Context-aware composites of functional modules

• US 8,930,830 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2010
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Business Objects Incorporated (SAP SE)
• Original Assignee: Business Objects Incorporated (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Solaja, Ivan, Han, Qiang
• Primary Examiner(s): Roswell, Michael
• Application Number:
  US12/752,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20110246914A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,741 Days
• Field of Search: 715/761, 715/765, 715/851, 715/853, 715/835
• US Class Current: 715/761
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/545 Gui
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications

Abstract

A computer-implemented system to receive user input at a first functional module, to issue an instruction from the first functional module to change a value of a first context item in response to the user input, to receive the instruction at a context services provider, and to issue, via the context data services provider, a notification of the changed value of the first context item. The notification is received at a second functional module based on an association of the second functional module with the first context item, and first functionality of the second functional module is generated based on the notification of the changed value of the first context item.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor to execute program code to provide;

a first functional module to receive user input and to issue an instruction to change a value of a first context item in response to the user input;

a context services provider to receive the instruction and to issue a notification of the changed value of the first context item; and

a second functional module associated with the first context item, the second functional module to receive the notification based on the association with the first context item, and to execute first functionality based on the notification of the changed value of the first context item;

wherein the first functional module or the second functional module is further to receive second user input and to issue a second instruction to change the value of a second context item in response to the second user input;

wherein the context services provider is further to receive the second instruction and to issue a second notification of the changed value of the second context item;

wherein the second module is associated with the second context item, the second functional module to execute second functionality based on the changed value of the second context item;

the processor to further provide;

a third functional module associated with the second context item, the third functional module to execute third functionality based on the changed value of the second context item;

wherein the third functional module is further to receive third user input, to change a value of a third context item in response to the third user input and to execute fourth functionality based on the changed value of the third context item;

wherein the first context item and the third context item each describe a same environment variable;

wherein the second functional module does not execute the first functionality based on the changed value of the third context item;

wherein the third functional module does not execute the fourth functionality based on the changed value of the first context item;

wherein the environmental variable that is described by both the first context item and the third context item has a name;

wherein the second functional module generates a visualization that displays;

(i) the changed value of the first context item and (ii) the name of the environmental variable that is described by both the first context item and the third context item;

wherein the third functional module generates a visualization that displays;

(a) the changed value of the third context item and (b) the name of the environmental variable that is described by both the first context item and the third context item; and

wherein the visualization that is generated by the second functional module and displays;

(i) the changed value of the first context item and (ii) the name of the environmental variable is displayed in a same view as the visualization that is generated by the third functional module and displays;

(a) the changed value of the third context item and (b) the name of the environmental variable.

2. A system according to claim 1,

wherein the first functional module is to execute fifth functionality based on the changed value of the first context item.

3. A system according to claim 1, the processor to further provide:

a fourth functional module to receive fourth user input and to issue a third instruction to change the value of the first context item in response to the fourth user input,

wherein the context services provider is further to receive the third instruction and to issue a third notification of the changed value of the first context item, and

wherein the second functional module is further to receive the third notification based on the association with the first context item, and to execute fifth functionality based on the third notification of the changed value of the first context item.

4. A system according to claim 1,

wherein the second functional module is further to receive fourth user input and to issue a third instruction to change the value of the first context item in response to the fourth user input, and

wherein the context services provider is further to receive the third instruction and to issue a third notification of the changed value of the first context item.

5. A system according to claim 1,

wherein the second functional module is to receive the second user input and to issue the second instruction to change the value of a second context item in response to the second user input, and

wherein the first functional module is associated with the second context item, and is further to receive the notification based on the association with the second context item, and to execute functionality based on the notification received by the first functional module.

6. A system according to claim 1,

wherein the first context service provider comprises a context service provider selected, by a designer during design time;

and

wherein the first context item comprises a first context item selected, by the designer during design time, from a set of context items associated with the selected context service provider.

7. A system according to claim 1,

wherein the second functional module uses the changed value of the first context item and a previous value of the first context item in generating a single visualization;

the processor to further provide;

a fourth functional module to execute fifth functionality based on the changed value of the first context item;

wherein the fourth functional module uses the changed value of the first context item but does not use a previous value of the first context item in generating a single visualization that is displayed in a same view as the single visualization generated by the second functional module.

8. A non-transitory medium storing processor-executable program code, the program code comprising:

program code to provide a first functional module to receive user input and to issue an instruction to change a value of a first context item in response to the user input;

program code to provide a context services provider to receive the instruction and to issue a notification of the changed value of the first context item; and

program code to provide a second functional module associated with the first context item, the second functional module to receive the notification based on the association with the first context item, and to execute first functionality based on the notification of the changed value of the first context item;

wherein the first functional module or the second functional module is further to receive second user input and to issue a second instruction to change the value of a second context item in response to the second user input, and

wherein the context services provider is further to receive the second instruction and to issue a second notification of the changed value of the second context item,

wherein the second module is associated with the second context item, the second functional module to execute second functionality based on the changed value of the second context item;

the program code further comprising;

program code to provide a third functional module associated with the second context item, the third functional module to execute third functionality based on the changed value of the second context item;

wherein the third functional module is further to receive third user input, to change a value of a third context item in response to the third user input and to execute fourth functionality based on the changed value of the third context item;

wherein the first context item and the third context item describe a same environment variable;

wherein the second functional module does not execute the first functionality based on the changed value of the third context item;

wherein the third functional module does not execute the fourth functionality based on the changed value of the first context item;

wherein the environmental variable that is described by both the first context item and the third context item has a name;

wherein the second functional module generates a visualization that displays;

(i) the changed value of the first context item and (ii) the name of the environmental variable that is described by both the first context item and the third context item;

wherein the third functional module generates a visualization that displays;

(a) the changed value of the third context item and (b) the name of the environmental variable that is described by both the first context item and the third context item; and

wherein the visualization that is generated by the second functional module and displays;

(i) the changed value of the first context item and (ii) the name of the environmental variable is displayed in a same view as the visualization that is generated by the third functional module and displays;

(a) the changed value of the third context item and (b) the name of the environmental variable.

9. A medium according to claim 8,

wherein the first functional module is to execute fifth functionality based on the changed value of the first context item.

10. A medium according to claim 8, the program code further comprising:

program code to provide a fourth functional module to receive fourth user input and to issue a third instruction to change the value of the first context item in response to the fourth user input,

wherein the context services provider is further to receive the third instruction and to issue a third notification of the changed value of the first context item, and

wherein the second functional module is further to receive the third notification based on the association with the first context item, and to execute fifth functionality based on the third notification of the changed value of the first context item.

11. A medium according to claim 8,

wherein the second functional module is further to receive fourth user input and to issue a third instruction to change the value of the first context item in response to the fourth user input, and

wherein the context services provider is further to receive the third instruction and to issue a third notification of the changed value of the first context item.

12. A medium according to claim 8,

wherein the second functional module is further to receive the second user input and to issue the second instruction to change the value of a second context item in response to the second user input, and

wherein the first functional module is associated with the second context item, and is to receive the notification based on the association with the second context item, and to execute functionality based on the notification received by the first functional module.

13. A medium according to claim 8,

wherein the first context service provider comprises a context service provider selected, by a designer during design time;

and

wherein the first context item comprises a first context item selected, by the designer during design time, from a set of context items associated with the selected context service provider.

14. A medium according to claim 8,

wherein the second functional module uses the changed value of the first context item and a previous value of the first context item in generating a single visualization;

the program further comprising;

program code to provide a fourth functional module to execute fifth functionality based on the changed value of the first context item;

wherein the fourth functional module uses the changed value of the first context item but does not use a previous value of the first context item in generating a single visualization that is displayed in a same view as the single visualization generated by the second functional module.

15. A method comprising:

receiving user input at a first functional module provided by a processor;

issuing an instruction from the first functional module to change a value of a first context item in response to the user input;

receiving the instruction at a context services provider provided by the processor;

issuing, via the context services provider, a notification of the changed value of the first context item; and

receiving the notification at a second functional module, provided by the processor, based on an association of the second functional module with the first context item; and

execute first functionality of the second functional module based on the notification of the changed value of the first context item;

receiving second user input at the first functional module or the second functional module;

issuing a second instruction from the first functional module or the second functional module to change the value of a second context item in response to the second user input;

receiving the second instruction at the context services provider;

issuing, via the context services provider, a second notification of the changed value of the second context item;

execute second functionality of the second functional module based on the changed value of the second context item;

executing third functionality of a third functional module, provided by the processor, based on the changed value of the second context item;

receiving third user input at the third functional module;

changing the value of a third context item in response to the third user input; and

executing fourth functionality of the third functional module based on the changed value of the third context item;

wherein the first context item and the third context item describe a same environment variable;

wherein the first functionality of the second functional module is not executed based on the changed value of the third context item;

wherein the fourth functionality of the third functional module is not executed based on the changed value of the first context item;

wherein the environmental variable that is described by both the first context item and the third context item has a name;

wherein the second functional module generates a visualization that displays;

(i) the changed value of the first context item and (ii) the name of the environmental variable that is described by both the first context item and the third context item;

wherein the third functional module generates a visualization that displays;

(a) the changed value of the third context item and (b) the name of the environmental variable that is described by both the first context item and the third context item; and

wherein the visualization that is generated by the second functional module and displays;

(i) the changed value of the first context item and (ii) the name of the environmental variable is displayed in a same view as the visualization that is generated by the third functional module and displays;

(a) the changed value of the third context item and (b) the name of the environmental variable.

16. A method according to claim 15, further comprising:

executing fifth functionality of the first functional module based on the changed value of the first context item.

17. A method according to claim 15, further comprising:

receiving fourth user input at a fourth functional module provided by the processor;

issuing a third instruction from the fourth functional module to change the value of the first context item in response to the fourth user input;

receiving the third instruction at the context services provider;

issuing, via the context services provider, a third notification of the changed value of the first context item;

receiving the third notification at the second functional module based on the association of the second functional module with the first context item; and

executing fifth functionality of the second functional module based on the third notification of the changed value of the first context item.

18. A method according to claim 15, further comprising:

receiving fourth user input at the second functional module;

issuing a third instruction from the second functional module to change the value of the first context item in response to the fourth user input, and

receiving the third instruction at the context services provider;

issuing, via the context services provider, a third notification of the changed value of the first context item.

19. A method according to claim 15, further comprising:

receiving the second user input at the second functional module;

issuing the second instruction from the second functional module to change the value of the second context item in response to the second user input;

receiving notification at the first functional module based on an association of the first functional module with the second context item; and

executing functionality of the first functional module based on the notification received by the first functional module.

20. A method according to claim 15,

wherein the first context service provider comprises a context service provider selected, by a designer during design time;

and

wherein the first context item comprises a first context item selected, by the designer during design time, from a set of context items associated with the selected context service provider.

21. A method according to claim 15,

wherein the second functional module uses the changed value of the first context item and a previous value of the first context item in generating a single visualization;

the method further comprising;

executing fifth functionality of a fourth functional module, provided by the processor, based on the changed value of the first context item;

wherein the fourth functional module uses the changed value of the first context item but does not use a previous value of the first context item in generating a single visualization that is displayed in a same view as the single visualization generated by the second functional module.

22. A non-transitory medium storing processor-executable program code, the program code comprising:

program code to provide a first functional module to receive user input and to issue an instruction to change a value of a first context item in response to the user input;

program code to provide a context services provider to receive the instruction and to issue a notification of the changed value of the first context item; and

program code to provide a second functional module associated with the first context item, the second functional module to receive the notification based on the association with the first context item, and to execute first functionality based on the notification of the changed value of the first context item;

wherein the first functional module or the second functional module is further to receive second user input and to issue a second instruction to change the value of a second context item in response to the second user input, and

wherein the context services provider is further to receive the second instruction and to issue a second notification of the changed value of the second context item,

wherein the second module is associated with the second context item, the second functional module to execute second functionality based on the changed value of the second context item;

the program code further comprising;

program code to provide a third functional module associated with the second context item, the third functional module to execute third functionality based on the changed value of the second context item;

wherein the third functional module is further to receive third user input, to change a value of a third context item in response to the third user input and to execute fourth functionality based on the changed value of the third context item;

wherein the first context item and the third context item describe a same environment variable;

wherein the second functional module does not execute the first functionality based on the changed value of the third context item;

wherein the third functional module does not execute the fourth functionality based on the changed value of the first context item; and

wherein the second functional module uses the changed value of the first context item and a previous value of the first context item in generating a single visualization;

the program further comprising;

program code to provide a fourth functional module to execute fifth functionality based on the changed value of the first context item;

wherein the fourth functional module uses the changed value of the first context item but does not use a previous value of the first context item in generating a single visualization that is displayed in a same view as the single visualization generated by the second functional module.