the status and/or other information of the automatic performance control message;

processing messages for command execution and message definition and comprising displaying received messages selectable by an operator to be provided with definition information and displaying a definition window defining plural automatically performed procedures selectable by the operator as definition information for a respective, selected message and thereby, for each automatic performance console message, providing definition information defining at least a portion of a corresponding predetermined procedure to be executed automatically and thereby to perform automatically the required action of the specified type;

storing the provided definition information; and

when an automatic performance console message is selected requiring performance of an action of a specified type, automatically executing the corresponding predetermined procedure and thereby automatically performing the required action of the specified type.

30. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 29, wherein the selected automatic performance console message provides status information indicating a fault status and the received definition information defines at least a portion of a corresponding, predetermined procedure to be executed automatically in response to the selected console messenger indicating a fault status thereby to correct the fault, further comprising:

in response to the selected, automatic performance control message, automatically executing the corresponding, predetermined procedure and thereby automatically correcting the fault.

31. A computer-readable medium as recited in claim 29, wherein at least another automatic performance console message provides status information requiring, both automatic performance of an action of a specified type and also communicating and/or displaying the status and/or other information of the another automatic performance console message, further comprising:

in response to a selected, automatic performance control message, automatically executing the predetermined procedure and thereby automatically performing the required action of the specified type and also communicating and/or displaying the status and/or other information of the another automatic performance control message.