Integrated productivity services

• US 9,275,365 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2011
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP SE
• Inventors: Misovski, Filip, Cherdron, Markus
• Primary Examiner(s): ALVESTEFFER, STEPHEN D
• Application Number:
  US13/326,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20130159897A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,539 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

The present disclosure involves systems, software, and computer implemented methods for providing integrated productivity services. One process includes operations for determining a context associated with a user of an application, identifying a user productivity feature for integration with an existing feature of the application based on the context, and augmenting a user interface of the application with a graphical object representing the user productivity feature. In some instances, the context can include an integration context defining a particular release version associated with the application. The context can also or alternatively include a role context defining a particular role of the user of the application within an organization, wherein the particular role is associated with a set of permissions or common tasks performed by the particular role. Still further, the context can include a user context defining a personal preference or habit of the user.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method performed by one or more processors for providing integrated productivity services, the method comprising the following operations:

executing a computer software application that is associated with a user;

determining, using user context data, a context associated with the user of the application by accessing a cloud-based server on which the user context data is stored;

identifying an application-executable user productivity feature to augment the application and for integration with an existing feature executable by the application based on the context, wherein the user productivity feature is integrated with the existing feature independent of the lifecycle or release of the application, and wherein the application excludes the user productivity feature prior to the identifying;

executing a user interface integration module configured to provide context-specific augmentation of user productivity features to the application, the user interface integration module being separate from the application;

augmenting a user interface of the application with a graphical object representing the user productivity feature; and

providing the graphical object to the application to be displayed concurrently with a user interface of the application, wherein the graphical object is configured to interact with the application and to integrate the user productivity feature into the application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the context includes an integration context defining information regarding a particular release version associated with the application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the context includes a role context defining a particular role of the user of the application within an organization, wherein the particular role is associated with a set of permissions or common tasks performed by the particular role.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the context includes a user context defining a personal preference or habit of the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the context includes a social context defining a particular department, network, or set of online social connections associated with the user.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the user productivity feature is a feature used by another user within the particular department, network, or set of online social connections.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising sharing the user productivity feature with at least one other user within the particular department, network, or set of online social connections in response to an authorization for sharing the user productivity feature from the user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the user productivity feature includes at least one of a feature provided through a web service, information related to a document selected by the user in the application, or analytical data based on information currently displayed in the user interface of the application.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical object includes a mashup component displaying data provided by a different application.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the user productivity feature includes functionality related to a functionality of the existing feature of the application.

11. A computer program product encoded on a non-transitory storage medium, the product comprising computer readable instructions for causing one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

executing a computer software application that is associated with a user;

determining, using user context data, a context associated with the user of the application by accessing a cloud-based server on which the user context data is stored;

identifying an application-executable user productivity feature to augment the application and for integration with an existing feature executable by the application based on the context, wherein the user productivity feature is integrated with the existing feature independent of the lifecycle or release of the application, and wherein the application excludes the user productivity feature prior to the identifying;

executing a user interface integration module configured to provide context-specific augmentation of user productivity features to the application, the user interface integration module being separate from the application;

augmenting a user interface of the application with a graphical object representing the user productivity feature, wherein the application is configured to execute the user productivity feature in response to the augmenting; and

providing the graphical object to the application to be displayed concurrently with a user interface of the application, wherein the graphical object is configured to interact with the application and to integrate the user productivity feature into the application.

12. The product of claim 11, wherein the context includes an integration context defining information regarding a particular release version associated with the application.

13. The product of claim 11, wherein the context includes a role context defining a particular role of the user of the application within an organization, wherein the particular role is associated with a set of permissions or common tasks performed by the particular role.

14. The product of claim 11, wherein the context includes a user context defining a personal preference or habit of the user.

15. The product of claim 11, wherein the context includes a social context defining a particular department, network, or set of online social connections associated with the user.

16. The product of claim 15, wherein the user productivity feature is a feature used by another user within the particular department, network, or set of online social connections.

17. The product of claim 15 further comprising sharing the user productivity feature with at least one other user within the particular department, network, or set of online social connections in response to an authorization for sharing the user productivity feature from the user.

18. The product of claim 11, wherein the user productivity feature includes at least one of a feature provided through a web service, information related to a document selected by the user in the application, or analytical data based on information currently displayed in the user interface of the application.

19. The product of claim 11, wherein the graphical object includes a mashup component displaying data provided by a different application.

20. A system, comprising:

one or more computers; and

a computer-readable medium coupled to the one or more computers having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising;

executing a computer software application that is associated with a user;

displaying a user interface of the application;

determining, using user context data, a context associated with the user of the application by accessing a cloud-based server on which the user context data is stored;

identifying an application-executable user productivity feature to augment the application and for integration with an existing feature executable by the application based on the context, wherein the user productivity feature is integrated with the existing feature independent of the lifecycle or release of the application, and wherein the application excludes the user productivity feature prior to the identifying;

executing a user interface integration module configured to provide context-specific augmentation of user productivity features to the application, the user interface integration module being separate from the application;

identifying a graphical object representing the user productivity feature;

augmenting the application with the user productivity feature; and

displaying the graphical object representing the user productivity feature concurrently with the user interface of the application, wherein the graphical object is configured to interact with the application and to integrate the user productivity feature into the application.