Method for quickly recovering from task interruption

• US 9,754,240 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2009
• Issued: 09/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center, Inc. (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Begole, James M. A., Brdiczka, Oliver, Su, Norman Makato
• Primary Examiner(s): MARCUS, LELAND R
• Application Number:
  US12/623,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20110126050A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,846 Days
• Field of Search: 705 7
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/485 Task life-cycle, e.g. stopping, restarting, resuming execution G06F9/4881 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for assisting a user in recovering from a task interruption. During operation, the system records the user'"'"'s activity while the user is performing a task, and detects an interruption to the task. Upon the detection of the interruption, the system transfers to a storage the recorded user activities during a predetermined time period before the interruption. The system presents a visual representation of the recorded activities to the user, thereby assisting the user in recovering from the task interruption.

Claims

1. A computer-executable method for assisting a user in recovering from a task interruption, the method comprising:

recording, by one or more sensors associated with a computer, information associated with the user'"'"'s activities while the user is performing a task;

in response to determining that the user has suspended a first task, transferring a portion of the recorded user activity information corresponding to a predetermined time period to a storage device associated with the computer; and

in response to receiving a task-recovery request from the user after the user has suspended a second task, presenting, on a display associated with the computer, a visual representation associated with at least the first task based on the transferred portion of the activity information to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

extracting a sequence of events during the predetermined time period.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the visual representation comprises a replay of the sequence of events.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein recording the information associated with the user'"'"'s activities involves buffering the recorded user activity information in a temporary buffer with a predetermined depth, thereby allowing newly recorded user activity information to dequeue previously recorded user activity information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the visual representation associated with at least the first task includes presenting a series of screenshots, thereby illustrating the user'"'"'s activities during the predetermined time period.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising allowing the user to define a granularity of the screenshots.

7. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for assisting a user in recovering from a task interruption, the method comprising:

recording, by one or more sensors associated with the computer, information associated with the user'"'"'s activities while the user is performing a task;

in response to determining the user has suspended a first task, transferring a portion of the recorded activity information corresponding to a predetermined time period to a storage device associated with the computer; and

in response to receiving a task-recovery request from the user after the user has suspended a second task, presenting, on a display associated with the computer, a visual representation associated with at least the first task based on the transferred portion of the activity information to the user.

8. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises extracting a sequence of events during the predetermined time period before the interruption.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the visual representation comprises a replay of the sequence of events.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein recording the information associated with the user'"'"'s activities involves buffering the recorded user activity information in a temporary buffer with a predetermined depth, thereby allowing newly recorded user activity information to dequeue previously recorded user activities.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein presenting the visual representation associated with at least the first task includes presenting a series of screenshots, thereby illustrating the user'"'"'s activities during the predetermined time period.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises allowing the user to define a granularity of the screenshots.

13. A computer system for assisting a user in recovering from a task interruption, the computer system comprising:

a processor; and

a storage device coupled to the processor and storing instructions which when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform a method, the method comprising;

recording, by one or more sensors associated with the computer system, information associated with the user'"'"'s activities while the user is performing a task;

in response to determining that the user has suspended a first task, transferring a portion of the recorded user activity information corresponding to a predetermined time period to a second storage device associated with the computer system; and

in response to receiving a task-recovery request from the user after the user has suspended a second task, presenting, on a display associated with the computer system, a visual representation associated with at least the first task based on the transferred portion of the activity information to the user.

14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises extracting a sequence of events during the predetermined time period.

15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the visual representation comprises a replay of the sequence of events.

16. The computer system of claim 13, wherein recording the information associated with the user'"'"'s activities involves buffering the recorded user activity information in a temporary buffer having a predetermined depth, thereby allowing newly recorded user activity information to dequeue previously recorded user activity information.

17. The computer system of claim 13, wherein presenting the visual representation associated with at least the first task includes presenting a series of screenshots, thereby illustrating the user'"'"'s activities.

18. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises allowing the user to define a granularity of the screenshots.

19. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises presenting a graphical user interface (GUI) toolbar on the display to allow the user to launch the visual representation.