Tiered Configuration of legacy application tasks

• US 9,106,686 B2
• Filed: 10/28/2010
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ADVANCED BusinessLink Corporation
• Original Assignee: ADVANCED BusinessLink Corporation
• Inventors: Lategan, Christopher F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Kieu
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAUDHURI, ANITA
• Application Number:
  US12/914,856
• Publication Number:
  US 20110271214A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,748 Days
• Field of Search: 715/762, 715/763, 715/764, 715/765, 715/967, 715/968, 715/969, 715/970, 715/865, 715/866
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/629 to features or functions of an application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/51 Source to source
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/52 Binary to binary
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/654 using techniques specially adapted for alterable solid state memories, e.g. for EEPROM or flash memories
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/656 while running
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/66 of program code stored in read-only memory [ROM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/70 Software maintenance or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/72 Code refactoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/74 Reverse engineering; Extracting design information from source code
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/76 Adapting program code to run in a different environment; Porting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/448 Execution paradigms, e.g. implementations of programming paradigms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 : Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 : Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0806 : for initial configuration or provisioning, e.g. plug-and-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 : Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 : Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 : Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 : based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 : in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/141 : Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 : User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 : specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 : Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 : Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

Methods, systems, and techniques for configuring customizations to legacy tasks as part of modernizing such tasks are provided. Example embodiments of a Role-Based Modernization System (“RBMS”) provide tiered configuration so that end users can be provided with tools with which they can further modernize legacy tasks in ways that do not tamper with the integrity of the system. For example, in one embodiment at least two configuration levels are available: (1) an administrator level that can control and configure aspects of the RBMS such as the legacy and non-legacy tasks associated with a particular role and defining what tools will be provided to the end user level and (2) an end user level. Example embodiments provide an RBMS, which uses these enhanced modernization techniques to provide role-based modernization of menu-based legacy applications.

Claims

1. A method in a computing system for modernizing an existing menu-based legacy application having a plurality of executable individual tasks, each individual task configured to be executed as corresponding code module on a host computing menu-based legacy application, comprising:

providing, by the computing system, a first level of configuration tools to a user with sufficient privilege to administer and configure use of the legacy application, the legacy application reorganized to provide access to the plurality of executable individual tasks on a role by role basis instead of via access from the corresponding menu item of the menu or sub-menu of the existing menu-based legacy application, the first level of configuration tools allowing the user with sufficient privilege to further define task customization tools configured to be used for end user customization of at least some of the executable individual tasks of the existing menu-based legacy application on a role by role basis, wherein the tasks and task customization tools associated with a role are only accessible to users that have proper authorization to conduct the associated tasks; and

using the computing system, displaying the task customization tools defined using the first level of configuration tools in a manner configured to enable an end user to customize one or more executable individual tasks of the existing menu-based legacy application on an individual task basis, the task customization tools enabling the end user to perform at least one of configuring parameter values, determining task extensions, and/or determining output format for an individual task of the existing menu-based legacy application executable as the corresponding code module on the host computing system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first level of configuration tools is provided in an application separate from the menu-based legacy application to be customized.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first level of configuration tools allows the user with sufficient privilege to define task customization tools on a role by role basis, wherein roles are represented in a data structure that associates one or more roles with each of multiple tasks.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the task customization tools include an ability to individually supplement one or more tasks of the menu-based legacy application with non-legacy code functionality.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the task customization tools include an ability to add a map, a website, an image, or an icon to supplement one or more individual tasks of the menu-based legacy application.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the task customization tools include an ability to add icons to portions of screen output from at least one task of the menu-based legacy application.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the task customization tools include an ability to add columns to a table output by at least one task of the menu-based legacy application.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the columns can include images.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the first level of configuration tools is used to define a set of available images.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the first level of configuration tools allow the user with sufficient privilege to define which executable individual tasks of the menu-based legacy application are accessible through which roles.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium whose contents enable a computing system to modernize an existing menu-based legacy application having a plurality of executable individual tasks, each individual task configured to be executed as corresponding code module on a host computing system and accessible from a corresponding menu item of a menu or sub-menu of the existing menu-based legacy application, by performing a method comprising:

providing, by the computing system, a first level of configuration tools to a user with sufficient privilege to administer and configure use of the legacy application, the legacy application reorganized to provide access to the plurality of executable individual tasks on a role by role basis instead of via access from the corresponding menu item of the menu or sub-menu of the existing menu-based legacy application, the first level of configuration tools allowing the user with sufficient privilege to further define task customization tools configured to be used for end user customization of at least some of the executable individual tasks of the existing menu-based legacy application on a role by role basis, wherein the tasks and task customization tools associated with a role are only accessible to users that have proper authorization to conduct the associated tasks; and

using the computing system, displaying the task customization tools defined using the first level of configuration tools in a manner configured to enable an end user to customize one or more executable individual tasks of the existing menu-based legacy application on an individual task basis, the task customization tools enabling the end user to perform at least one of configuring parameter values, determining task extensions, and/or determining output format for an individual task of the existing menu-based legacy application executable as the corresponding code module on the host computing system.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 wherein the computer-readable medium is a memory of the computing system, and wherein the contents are instructions that are stored on the memory and that are configured to cause the computing system to perform the method.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 wherein the first level of configuration tools is provided in an application separate from the menu-based legacy application to be customized.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 wherein the first level of configuration tools allows the user with sufficient privilege to define task customization tools on a role by role basis.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 wherein the task customization tools include at least one of:

an ability to supplement one or more tasks of the existing menu-based legacy application with non-legacy code functionality;

an ability to add a map, a website, an image, or an icon to supplement one or more tasks of the existing menu-based legacy application;

an ability to add icons to portions of screen output from at least one task of the existing menu-based legacy application; and

/or

an ability to add columns to a table output by at least one task of the existing menu-based legacy application.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 wherein the first level of configuration tools is used to define a set of available images.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 wherein the first level of configuration tools allow the user with sufficient privilege to define which tasks of the existing menu-based legacy application are accessible through which roles.

18. A computer system configured to modernize an existing menu-based legacy application having a plurality of executable individual tasks, each individual task configured to be executed as corresponding code module on a host computing system and accessible from a corresponding menu item of a menu or sub-menu of the existing menu-based legacy application, comprising:

a memory;

a computer processor; and

a module that is stored on the memory and that is configured, when executed on the computer processor, to;

provide a first level of configuration tools to a user with sufficient privilege to administer and configure use of the legacy application, the legacy application reorganized to provide access to the plurality of executable individual tasks on a role by role basis instead of via access from the corresponding menu item of the menu or sub-menu of the existing menu-based legacy application the first level of configuration tools allowing the user with sufficient privilege to further define task customization tools configured to be used for end user customization of at least some of the executable individual tasks of the existing menu-based legacy application on a role by role basis, wherein the tasks and task customization tools associated with a role are only accessible to users that have proper authorization to conduct the associated tasks; and

use the computing system, displaying the task customization tools defined using the first level of configuration tools in a manner configured to enable an end user to customize one or more executable individual tasks of the existing menu-based legacy application on an individual task basis, the task customization tools enabling the end user to perform at least one of configuring parameter values, determining task extensions, and/or determining output format for an individual task of the existing menu-based legacy application executable as the corresponding code module on the host computing system.

19. The computer system of claim 18 wherein the module includes instructions for execution in the memory of the computer system.

20. The computer system of claim 18 wherein the first level of customization tools are configured to add a map, a website, an image, or an icon to supplement one or more tasks of the existing menu-based legacy application.