Visualization of collaborative portlet sequences

• US 7,661,061 B2
• Filed: 10/17/2005
• Issued: 02/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Twitter Inc (X Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Joshi, Niraj P.
• Primary Examiner(s): HUYNH, CONG LAC T
• Application Number:
  US11/252,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20070089047A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,576 Days
• Field of Search: 715/200, 715/255, 715/205
• US Class Current: 715/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/36 Software reuse
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

An improved method, apparatus, and computer usable code for managing a plurality of content portlets in a portal page. A workflow is identified for the plurality of content portlets in the portal page to form an identified workflow. The identified workflow specifies a sequence of tasks in which the plurality of content portlets is executed. A control portlet in the portal page controls execution of content portlets within the plurality of content portlets using the identified workflow.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for managing a plurality of content portlets in a portal page, the computer implemented method comprising:

identifying a workflow for the plurality of content portlets in the portal page to form an identified workflow, wherein the identified workflow specifies a sequence of tasks in which the plurality of content portlets are executed;

displaying the identified workflow as a series of step icons on a portal page;

controlling execution and display of content portlets within the plurality of content portlets through a control portlet in the portal page using the identified workflow;

receiving, from a user, a selection of a selected step icon from the series of step icons; and

displaying, on the portal page, a first content portlet that corresponds to the selected step icon.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein multiple content portlets are associated with the selected step icon, the computer implemented method further comprising:

in response to the selected step icon being selected by the user, simultaneously displaying the multiple content portlets on the portal page.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising saving, by the control portlet, data from an execution of a current task in the identified workflow before executing a subsequent task in the identified workflow.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the workflow is defined by specifying the sequence of tasks as sequential entries in a structured file.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising displaying at least one of a content portlet associated with a specified task in the sequence of tasks.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising sending a message by the control portlet to at least one of a content portlet associated with a specified task in the sequence of tasks.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the structured file is a comma separated value (CSV) file.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising validating a data of the first content portlet, wherein validating the data ensures that data entered into the first content portlet is within predetermined limits.

9. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable storage medium on which is stored computer usable program code for managing a plurality of content portlets in a portal page, said computer program product comprising;

computer usable program code for identifying a workflow for the plurality of content portlets in the portal page to form an identified workflow, wherein the identified workflow specifies a sequence of tasks in which the plurality of content portlets are executed;

computer usable program code for displaying the identified workflow as a series of step icons on a portal page;

computer usable program code for controlling execution and display of content portlets within the plurality of content portlets through a control portlet in the portal page using the identified workflow;

computer usable program code for receiving, from a user, a selection of a selection step icon from the series of step icons; and

computer usable program code for displaying, on the portal page, a first content portlet that corresponds to the selected step icon.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein a task in the sequence of tasks in the workflow comprises computer usable program code for presenting content from at least one of a content portlet based on the identified workflow.

11. The computer program product of claim 9 further comprising computer usable program code for saving, by the control portlet, data from an execution of a current task in the identified workflow before executing a subsequent task in the identified workflow.

12. The computer program product of claim 9 further comprising computer usable program code for sending a message by the control portlet to at least one of a content portlet associated with a specified task in the sequence of tasks.

13. The computer program product of claim 9 further comprising computer usable program code for providing a graphical user interface on the control portlet.

14. The computer program product of claim 9 further comprising computer usable program code for providing a graphical user interface on at least one of a content portlet.

15. The computer program product of claim 9 further comprising computer usable program code for sending a message by a content portlet to a control portlet.

16. The computer program product of claim 9 further comprising computer usable program code for sending a message by a content portlet.

17. An apparatus for managing a plurality of content portlets in a portal page, comprising:

a computer comprising;

a bus;

a storage device connected to the bus, wherein the storage device contains a computer usable program product; and

a processor unit, wherein the processor unit executes the computer usable program product to;

identify a workflow for a plurality of content portlets in the portal page to form an identified workflow, wherein the identified workflow specifies a sequence of tasks in which the plurality of content portlets are executed;

display the identified workflow as a series of step icons on a portal page;

control execution and display of content portlets within the plurality of content portlets through a control portlet in the portal page using the identified workflow;

receive, from a user, a selection of a selected step icon from the series of step icons; and

display, on the portal page, a first content portlet that corresponds to the selected step icon.