Patent ID: 7707512

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for context switching in enterprise resource planning tools comprising: running a first user context operable within an enterprise resource planning system; maintaining a user context table, the user context table including an entry for each child user context, each entry associating a child user context with a parent user context; mapping, via a configuration program, each of a plurality of actuators of an input/output device to a context manipulation operation associated with a user context, the mapping being stored in a mapping table; sending data associated with en a first actuator including an actuator identifier selected in response to user input and a first user context, the actuator in communication with a context switcher; receiving the data associated with the first actuator by the context switcher; the context switcher performing a context manipulation operation corresponding to the selected actuator in response to the data received so that the user may perform tasks in a second user context; responsive to the context manipulation operation, the context switcher launching a new thread to encapsulate the second user context; and responsive to selection of a second actuator by the user, receive, at the context switcher, data from the second actuator including the actuator identifier and data identifying the user context active during the second actuator selection; when the user context active during the second actuator selection is the first user context, perform a second context manipulation operation corresponding to the selected second actuator to deactivate the first user context and enable the user to perform tasks in a third user context associated with the selected second actuator; when the user context active during the second actuator selection is the second user context, perform a third context manipulation operation corresponding to the selected second actuator to deactivate the second user context and enable the user to perform tasks in a fourth user context, the fourth user context being designated as a child user context of the second user context in the user context table; and responsive to completing performance of at least one of the context manipulation operations: terminate, by the context switcher, the corresponding user context of the completed context manipulation operations and all child user contexts in the user context table that are associated with the user contexts of the completed context manipulation operations; and reactivate the deactivated user context(s) corresponding to the completed context manipulation operations.