Information handling method and apparatus and intuitive graphical user interface for navigating business application software
First Claim
1. A method of navigating a business application software using a computer system having a central processing unit, a display device coupled to said central processing unit, and a transactional database containing business information according to the dimensions of Items, People, Actions and Time, said method comprising:
- simultaneously displaying icons on said display device separately representing the categories of Items, People, Actions, and Results;
accessing through any of said icons information contained in the software application or said database which is related to the category represented by said any icon; and
displaying the accessed information via a screen display specific to the said any icon.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
A graphical user interface comprising real world metaphors is provided for navigating an information handling method and system. The interface comprises four screens with metaphors (Items, People, Actions, Results) that simplify user interaction and navigation. An improved information handling method and system is provided in which the graphical user interface is combined with a central transactional database and a user-definable workflow technology. The central transactional database table stores all transactions at the line item level, with each record containing information according to four main dimensions (Items, People, Actions and Time). The invention allows users to define action types, to link action types logically, and to trace actual transactions at the line item level according to these linkages as defined at the time the transaction takes place.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of navigating a business application software using a computer system having a central processing unit, a display device coupled to said central processing unit, and a transactional database containing business information according to the dimensions of Items, People, Actions and Time, said method comprising:
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simultaneously displaying icons on said display device separately representing the categories of Items, People, Actions, and Results;
accessing through any of said icons information contained in the software application or said database which is related to the category represented by said any icon; and
displaying the accessed information via a screen display specific to the said any icon. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of simplifying interaction between a user and a computer system having a central processing unit coupled to a display device and a transactional database containing data representative of the dimensions items, people, actions and time, said method comprising:
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simultaneously displaying icons on said display device representing items, people, actions, and results;
accessing and/or altering through any of said icons any data contained in the database which is related to the dimensions represented by said any icon; and
displaying the accessed and altered data via a screen display specific to the dimension identified by said any icon.
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8. An information handling apparatus comprising:
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a computer system having a central processing unit and a display device coupled to said central processing unit;
a transactional database containing, on a line item basis, data in at least the following dimensions;
items, people, actions and time; and
a graphical user interface coupled to said computer system comprising (a) means for causing said display device to display icons representing the dimensions of items, people, actions and results, (b) means for accessing through any one of said icons data contained in said database, and (c) means for managing the accessed data according to algorithms contained in the software and workflows defined by the user.
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9. An information handling apparatus comprising:
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a computer system having a central processing unit and a display device coupled to said central processing unit;
a transactional database containing, on a line item basis, data in at least the following dimensions;
items, people, actions and time; and
a graphical user interface coupled to said computer system comprising (a) means for causing said display device to display icons representing the dimensions of items, people, actions and results, and (b) means operative through selection of any of said icons for accessing data contained in said database and managing the accessed data according to specific workflows related to the dimension represented by said any icon.
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10. An information handling apparatus comprising:
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a central processing unit;
a display device coupled to said central processing unit;
a transactional data base coupled to said central processing unit for storing data relating to at least items, people, actions and time on a line item basis;
software defining a scheme for managing and processing said data and for generating results according to selected workflows; and
a graphical user interface characterized by (1) means for causing said displace device to display separate icons as metaphors for items, people, actions and results and to generate separate screens for use in accessing and processing data on the basis of items, people, actions and results, and (2) means for causing said software to display data according to said scheme on the basis of items, people, actions or results,
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11. An information handling apparatus comprising:
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a computer system having a central processing unit and a display device coupled to said central processing unit;
a transactional database containing, on a line item basis, data in at least the following dimensions;
items, people, actions and time; and
a graphical user interface coupled to said computer system comprising (a) means for causing said display device to display icons representing items, people, actions and results, and (b) means responsive to selection of any of said icons for accessing specific software and managing and processing data contained in said database according to said accessed specific software. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 17, 18)
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15. An information handling apparatus comprising:
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a computer system having a central processing unit and a display device coupled to said central processing unit;
a transactional database containing, on a line item basis, data in at least the following dimensions;
items, people, actions and time; and
a graphical user interface coupled to said computer system comprising (a) means for causing said display device to display icons representing items, people, actions and results, and (b) software defining a schema for managing data contained in said database according to specific workflows accessed by selection of one of said icons.
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16. A graphical user interface for accessing data stored in a computer system that includes a display device, said interface comprising (a) means for causing said display device to display icons representing the dimensions of items, people, actions and results, (b) means for accessing through any one of said icons data contained in said database, and (c) means for managing the accessed data.
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19. An information handling apparatus comprising:
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a computer system having a central processing unit and a display device coupled to said central processing unit;
a transactional database containing, on a line item basis, data in at least the following dimensions;
items, people, actions and time; and
a schema involving user-defined actions and links between actions for managing data contained in said database according to specific workflows.
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- 20. A method of defining a workflow in a computer system comprising establishing a first database table that lists and defines different action types a second database table that lists and defines possible links between action types, and a third database table that maintains a record of the links between actual actions as they have occurred or as they are planned to occur.
Specification