Context Management Systems and Methods in a Mobile Computing Framework For Enterprise Applications

Abstract

A framework for a handheld computing device comprising a user interface that: (1) controls the display, selection and launching of program modules; (2) controls patient context within the program modules; and (3) provides for messaging and sharing of databases between and among program modules. In various embodiments, databases are shared between the program modules by the publishing of XML and metadata identifying the structure of the databases.

1 . A computer-readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for:
 controlling the selection of a plurality of application programs to present user interfaces on a display of a handheld computing device storing the application programs, each of the application programs being adapted to process medical data;   controlling a patient context of each of the application programs;   controlling data sharing between the application programs; and   in response to the handheld device switching from displaying a first of the plurality of application programs to displaying a second of the application programs, switching from:
 (A) a display, on the handheld computing device, of first data for a given patient in the first application program; to 
 (B) a display, on the handheld computing device, of second data for the given patient in the second application program. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein each particular one of the application programs comprises a metadata description of how data is stored for the particular application program. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the computer-readable medium further stores computer-executable instructions for controlling the synchronization of data between the handheld computing device and a server. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the computer-executable instructions comprise a framework program; and   the synchronization is effected in a single transaction in which the framework program communicates to the server the type of data the framework program requires and the server supplies the requested data.   
     
     
         5 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 4 , wherein the computer-executable instructions comprise a messaging conduit for accepting messages from the application program and for delivering messages to the application programs. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the computer-readable medium further stores computer-executable instructions for allowing a user to select between the first and second application programs. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the computer-readable medium further stores computer-executable instructions for:
 allowing a user to select between a plurality of different patients; and   in response to a user switching from a first particular patient to a second particular patient while the handheld device is displaying the first application program, switching from:
 (A) a display, on the handheld device, of data for the first patient in the first application program; to 
 (B) a display, on the handheld device, of data for the second patient in the first application program. 
   
     
     
         8 . A handheld computer application comprising:
 a user interface operable to display a plurality of application programs, wherein the user interface comprises a window for displaying, on a handheld computing device, an active application program selected from the plurality of application programs, an application selector, and a patient selector;   a messaging conduit operable to send and receive messages between and among the plurality of application programs;   a framework program operable to control a patient context of each of the application programs, such that, in response to the handheld computing device switching from displaying a first of the plurality of application programs to displaying a second of the application programs, the user interface switches from displaying:   (A) first data for a given patient in the first application program, to   (B) second data for the given patient in the second application program.   
     
     
         9 . The handheld computer application of  claim 8 , wherein the handheld computer application comprises one or more tabs operable to allow a user to switch from displaying a first of the plurality of application programs to displaying a second of the application programs. 
     
     
         10 . The handheld computer application of  claim 8 , wherein the framework program is further operable to retrieve the second data for the given patient via the messaging conduit. 
     
     
         11 . The handheld computer application of  claim 8 , wherein one or more of the plurality of application programs comprises a library of databases and a metadata description of how data is stored in the library. 
     
     
         12 . The handheld computer application of  claim 8 , wherein the framework program is further operable to control a synchronization of data between the handheld computing device and a server. 
     
     
         13 . The handheld computer application of  claim 12 , wherein the framework program is further operable to control the synchronization of data in a single transaction by communicating to the server a requested data format and by receiving the data from the server in the requested data format. 
     
     
         14 . The handheld computer application of  claim 8 , wherein the messages comprise one or more of the data for the given patient, clinical data, billing information, and medical notes. 
     
     
         15 . A user interface for operating health care applications on a handheld computing device, the user interface comprising:
 a window displaying a user interface of an active application program;   an application selector that is adapted to allow a user to switch between a first application program, and a second application program; and   a patient selector that is adapted to control a patient context of the first and second application programs,   wherein said user interface is adapted so that, in response to the handheld device switching from displaying a first of the plurality of application programs to displaying a second of the application programs, said user interface switches from:   (A) displaying first data for a given patient in the first application program; to   (B) displaying second data for the given patient in the second application program.   
     
     
         16 . The user interface of  claim 15 , wherein the user interface is adapted for:
 allowing a user to select between a plurality of different patients; and   in response to a user switching from a first particular patient to a second particular patient while the user interface is displaying the first application program, switching from:   (A) a display of data for the first patient in the first application program; to   (B) a display of data for the second patient in the first application program.