Supporting user interaction with a computer system

• US 7,979,295 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2005
• Issued: 07/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Kaiser, Matthias
• Primary Examiner(s): Refai; Ramsey
• Application Number:
  US11/293,699
• Publication Number:
  US 20070130542A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,048 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.12, 705/7.22, 705/21, 705/7.11
• US Class Current: 705/7.22
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06312 Adjustment or analysis of established resource schedule, e.g. resource or task levelling, or dynamic rescheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0053 Computers, e.g. programming

Abstract

User interaction with a computer system is supported by maintaining, in a computer system, a model comprising several concepts having properties associated therewith and any relationships existing between the several concepts. A current state of the several concepts, properties and relationships reflects a real-world situation that involves a user of the computer system. An output is made to the user that identifies at least a subset of several predefined goals, the model indicating the subset as being possible to accomplish based on the current state. At least a first action of several predefined actions in the computer system is performed, the model associating the several predefined actions with accomplishing respective ones of the several predefined goals. The first action is identified as associated with accomplishing a first goal that the user selects from the subset. The current state is updated based on performing at least the first action.

Claims

1. A computer-program product tangibly embodied in a machine-readable storage device, the computer-program product comprising instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform operations to support user interaction with a computer system, the operations comprising:

maintaining, in a computer system, a model comprising several concepts that each has at least one associated property, the model comprising any relationships existing between the several concepts, wherein a first state of the several concepts, properties and relationships reflects a real-world situation that involves a user of the computer system, the concepts of the model corresponding to respective real-world actors and items involved in the real-world situation;

identifying, using the model, an achievable first subset of several predefined goals as being possible to accomplish based on the first state, each goal in the first subset associated with at least one predefined first action for accomplishing the goal, wherein any of the predefined goals that is not included in the achievable first subset is unachievable based on the first state of the model;

making an output to the user that identifies at least a portion of the achievable first subset of the several predefined goals;

receiving a first user selection of an output goal from the achievable first subset of the several predefined goals;

in response to receiving the first user selection, performing in the computer system at least the first action for the first goal to progress towards accomplishing the first goal;

in response to performing the at least first action, providing second concepts, properties and relationships;

updating the first state of the model to a second state of the model based on the second concepts, properties and relationships, the second state of the model reflecting another real-world situation after the first action; and

identifying, using the model, an achievable second subset of several predefined goals as being possible to accomplish based on the second state, each goal in the second subset associated with at least one predefined second action for accomplishing the goal.

2. The computer-program product of claim 1, wherein the output is triggered by an instruction to evaluate the first state and recommend to the user any of the first subset of the several predefined goals that can be accomplished in the first state.

3. The computer-program product of claim 1, wherein a group of the several concepts are involved in the real-world situation, and wherein the first subset is identified by analyzing the first state of the group, their properties and relationships.

4. The computer-program product of claim 1, wherein performing at least the first action comprises performing a sequence of operations that the model associates with accomplishing the first goal.

5. The computer-program product of claim 1, wherein performing at least the first action comprises guiding the user in making at least one input.

6. The computer-program product of claim 1, wherein performing at least the first action comprises requesting the first user input relating to the real-world situation, the first user input being taken into account when updating the first state.

7. The computer-program product of claim 1, wherein the first goal is one selected from the group consisting of:

a validation, an authentication, an authorization, a confirmation, a verification, and combinations thereof.

8. The computer-program product of claim 1, wherein the first goal belongs to a domain in which the user is knowledgeable, and wherein the real-world situation is part of the domain.

9. The computer-program product of claim 1, implemented to provide a user interface in the computer system.

10. The computer-program product of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise making another output to the user, before performing the first action, that explains the first state.

11. The computer-program product of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise making another output to the user that explains the performance of at least the first action, the other output being generated using information from the model.

15. The computer-program product of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise generating another output to the user that describes performance of the first action and that explains how performing the first action changes the first state of the model.

16. The computer-program product of claim 1, wherein updating the first state of the model comprises at least one of eliminating a concept, revising a concept, updating a property to a concept, adding a property to a concept, adding a relationship, modifying a relationship, and removing a relationship.

12. A computer system comprising:

a model comprising several concepts that each has at least one associated property, the model comprising any relationships existing between the several concepts, wherein a first state of the several concepts, properties and relationships reflects a real-world situation that involves a user of the computer system, the concepts of the model corresponding to respective real-world actors and items involved in the real-world situation, the model adapted for identifying an achievable first subset of several predefined goals as being possible to accomplish based on the first state, each goal in the first subset associated with at least one predefined first action for accomplishing the goal, wherein any of the predefined goals that is not included in the achievable first subset is unachievable based on the first state of the model, the model stored in a machine-readable storage device;

several predefined actions that can be performed in the computer system, the model associating the several predefined actions with accomplishing respective ones of several predefined goals, the predefined actions stored in a machine-readable storage device; and

an output device for identifying to the user at least a portion of the achievable first subset of the several predefined actions, wherein, upon the user selecting a first goal from the identified portion of the achievable first subset, the computer system (1) performs at least the first action for the first goal to progress towards accomplishing the first goal;

(2) provides second concepts, properties and relationships, the providing based on performing the first action;

(3) updates the first state of the model to a second state of the model based on the second concepts, properties and relationships, the second state of the model reflecting another real-world situation after the first action; and

(4) identify, using the model, an achievable second subset of several predefined goals as being possible to accomplish based on the second state, each goal in the second subset associated with at least one predefined second action for accomplishing the goal.

13. The computer system of claim 12, wherein a group of the several concepts are involved in the real-world situation, and wherein the computer system identifies the first subset by analyzing the first state of the group, their properties and relationships.

14. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the computer system, in performing at least the first action, requests a user input relating to the real-world situation and takes the user input into account when updating the first state.

17. The computer system of claim 12, wherein the output device generates another output to the user that describes performance of the first action and that explains how performing the first action changes the first state of the model.

18. The computer system of claim 12, wherein updating the first state of the model comprises at least one of eliminating a concept, revising a concept, updating a property to a concept, adding a property to a concept, adding a relationship, modifying a relationship, and removing a relationship.