Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display driving control circuitry – Controlling the condition of display elements
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-04
2001-04-17
Brier, Jeffery (Department: 2672)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display driving control circuitry
Controlling the condition of display elements
C345S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06219054
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an information processing method and, in particular, to a method for preparing a graphical user interface (GUI) on a client by utilizing an electronic mail message or an agent.
2. Description of Related Art
In order to prepare a user interface, particularly a graphical user interface (GUI) on a client personal computer (PC) which is in a remote environment, it is typically necessary to prepare binary codes executable on the PC for use in development. The executable binary codes are then loaded on the client PC for execution. As referred to herein, a “GUI” (Graphical User Interface) is a screen format which allows a user to initiate a command, start a program or view a list of files by using a pointing device to point to and to select a screen expression (icon) or a menu item on the screen. Typically, the pointing device is a keyboard or a mouse.
While there are methods for automatically generating GUIs by utilizing a hypertext markup language (HTML) such as, for example, by utilizing a browser program called Netscape Navigator (a trademark of Netscape), a client PC has to have a compatible browser and sufficient memory capacity to display the generated GUI. Often the memory capacity required to operate the browser is such that a PC having a small memory capacity will not operate.
Thus, a new GUI containing, for example, a service content can be modified by a server, or other host side device (in a network service environment), such that the modified GUI consumes a large amount of memory and can not be displayed on all of the client PCs, or personal digital assistants (PDAs), requiring service.
In addition, since different clients may have different programs for displaying GUIs in the prior art, a server is required to send a program describing a displayed content which conforms to a GUI display program possessed by each client being served by the server. In other words, as many different GUI display programs as the kinds of GUI display programs which users are using have to be prepared by the server. It can be appreciated that this can result in a significant expenditure of time and of labor at the server.
Also, if there is no mechanism to identify each type of PC being served by the server, then it may not be possible to provide a display corresponding to each client PC.
In the case of a conventional browser program, on the other hand, every input from a user has to be communicated on-line which results in a heavy load between a client and a server. Further, if a communication path is disconnected due to an accident, such on-line processing can not handle such input.
In view of the disadvantages of the prior art described above, it can be appreciated that it would be desirable to provide an improved technique for preparing a graphical user interface on a client device which overcomes these disadvantages.
OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
It is a first object and advantage of this invention to provide an improved system for preparing a GUI on a client by utilizing an electronic mail message or an agent that overcomes the foregoing and other problems.
It is another object and advantage of this invention to provide a system for updating a GUI on a client PC simply by sending a single mail message (agent) which describes the content to be displayed from the server (host) side to each client PC.
It is another object and advantage of this invention to provide a system which enables a GUI corresponding to each client PC to be displayed even without a mechanism for identifying the type of each client PC which displays a GUI in the server (host) side.
It is another object and advantage of this invention to provide a system which can dynamically modify a GUI on a client PC having a mailer without a browser.
It is another object and advantage of this invention to provide a system for dynamically modifying a GUI which can be implemented in a client PC having a client agent manager device of a mobile computer agent system.
It is another object and advantage of this invention to provide a system for modifying a GUI which deals with an occasion where a communication channel is disconnected between a client and a server by utilizing a GUI corresponding to the user input which is retained on the client.
It is another object and advantage of this invention to provide a system which enables a GUI to be modified in which the traffic on a communication channel between the client and the server is decreased by utilizing a GUI corresponding to the user input which is retained on the client.
Further objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The foregoing and other problems are overcome and the objects of the invention are realized by methods and apparatus in accordance with embodiments of this invention, wherein an improved system is provided for preparing a graphical user interface (GUI) on a client device by utilizing an electronic mail message, or an agent.
To update a GUI which achieves the above objectives, a method is provided for executing the steps of: acquiring an input for a menu request selected by a user; and retrieving a result script correlated to the selected input for the menu request on the computer. When the result script is found on the computer as a result of the retrieval step, the method further includes the step of interpreting the retrieved result script according to a predetermined rule and displaying a GUI based on the result of interpretation.
When the result script is not found on the computer as a result of the retrieval, the method further includes the steps of: preparing an electronic mail message containing the acquired input for the menu request to transmit to a server computer; receiving at the computer an electronic mail message containing the result of processing which is sent from the server computer; extracting the result script from the electronic mail message received from the server computer; interpreting the extracted result script according to a predetermined rule; and displaying a GUI based on the interpreted result.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5603031 (1997-02-01), White et al.
patent: 5678042 (1997-10-01), Pisello et al.
patent: 5694546 (1997-12-01), Reisman
patent: 5706334 (1998-01-01), Balk et al.
patent: 5712978 (1998-01-01), Lerner et al.
patent: 5727174 (1998-03-01), Aparico, IV et al.
patent: 5734837 (1998-03-01), Flores et al.
patent: 5740231 (1998-04-01), Cohn et al.
patent: 5748875 (1998-05-01), Tzori
patent: 5768510 (1998-06-01), Gish
patent: 5778377 (1998-07-01), Marlin et al.
patent: 5781614 (1998-07-01), Brunson
patent: 5790793 (1998-08-01), Higley
patent: 5793966 (1998-08-01), Amstein et al.
patent: 5870089 (1999-02-01), Fabbio et al.
patent: 5870464 (1999-02-01), Brewster et al.
patent: 5877759 (1999-03-01), Bauer
patent: 5878398 (1999-03-01), Tokuda et al.
patent: 5917489 (1999-06-01), Thurlow et al.
patent: 5933816 (1999-08-01), Zeanah et al.
patent: 11015664 (1997-06-01), None
Paper, Keith D. Kotay and David Kotz, Transportable Agents, Department of Computer Science Dartmouth College Hanover, NH 03755-3510, p. (1-4), Published Nov. 10, 1994.*
Paper, Hiroyuki Tarumi and Koji Kida and Yoshihide Ishiguro and Kenji Yoshifu and Takayoshi Asakura, WorkWeb System—Multi-Workflow Management, Department of Information Science, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Japan, 1997.
Komoda Chifuyu
Ueno Hiroshi
Brier Jeffery
Cunningham G. F.
Ellenbogen Wayne
International Business Machines - Corporation
Perman & Green LLP
LandOfFree
Information processing method and apparatus for preparing a... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Information processing method and apparatus for preparing a..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Information processing method and apparatus for preparing a... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2542440