Navigation systems with event notification

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9442620-B2
Application number	US-84260007-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 21, 2007
Priority date	Aug 21, 2007
Publication date	Sep 13, 2016
Grant date	Sep 13, 2016

Abstract

This disclosure describes tools for navigating within applications, and in particular business applications. For example, a menu system may incorporate a notification system, such that notifications of events received at a business application are displayed within the context of the menu system. The user can be allowed to select an event from the menu system, allowing the user to quickly navigate to a context, within the application, corresponding to the event.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, at a computer system hosting a business application, information providing notification of a set of one or more events;
identifying, at the computer system, a menu item of a menu to which the set of one or more events pertain, the menu item corresponding to a function of the business application;
determining that a user should be notified of the set of one or more events based at least in part on consulting a set of business rules that comprises a first set of one or more business rules that specify notification based at least in part on a change in value of a key performance indicator, wherein at least one of the set of one or more events pertains to the key performance indicator;
in response to the determining, modifying a visual appearance of the menu item within the menu to provide an indication of receiving the set of one or more events based at least in part on a level of urgency associated with the set of one or more events, wherein the modifying comprises using an element that displays the set of one or more events;
modifying a menu hierarchy of the menu item of the menu to include another menu item in the menu hierarchy for each event in the set of one or more events;
receiving at the computer system, input from the user of the business application, indicative of a selection of an event from the set of one or more events displayed in the modified menu hierarchy; and
navigating, in response to the selection, to a context within the business application corresponding to the selected event.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the notification is directed to the user.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the set of one or more events comprises multiple events.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying the visual appearance of the menu item within then menu comprises providing, in the menu, an indication of a number of events for which notification was received.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the set of one or more events is generated by the business application.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the business application supports a workflow comprising a plurality of tasks, and wherein at least one of the set of one or more events comprises completion, by a second user, of one of the plurality of tasks.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the function corresponds to the workflow, and wherein navigating to a context within the business application comprises navigating to a screen corresponding to a second of the plurality of tasks in the workflow.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the set of one or more events comprises modification of a set of data in a database maintained by the business application.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the set of one or more events corresponds to a timer within the business application.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the element is operable to expand a tree view comprising the menu hierarchy with the set of one or more events.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the tree view comprises a set of one or more hyperlinks corresponding to the set of one or more events.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein receiving a selection of an event comprises the user selecting one of the one or more hyperlinks.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the menu is displayed on a web page.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, at the business application, notification of a second set of one or more events;
identifying, at the computer system, a second function of the business application to which the second set of one or more events pertain;
identifying a second menu item corresponding to the second function; and
modifying a display property of the second menu item to provide an indication of the second set of one or more events.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining that the user should be notified of the set of one or more events is upon receiving notification of a set of one or more events.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the set of one or more business rules comprises a first business rule governing operation of the business application.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first business rule defines the key performance indicator.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the at least one of the set of one or more events comprises the change in the value of the key performance indicator.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying the visual appearance of the menu item comprises of at least one of:
modifying a font in which the menu item is displayed;
modifying a text color in which the menu item is displayed; and
adding a special graphical identifier along with the menu item displayed.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a computer program comprising a set of instructions executable by a computer system, the set of instructions comprising:
instructions for receiving information providing notification of a set of one or more events;
instructions for identifying a menu item of a menu to which the set of one or more events pertain, the menu item corresponding to a function of a business application;
instructions for determining that a user should be notified of the set of one or more events based at least in part on consulting a set of business rules that comprises a first set of one or more business rules that specify notification based at least in part on a change in value of a key performance indicator, wherein at least one of the set of one or more events pertains to the key performance indicator, and, in response to the determining, modifying a visual appearance of the menu item within in the menu based at least in part on a level of urgency associated with the set of one or more events, wherein the modifying comprises using an element that displays the set of one or more events;
instructions for modifying a menu hierarchy of the menu item of the menu to include another menu item in the menu hierarchy for each event in the set of one or more events;
instructions for receiving, input from the user of the business application, indicative of a selection of an event from the set of one or more events displayed in the modified menu hierarchy; and
instructions for navigating, in response to the selection, to a context within the business application corresponding to the selected event.

21. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20 , wherein the notification is directed to the user.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20 , wherein the set of one or more events comprises multiple events.

23. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20 , wherein instructions for modifying the visual appearance of the menu item within then menu comprises instructions for providing, in the menu, an indication of a number of events for which notification was received.

24. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20 , wherein at least one of the set of one or more events is generated by the business application.

25. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 20 , wherein the business application supports a workflow comprising a plurality of tasks, and wherein at least one of the set of one or more events comprises completion, by a second user, of one of the plurality of tasks.

26. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim

Assignees

• King Nigel
• Miranda Steven
• Singh Rajesh
• Oracle Int Corp

Inventors

• King Nigel
• Miranda Steven
• Singh Rajesh

Classifications

• G06Q10/10

  Office automation; Time management · CPC title

• G06F3/0481 Primary

  based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance · CPC title