U.S. patent application number 11/081302 was filed with the patent office on 2005-07-21 for application launchpad.
This patent application is currently assigned to Sentillion, Inc.. Invention is credited to Fitzpatrick, Gail, Fusari, David, Karson, Tom, Seliger, Elaine.
Application Number | 20050160371 11/081302 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34752666 |
Filed Date | 2005-07-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050160371 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Karson, Tom ; et
al. |
July 21, 2005 |
Application launchpad
Abstract
A software program provides a unified, ever-present user
interface which manages a user's interaction with other software
programs. The software program includes an executable portion and a
dynamic linked library (DLL). The software program uses hooking and
subclassing in a Windows environment to gain control over when and
where display of the user interface occurs.
Inventors: |
Karson, Tom; (Jamaica
Plains, MA) ; Fusari, David; (Groton, MA) ;
Fitzpatrick, Gail; (Carlisle, MA) ; Seliger,
Elaine; (Winchester, MA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WOLF GREENFIELD & SACKS, PC
FEDERAL RESERVE PLAZA
600 ATLANTIC AVENUE
BOSTON
MA
02210-2211
US
|
Assignee: |
Sentillion, Inc.
Andover
MA
|
Family ID: |
34752666 |
Appl. No.: |
11/081302 |
Filed: |
March 16, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11081302 |
Mar 16, 2005 |
|
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09645051 |
Aug 23, 2000 |
|
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60150269 |
Aug 23, 1999 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
715/777 ;
715/778; 715/779; 715/780; 715/789 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G16H 10/60 20180101;
G16H 40/40 20180101; G06F 19/00 20130101; G06F 9/451 20180201 |
Class at
Publication: |
715/777 ;
715/778; 715/779; 715/780; 715/789 |
International
Class: |
G06F 003/00 |
Claims
1. A software program stored on a computer-readable medium,
including computer instructions which, when executed by a computer
having a display, cause the computer to execute a sequence of
steps, the sequence of steps comprising: identifying a user
interface element of a process having a focus, the process
executing on the computer and the user interface element being
displayed on the display; in response to identifying the user
interface element of the process having the focus, visually
attaching to the user interface element of the process having the
focus a user interface element of the software program; and moving
and resizing, on the display, the user interface element of the
software program together with the user interface element of the
process having the focus, so the user interface element of the
software program and the user interface element of the process
having the focus together give a visual impression on the display
of one user interface.
2. The software program of claim 1, wherein the sequence of steps
further comprises: displaying a control for a user to enter context
information used by one or more context managed application
programs.
3. The software program of claim 1, wherein the sequence of steps
further comprises: displaying a control which when activated
displays context information.
4. The software program of claim 1, wherein the sequence of steps
further comprises: displaying a scrollable set of tabs representing
applications which can be launched.
5. The software program of claim 4, wherein the sequence of steps
further comprises: defining a set of applications assigned to the
scrollable set of tabs.
6. The software program of claim 1, wherein the sequence of steps
further comprises: displaying a control which when activated,
invokes an instantiation of a web browser pointed to a
predetermined web site.
7. The software program of claim 6, wherein the sequence of steps
further comprises: defining the predetermined web site.
8. The software program of claim 6, wherein the sequence of steps
further comprises: defining a visual image for the control which
invokes the web browser including a corporate logo.
9. The software program of claim 1, wherein the sequence of steps
further comprises: defining controls on the user interface element
dependent on an identified user.
10. The software program of claim 9, wherein the step of defining
controls further comprises: displaying a scrollable set of tabs
representing applications which the identified user has permission
to launch.
11. The software program of claim 9, wherein the step of defining
controls further comprises: displaying a set of controls defined
for the identified user at a particular workstation.
12. A method of controlling a computer having a display, the method
comprising computer-implemented steps of: identifying a user
interface element of a process having a focus, the process
executing on the computer and the user interface element being
displayed on the display; in response to identifying the user
interface element of the process having the focus, visually
attaching to the user interface element of the process having the
focus a user interface element of a software program; and moving
and resizing, on the display, the user interface element of the
software program together with the user interface element of the
process having the focus, so the user interface element of the
software program and the user interface element of the process
having the focus together give a visual impression on the display
of one user interface.
13. The method of claim 12, further comprising: displaying a
control for a user to enter context information used by one or more
context managed application programs.
14. The method of claim 12, further comprising: displaying a
control which when activated displays context information.
15. The method of claim 12, further comprising: displaying a
scrollable set of tabs representing applications which can be
launched.
16. The method of claim 15, further comprising: defining a set of
applications assigned to the scrollable set of tabs.
17. The method of claim 12, further comprising: displaying a
control which when activated, invokes an instantiation of a web
browser pointed to a predetermined web site.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising: defining the
predetermined web site.
19. The method of claim 17, further comprising: defining a visual
image for the control which invokes the web browser including a
corporate logo.
20. The method of claim 12, further comprising: defining controls
on the user interface element dependent on an identified user.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of defining controls
further comprises: displaying a scrollable set of tabs representing
applications which the identified user has permission to
launch.
22. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of defining controls
further comprises: displaying a set of controls defined for the
identified user at a particular workstation.
23. The method of claim 12, wherein the computer-implemented steps
are performed by the software program.
24. The software program of claim 1, wherein the process having the
focus is a first process, and wherein the sequence of steps further
comprises steps of: detecting that the focus has switched from the
first process to a second process; and in response to the step of
detecting, detaching the user interface element of the software
program from the first process and attaching the user interface
element of the software program to a user interface element of the
second process.
25. The method of claim 12, wherein the process having the focus is
a first process, and wherein the method further comprises
computer-implemented steps of: detecting that the focus has
switched from the first process to a second process; and in
response to the step of detecting, detaching the user interface
element of the software program from the first process and
attaching the user interface element of the software program to a
user interface element of the second process.
Description
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 09/645,051, entitled APPLICATION LAUNCHPAD,
filed on Aug. 23, 2000, which claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn.119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/150,269,
filed on Aug. 23, 1999, each of which applications is incorporated
herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a software program
providing a user interface for management of a user's interaction
with other software programs.
[0004] 2. Related Art
[0005] There are many businesses or fields of endeavor, which rely
on the use of plural desktop computer applications. One such field
is the modem practice of medicine. In such a setting, users quite
often find themselves entering and reentering similar information
over and over. For example, a single user may have to repeat login
information in plural applications, followed by the same or similar
client information. Such information, that defines the environment
in which each application operates is known as context. That is,
context is a collection of data items and corresponding values,
wherein the items represent information required in common between
plural applications in an industry or business setting. For
example, in health care, a patient identifier (patient ID) is an
item which is part of the context in which plural clinical
applications may participate, or share.
[0006] In the modem practice of medicine, a physician or other
professional or staff member may need to store, retrieve, analyze,
etc. various types of patient data. The patient data to be
processed may be clinical; e.g. x-ray images or blood work results,
or may be financial, e.g. insurance cover and billing history.
Thus, clinical applications, such as those to store, retrieve and
display x-ray images and those to store, retrieve and display blood
work results have inputs and outputs which fall into two broad
classes: highly specialized, work product specific I/O; and more
general, context-related I/O.
[0007] The desirability of managing context information, so that a
user at a workstation need not reenter information such as user
identification (user ID) or patient identification (patient ID) has
long been recognized.
[0008] A standard known as Health Level Seven Context Management
Specification Version CM-1.1 was promulgated by the Health Level
Seven (HL7) Clinical Context Object Workgroup (CCOW) on Nov. 6,
1999, incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, to define
an interface and other architectural definitions of a Context
Management Architecture (CMA), whereby clinical applications
interact with a Context Manager to manage context information
across a range of clinical and other health care related
applications.
[0009] At this time, there are no other known, comprehensive
context management software packages available. Some small steps
have been taken for example to share context amongst one
publisher's own titles, using proprietary methods absent a context
manager, or to permit a user to sign onto a single application
which transfers user context to plural other applications. However,
no context manager handling both user and patient context is known,
much less a complete system with central administration of the
context management process.
[0010] Conventionally, context management of context enabled
applications is a distributed process. Context enabled software,
compliant with industry standards, transfer changes in context
automatically from one to another. For example, in the healthcare
industry, a single workstation may be executing several clinical
applications at once. If those applications are context enabled,
then when a user changes context information, such as the patient
identification in one application, then that context information is
transferred by the context management system to the other clinical
applications, as explained above. However, conventional context
management software is not directly accessed by users. Rather,
users make entries and changes through the managed applications.
Changes to context information made in context-enabled applications
are then transferred automatically by the context management
software to other context-enabled applications.
[0011] Oversight of context management software can be performed by
a context administrator software program. Such a program brings
certain administrative functions under centralized control.
However, information services personnel usually administer and
maintain these systems. Thus, context administration does not
fundamentally change the way in which users interact with
context-enabled software. Context administration can oversee such
functions as which context-enabled applications on a particular
workstation are part of a common context and which are not.
[0012] Many of the concepts employed in conventional context
management and context administration systems are described in U.S.
Provisional Patent Applications Ser. Nos. 60/128,145, 60/135,907,
60/136,670, 60/139,235, 60/146,722 and 60/145,681, all incorporated
herein by reference. Some of these concepts are further described
in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 09/545,396 and 09/583,301,
also incorporated herein by reference.
[0013] One area which has conventionally been problematic in this
field of art has been that of user interfaces. Conventionally,
there has been no uniform approach to launching, using and context
managing plural applications from the standpoint of individual
users.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] What is desired is to provide an improved user interface for
context management.
[0015] According to some embodiments of the invention, a software
program stored on a computer-readable medium, can include computer
instructions which when executed by a computer cause the computer
to execute a sequence of steps comprising identifying a user
interface element of a process having a focus, the process
executing on the computer attaching to the user interface element
of the process a user interface element of the software program
moving and resizing the user interface element of the software
program together with the user interface element of the process, so
the user interface element of the software program and the user
interface element of the process together give an impression of one
user interface. In one variation, the sequence of steps can also
include displaying a control for a user to enter context
information used by one or more context managed application
programs. In another variation the sequence of steps can include
displaying a control which when activated displays context
information. In yet another variation, the sequence of steps can
include displaying a scrollable set of tabs representing
applications which can be launched. The sequence of steps can
further include defining a set of applications assigned to the
scrollable set of tabs. In other variations, the sequence of steps
can include displaying a control which when activated, invokes an
instantiation of a web browser pointed to a predetermined web site.
In such a variation, the sequence of steps can include defining the
predetermined web site or defining a visual image for the control
which invokes the web browser including a corporate logo. In yet
another variation, the software program can include defining
controls on the user interface element dependent on an identified
user. Defining controls can further include displaying a scrollable
set of tabs representing applications which the identified user has
permission to launch. Defining controls can also including
displaying a set of controls defined for the identified user at a
particular workstation.
[0016] The present invention can also be practices as a method of
controlling a computer comprising steps of identifying a user
interface element of a process having a focus, the process
executing on the computer attaching to the user interface element
of the process a user interface element of the software program
moving and resizing the user interface element of the software
program together with the user interface element of the process, so
the user interface element of the software program and the user
interface element of the process together give an impression of one
user interface. Additionally, according to various variations, the
steps may include one or more of displaying a control for a user to
enter context information used by one or more context managed
application programs, displaying a control which when activated
displays context information or displaying a scrollable set of tabs
representing applications which can be launched. In addition, the
method may include defining a set of applications assigned to the
scrollable set of tabs. According to another variation, the method
may include displaying a control which when activated, invokes an
instantiation of a web browser pointed to a predetermined web site.
In such a variation, further variations may include defining the
predetermined web site or defining a visual image for the control
which invokes the web browser including a corporate logo. In yet
other variations, the method may include defining controls on the
user interface element dependent on an identified user which may
itself include displaying a scrollable set of tabs representing
applications which the identified user has permission to launch or
displaying a set of controls defined for the identified user at a
particular workstation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] In the figures, in which like reference designations
indicate like elements:
[0018] FIG. 1 is a screen shot of an embodiment of the invention
showing elements of the user interface;
[0019] FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a process of establishing and
maintaining a user interface window visually attached to an
existing windows process window;
[0020] FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a process of managing context
information from a common user interface; and
[0021] FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a process of launching one or more
selected applications from a common management tool visually
attached to an existing windows process window.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0022] The present invention may be embodied in a software program,
which executes under any one of several operating systems on a
computer workstation. Operating systems under which the invention
may be practiced include, but are not limited to, Windows 95,
Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows NT, Linux, UNIX, Mac OS and SUN
OS. Preferably, the operating system and applications software in
connection with which the present invention will be practiced
includes a graphical type user interface. In preferred operating
systems, such as the Windows systems or Mac OS, each application
program process may interact with a user through a graphical
interface element known as a window.
[0023] The exemplary embodiment of the invention is described in
connection with the Windows 98 operating system. Some known methods
of working with windows and messages in the operating system are
referred to. In other operating systems, other known methods may be
required or preferred. The exemplary embodiment is also described
in connection with context management in the healthcare industry.
Other forms of software integration in other industries can also be
accomplished using the principles of the invention.
[0024] The present invention may be embodied in a software tool,
which produces a user interface window (see FIG. 1, 100) that
visually attaches itself to a lower edge of a process window having
the focus and follows the movements of the lower edge of the
process window. A process window is said to have the focus when the
process controlling that window is the process that will actually
receive user input as directed by the user via a mouse, keyboard or
other known user input device. The status of having the focus is
often indicated by the presence of a graphical element indicating
an insertion point or cursor, or other indication within a user
interface element of the window that input can be received. When
the focus moves from one window to another, the user interface
elements produced by embodiments of the invention automatically
detach from the window formerly having the focus and reattach to
the window now having the focus.
[0025] According to embodiments of the invention, as shown in FIG.
1, there is provided a software tool, which collects together in a
single user interface element 101 a set of tools common to a
unified overall task, such as healthcare management. Thus, through
an embodiment of the present invention, one could access any of
various clinical applications in a healthcare environment, without
having to navigate through a series of folders, menus or windows as
is commonly done in conventional windowing type operating
systems.
[0026] According to embodiments of the present invention, there is
a single user interface element 102 through which a user can change
context information for plural, context-managed applications. For
example, in the healthcare industry, a user may need to log into
several clinical applications 103 or may need to change patient
identification information 104 in several clinical applications.
Changes would be made in one place, in a standardized format, and
they would then propagate to all of the context managed clinical
applications.
[0027] Finally, embodiments of the present invention provide a
single point of user contact for displaying and delivering context
related status information 105 regarding one or more context
managed applications. For example, for each application available
to a user, there can be an indication as to whether that particular
application is context enabled, i.e., can be context managed, and
whether that application is linked to the current context.
[0028] An embodiment of the present invention executing under the
Windows 98 operating system is now described.
[0029] In order to attach to a process window, as described above,
the embodiment of the invention intercepts certain windows messages
communicated between processes using a technique known in the art
as hooking and subclassing. Hooking and subclassing is described in
greater detail below.
[0030] By visually attaching to the bottom of a process window, the
user interface according to this embodiment of the invention, as
shown in FIG. 1, is always available. The elements thereof are not
hidden or obscured as they would be if contained in a folder,
subfolder, menu or submenu, as conventionally done. However, the
elements of the user interface according to this embodiment of the
invention also remain unobstrusive. Unlike a conventional tool
palette or tool bar, they do not obscure any currently used portion
of the user's screen. In order to provide an attactive and
instructive metaphor, the illustrated embodiment of the invention
has the visual appearance of one or more tabs, attached to the
bottom edge of the process window having the focus.
[0031] As described above, when the focus switches from one window
to another, the visual user interface generated by the software
program of this embodiment of the invention switches to the bottom
of the window now having the focus. Should all of the windows
available on screen be closed by the user or otherwise, the
interface will attach to the bottom edge of the user's screen, so
as to remain available.
[0032] Since the user interface elements created by this embodiment
of the invention are contained within their own window, although
they may have a special or unusual appearance, they can be given
behaviors similar to any window created under the windows operating
system. For example, the entire user interface element can be
shrunk to a button on the task bar, like other applications, by
clicking the proper control.
[0033] In one region 101 of the user interface element 100 created
by this embodiment of the invention, there is provided a scrolling
collection of application tabs 106. All of the applications useful
at a particular workstation, including applications related to a
particular overall mission of the workstation, can be installed to
this portion of the user interface. By clicking on one of the tabs
106, an application is launchable, regardless of what other
activity the workstation may be engaged in. Groups of applications
used together can be defined and assigned to a single control
accessible through a group button 107 so that a group of
applications is launchable with one gesture. Launching single
applications or groups of applications is performed by the user
interface in a conventional manner, upon receipt of a message that
the proper gesture has been performed. The above-described
arrangement avoids having to search for applications hidden in
folders, subfolders, menus and submenus, having to launch
applications of a commonly used group one at a time and having to
use awkward shortcut key sequences such as the alt-tab sequence
used. Also, when a tab selected includes an application already
running, the exemplary embodiment simply moves the focus to the
existing instance of the application.
[0034] Context management functions are also centralized in the
user interface element provided by this embodiment of the
invention. User login is centralized. Therefore, a single user
login format with a single user ID can be used. Users do not need
to remember the various user login formats, which may be required
of them for the various clinical applications in use. In order to
avoid having to remember plural login formats, some users may elect
to always login first through a particular context managed
application. However, this application may not always be in use,
thus creating extra steps for a user to locate and launch the
application. Through the user interface of the illustrated
embodiment of the invention, the user simply clicks on the user ID
control to launch the particular context managed application and
enter their universal user identification information into the
application. In the exemplary embodiment, this control may be
configured to launch a different particular context managed
application for different users. The universal user identification
information is mapped to the user IDs used by the various context
managed clinical applications and the context of all
context-managed applications adjusted accordingly. Common
administration of user login information is described in detail in
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/545,396, referred to above.
[0035] In similar fashion to user login, patient context is also
centralized, and therefore standardized. Therefore, a single
patient selection format with a single patient ID can be used.
Users do not need to remember the various patient selection
formats, which may be required of them for the various clinical
applications in use. In order to avoid having to remember plural
patient selection formats, some users may elect to always select a
patient first through a particular context managed application.
However, this application may not always be in use, thus creating
extra steps for a user to locate and launch the application.
Through the user interface of the illustrated embodiment of the
invention, the user simply clicks on the patient ID control to
launch the particular context managed application and enters their
universal user identification information into the application. In
the embodiment of this invention the specific application that is
launched when this control is clicked may be configured so that it
is not necessarily the same application for all users. The
universal patient identification information is mapped to the
patient IDs used by the various context managed clinical
applications and the context of all context-managed applications
adjusted accordingly. Common administration of user login
information is described in detail in U.S. patent application Ser.
No. 09/545,396, referred to above.
[0036] All conventional context management status information in
accordance with context management standards is shown in one place,
the user interface 100 provided by this embodiment of the
invention. Context enablement status can be obtained by activating
a control on tabs 106. Moreover, this embodiment of the invention
can present instant messages, which are tied to the current
context. For example, a message entered by one user about a
particular patient can instantly show up on the screen of any other
user whose context has that patient selected or who subsequently
selects that patient as part of their context. In the exemplary
embodiment, the presence of an instant message is indicated by an
icon appearing adjacent the patient name in space 108. The icon in
space 108 is a control to access the message.
[0037] The software program of the illustrated embodiment of the
present invention consists of two components. One component is an
executable program. The other component is a dynamic linked library
(DLL).
[0038] The executable program is a Windows program, which can be
launched and run, for example, by the Windows Run . . . command.
Conveniently, the executable program can be launched on Windows
startup by dropping a shortcut to the executable program into the
Startup folder of the Windows user profile. The executable program
is invoked to launch operation of the user interface tool, which
generates the visual element of the user interface and which
performs the actions requested by user interaction with the user
interface. The executable program also sets the hooking DLL, as
described below. The DLL contains all of the program code required
to manipulate the location of the visual elements of the user
interface to give it the appearance of being part of another
process' window.
[0039] Hooking and subclassing is described in detail in Advanced
Windows, pages 905-911. In essence, messages that would have been
passed to a given process are passed first to the hook DLL, which
has a function defined to handle the messages. By intercepting
window control messages, etc., this embodiment of the present
invention can determine where and when to draw the user interface
window. It can also determine when the window moves, changes size
or loses the focus. Thus, by hooking and subclassing, the program
according to this embodiment of the invention gains complete
control over its own display. Although hooking and subclassing is
well known, and has been used, for example, in the Spy program to
intercept and examine windows messages, this type of processing has
not been used to create the window of the present invention that
attaches to another process' window.
[0040] The hooking and subclassing process is illustrated in FIG.
2. In step 201, the user interface tool executable, referred to as
Launchpad, is started and the hook set. An application is launched,
or may be already running, step 202. Windows then loads the hook
DLL into the application process, step 203. In step 204, Launchpad
decides whether, according to its configuration, the application
should be added. If not, the hook DLL is unloaded from the process,
step 207. Otherwise, step 205, the windows in the application are
subclassed. Finally, the subclass function monitors windows
messages to move the Launchpad user interface elements to
appropriate locations, step 206.
[0041] The process of changing or entering context information, in
this case the patient ID, is illustrated in FIG. 3. First, the
patient icon (FIG. 1, 104) is clicked, step 301. The application
configured for entry of the patient ID is then launched, step 302.
In step 303, the application sets the context in the context
manager. Finally, the new patient ID is displayed (FIG. 1, 102),
step 304.
[0042] FIG. 4 illustrates the process of launching an application
using an embodiment of the invention. First, step 401, a user
reelects an application tab. If the configuration of the
application such that a new instance is always started, step 402.
If so, a new instance is started, step 403. In step 404, processing
continues with step 203 of FIG. 2. If, in step 402, configuration
is set not to launch a new instance, a check for an existing
instance is made, step 405. If there is no existing instance,
processing continues at step 403. Otherwise, a window of the
instance is brought to the front and the focus set in that window,
step 406.
[0043] The present invention has now been described in connection
with a number of specific embodiments thereof. However, numerous
modifications, which are contemplated as falling within the scope
of the present invention, should now be apparent to those skilled
in the art. Therefore, it is intended that the scope of the present
invention be limited only by the scope of the claims appended
hereto.
* * * * *