Method and system for interfacing with a back end server application through a messaging environment

• US 8,756,225 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2005
• Issued: 06/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saba Software Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Saba Software Incorporated
• Inventors: Lipkin, Daniel, Parmar, Sanjay, Panuganti, Srinivas, Chang, Tuck
• Primary Examiner(s): OBISESAN, AUGUSTINE KUNLE
• Application Number:
  US11/143,975
• Time in Patent Office: 3,304 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/10, 707/100, 709/201, 709/217
• US Class Current: 707/726
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation

Abstract

A method and system for supporting interaction with a back end server application through a messaging environment. Specifically, the method determines when an event occurs. The event allows for an action, in response to the event, to be taken by a user within the back end server application. A notification message is generated informing the user of the event. The notification message is rendered to comply with a format supporting the messaging environment. The notification message that is rendered enables the user to take the action within the back end application without having the user directly open the back end server application. The rendered notification message is sent to an electronic device associated with the user to facilitate interfacing between the user and the back end server application.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

a back end server determining when an event occurs associated with a back end server application, said back end server comprises said back end server application;

said back end server generating a notification message for informing a human user of said event that occurred, said notification message comprising a link to a web page of said back end server application, said link comprising an authentication certificate that is associated with an expiration time;

said back end server rendering said notification message to comply with a format supporting a messaging environment;

said back end server sending via the internet said notification message that is rendered to an electronic device associated with said human user to facilitate interfacing between said human user and said back end server application, said notification message comprising a visible list of a plurality of employee goals and a plurality of visible statuses, each of said plurality of visible statuses corresponds to one of said plurality of employee goals, said plurality of employee goals are associated with said human user, said notification message comprising a percentage completed corresponding to one of said plurality of employee goals;

a link assignor of said back end server receiving a request associated with said link from said electronic device;

said link assignor assigning said request to a link handler of said back end server;

said link handler determining if said authentication certificate of said link has expired;

if said authentication certificate has not expired, said link handler authenticating said human user by bypassing a login process;

if said authentication certificate has expired, said back end server presenting a login screen to said human user via the internet;

if said human user is authenticated, said link handler processing said request by reading a link file of the back end server to generate a universal resource locator (URL) for said web page, the link file further identifies parameters for said web page;

selecting a visible status of said plurality of visible statuses; and

after said selecting said visible status, displaying a window in said notification message that enables said human user to update progress of an employee goal corresponding to said visible status.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said event comprises a periodic event used to track progress of at least one employee goal of said human user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said back end server generating a notification message further comprises:

identifying said human user from a plurality of human users supported by said back end server application, wherein said human user is associated with said periodic event;

providing access to a detailed description of an employee goal;

determining a message address for said human user; and

generating said notification message for said human user at a message address.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said event comprises a singular event used to promote learning of said human user and occurs within an operation of said back end server application, and wherein said back end server generating a notification message further comprises:

identifying said human user from a plurality of human users supported by said back end server application, wherein said human user is associated with said singular event;

determining a message address for said human user; and

generating said notification message for said human user at a message address.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said event comprises an offer for a created class, and wherein said back end server rendering said notification message further comprises:

providing access to a catalogue of classes applicable to said human user through said web page of said back end server application, wherein said web page enables said human user to register for a class selected by said human user.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said event comprises a prescribed class assigned to said human user within a particular time period, and wherein said back end server rendering said notification message further comprises:

enabling said human user to register for said prescribed class through a web page of said back end server application.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein said event comprises a registration for a class by a person needing authorization by said human user, and wherein said notification message further comprises:

a visible rejection button for denying authorization to register for said class by said human user; and

a visible approve button for approving authorization to register for said class by said human user.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein said event comprises an opening on a waitlist for a class, wherein said human user was listed on said waitlist, and wherein said notification message further comprises:

a visible registration button for accessing a web page of said back end server for registering for said class; and

a visible decline button for accessing a web page of said back end server for declining registration for said class.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein said event comprises a prescribed registration for a web based training class, and wherein said link launches said web based training class.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said notification message further comprises:

a visible action button for accessing a web page of said back end server application that services said action when said human user wants to take said action, wherein active content from said web page is displayed through an inline frame of said message when said visible action button is engaged.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said event comprises registering for a class, wherein said notification message further comprises:

a visible accept button that automatically registers said human user for the class when invoked.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said notification message is an e-mail, and said messaging environment is an e-mail messaging environment.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said notification message comprises a start date and end date for one of said plurality of employee goals.

14. A back end server comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to said processor;

a back end server application;

a notification module for generating a notification message for informing a human user of an event associated with said back end server application, said event allows for an action, in response to said event, to be taken by a human user through a web page of said back end server application, said notification message comprising a link to said web page, said link comprising an authentication certificate that is associated with an expiration time, said notification module also for sending said notification message through a messaging environment that is rendered to an electronic device associated with said human user, said notification message comprising a visible list of a plurality of employee goals and a plurality of visible statuses, each of said plurality of visible statuses corresponds to one of said plurality of employee goals, said plurality of employee goals are associated with said human user, after a visible status is selected a window is displayed in said notification message that enables said human user to update progress of an employee goal corresponding to said visible status, said notification message comprising a percentage completed corresponding to one of said plurality of employee goals;

a rendering module for rendering said notification message to comply with a format supporting said messaging environment, said notification message that is rendered enables said human user via said link to take said action via the internet without having said human user directly open said back end server application;

a link assignor for receiving a request associated with said link from said electronic device, said link assignor for assigning said request to a link handler of said back end server; and

said link handler for determining if said authentication certificate of said link has expired;

said link handler for authenticating said human user by bypassing a login process if said authentication certificate has not expired, said back end server for presenting a login screen to said human user via the internet if said authentication certificate has expired, said link handler for processing said request by reading a link file of the back end server to generate a universal resource locator (URL) for said web page if said human user is authenticated, the link file further identifies parameters for said web page.

15. The back end server of claim 14, wherein said notification module is for determining when said event occurs.

16. The back end server of claim 14, wherein said notification message that is rendered comprises:

a visible action button for accessing a web page of said back end server application, said web page services said action when said human user wants to take said action, and active content from said web page is displayed through an inline frame of said message when said visible action button is engaged.

17. The back end server of claim 14, wherein said notification message that is rendered comprises:

a visible action button that provides a link to said web page of said back end server application, said web page services said action when said human user wants to take said action.

18. The back end server of claim 14, wherein said notification message that is rendered comprises:

a percentage completed corresponding to each of said plurality of employee goals.

19. The back end server of claim 14, wherein said notification message that is rendered comprises:

a start date and end date for one of said plurality of employee goals.

20. The back end server of claim 14, wherein said notification message that is rendered comprises:

a visible acceptance button for initializing registration for a prescribed class through a web page in said back end server; and

a visible rejection button for declining said registration.

21. A back end server comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable memory coupled to said processor and containing program instructions that, when executed, implement a method for interfacing with a back end server application through a messaging environment, said method comprising;

said back end server determining when an event occurs associated with said back end server application, said back end server comprises said back end server application;

said back end server generating a notification message for informing a human user of said event that occurred, said notification message comprising a link to a web page of said back end server application, said link comprising an authentication certificate that is associated with an expiration time;

said back end server rendering said notification message to comply with a format supporting said messaging environment;

said back end server sending via the internet said notification message that is rendered to an electronic device associated with said human user to facilitate interfacing between said human user and said back end server application, said notification message comprising a visible list of a plurality of employee goals and a plurality of visible statuses, each of said plurality of visible statuses corresponds to one of said plurality of employee goals, said plurality of employee goals are associated with said human user, said notification message comprising a percentage completed corresponding to one of said plurality of employee goals;

a link assignor of said back end server receiving a request associated with said link from said electronic device;

said link assignor assigning said request to a link handler of said back end server;

said link handler determining if said authentication certificate of said link has expired;

if said authentication certificate has not expired, said link handler authenticating said human user by bypassing a login process;

if said authentication certificate has expired, said back end server presenting a login screen to said human user via the internet;

if said human user is authenticated, said link handler processing said request by reading a link file of the back end server to generate a universal resource locator (URL) for said web page, the link file further identifies parameters for said web page; and

after a visible status is selected, said back end server displaying a window in said notification message that enables said human user to update progress of an employee goal corresponding to said visible status.

22. The back end server of claim 21, wherein said event comprises a periodic event used to track progress of at least one employee goal of said human user.

23. The back end server of claim 22, wherein said back end server generating a notification message in said method further comprises:

identifying said human user from a plurality of human users supported by said back end server application, said human user is associated with said periodic event;

providing access to a detailed description of said at least one employee goal;

determining a message address for said human user; and

generating said notification message for said human user at a message address.

24. The back end server of claim 21, wherein said event comprises a singular event used to promote learning of said human user and occurs within an operation of said back end server application, and said back end server generating a notification message in said method further comprises:

identifying said human user from a plurality of human users supported by said back end server application, said human user is associated with said singular event;

determining a message address for said human user; and

generating said notification message for said human user at a message address.

25. The back end server of claim 24, wherein said event comprises an offer for a created class, and said back end server rendering said notification message in said method further comprises:

providing access to a catalogue of classes applicable to said human user through a web page of said back end server application, said web page enables said human user to register for a class selected by said human user.

26. The back end server of claim 24, wherein said event comprises a prescribed class assigned to said human user within a particular time period, and said back end server rendering said notification message in said method further comprises:

enabling said human user to register for said prescribed class through a web page of said back end server application.

27. The back end server of claim 24, wherein said event comprises a registration for a class by a person needing authorization by said human user, and said notification message in said method further comprises:

a visible rejection button for denying authorization to register for said class by said human user; and

a visible approve button for approving authorization to register for said class by said human user.

28. The back end server of claim 24, wherein said event comprises an opening on a waitlist for a class, said human user was listed on said waitlist, and said notification message in said method further comprises:

a visible registration button for accessing a web page of said back end server for registering for said class; and

a visible decline button for accessing a web page of said back end server for declining registration for said class.

29. The back end server of claim 24, wherein said event comprises a prescribed registration for a web based training class, and said link launches said web based training class.

30. The back end server of claim 21, wherein said notification message further comprises:

a visible action button for accessing a web page of said back end application that services said action when said human user wants to take said action, active content from said web page is displayed through an inline frame of said message when said visible action button is engaged.

31. The back end server of claim 21, wherein said event comprises registering for a class, said notification message further comprises:

a visible accept button that automatically registers said human user for the class when invoked.

32. The back end server of claim 21, wherein said notification message complies with a calendaring format, and said messaging environment is a calendaring environment.

33. The back end server of claim 23, wherein said detailed description comprising a start date and end date for said employee goal.