Method for the display of visual sequencing of launched application portlets and task page relationship information in a web-base environment

• US 7,493,564 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2005
• Issued: 02/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Swanson, Carl Steven, Barta, Gary Thomas, Fingal, Eric John
• Primary Examiner(s): HAILU, TADESSE
• Application Number:
  US11/114,534
• Publication Number:
  US 20060242582A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,393 Days
• Field of Search: 715734-747, 715/200, 715/201, 709/200, 709/201, 709/225, 709/218, 717/110, 719/328
• US Class Current: 715/738
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking

Abstract

A display portlet is incorporated into a portal page in a web-based environment. This display portlet presents the launch sequence of the portlets that are currently running on that portal page. The displayed launch sequence indicates the source of a launched portlet and displays any portlets that are launched by a portlet running on that portal page. The visual representations can be of various formats such as a spacial display or a tree representation. Each launched portlet has a stored record containing information about the portlet, the portlet that launched it and any portlets launched by the particular portlet.

Claims

1. A method for displaying launch sequence information of portlets on a portal page activated in a Web-base environment, the launch sequence information being contained in a portlet and being displayed on the same portal page containing the portlets that are contained in the displayed launch sequence information, the method for displaying launch sequence information comprising the steps of:

detecting a portlet launch operation;

processing information contained in the detected portlet launch;

creating a record for a newly launched portlet, the record comprising two or more fields which can contain information about the origin of a launched portlet, the identity of the launched portlet and any other portlets launched by the portlet; and

displaying a portlet launch sequence that is based on information gathered from the detected portlet launch information, the portlet launch sequence indicating the source of a launch portlet whose launch was detected and any portlet launched by the portlet whose launch was detected;

monitoring portlet activity on the portal page;

detecting the termination of an active portlet or the launch of a new portlet on the portal page;

when a portlet is terminated, removing the record and visual display of the terminated portlet;

updating portlet records related to the terminated portlet or the launched portlet;

displaying a modified portlet launch sequence; and

returning to said portlet monitoring step.

2. The method as described in claim 1 further comprising before said detecting step the steps of:

activating a portlet launch sequence program; and

determining the current status of any portlets that are active at the time of the activation of the portlet launch sequence program.

3. The method as described in claim 1 wherein a field of a record for a newly launched portlet contains a pointer to a portlet that launched the newly launched portlet.

4. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said determination of a port let termination step further comprises:

detecting the termination of an active portlet;

determining whether any portlets launched by the terminating portlet are active;

removing the record and visual display of the terminated portlet when no portlets launched by the terminating portlet are active;

updating portlet records related to the terminated portlet; and

displaying a modified portlet launch sequence.

5. The method as described in claim 1 wherein said determination of a portlet termination step further comprises:

detecting the termination of an active portlet;

determining whether any portlets launched by the terminating portlet are active;

modifying the visual display of the terminated portlet to show that launched portlets are active;

updating portlet records related to the terminated portlet; and

displaying a modified portlet launch sequence.

6. The method as described in claim 1 wherein the portlet launch sequence display is a spacial display.

7. The method as described in claim 1 wherein the portlet launch sequence display is a tree presentation display.

8. The method as described in claim 1 wherein the portlet launch sequence display is a multiple page display.

9. A computer program product in a computer readable storage medium for displaying launch sequence information of portlets on a portal page activated in a Web-base environment, the launch sequence information being contained in a portlet and being displayed on the same portal page containing the portlets that are contained in the displayed launch sequence information, the method for displaying launch sequence information comprising:

instructions detecting a portlet launch operation;

instructions processing information contained in the detected portlet launch;

instructions creating a record for a newly launched portlet, the record comprising two or more fields which can contain information about the origin of a launched portlet, the identity of the launched portlet and any other portlets launched by the portlet; and

instructions displaying a portlet launch sequence that is based on information gathered from the detected portlet launch information, the portlet launch sequence indicating the source of a launch portlet whose launch was detected and any portlet launched by the portlet whose launch was detected;

monitoring portlet activity on the portal page;

instructions detecting the termination of an active portlet or the launch of a new portlet on the portal page;

when a portlet is terminated, instructions removing the record and visual display of the terminated portlet;

instructions updating portlet records related to the terminated portlet or the launched portlet;

instructions displaying a modified portlet launch sequence; and

instructions returning to said portlet monitoring step.

10. The computer program product as described in claim 9 further comprising before said detecting instructions, instructions:

activating a portlet launch sequence program; and

determining the current status of any portlets that are active at the time of the activation of the portlet launch sequence program.

11. The computer program product as described in claim 9 further comprising after said displaying instructions, instructions:

detecting the termination of an active portlet;

removing the record and visual display of the terminated portlet;

updating portlet records related to the terminated portlet; and

displaying a modified portlet launch sequence.

12. The computer program product as described in claim 9 wherein said determination of a portlet termination instructions further comprise:

instructions detecting the termination of an active portlet;

instructions determining whether any portlets launched by the terminating portlet are active;

instructions modifying the visual display of the terminated portlet to show that launched portlets are active;

instructions updating portlet records related to the terminated portlet; and

instructions displaying a modified portlet launch sequence.

13. A system for displaying launch sequence information or portlets activated in a Web-based environment comprising:

a user interface device having the capability to display a portal page containing portlets, and portlet launch sequence information on a display screen comprising;

a computer program for displaying launch sequence information of activated portlets on the display screen;

a display portlet incorporated into a portal web page, the incorporated portal web page displaying launch sequence information of activated portlets on the display screen;

a network interface device for establishing communication between said user interface device and a communication network;

a storage location for storing records of portlets that have launched activated portlets being displayed, a record containing fields with information on a launching portlet and all active portlets launched by the launching portlet; and

a routine that detects the termination of an activated portlet on the display, determines whether that portlet has launched other portlets on the display and updates stored records related to the terminated portlet.

14. The portlet launch sequence display system as described in claim 13 further comprising a separate portlet on the display for specifically displaying launch sequence information of activated portlets.

15. The portlet launch sequence display system as described in claim 13 wherein said computer program further comprises a routine that:

monitors the portlet activities and detects when a new portlet is launched;

determines whether the detected launched program was launched by an active portlet;

creates records for portlets that launch other portlets; and

interprets records of launching portlets to determine which portlets were launched by other portlets for the purpose of displaying launch sequence information of activated portlets on the display screen.