Interface and program using visual data arrangements for expressing user preferences concerning an action or transaction

• US 20020054111A1
• Filed: 08/31/2001
• Published: 05/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Maquis Techtrix LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Knight, Timothy Orr
• Granted Patent: US 7,216,299 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/00 Electrically-operated educational appliances working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F

Abstract

A graphical user interface is provided for capturing application data in picture form. A set of data capture tools, including a subjective data parameter pallette and accompanying data canvas, are presented to an operator during an interactive session. By selecting and placing such data parameters on the data canvas, a user can paint a data picture representing his/her subjective motivations, mental impressions, reasons, etc., for engaging in a particular transaction. In a preferred embodiment, the present interface is used in connection with a stock portfolio management application, where it is used to capture user rationale and logic for purchasing or selling financial instruments such as securities, options, etc.

Claims

1. An electronic interface for permitting a user to communicate subjective data information, the interface comprising:

a parameter menu, said menu providing a user visible set of data parameters which may be associated with the subjective data information;

a parameter canvas, said canvas being simultaneously visible with said parameter menu, and being usable by the user for identifying any of such data parameters that are associated with the subjective data information.

2. The interface of claim 1, wherein all of the user'"'"'s subjective data information is captured by such interface using said data parameters.

3. The interface of claim 1, wherein all of the user'"'"'s subjective data information is captured by such interface during the entirety of a data collection session using a single data collection screen.

4. The interface of claim 1, wherein the subjective data information pertains to the user'"'"'s mental impressions of an actual or proposed action and/or transaction.

6. The interface of claim 1, wherein the subjective data information pertains to lessons learned by such user associated with an action and/or transaction.

7. The interface of claim 1, wherein said data parameters associated with the subjective data information are selected and moved by such user along a distance spanning from said parameter menu to said parameter canvas by physically manipulating an electronic pointing device.

8. The interface of claim 7, wherein said distance is less than approximately half the width of said interface as seen by the user.

9. The interface of claim 1, wherein said identified data parameters associated with the subjective data information are stored as one or more electronic records corresponding to an electronic data picture.

10. The interface of claim 9, wherein said data picture includes numeric data values, but is generated without numeric data input by the user.

11. The interface of claim 10, wherein said numeric data values are based on the physical location of said data parameters as placed by the user on said parameter canvas.

12. The interface of claim 11, wherein said electronic data picture can be retrieved and modified at a later time by the user using such interface.

13. The interface of claim 1, wherein said data parameters can be ranked in relative importance by the user based on their location on said parameter canvas.

14. The interface of claim 13, wherein a relative ranking between data parameters can be changed by the user by altering a relative physical arrangement of said data parameters on said parameter canvas.

15. The interface of claim 13, wherein said data parameters can be ranked by both a relative horizontal and vertical location on said parameter canvas.

16. The interface of claim 13, wherein said parameter canvas includes a gradient visible to the user for assisting in the ranking of said data parameters.

17. The interface of claim 16, further wherein said parameter canvas conveys visible feedback information when the user is arranging said data parameters.

18. The interface of claim 1, wherein when the interface is invoked by the user, an initial proposed data picture is presented to the user on said data canvas, which initial proposed data picture can be modified by the user.

19. The interface of claim 1, wherein said data parameters include data parameters visibly displayed in text format.

20. The interface of claim 1, wherein said data parameters include data parameters visibly displayed in symbolic format.

21. The interface of claim 1, wherein said data parameters include factors associated with a user'"'"'s reasons for performing or engaging in a particular activity.

22. The interface of claim 1, wherein said data parameters include factors associated with a user'"'"'s mental impressions of an item or event.

23. The interface of claim 1, wherein said data parameters include factors associated with lessons learned by a user concerning an event.

25. The interface of claim 24, wherein the personal parameters describe one or more mental impressions of such transaction.

26. The interface of claim 24, wherein said parameters are selected and moved by such operator along a distance spanning from said menu to said preference field by physically manipulating an electronic pointing device.

27. The interface of claim 26, wherein said distance is less than approximately half the width of said interface as seen by the operator.

28. The interface of claim 24, wherein said transaction record form includes numeric data values, but is generated without numeric data input by the operator.

29. The interface of claim 28, wherein said numeric data values are based on the physical location of said parameters as placed by the operator in said preference field.

30. The interface of claim 24, wherein said identified personal parameters can be ranked in relative importance by the operator based on their location in said preference field.

31. The interface of claim 30, wherein a relative ranking between data parameters can be changed by the user by altering a relative physical arrangement of said data parameters on said parameter canvas.

32. The interface of claim 30, wherein said preference field includes a gradient visible to the operator for assisting in the ranking of said parameters.

33. The interface of claim 30, wherein said parameters can be ranked by both a relative horizontal and vertical location in said preference field.

34. The interface of claim 32, further wherein said preference field conveys visible feedback information when the operator is arranging said parameters.

35. The interface of claim 24, wherein when the interface is invoked by the operator, an initial proposed arrangement of parameters is presented to the operator in said preference field, which initial proposed arrangement can be modified by the operator.

36. The interface of claim 24, wherein said parameters include factors associated with an operator'"'"'s reasons for performing or engaging in a particular activity.

37. The interface of claim 22, wherein said parameters include factors associated with lessons learned by a user concerning an event.

38. The interface of claim 22, wherein said transaction record can be retrieved and modified by the operator at a later time.

39. The interface of claim 22, wherein said parameters can be customized by the operator.

40. The interface of claim 22, wherein said interface also provides a visual comparison between data in said transaction record and other transaction records.

41. The interface of claim 22, wherein said interface also provides visual feedback to such operator based on an evaluation of said data in said transaction record.

5. The interface of claim 5, wherein said transaction is an event or an item of interest to the user.

24. An electronic interface for permitting an operator to identify parameters concerning an action and/or transaction, the interface comprising:

a menu providing a set of parameters available for selection by the operator, said menu occupying a first portion of the interface;

a preference field occupying a second portion of the interface for visually displaying any identified personal parameters selected by the operator for the particular operator transaction from said set of parameters;

wherein the operator can dynamically select such personal parameters in said menu and move them to said preference field; and

further wherein said personal parameters are stored in a transaction record form usable by a computing system.

42. An electronic interface for collecting information for a data picture, the interface comprising:

a data palette providing a set of data parameters available for selection; and

a data canvas, separate from said data palette, on which said data parameters can be displayed and arranged arbitrarily by a user to generate the data picture; and

wherein said data picture embodies information collected from the user and pertaining to the user'"'"'s perceptions concerning a particular action and/or transaction.

43. The interface of claim 42, wherein said data parameters are selected and moved by such user to a gradient on said data canvas by physically manipulating an electronic pointing device.

44. The interface of claim 42, wherein said data picture is generated using a single data capture screen including said data palette and said data canvas.

45. The interface of claim 42, wherein said data picture is translatable into one or more electronic records including numeric data values, but said data picture is generated without numeric data input by the user.

46. The interface of claim 45, wherein said numeric data values are based on the physical location of said data parameters as placed by the user on said data canvas.

47. The interface of claim 42, wherein said data parameters can be ranked in relative importance by the user based on their location on said data canvas.

48. The interface of claim 47, further wherein said data canvas conveys visible feedback information when the user is arranging said data parameters.

49. The interface of claim 42, wherein said data parameters include factors associated with lessons learned by a user concerning such action and/or transaction.

50. The interface of claim 42, wherein said interface also provides a visual comparison between data in said data picture and other data pictures.

51. The interface of claim 42, wherein said interface also provides visual feedback to such operator based on an evaluation of said data in said transaction record.

52. The interface of claim 42, wherein said parameters can be customized by the user.

53. A method of inputting data to a computer program, said method comprising:

presenting a parameter menu to a user, said menu providing a user visible set of data parameters which may be associated with subjective data information;

presenting a parameter canvas to said user, said canvas being simultaneously visible with said parameter menu, and being usable by the user for identifying any of such data parameters that are associated with the subjective data information;

wherein the data input to such computer program consists of said data parameters identified by said user on said parameter canvas.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein the subjective data information pertains to the user'"'"'s mental impressions of an actual or proposed transaction.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein said transaction is an event or an item of interest to the user.

56. The method of claim 53, wherein said data parameters associated with the subjective data information can be selected and moved by said user along a distance spanning from said parameter menu to said parameter canvas by physically manipulating an electronic pointing device.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein said distance is less than approximately half the width of said interface as seen by the user.

58. The method of claim 53, further including a step of storing said data parameters as one or more electronic records corresponding to an electronic data picture.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein said data picture includes numeric data values, but is generated without numeric data input by the user.

60. The method of claim 59, wherein said numeric data values are based on the physical location of said data parameters as placed by the user on said parameter canvas.

61. The method of claim 53, further including a step of ranking said data parameters on said parameter canvas.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein said data parameters can be ranked according to their physical arrangement on said parameter canvas.

63. The method of claim 61, further including a step of providing a gradient visible to the user for assisting in the ranking of said data parameters.

64. The method of claim 61, further including a step of providing visible feedback information when the user arranges said data parameters.

65. The method of claim 61, wherein said data parameters can be ranked by both a relative horizontal and vertical location on said parameter canvas.

66. The method of claim 53, further including a step of presenting an initial data picture to the user on said data canvas, which initial proposed data picture can be modified by the user.

67. The method of claim 53, wherein said data parameters include factors associated with a user'"'"'s reasons for performing or engaging in a particular activity.

68. The method of claim 53, wherein said data parameters include factors associated with lessons learned by a user concerning an event.

69. The method of claim 53, further including a step of providing a visual comparison between said data input and other data previously input using said parameter canvas.

70. The method of claim 53, further including a step of providing visual feedback based on an evaluation of said data input.

71. The method of claim 53, wherein said parameter canvas captures substantially all of the user'"'"'s subjective data information.

72. The method of claim 53, wherein all of the user'"'"'s subjective data information is captured during a data collection session using a single data collection screen.

73. The method of claim 53, wherein said parameters can be customized by the operator.

74. The method of claim 53, wherein said data input by said user is utilized by part of an applications program executable by said user using a computing system.

75. A method for permitting a user to identify personal parameters concerning an action and/or transaction to a computer program, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a menu of one or more parameters available for selection by the user, said menu being displayed in a first portion of an interface visible to the user; and

providing a preference field occupying a second portion of the interface visible to the user; and

permitting the user to move any of said parameters to said preference field so as to identify such user'"'"'s personal parameters associated with the transaction; and

generating a data picture by visually displaying said personal parameters ranked in an order of importance to the user; and

storing said personal parameters are stored in a transaction record form usable by the computer program.

76. The method of claim 75, wherein all of the user'"'"'s personal parameters are captured using a single data picture.

77. The method of claim 75, wherein all of the user'"'"'s personal parameters are captured during a data collection session using a single data collection screen.

78. The method of claim 75, wherein the personal parameters describe one or more mental impressions of such action and/or transaction.

79. The method of claim 75, wherein said parameters associated with the transaction can be selected and moved by said user along a distance spanning from said menu to said preference field by physically manipulating an electronic pointing device.

80. The method of claim 79, wherein said distance is less than approximately half the width of said interface as seen by the user.

81. The method of claim 75, wherein said transaction record includes numeric data values, but is generated without numeric data input by the user.

82. The method of claim 81, wherein said numeric data values are based on the physical location of said parameters as placed by the user in said preference field.

83. The method of claim 75, wherein said parameters can be ranked according to their physical arrangement in said preference field.

84. The method of claim 75, further including a step of providing a gradient visible to the user for assisting in the ranking of said parameters.

85. The method of claim 75, further including a step of providing visible feedback information when the user arranges said parameters.

86. The method of claim 75, wherein said data parameters can be ranked by both a relative horizontal and vertical location in said preference field.

87. The method of claim 75, further including a step of presenting an initial data picture to the user in said preference fields, said initial data picture being based on prior data pictures previously entered by the user.

88. The method of claim 75, wherein said parameters include factors associated with a user'"'"'s reasons for performing or engaging in a particular activity.

89. The method of claim 75, further including a step of providing a visual comparison between said data picture and other data pictures.

90. The method of claim 75, further including a step of providing visual feedback based on an evaluation of said data input.

91. A method of generating a data picture using a computer program, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a data palette, said palette including a set of data parameters available for selection by a user of the program; and

providing a data canvas, separate from said data palette, on which said data parameters can be displayed and arranged arbitrarily by said user to generate the data picture; and

wherein said data picture embodies information collected from said user and pertaining to the user'"'"'s mental impressions concerning a particular action and/or transaction.

92. The method of claim 91, wherein all of the information collected from said user is captured using a single data picture.

93. The method of claim 91, wherein all of the user'"'"'s information is captured during a data collection session using a single data collection screen.

94. The method of claim 91, wherein said data picture is stored as part of a transaction record which includes numeric data values, but said data picture is generated without numeric data input by the user.

95. The method of claim 91, wherein said numeric data values are based on the physical location of said data parameters as placed by the user on said data canvas.

96. The method of claim 91, further including a step of permitting said user to rank said data parameters on said data canvas.

97. The method of claim 91, wherein said data parameters can be ranked according to their physical arrangement on said data canvas.

98. The method of claim 91, further including a step of providing visual feedback based on an evaluation of said data input.

99. A method of permitting a user to input a data picture expressing mental impressions concerning an action and/or transaction, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a set of a plurality of individual assertions, said assertions being associated with such mental impressions; and

displaying said set of assertions to the user in a first portion of a visible electronic interface; and

permitting the user to select and move personalized individual assertions taken from said set of assertions to a second, separate portion of said visible interface, which separate portion acts as a data canvas for displaying such personalized individual assertions; and

wherein said personalized individual assertions can be arranged by the user to create the data picture.

100. The method of claim 99, wherein all of the information collected from said user is captured using a single data picture.

101. The method of claim 99, wherein all of the user'"'"'s information is captured during a data collection session using a single data collection screen.

102. The method of claim 99, wherein numeric data values are assigned to said data parameters based on the physical location of said data parameters as placed by the user on said data canvas.

103. The method of claim 99, further including a step of permitting said user to rank said data parameters on said data canvas.

104. The method of claim 103, wherein said data parameters can be ranked according to their physical arrangement on said data canvas.

105. The method of claim 99, further including a step of providing visual feedback based on an evaluation of said data input.

106. A method of capturing data concerning an actual or proposed transaction from a user of a computing system, said system including at least a keyboard and pointing device for inputting data, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a set of a plurality of individual assertions, said assertions being associated with mental impressions of the user relating to the transaction; and

displaying said set of assertions to the user in a first portion of a visible electronic interface; and

permitting the user to select and move individual ones of said assertions taken from said set of assertions to a second, separate portion of said visible interface, which separate portion acts to visibly display such selected individual assertions along a gradient; and

permitting the user to arrange said selected individual assertions in a ranking order relative to each other along said gradient;

wherein said data is collected from said user substantially without input from the keyboard, and said data is calculated based only on those selected individual assertions from the user.

107. The method of claim 106 further wherein all of the information collected from said user is captured using said set of assertions.

108. The method of claim 106 further wherein all of the user'"'"'s information is captured during a data collection session using a single data collection screen.

109. The method of claim 106, wherein numeric data values are assigned to said selected individual assertions based on their physical location as placed by the user on said data canvas.

110. The method of claim 106, further including a step of providing a visual comparison between said data and data collected from said user during a prior data capture session.

111. A method of generating program data from user input data concerning an actual or proposed action and/or transaction, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the user with a palette of individual data parameters associated with the user'"'"'s perceptions of such action and/or transaction; and

permitting the user to select and move individual ones of said assertions taken from said set of assertions to a second, separate portion of said visible interface, which separate portion acts to visibly display such selected individual assertions; and

permitting the user to arrange said selected individual assertions in a ranking order relative to each other so as to constitute user input data;

converting said user input data into program data, by assigning numerical values to such program data corresponding to said arrangement of said selected individual assertions.

112. The method of claim 111, wherein said numeric data values are based on the physical location of said individual assertions as placed by the user on said second portion of said interface.

113. The method of claim 111, further including a step of providing a gradient visible to the user for assisting in the ranking of said individual assertions.

114. The method of claim 111, further including a step of providing visible feedback information when the user arranges said individual assertions.

115. The method of claim 111, wherein said individual assertions include statements associated with lessons learned by a user concerning such action and/or transaction.

116. The method of claim 116, further including a step of retrieving and modifying said lessons at a later time.

117. The method of claim 111 wherein said assertions can be customized by the user.

118. The method of claim 111, further including a step of providing a visual comparison between said data and program data collected from said user during a prior session.

119. The method of claim 111, further including a step of providing visual feedback based on an evaluation of said program data.

120. The method of claim 111 further wherein all of the user'"'"'s information is captured during a data collection session using a single data collection screen.