System and methods for disruption detection, management, and recovery

• US 8,631,419 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Issued: 01/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Horvitz, Eric J., Iqbal, Shamsi Tamara, Subramani, Murugesan S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong, Lechi
• Application Number:
  US11/770,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20090006574A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,391 Days
• Field of Search: 719/310, 719/318, 715/762
• US Class Current: 719/318
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/485 Task life-cycle, e.g. stopping, restarting, resuming execution G06F9/4881 takes precedence

Abstract

A task disruption and recovery system and methods are described that detects shifts away from ongoing tasks, whether by self-interruption or by disruptive events from within or outside a computing system, based on signals detected. Among other functions, the system works to enhance the efficient recovery of suspended tasks or problem-solving sessions via storing and presenting representations of the suspended sessions in a manner that facilitates recovery and continuation.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates and effectuates detection of disruptive events, comprising:

at least one processor;

an analysis component, executing on the at least one processor, that comprises;

a detection component that receives a signal from a reception component and utilizes the signal to detect an event;

a discrimination component that determines whether the event is classifiable as being an interrupting event;

an alert component that alerts the user of the event and places currently executing tasks associated with the user in a suspended state based at least in part on the determination that the event is classifiable as being an interrupting event;

a ranking component that generates a ranked list of tasks placed in stasis to provide notification of suspended tasks to the user;

a snapshot component that saves settings of the currently executing tasks before entering the suspended state; and

a monitor component that detects activity associated with resumption of a session by the user and places the tasks in a work state using the saved settings.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the signal is obtained from sources that include at least one of:

auditory sensors, visual sensors, and an activity monitor.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the ranked list is employed to provide visual notification of the suspended tasks to the user.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the analysis component further comprises a replay component to provide, based at least in part on activity associated with resumption of the session by the user, an audio and/or visual reprise of the session for a user definable threshold period preceding the event.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the replay component utilizes data persisted on a data store, the data persisted on the data store received by the reception component.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the analysis component further comprises a pattern matching component that utilizes the signal received from the reception component and data persisted on a data store to identify patterns corresponding to the event.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the analysis component further comprises a privacy component that ensures that sensitive information acquired by the reception component is selectively vetted before being persisted to a data store.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the sensitive information acquired by the reception component comprises one or more of window titles and keyboard sequences entered by the user.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the discrimination component further determines whether the event is classifiable as being an interrupting event based on the signal and previous signals persisted to a data store.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising an intelligence component employed by the analysis component to ascertain whether the event is classifiable as being an interrupting event.

11. A method for facilitating and effectuating detection of disruptive events, comprising:

with at least one processor;

detecting an event based on a received signal;

determining whether the event is classifiable as being an interrupting event;

alerting a user of the event based at least in part on the determination that the event is classifiable as being an interrupting event;

placing currently executing tasks associated with the user in a suspended state based at least in part on the determination that the event is classifiable as being an interrupting event;

generating a ranked list of tasks placed in stasis to provide notification of suspended tasks to the user;

saving settings of the currently executing tasks before entering the suspended state; and

detecting activity associated with resumption of a session by the user and placing the tasks in a work state using the saved settings.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing an audio and/or visual reprise of the session for a user definable threshold period preceding the event based at least in part on the detected activity associated with resumption of the session by the user.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising utilizing the received signal and data stored in a data store to identify patterns corresponding to the event.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising ensuring that sensitive information acquired via the received signal is selectively vetted before being stored in a data store.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the sensitive information acquired via the received signal comprises one or more of window titles and keyboard sequences entered by the user.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein determining whether the event is classifiable as being an interrupting event is based on the signal and previous signals stored in a data store.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising employing artificial intelligence to ascertain whether the event is classifiable as being an interrupting event.

18. A computer readable storage device having instructions stored thereon for execution by a processor to perform a method comprising:

detecting an event based on a received signal;

determining whether the event is classifiable as being an interrupting event;

alerting a user of the event based at least in part on the determination that the event is classifiable as being an interrupting event;

placing currently executing tasks associated with the user in a suspended state based at least in part on the determination that the event is classifiable as being an interrupting event

generating a ranked list of tasks placed in stasis to provide notification of suspended tasks to the user;

saving settings of the currently executing tasks before entering the suspended state; and

detecting activity associated with resumption of a session by the user and placing the tasks in a work state using the saved settings.

19. The computer readable storage device of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises providing an audio and/or visual reprise of the session for a user definable threshold period preceding the event based at least in part on the detected activity associated with resumption of the session by the user.

20. The computer readable storage device of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises utilizing the received signal and data stored in a data store to identify patterns corresponding to the event.