User controlled reconfiguring and saving of a task context comprising a configuration of a set of tools used by the user

• US 8,443,368 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2009
• Issued: 05/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thales SA
• Original Assignee: Thales SA
• Inventors: Guilley, Fabien, Francois, Gilles, De Brito, Gabrielle
• Primary Examiner(s): An, Meng-Ai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zhao, Bing
• Application Number:
  US12/636,851
• Publication Number:
  US 20100162255A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 718/103
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

The present invention pertains to the field of onboard flight management systems embedded in aircraft. The invention relates to a reconfiguration device (1) for reconfiguring a task processing context.

The reconfiguration device (1) according to the invention notably comprises:

• • a module for managing the tasks to be carried out (2), performing a sorting of the tasks according to a priority criterion;
  • a module for managing a current task (3), managing the state of progress of the current task;
  • a module for managing a context (4), saving contexts relating to the current task, to a highest priority task and restoring one of the contexts saved on order of an operator.

The present invention notably finds its application in the management of tasks for piloting an aircraft, for example the management of tasks originating from a system for managing alerts and procedures.

Claims

1. A device with a processor for reconfiguring a processing context for tasks to be carried out by a user, comprising:

a module for managing processing tasks to be carried out respectively associated with the tasks to be carried out by the user;

a module for managing a current processing task;

a module for managing processing contexts associated with the processing tasks, each processing context comprising a configuration of a set of tools used by the user to carry out a task;

a first user interface for enabling a user to select a processing task corresponding to a task to be carried out by the user; and

a second user interface for enabling the user to enter progress information relating to a processing task corresponding to a task to be carried out by the user;

the said module for managing processing tasks configured to perform steps including the following steps;

performing a sorting according to an order of priority of the processing tasks to be carried out;

transmitting to the module for managing processing contexts associated with the processing tasks, a highest priority processing task to be processed in accordance with the order of priority of the processing tasks; and

transmitting to the module for managing a current processing task, a processing task selected by the user by means of the first user interface, from among the processing tasks to be carried out;

the said module for managing a current processing task configured to perform steps including the following steps;

updating a state of progress of processing of the current processing task as a function of progress information entered by the user by means of the second user interface; and

transmitting the updated state of progress to the module for managing contexts associated with the processing tasks; and

the said module for managing processing contexts associated with the processing tasks configured to perform steps including the following steps;

storing in a first database the current processing task, the state of progress of the current processing task, and a processing context for the current processing task;

storing in the first database the highest priority processing task, a state of progress of the highest priority processing task, and a processing context for the highest priority processing task; and

restoring the highest priority processing task, the state of progress of the highest priority processing task, and the processing context for the highest priority processing task to the module for managing the current processing task.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein:

the module for managing a current processing task transmits the current processing task to the module for managing processing contexts associated with the processing tasks; and

the module for managing processing contexts associated with the processing tasks;

saves the current processing task, the state of progress of the current processing task, and the processing context of the current processing task, in response to an order from the user transmitted by means of a third user interface to the module for managing processing contexts associated with the processing tasks; and

restores, in response to an order of the user transmitted to the module for managing processing contexts associated with the processing tasks by means of a fourth user interface, a saved processing task, a state of progress of the saved processing task, and a processing context of the saved processing task.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the tools include device interfaces of systems external to the device according to the invention.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the device interfaces of the external systems transmit their configuration information to the module for managing processing contexts associated with the processing tasks, the said module for managing processing contexts associated with the processing tasks storing the configuration information received in context data associated with the current task.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the processing tasks managed by the module for managing processing tasks originate from systems external to the device according to the invention.

6. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a first display means, the first display means configured to display the sorted processing tasks, which are transmitted to the first display means by the module for managing processing tasks.

7. The device according to claim 1, comprising a second display means, the second display means configured to present to the user the processing task currently being carried out and its state of progress, the current processing task and its state of progress being transmitted to the second display means by the module for managing the current processing task.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the module for managing processing tasks sorts the processing tasks by using a sorting criterion modifiable by the user.

9. The device according to claim 4, wherein the module for managing processing contexts restores a context by configuring the external systems utilizing the corresponding stored configuration information.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the module for managing the current processing task stores the state of progress of the current processing task in a second database.