Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display driving control circuitry – Controlling the condition of display elements
Reexamination Certificate
1997-10-24
2001-08-14
Bayerl, Raymond J. (Department: 2173)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display driving control circuitry
Controlling the condition of display elements
C345S215000, C345S215000, C345S215000, C345S960000, C707S793000, C707S793000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06275225
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field graphical user interfaces (GUIs) that allow a computer user to interact with a computer. In particular the invention provides the user with the ability to customize the GUI to best meet the user's needs.
2. Background
A graphical user interface allows a user to interact with a computer by pointing at selectable control areas on the computer display and activating a command or computer operation associated with the selectable control area to cause the computer to perform an operation. Computer applications have a plethora of user selectable operations that comprise a set of features for the application. These operations are presented to the user by the GUI. The user moves a cursor, responsive to a pointing device, over a selectable control area (SCA) on the display. Then the user activates the pointing device to invoke the operation associated with the SCA. The SCA can be indicated on the display by the use of an icon, a menu, a popup, a toolbar (a selection of icons grouped together) or other similar controls. When the computer application supports a large set of features, the number of SCAs, associated with the features, becomes unwieldy. With a large number of SCAs, the user often forgets what operation is represented by the icon or forgets which menu is used to invoke the operation and thus is less efficient when using the application.
Complex GUIs are common in the problem domain of network management. Often different network administrators are responsible for different devices and functions on the network. The network generally consists of multiple types of computers (or other network devices) with different operating systems and capabilities. Generalized network management applications traditionally have been written for specific computer/operating system configurations. Java allows a single application to run on multiple computer/operating system configurations (often in a client/server configuration) to provide network management capabilities without needing to customize the application for each computer/operating system configuration. However, generalized network management applications tend to make the GUI more complex and confusing to the user.
Application “wizard” capabilities have long been used to generate document templates. Many commercially available products provide a wizard to lead a user through an interrogatory session to generate a document template such as a pre-formatted letter, spreadsheet or software program. In addition, many applications allow the user to manually select GUI related facilities. One example of this is the selection of functions and icons that are included in a toolbar displayed to the user. Selecting the functions which can be accessed through a toolbar is difficult because the user must know that the desired functions exist and know how to select them.
It would be advantageous to allow the user of rich functionality computer applications (such as network management applications) to be guided through a GUI customization process that generates a GUI tailored to the user's needs with respect to a particular problem domain.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an apparatus, method, system and computer program product that enables a user to modify a graphical user interface to meet the user's needs.
One aspect of the invention includes a computer controlled method that allows a user of a computer application that uses a graphical user interface (GUI) having a set of features, to customize the user's interaction with the computer application through the GUI. The method includes the step of presenting one or more interrogatories to the user so as to obtain one or more answers responsive to the one or more interrogatories. The method also includes the step of customizing the GUI to select a selected feature set from the set of features. The selection step is responsive to the one or more answers received from the user. In addition, the method includes the step of presenting the selected feature set to the user.
Another aspect of the invention includes an apparatus, having a central processing unit (CPU) and a memory coupled to the CPU, for allowing a user of a computer application to customize the user's interaction with the computer application through a graphical user interface (GUI). The computer application GUI has a set of features. The apparatus includes an interrogatory mechanism that is configured to present one or more interrogatories to the user. The interrogatory mechanism also obtains one or more answers from the user responsive to the one or more interrogatories. A GUI customization mechanism is configured to customize the GUI to select a selected feature set from the set of features of the GUI. The GUI customization mechanism is responsive to the one or more answers obtained by the interrogatory mechanism. In addition, the apparatus includes a presentation mechanism configured to present the selected feature set to the user.
An additional aspect of the invention is a computer controlled system, having a central processing unit (CPU) and a memory coupled to said CPU, for allowing a user of a computer application that uses a graphical user interface (GUI), to customize the user's interaction with the computer application through the GUI. The GUI has a set of features. The system comprises an interrogatory mechanism configured to present one or more interrogatories to the user and to obtain one or more answers responsive to the one or more interrogatories. Additionally, a GUI customization mechanism, that is configured to customize the GUI, is responsive to the one or more answers obtained by the interrogatory mechanism, to select a selected feature set from the set of features. The system also includes a presentation mechanism that is configured to present the selected feature set to the user.
Yet a further aspect of the invention includes a computer program product embedded in a computer usable medium for causing a computer to enable a user of a computer application that uses a graphical user interface (GUI) having a set of features, to customize the user's interaction with the computer application through the GUI. When executed on a computer, the computer readable code causes a computer to effect an interrogatory mechanism, a GUI customization mechanism and a presentation mechanism. Each of these mechanisms having the same functions as the corresponding mechanisms for the previously described system.
These and other features of the invention will become apparent when the following detailed description is read in combination with the accompanying figures.
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Arora Akhil
Dong Xuesi
Krivopaltsev Eugene
Nelson Jonathan
Rangarajan Govindarajan
Bayerl Raymond J.
Beyer Weaver & Thomas LLP
Nguyen Thomas T.
Sun Microsystems Inc.
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