Automated form layout based upon usage patterns

• US 10,002,118 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2015
• Issued: 06/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Padgett, Samuel G., Rella, Sreedhar, Speicher, Steven K., Tabb, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Paula, Cesar
• Assistant Examiner(s): Faber, David
• Application Number:
  US14/950,810
• Publication Number:
  US 20160077728A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04895 Guidance during keyboard input operation, e.g. prompting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/103 Formatting, i.e. changing of presentation of documents automatic justification G06F40/189; automatic line break hyphenation G06F40/191
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging

Abstract

Historical form input field usage information of a group of input fields associated with a graphical user interface (GUI) form is analyzed. A subset of the group of input fields with higher usage characteristics relative to another subset of the group of input fields is automatically partitioned into a new form within a new tabbed portion of the displayed GUI form. The new form includes a set of selectable options that allow a user to select between reorganizing the subset of the input fields according to historical input field usage analysis of the user and reorganizing the subset of the plurality of input fields according to historical input field usage analysis of a group of form users within which the user is a member. The subset of the input fields within the new form is reorganized responsive to different user selections among the set of selectable options.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

analyzing, at a computing device, historical usage characteristics of each of a plurality of input fields associated with a graphical user interface (GUI) form of a computer application while the GUI form is displayed on a display of the computing device during execution of the computer application;

automatically partitioning, based upon the analyzed historical usage characteristics of each of the plurality of input fields, a subset of the plurality of input fields with higher usage characteristics relative to another subset of the plurality of input fields into a new form within a new tabbed portion of the displayed GUI form to programmatically change and improve both execution and use of the computer application during the execution of the computer application, where the new form within the new tabbed portion of the displayed GUI form further comprises a set of selectable options that allow a user to select between reorganizing the subset of the plurality of input fields within the new form according to historical input field usage analysis of the user and reorganizing the subset of the plurality of input fields within the new form according to historical input field usage analysis of a group of form users within which the user is a member; and

reorganizing, during the execution of the computer application to further programmatically change and improve both the execution and the use of the computer application, the subset of the plurality of input fields within the new form responsive to different user selections among the set of selectable options within the new form within the new tabbed portion of the displayed GUI form.

2. The method of claim 1, where analyzing, at the computing device, the historical usage characteristics of each of the plurality of input fields associated with the GUI form of the computer application while the GUI form is displayed on the display of the computing device during the execution of the computer application comprises:

identifying, via the computing device, information entry events associated with each of the plurality of input fields associated with the displayed GUI form within the historical usage characteristics;

summing, for each of the plurality of input fields, the identified information entry events associated with that input field;

associating a rank with each of the plurality of input fields based upon a quantity of the summed information entry events associated with each of the plurality of input fields; and

identifying the subset of the plurality of input fields with the higher usage characteristics based upon the rank associated with each of the plurality of input fields.

3. The method of claim 1, where the group of form users within which the user is the member comprises one of a project team, an organization, and a group of friends of the user.

4. The method of claim 1, where automatically partitioning, based upon the analyzed historical usage characteristics of each of the plurality of input fields, the subset of the plurality of input fields with the higher usage characteristics relative to the other subset of the plurality of input fields into the new form within the new tabbed portion of the displayed GUI form to programmatically change and improve both the execution and the use of the computer application during the execution of the computer application comprises:

creating a new most-used tabbed portion of the displayed GUI form;

displaying the set of selectable options within the new most-used tabbed portion of the displayed GUI form;

initially selecting one of the set of selectable options that represents one of the user and the group of form users within which the user is the member; and

initially organizing the subset of the plurality of input fields with the higher usage characteristics within the new most-used tabbed portion of the displayed GUI form according to the historical input field usage analysis associated with the initially selected one of the user and the group of form users within which the user is the member.

5. The method of claim 1, where automatically partitioning, based upon the analyzed historical usage characteristics of each of the plurality of input fields, the subset of the plurality of input fields with the higher usage characteristics relative to the other subset of the plurality of input fields into the new form within the new tabbed portion of the displayed GUI form to programmatically change and improve both the execution and the use of the computer application during the execution of the computer application comprises:

applying a form change rule to the historical usage characteristics of each of the plurality of input fields associated with the displayed GUI form; and

automatically partitioning, during the execution of the computer application, the subset of the plurality of input fields with the higher usage characteristics relative to the other subset of the plurality of input fields into the new form within the new tabbed portion of the displayed GUI form based upon the applied form change rule.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

modifying, via the computing device during the execution of the computer application, one of a form definition and executable code associated with the displayed GUI form to operate based upon the automated partitioning of the displayed GUI form; and

where automatically partitioning, based upon the analyzed historical usage characteristics of each of the plurality of input fields, the subset of the plurality of input fields with the higher usage characteristics relative to the other subset of the plurality of input fields into the new form within the new tabbed portion of the displayed GUI form to programmatically change and improve both the execution and the use of the computer application during the execution of the computer application comprises one of;

rendering, during the execution of the computer application, the displayed GUI form using the modified form definition; and

executing, during the execution of the computer application, the modified executable code associated with the displayed GUI form.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

gradually changing, during the execution of the computer application, emphasis of graphical highlighting of at least one of the plurality of input fields within the new form within the new tabbed portion of the displayed GUI form in response to detecting changes to frequency of use of the at least one of the plurality of input fields over time.

8. A system, comprising:

a display; and

a processor programmed to;

analyze, via the processor, historical usage characteristics of each of a plurality of input fields associated with a graphical user interface (GUI) form of a computer application while the GUI form is displayed on the display during execution of the computer application;

automatically partition, based upon the analyzed historical usage characteristics of each of the plurality of input fields, a subset of the plurality of input fields with higher usage characteristics relative to another subset of the plurality of input fields into a new form within a new tabbed portion of the displayed GUI form to programmatically change and improve both execution and use of the computer application during the execution of the computer application, where the new form within the new tabbed portion of the displayed GUI form further comprises a set of selectable options that allow a user to select between reorganizing the subset of the plurality of input fields within the new form according to historical input field usage analysis of the user and reorganizing the subset of the plurality of input fields within the new form according to historical input field usage analysis of a group of form users within which the user is a member; and

reorganize, during the execution of the computer application to further programmatically change and improve both the execution and the use of the computer application, the subset of the plurality of input fields within the new form responsive to different user selections among the set of selectable options within the new form within the new tabbed portion of the displayed GUI form.

9. The system of claim 8, where, in being programmed to analyze, via the processor, the historical usage characteristics of each of the plurality of input fields associated with the GUI form of the computer application while the GUI form is displayed on the display during the execution of the computer application, the processor is programmed to:

identify information entry events associated with each of the plurality of input fields associated with the displayed GUI form within the historical usage characteristics;

sum, for each of the plurality of input fields, the identified information entry events associated with that input field;

associate a rank with each of the plurality of input fields based upon a quantity of the summed information entry events associated with each of the plurality of input fields; and

identify the subset of the plurality of input fields with the higher usage characteristics based upon the rank associated with each of the plurality of input fields.

10. The system of claim 8, where, in being programmed to automatically partition, based upon the analyzed historical usage characteristics of each of the plurality of input fields, the subset of the plurality of input fields with the higher usage characteristics relative to the other subset of the plurality of input fields into the new form within the new tabbed portion of the displayed GUI form to programmatically change and improve both the execution and the use of the computer application during the execution of the computer application, the processor is programmed to:

create a new most-used tabbed portion of the displayed GUI form;

display the set of selectable options within the new most-used tabbed portion of the displayed GUI form;

initially select one of the set of selectable options that represents one of the user and the group of form users within which the user is the member; and

initially organize the subset of the plurality of input fields with the higher usage characteristics within the new most-used tabbed portion of the displayed GUI form according to the historical input field usage analysis associated with the initially selected one of the user and the group of form users within which the user is the member.

11. The system of claim 8, where, in being programmed to automatically partition, based upon the analyzed historical usage characteristics of each of the plurality of input fields, the subset of the plurality of input fields with the higher usage characteristics relative to the other subset of the plurality of input fields into the new form within the new tabbed portion of the displayed GUI form to programmatically change and improve both the execution and the use of the computer application during the execution of the computer application, the processor is programmed to:

apply a form change rule to the historical usage characteristics of each of the plurality of input fields associated with the displayed GUI form; and

automatically partition, during the execution of the computer application, the subset of the plurality of input fields with the higher usage characteristics relative to the other subset of the plurality of input fields into the new form within the new tabbed portion of the displayed GUI form based upon the applied form change rule.

12. The system of claim 8, where the processor is further programmed to:

modify, during the execution of the computer application, one of a form definition and executable code associated with the displayed GUI form to operate based upon the automated partitioning of displayed GUI form; and

where, in being programmed to automatically partition, based upon the analyzed historical usage characteristics of each of the plurality of input fields, the subset of the plurality of input fields with the higher usage characteristics relative to the other subset of the plurality of input fields into the new form within the new tabbed portion of the displayed GUI form to programmatically change and improve both the execution and the use of the computer application during the execution of the computer application, the processor is programmed to one of;

render, during the execution of the computer application, the displayed GUI form using the modified form definition; and

execute, during the execution of the computer application, the modified executable code associated with the displayed GUI form.

13. The system of claim 8, where the processor is further programmed to:

gradually change, during the execution of the computer application, emphasis of graphical highlighting of at least one of the plurality of input fields within the new form within the new tabbed portion of the displayed GUI form in response to detecting changes to frequency of use of the at least one of the plurality of input fields over time.

14. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code stored therewith, where the computer readable program code when executed on a computer causes the computer to;

analyze historical usage characteristics of each of a plurality of input fields associated with a graphical user interface (GUI) form of a computer application while the GUI form is displayed on a display of the computer during execution of the computer application;

automatically partition, based upon the analyzed historical usage characteristics of each of the plurality of input fields, a subset of the plurality of input fields with higher usage characteristics relative to another subset of the plurality of input fields into a new form within a new tabbed portion of the displayed GUI form to programmatically change and improve both execution and use of the computer application during the execution of the computer application, where the new form within the new tabbed portion of the displayed GUI form further comprises a set of selectable options that allow a user to select between reorganizing the subset of the plurality of input fields within the new form according to historical input field usage analysis of the user and reorganizing the subset of the plurality of input fields within the new form according to historical input field usage analysis of a group of form users within which the user is a member; and

reorganize, during the execution of the computer application to further programmatically change and improve both the execution and the use of the computer application, the subset of the plurality of input fields within the new form responsive to different user selections among the set of selectable options within the new form within the new tabbed portion of the displayed GUI form.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, where, in causing the computer to analyze the historical usage characteristics of each of the plurality of input fields associated with the displayed GUI form of the computer application while the GUI form is displayed on the display of the computer during the execution of the computer application, the computer readable program code when executed on the computer causes the computer to:

identify information entry events associated with each of the plurality of input fields associated with the displayed GUI form within the historical usage characteristics;

sum, for each of the plurality of input fields, the identified information entry events associated with that input field;

associate a rank with each of the plurality of input fields based upon a quantity of the summed information entry events associated with each of the plurality of input fields; and

identify the subset of the plurality of input fields with the higher usage characteristics based upon the rank associated with each of the plurality of input fields.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, where the group of form users within which the user is the member comprises one of a project team, an organization, and a group of friends of the user.

17. The computer program product of claim 14, where, in causing the computer to automatically partition, based upon the analyzed historical usage characteristics of each of the plurality of input fields, the subset of the plurality of input fields with the higher usage characteristics relative to the other subset of the plurality of input fields into the new form within the new tabbed portion of the displayed GUI form to programmatically change and improve both the execution and the use of the computer application during the execution of the computer application, the computer readable program code when executed on the computer causes the computer to:

create a new most-used tabbed portion of the displayed GUI form;

display the set of selectable options within the new most-used tabbed portion of the displayed GUI form;

initially select one of the set of selectable options that represents one of the user and the group of form users within which the user is the member; and

initially organize the subset of the plurality of input fields with the higher usage characteristics within the new most-used tabbed portion of the displayed GUI form according to the historical input field usage analysis associated with the initially selected one of the user and the group of form users within which the user is the member.

18. The computer program product of claim 14, where, in causing the computer to automatically partition, based upon the analyzed historical usage characteristics of each of the plurality of input fields, the subset of the plurality of input fields with the higher usage characteristics relative to the other subset of the plurality of input fields into the new form within the new tabbed portion of the displayed GUI form to programmatically change and improve both the execution and the use of the computer application during the execution of the computer application, the computer readable program code when executed on the computer causes the computer to:

apply a form change rule to the historical usage characteristics of each of the plurality of input fields associated with the displayed GUI form; and

automatically partition, during the execution of the computer application, the subset of the plurality of input fields with the higher usage characteristics relative to the other subset of the plurality of input fields into the new form within the new tabbed portion of the displayed GUI form based upon the applied form change rule.

19. The computer program product of claim 14, where the computer readable program code when executed on the computer further causes the computer to:

modify, during the execution of the computer application, one of a form definition and executable code associated with the displayed GUI form to operate based upon the automated partitioning of displayed GUI form; and

where, in causing the computer to automatically partition, based upon the analyzed historical usage characteristics of each of the plurality of input fields, the subset of the plurality of input fields with the higher usage characteristics relative to the other subset of the plurality of input fields into the new form within the new tabbed portion of the displayed GUI form to programmatically change and improve both the execution and the use of the computer application during the execution of the computer application, the computer readable program code when executed on the computer causes the computer to one of;

render, during the execution of the computer application, the displayed GUI form using the modified form definition; and

execute, during the execution of the computer application, the modified executable code associated with the displayed GUI form.

20. The computer program product of claim 14, where the computer readable program code when executed on the computer further causes the computer to:

gradually change, during the execution of the computer application, emphasis of graphical highlighting of at least one of the plurality of input fields within the new form within the new tabbed portion of the displayed GUI form in response to detecting changes to frequency of use of the at least one of the plurality of input fields over time.