Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display driving control circuitry – Controlling the condition of display elements
Reexamination Certificate
1998-03-31
2001-05-15
Bayerl, Raymond J. (Department: 2773)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display driving control circuitry
Controlling the condition of display elements
C345S215000, C345S215000, C345S215000, C345S950000, C345S960000, C700S083000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06232968
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to interactive computer controlled display systems for controlling operations and particularly to user friendly display interfaces for the control of such operations.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Application programs are used in all aspects of business, industry and personal/home endeavors. There is a large and diverse segment of consumers and workers that must interface with these applications. A vendor of an application program takes into consideration the typical skill level of a group of users for which the application is targeted in order to create the most “easy to use” interface to the application without sacrificing necessary functional features needed by the user to use the application.
Some vendors offer different versions of essentially the same application program, where the versions differ only in the user interface provided with the application program. This allows the vendor to target the same application program to various groups of users having different and varying skill leve
3
ls. The varying skill levels may include computer skills or job specific skills for which the application was created.
For example, in production operations including but not limited to the printing trades, the production of parts, tools and dies, integrated circuit manufacturing and processing and chemical industrial production, the operations typically involve repetitive functions performed over relatively long periods of time. Computerization of such operations takes advantage of the strengths of the computer for handling these functions effectively. Also, it can reduce the operator skill level required for many of the operations and increase the productivity of all operators including those still needing high level skills to run and manage the operations.
Nevertheless, computerized production operations require user interfaces that accurately reflect the control requirements and options needed by an operator to run and manage the operations. As such, user interfaces can become more and more complex with hundreds of functional operations for all of the possible operating scenarios the operator may face. Typically, application vendors will design specific purpose software programs with specific display interfaces tailored to the specific production operations where the runs are long term and of the same type of operations with few changes.
However, if every customer of the application vendor has different production control requirements, it may be too expensive and too inefficient for the vendor to provide a user interface tailored to each customer's specific production needs. Also, many production operations are not pure, i.e. the operations take on characteristics of other production environments.
For example, a “pure” commercial print shop operation may print manuals, books or other “print for profit” types of printing. A “pure” production print shop may be involved in printing large volumes of statements, invoices, bills, etc. for organizations. A “pure” network print environment may involve a multitude of low volume printing operations from individual workers in an office environment.
In specific, there is a need for an user interface for operators who manage print jobs and printers in each of these three different environments. Separate application programs, each with their own user interfaces have been provided to customers in each of these different print operating environments since each environment theoretically has its own operating requirements. However, in the real world, these environments are not “pure”, i.e. any one of these environments can have similarities to another environment. Typically, it is difficult for a software provider to categorize a given customer into some of these pure environments. In addition, some customers may want additional function than what has been provided for their environment; of, if a customer has users with more novice skill levels, the customer may desire a user interface that limits the things that the users are allowed to do. Thus, providing an application program with just the “right” user interface for each and every customer has been a difficult problem for application program vendors to handle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention offers a solution to the above problems by providing a given application program with multiple selectable user interfaces or, rather, multiple selectable views of a same user interface where each view has a different set of interactive functions of the user interface. Each selectable view may be for a specific operating environment and/or for a specific skill level of a potential user. At the beginning of the application program, the user selects which view of the user interface the user wants. The application with the selected view is presented to the user in a separate window. In another embodiment, when the application is invoked, at least for the first time, separate windows of the application are presented to the user with each window having a different “default” view of the user interface. As such, multiple windows or views of the application can be displayed to the user with each window or view representing a different set of interactive functions of the user interface. In addition, the user can switch back and forth (such as by activating and deactivating various windows or views) among the various sets of interactive functions for the control of multiple operating environments using the same currently executing application program. Furthermore, in accordance with a related application U.S. Ser. No. 09/053,210 which provides for customization of each of the “default” views of the user interface, the user can switch back and forth with respect to any view of the application regardless of whether the view has an original default set of interactive functions or a subsequently customized set of interactive functions of the user interface.
More specifically, the present invention relates to a data processor controlled display system for the interactive control of a plurality of types of production operations comprising means for providing a plurality of selectable sets of basic interactive functions, each set respectively for the control of one of said plurality of types of production operations. Each of these function sets will provide a simple and basic interface which the program designer believes will provide all of the basic functions needed to control its corresponding production operation. Then there are means for interactively selecting a plurality of said sets of basic functions for customization of each of said selected plurality of sets and means for providing a plurality of selectable secondary functions for supplementing said selected plurality of sets of basic functions in their respective production operation controls. At least one of these secondary functions is respectively selected for each of said selected plurality of sets of basic functions and respectively combined with each of said selected plurality of sets of basic functions into a plurality of selectable customized interactive display interfaces for the control of a plurality of said production operations. In the customization, basic functions may be similarly deleted. The invention further provides means for selecting a first one of said plurality of customized interactive display interfaces and means for interactively controlling one of said production control operations through said selected customized interface together with means for switching from said selected first one of said plurality of customized interactive display interfaces to a selected second one of said customized display interfaces, and means for interactively controlling another one of said production control operations through said second selected customized interface.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5425140 (1995-06-01), Bloomfied et al.
patent: 5481668 (1996-01-01), Marcus
patent: 5551037 (1996-08-01), Fowler et al.
patent: 5581685 (1996-12-01), Sakurai
patent: 5825361 (1998-10-01), Rubin et al.
patent
Alimpich Claudia
Jeffcoat Benjamin Nelson
Neuhard Deborah Elizabeth
Vigil Luana Linda
Wittig James Philip John
Bayerl Raymond J.
International Business Machines - Corporation
Konrad Raynes & Victor
Kraft Julius B.
Thai Cuong T.
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