Defining a resource template for locating relevant resources

• US 7,634,737 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2003
• Issued: 12/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Hatscher, Michael, Haeussler, Annette, Beringer, Joerg
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore; William L
• Assistant Examiner(s): LONG, ANDREA NATAE
• Application Number:
  US10/663,365
• Publication Number:
  US 20040119738A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,283 Days
• Field of Search: 715/738, 715/745, 715/789, 715/811, 715/739, 715/764, 707/1, 705/9
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/242 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2428 Query predicate definition using graphical user interfaces, including menus and forms G06F16/2423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A method includes defining a set of attributes associated with at least one resource, determining that a resource matches the set of attributes within a context and displaying the resource as a selectable resource graphical object on a user device. The method may include defining the set of attributes by receiving information that defines an object class of the at least one resource.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

defining a set of attributes associated with at least one resource;

associating a set of constraints with the attributes, wherein the at least one resource, the defined attributes, and the associated constraints define a resource template, the resource template being configured as a resource finder;

defining a step of a business workflow using the resource template;

defining a user as an owner of the step, the user being responsible for completing the step;

locating a first resource of the at least one resource, the first resource matching the set of attributes and constraints defined in the resource template;

locating a second resource of the at least one resource, the second resource failing to match the set of constraints defined in the resource template, wherein the second resource is related to the set of attributes defined in the resource template;

displaying the first and second resources to the user as selectable resource graphical objects on a user device;

completing the step of the business workflow by selecting the selectable resource graphical object; and

using a process modeling tool to monitor a status of the first resource, second resource, and the step of the business workflow, the process modeling tool enabling creation of new business workflow and collaborative workflow within an enterprise management system;

wherein the creation of new business workflow and collaborative workflow is performed in the enterprise management system that comprises cross-functional applications to manage the at least one resource, the cross-functional applications comprising;

a user interface for linking objects of an object modeling tool with the process modeling tool.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein defining the set of attributes comprises:

receiving information that defines an object class of the at least one resource.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving information that defines an attribute associated with the object class.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving information comprises:

receiving information from the user device with a graphical display having an active area for the input of the information.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a selectable template graphical object on a graphical display device prior to locating both first and second resources, the template graphical object representing an active area associated with the defined resources.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein defining the set of attributes comprises:

determining the set of attributes based on a profile of a user'"'"'s interactions with the user device and an application.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection of the resource template; and

executing an application associated with the located resources.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein executing an application comprises executing the application within a guided procedure workflow.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second resources comprise at least one of an executable application, a datum or a web-page.

10. An article comprising a machine-readable medium including machine-executable instructions operative to cause a machine to:

define a set of attributes associated with at least one resource;

associate a set of constraints with the attributes, wherein the at least one resource, the defined attributes, and the associated constraints define a resource template, the resource template being configured as a resource finder;

define a step of a business workflow using the resource template;

define a user as an owner of the step, the user being responsible for completing the step;

locate a first resource of the at least one resource, the first resource matching the set of attributes and constraints defined in the resource template;

locate a second resource of the at least one resource, the second resource failing to match the set of constraints defined in the resource template, wherein the second resource is related to the set of attributes defined in the resource template;

display the first and second resources to the user as selectable resource graphical objects on a user device;

complete the step of the business workflow by selecting the selectable resource graphical object; and

use a process modeling tool to monitor a status of the first resource, second resource, and the step of the business workflow, the process modeling tool enabling creation of new business workflow and collaborative workflow within an enterprise management system;

wherein the creation of new business workflow and collaborative workflow is performed in the enterprise management system that comprises cross-functional applications to manage the at least one resource, the cross-functional applications comprising;

a user interface for linking objects of an object modeling tool with the process modeling tool.

11. The article of claim 10, wherein instructions operative to cause a machine to define the set of attributes comprise instructions operative to cause a machine to:

receive information that defines an object class of the at least one resource.

12. The article of claim 11, further comprising instructions operative to cause a machine to:

receive information that defines an attribute associated with the object class.

13. The article of claim 11, wherein instructions operative to cause a machine to receive information comprise instructions operative to cause a machine to:

receive information from the user device with a graphical display having an active area for the input of the information.

14. The article of claim 10, further comprising instructions operative to cause a machine to:

display a selectable template graphical object on a graphical display device prior to locating both first and second resources, the template graphical object representing an active area associated with the defined resources.

15. The article of claim 10, wherein instructions operative to cause a machine to define the set of attributes comprise instructions operative to cause a machine to:

determine the set of attributes based on a profile of a user'"'"'s interactions with the user device and an application.

16. The article of claim 10, further comprising instructions operative to cause a machine to:

receive a selection of the resource template; and

execute an application associated with the located resources.

17. The article of claim 16, wherein instructions operative to cause a machine to execute an application comprise instructions operative to cause a machine to execute the application within a guided workflow.

18. The article of claim 10, wherein the resource comprises at least one of an executable application, a datum or a web-page.