Task manager
AssigneeDawningStreams, Inc.
InventorJerome Verstrynge
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A computer system is configured as a task manager that provides interfaces both for designing an abstract activity and for defining a concrete instantiation of such an activity by replacing the abstract activity's abstract information with concrete information. In executing concrete instantiations of the abstract activities thus defined the task manager sends users prompts that cause them to take actions such as providing the task manager information that it uses to define the concrete instantiation further.
Claims27
A storage medium containing machine instructions readable by a computer system that includes a data store to configure the computer system as a task manager that:
- A) provides an abstract-design-phase interface that elicits from a user a definition of an abstract activity, wherein the definition comprises an abstract task and an abstract information element that is associated with the abstract task;
- B) stores in the data store the definition thereby elicited;
- C) creates a concrete instantiation that is defined by replacing the abstract information element associated with the abstract task with a matching concrete information element;
- and
- D) sends at least one user instructions in accordance with the concrete instantiation thereby created.
A method that comprises employing a computer system to:
- A) provide an abstract-design-phase interface that elicits from a user a definition of an abstract activity, wherein the definition comprises an abstract task and an abstract information element, wherein the execution-phase operation and the abstract information element are associated with the abstract task;
- B) store in the data store the definition thereby elicited;
- C) provide a concrete-design-phase interface that elicits user input in selecting such a previously defined abstract activity;
- D) send at least one user an instruction in accordance with the concrete instantiation thereby created, wherein the concrete instantiation is defined by replacing the abstract information element associated with the abstract task with a matching concrete information element;
- and
- E) receives from at least one said user an indication that the concrete instantiation has been executed.
A computer system configured as a task manager that:
- A) provides an abstract-design-phase interface that elicits from a user a definition of an abstract activity, wherein the definition comprises an abstract task and an abstract information element that is associated with the abstract task;
- B) stores in the data store the definition thereby elicited;
- C) creates a concrete instantiation that is defined by replacing the abstract information element associated with the abstract task with a matching concrete information element;
- and
- D) sends at least one user instructions in accordance with the concrete instantiation thereby created.
A storage medium containing instructions readable by a computer system that includes a data store to configure the computer system as a task manager that:
- A) provides an abstract-design-phase interface that elicits user input that provides a definition of an abstract activity that includes execution-phase operations and comprises abstract tasks for which the definition defines abstract information that, when replaced with matching concrete information, defines a concrete instantiation of the abstract activity;
- B) stores in the data store the definition thereby elicited;
- C) provides a concrete-design-phase interface that elicits user input specifying concrete information that matches a selected said abstract task's abstract information and thereby at least partially specifies a concrete instantiation of the selected abstract activity;
- and
- D) performs the execution-phase operations of at least one said abstract activity thereby instantiated.
A computer system that includes a data store and is configured as a task manager that:
- A) provides an abstract-design-phase interface that elicits user input that provides a definition of an abstract activity that includes execution-phase operations and comprises abstract tasks for which the definition defines abstract information that, when replaced with matching concrete information, defines a concrete instantiation of the abstract activity;
- B) stores in the data store the definition thereby elicited;
- C) provides a concrete-design-phase interface that elicits user input specifying concrete information that matches a selected said abstract task's abstract information and thereby at least partially specifies a concrete instantiation of the selected abstract activity;
- and
- D) performs the execution-phase operations of at least one said abstract activity thereby instantiated.
A computer system wherein at least some said execution-phase operations include sending to users prompts specified by the concrete information.
A task-managing method comprising employing a computer system that includes a data store to:
- A) provide an abstract-design-phase interface that elicits user input that provides a definition of an abstract activity that includes execution-phase operations and comprises abstract tasks for which the definition defines abstract information that, when replaced with matching concrete information, defines a concrete instantiation of the abstract activity;
- B) store in the data store the definition thereby elicited;
- C) provide a concrete-design-phase interface that elicits user input specifying concrete information that matches a selected said abstract task's abstract information and thereby at least partially specifies a concrete instantiation of the selected abstract activity;
- and
- D) perform the execution-phase operations of at least one said abstract activity thereby instantiated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.