Context switching and method

• US 7,707,512 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2005
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Peters, Johan C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Desai; Rachna S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dasgupta; Soumya
• Application Number:
  US11/319,438
• Publication Number:
  US 20070156483A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,580 Days
• Field of Search: 715/779, 715/853, 715/825, 715/817
• US Class Current: 715/779
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

Systems and methods for context switching within enterprise resource planning systems are contemplated, including a first and second user context. A user performing tasks in the first user context actuates an actuator in communication with a context switcher. The context switcher changes the user'"'"'s user context from the first user context to the second user context in response to an event. The user is then able to perform tasks in the second user context.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for context switching in enterprise resource planning tools comprising:

running a first user context operable within an enterprise resource planning system;

maintaining a user context table, the user context table including an entry for each child user context, each entry associating a child user context with a parent user context;

mapping, via a configuration program, each of a plurality of actuators of an input/output device to a context manipulation operation associated with a user context, the mapping being stored in a mapping table;

sending data associated with en a first actuator including an actuator identifier selected in response to user input and a first user context, the actuator in communication with a context switcher;

receiving the data associated with the first actuator by the context switcher;

the context switcher performing a context manipulation operation corresponding to the selected actuator in response to the data received so that the user may perform tasks in a second user context;

responsive to the context manipulation operation, the context switcher launching a new thread to encapsulate the second user context; and

responsive to selection of a second actuator by the user, receive, at the context switcher, data from the second actuator including the actuator identifier and data identifying the user context active during the second actuator selection;

when the user context active during the second actuator selection is the first user context, perform a second context manipulation operation corresponding to the selected second actuator to deactivate the first user context and enable the user to perform tasks in a third user context associated with the selected second actuator;

when the user context active during the second actuator selection is the second user context, perform a third context manipulation operation corresponding to the selected second actuator to deactivate the second user context and enable the user to perform tasks in a fourth user context, the fourth user context being designated as a child user context of the second user context in the user context table; and

responsive to completing performance of at least one of the context manipulation operations;

terminate, by the context switcher, the corresponding user context of the completed context manipulation operations and all child user contexts in the user context table that are associated with the user contexts of the completed context manipulation operations; and

reactivate the deactivated user context(s) corresponding to the completed context manipulation operations.

2. The method for context switching in enterprise resource planning tools of claim 1 further comprising:

customizing the context manipulation operation performed in response to the actuator being actuated by using a configuration program.

3. The method for context switching in enterprise resource planning tools of claim 1 further comprising:

the context switcher performing the context manipulation operation of switching from the first user context to the second user context in response to the data associated with the actuator to allow the user to perform tasks in the second user context.

4. The method for context switching in enterprise resource planning tools of claim 1 further comprising:

the context switcher performing the context manipulation operation of switching from the second user context to the first user context and terminating the second user context in response to the data received from the actuator to allow the user to perform tasks in the first user context.

5. The method for context switching in enterprise resource planning tools of claim 1 further comprising:

the context switcher performing the context manipulation operations of activating the second user context and switching from the first user context to the second user context in response to the data associated with the actuator to allow the user to perform tasks in the second user context.

6. The method for context switching in enterprise resource planning tools of claim 1 further comprising:

the context switcher performs a context manipulation operation selected from the group comprising;

launching a call center application in response to the user pressing a “

START”

button;

displaying a summary record for a caller in response to the user pressing a “

LAST NOTIFICATION”

button;

expanding the summary record in response to the user pressing a “

MORE”

button; and

terminating the call center application and all child user contexts in the user context table that are associated with the call center application in response to the user pressing a “

DONE”

button.

7. A context switching system for enterprise resource planning tools comprising:

an input/output device comprising a plurality of actuators;

a memory to store, in a mapping table, a customizable relationship between each of a plurality of user contexts and actuator identifiers associated with each of the plurality of actuators; and

a processor to;

execute a first user context of the plurality of user contexts in which a user performs tasks;

maintain a user context table, the user context table including an entry for each child user context, each entry associating a child user context with a parent user context;

map, via a configuration program, each of the plurality of actuators to a context manipulation operation associated with a user context, the mapping being stored in the mapping table;

responsive to selection of a first actuator of the said input/output device by the user, receive, at a context switcher, data from the actuator including an actuator identifier and data identifying the executed first user context;

responsive to the received first actuator data and first user context, perform a first context manipulation operation corresponding to the selected first actuator and the first user context to deactivate the first user context and enable the user to perform tasks in a second user context associated with the selected first actuator;

responsive to the performed first context manipulation operation, launch, by the context switcher, a new thread to encapsulate the second user context;

responsive to selection of a second actuator of the input/output device by the user, receive, at the context switcher, data from the actuator including the actuator identifier and data identifying the user context active during the second actuator selection;

when the user context active during the second actuator selection is the first user context, perform a second context manipulation operation corresponding to the selected second actuator to deactivate the first user context and enable the user to perform tasks in a third user context associated with the selected second actuator;

when the user context active during the second actuator selection is the second user context, perform a third context manipulation operation corresponding to the selected second actuator to deactivate the second user context and enable the user to perform tasks in a fourth user context, the fourth user context being designated as a child user context of the second user context in the user context table; and

responsive to completing performance of at least one of the context manipulation operations;

terminate, by the context switcher, the corresponding user context of the completed context manipulation operations and all child user contexts in the user context table that are associated with the user contexts of the completed context manipulation operations; and

reactivate the deactivated user context(s) corresponding to the completed context manipulation operations.

8. The context switching system for enterprise resource planning tools of claim 7 further comprising:

a configuration program for customizing which of a plurality of context manipulation operations the context switcher performs in response to data received from the actuator.

9. The context switching system for enterprise resource planning tools of claim 7 further comprising:

the context switcher performing the context manipulation operation of switching from the second user context to the first user context and terminating the second user context in response to the data received from the actuator to allow the user to perform tasks in the first user context.

10. The context switching system for enterprise resource planning tools of claim 7 further comprising:

the context switcher performing the context manipulation operations of activating the second user context and switching from the first user context to the second user context in response to the data associated with the actuator to allow the user to perform tasks in the second user context.

11. The context switching system for enterprise resource planning tools of claim 7 further comprising:

the actuator is one of the members selected from the group comprising a button on a keyboard, a button on a mouse, a touchpad, an aural sensor, and a system that tracks eye movements.

12. The context switching system for enterprise resource planning tools of claim 7 further comprising:

the actuator is a button selected from the group comprising a “

START”

button that launches a call center application, a “

LAST NOTIFICATION”

button that displays a summary record for a caller, a “

MORE”

button that expands a summary record, and a “

DONE”

button that terminates the call center application and all child user contexts in the user context table that are associated with the call center application.

13. A context switching system for enterprise resource planning tools comprising:

input/output device means comprising a plurality of actuating means;

a memory to store, in a mapping table, a customizable relationship between each of a plurality of user contexts and actuating means identifiers associated with each of the plurality of actuating means; and

a processor to;

execute a first user context of a plurality of user contexts in which a user performs tasks;

maintain a user context table, the user context table including an entry for each child user context, each entry associating a child user context with a parent user context;

map, via a configuration program, each of the plurality of actuating means to a context manipulation operation associated with a user context, the mapping being stored in the mapping table;

responsive to a selection of a first actuating means of said input/output device means by the user, receive, at a context switcher, data from the actuating means including an actuating means identifier and data identifying the executed first user context; and

responsive to the received first actuating means and first user context data, perform a first context manipulation operation corresponding to the selected first actuating means and the first user context to deactivate the first user context and enable the user to perform tasks in a second user context associated with the selected first actuating means;

responsive to the performed first context manipulation operation, launch, by the context switcher, a new thread to encapsulate the second user context;

responsive to selection of a second actuating means of the input/output device by the user, receive, at the context switcher, data from the actuating means including the actuating means identifier and data identifying the user context active during the second actuating means selection;

when the user context active during the second actuating means selection is the first user context, perform a second context manipulation operation corresponding to the selected second actuating means to deactivate the first user context and enable the user to perform tasks in a third user context associated with the selected second actuating means;

when the user context active during the second actuating selection means is the second user context, perform a third context manipulation operation corresponding to the selected second actuating means to deactivate the second user context and enable the user to perform tasks in a fourth user context, the fourth user context being designated as a child user context of the second user context in the user context table; and

responsive to completing performance of at least one context manipulation operation, terminate, by the context switcher, the corresponding user context of the completed context manipulation operations and all child user contexts in the user context table that are associated with the user contexts of the completed context manipulation operations; and

reactivate the deactivated user context(s) corresponding to the completed context manipulation operations.

14. The context switching system for enterprise resource planning tools of claim 13 further comprising:

means for customizing which of a plurality of context manipulation operations the context switcher performs in response to data received from the actuator.

15. The context switching system for enterprise resource planning tools of claim 13 further comprising:

means for performing a context manipulation operation comprises switching from the second user context to the first user context and terminating the second user context in response to the data received from the actuator to allow the user to perform tasks in the first user context.

16. The context switching system for enterprise resource planning tools of claim 13 further comprising:

means for performing a context manipulation operation comprises activating the second user context and switching from the first user context to the second user context in response to the data associated with the actuator to allow the user to perform tasks in the second user context.

17. The context switching system for enterprise resource planning tools of claim 13 further comprising:

the actuator is one of the members selected from the group comprising a button on a keyboard, a button on a mouse, a touchpad, an aural sensor, and a system that tracks eye movements.

18. The context switching system for enterprise resource planning tools of claim 13 further comprising:

the actuator is a button selected from the group comprising a “

START”

button that launches a call center application, a “

LAST NOTIFICATION”

button that displays a summary record for a caller, a “

MORE”

button that expands a summary record, and a “

DONE”

button that terminates the call center application and all child user contexts in the user context table that are associated with the call center application.