Configuration-management user interface employing searchable tags

• US 9,026,949 B1
• Filed: 07/22/2008
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arlington Technologies, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Carmi, Eyal, Shacham, Rotem, Danewitz, Oren
• Primary Examiner(s): ALVESTEFFER, STEPHEN D
• Application Number:
  US12/177,477
• Time in Patent Office: 2,478 Days
• Field of Search: 715/854
• US Class Current: 715/854
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A Configuration-Management User Interface generally includes (A) accepting at least one tag-related task description from a user of a telephony management screen and (B) using the at least one tag, providing substantially-simultaneous navigation support for the user'"'"'s activity on the screen. Embodiments of the instant interface include, for tags of a telephony management GUI screen, respective task-specific user-interactive query access into a logical organization of the tags; and a work-flow navigation response from a current screen accepting a query to at least one other telephony management GUI screen. The instant interfaces are mutually compatible with RBAC restrictions.

Claims

1. A Configuration-Management apparatus comprising:

a store configured to store task description information and software;

a search engine configured to search the store;

a user interface coupled to the store and the search engine, and configured to accept at least one tag related to a task description residing in the store from a user of a system management screen, wherein the at least one tag related to the task description indicates a relationship between tagged items and configurable aspects of a switch/feature server, and use the at least one tag and the search engine to provide work-flow navigation support for the user'"'"'s activity on the screen substantially-simultaneously with said activity, and to provide work-flow navigation support for the user'"'"'s activity through an alternative medium other than the screen; and

a computer interface coupled with the search engine, and configured to direct communications related to the task description to the switch/feature server.

2. The Configuration-Management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the store further includes software for (A) tagging the system management screen with at least one tag, and (B) incorporating the at least one tag into a task-sensitive user navigation support model.

3. The Configuration-Management apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the at least one tag corresponds to a predetermined data relationship between a task label and at least one data fragment that is to be provided by the user to the screen.

4. The Configuration-Management apparatus according to claim 1 wherein providing substantially simultaneous navigation support includes security-complementary software for imposing user-specific navigation restrictions according to an RBAC model structure for at least one task of said task description.

5. A Configuration-Management apparatus comprising:

a store configured to store task description information and software;

a search engine configured to search the store;

a user interface coupled to the store and the search engine, and configured to provide, for tags of a system management GUI screen, respective task-specific user-interactive query access into a logical organization of the tags;

wherein the tags indicate relationships between tagged items and configurable aspects of a switch/feature server; and

a work-flow navigation response from a current screen accepting a query to at least one other system management GUI screen, and to provide the work-flow navigation response through an alternative medium other than the current screen; and

a computer interface coupled with the search engine, and configured to direct communications related to the task-specific user-interactive query to the switch/feature server.

6. The Configuration-Management apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the tags are selected from the list:

RBAC tags, physical labels, logical code assignments, linguistic equivalents, aliases, nomenclature terms, user assigned labels, meta-tags, and composite-tags.

7. The Configuration-Management apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the system management is selected from the list:

PBX, VOIP, mobile telephony, and combinations thereof.

8. The Configuration-Management apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the GUI and accepting a response to the GUI are respectively selected from the list:

visual content, audio content, alphanumeric content, graphic content, schematic content, and any combinations thereof.

9. The Configuration-Management apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the screen includes user interface media.

10. The Configuration-Management apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the task is for configuring an existing communications switch/feature server for a predetermined customer setup.

11. The Configuration-Management apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the task is for setting up a switch/feature server for a predetermined customer setup.

12. The Configuration-Management apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the user-interactive query includes an event selected from the list:

system validation, user tagging, system tagging, and combinations thereof.

13. The Configuration-Management apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the query is by an item selected from the list:

tag, task, shortcut, favorite, menu designation, template name, and any combinations thereof.

14. The Configuration-Management apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the access includes an RBAC restriction.

15. The Configuration-Management apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the logical organization is selected from the model structures:

flat, hierarchical, constrained, and symmetric.

16. The Configuration-Management apparatus according to claim 5, further characterized by (A) accepting at least one tag-related task description from a user of a system management screen and (B) using the at least one tag, providing substantially simultaneous navigation support for the user'"'"'s activity on the screen.

17. A Configuration-Management method comprising:

in response to a user indicating a configurable aspect of a switch/feature server through a user interface, searching configuration information within a store wherein tags associated with items of the configuration information indicate relationships between the tagged items and configurable aspects of the switch/feature server, to identify those of said items whose tags indicate a relationship between the item and the indicated aspect;

informing the user of the identified items through the user interface and through an alternative medium other than the user interface; and

directing communications related to the indicated aspect to the switch/feature server through a computer interface.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

the user using the identified items to configure the indicated aspect of the switch/feature server.

19. A Configuration-Management apparatus comprising:

a store for storing system configuration having information tagged with tags that indicate relationships between the tagged items and configurable aspects of a switch/feature server;

a search engine for searching the store to identify those of said items whose tags indicate a relationship between the item and a selected aspect;

a user interface for receiving from a user a selection of one of said aspects, and for indicating to the user the identified items;

an alternative medium interface for indicating to the user the identified items; and

a computer interface coupled with the search engine, and configured to direct communications related to the selected aspect to the switch/feature server.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein:

the user interface is further for enabling the user to use the identified items to configure the indicated aspect of the switch/feature server.