Responsive user interface with background application logic for working on an object

• US 8,418,190 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2009
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Rivard, John J., Provine, Stephen W., Anonsen, Steven P.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, VAN H
• Application Number:
  US12/624,463
• Publication Number:
  US 20110126210A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: 718/100, 718/108
• US Class Current: 718/108
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A user interface can be maintained in a responsive state on a user interface thread while synchronous application logic is running on a background thread. The application logic can access an object on the background thread, and the user interface can access the same object on the user interface thread. Additionally, a request for work to be done on an object can be received. If the request is to be dispatched to a background thread, then the work can be dispatched to the background thread without blocking the user interface thread. However, if the request is to be dispatched to the user interface thread, then the work can be dispatched to the user interface thread, and the background thread can be blocked.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

at least one processor; and

a memory comprising instructions stored thereon that when executed by the at least one processor cause the at least one processor to perform acts comprising;

running synchronous application logic on at least one background thread, the application logic accessing an object on the at least one background thread; and

while running the synchronous application logic on the at least one background thread, maintaining a user interface in a responsive state on at least one user interface thread, the user interface accessing the object on the at least one user interface thread, the responsive state of the user interface while running the synchronous application logic on the at least one background thread comprises the user interface being operable to initiate a modification of the object in response to user input requesting the modification of the object.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein maintaining the user interface in the responsive state comprises not blocking the at least one user interface thread.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein maintaining the user interface in the responsive state comprises accessing the object on the at least one user interface thread.

4. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the object is a business object and the application logic is business logic.

5. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the acts further comprise:

sending a user input request from the at least one user interface thread to the object; and

forwarding the user input request from the object to a dispatcher for the at least one background thread.

6. The computer system of claim 5, wherein, in response to receiving the user input request at the dispatcher for the at least one background thread, the acts further comprise:

dispatching the user input request to a working thread of the at least one background thread;

applying the application logic to the user input request on the working thread;

in response to applying the application logic to the user input request, sending a work request from the working thread to the object; and

forwarding the work request from the object to a dispatcher for the at least one user interface thread.

7. The computer system of claim 6, wherein the acts further comprise performing the work on the object on the at least one user interface thread in response to receiving the work request at the dispatcher for the at least one user interface thread.

8. The computer system of claim 7, wherein the acts further comprise blocking the at least one background thread while performing the work on the at least one user interface thread.

9. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a request for work to be done on an object;

a computer system determining whether the work is to be dispatched to at least one background thread running application logic or to at least one user interface thread running one or more user interface elements, determining whether the work is to be dispatched to the at least one background thread or to the at least one user interface thread comprising determining whether the request came from the at least one background thread or from the at least one user interface thread;

if the request is to be dispatched to the at least one background thread, then the computer system dispatching the work to the at least one background thread without blocking the at least one user interface thread; and

if the request is to be dispatched to the at least one user interface thread, then the computer system dispatching the work to the at least one user interface thread and blocking the at least one background thread.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein if the request came from the at least one user interface thread without being handled by the at least one background thread, then determining whether the work is to be dispatched to the at least one background thread or to the at least one user interface thread comprises determining that the work is to be done by the at least one background thread.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the object is a business object and the application logic is business logic, and the method further comprises applying the business logic to the request on the at least one background thread if the work is dispatched to the at least one background thread.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the request is received at the object.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the work comprises modifying the object.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein, if it is determined that the request came from the at least one background thread, then the method includes determining that the request is to be dispatched to the at least one user interface thread.

15. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving user input at a user interface running on at least one user interface thread in a computer system, the user input requesting work to be done on an object;

in response to receiving the user input at the user interface, the computer system forwarding a first work request from the at least one user interface thread to at least one background thread running application logic, the first work request requesting the work to be performed on the object;

in response to receiving the first work request at the at least one background thread, the computer system running the application logic on the first work request in the at least one background thread and forwarding a second work request from the at least one background thread to the at least one user interface thread, the second work request requesting the work to be performed on the object; and

in response to receiving the second work request from the at least one background thread at the at least one user interface thread, the computer system performing at least a portion of the work on the object using the at least one user interface thread.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the work comprises performing a modification of the object.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein performing at least a portion of the work on the object comprises performing the modification of the object.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the application logic is synchronous application logic and wherein the method further comprises, while running the application logic on the first work request in the at least one background thread, maintaining the user interface in a responsive state on the at least one user interface thread.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the user input is a first user input, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a second user input at the user interface while running the synchronous application logic on the at least one background thread, the second user input requesting a modification of the object; and

initiating the modification of the object in response to receiving the second user input, initiating the modification being done while running the synchronous application logic on the at least one background thread.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the object is a business object and the application logic is business logic.