Autonomic user interface widgets

• US 20050049989A1
• Filed: 08/29/2003
• Published: 03/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kaminsky, David L., Smith, Kyle M., Rogus, Christopher J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,861,181 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 706/47
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/04 Inference or reasoning models

Abstract

A method, system and apparatus for autonomically configuring a user interface. The system can include at least one widget programmed to be disposed in the user interface. The widget can include a dynamically configurable presentation field. Additionally, the system can include a policy defined by one or more business rules for configuring the widget in the user interface based upon a context provided by the widget. Finally, the system can include a rules engine configured to process the business rules. Notably, the widget can be a widget configured to be disposed in a markup language document. The business rules which define the policy of the present invention can include a multiplicity of rules which both define and constrain the level of complexity of user interface widgets in the user interface.

Claims

1. A system for autonomically configuring a user interface comprising:

at least one widget programmed to be disposed in the user interface, said at least one widget comprising a dynamically configurable presentation field; and

,

a policy comprising a plurality of business rules for configuring said at least one widget in the user interface based upon a context provided by said at least one widget; and

,

a rules engine configured to process said business rules.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one widget comprises a widget configured to be disposed in a markup language document.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said business rules specify at least one suggested option to be presented to an end user through said at least one widget.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said business rules specify at least one option which is not to be presented to an end user through said at least one widget.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said business rules specify rules for validating input provided through said presentation field.

6. A method for autonomically configuring a user interface widget, the method comprising the steps of:

evaluating business rules for configuring the user interface widget according to context information for the user interface widget; and

,

configuring the user interface widget with options permitted by said evaluation.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said configuring step comprises the step of suggesting at least one option to be presented to an end user through said user interface widget.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said configuring step comprises the step of filtering at least one option from being presented to an end user through said user interface widget.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein said configuring step comprises the step of validating input provided through a presentation field in said user interface.

10. A machine readable storage having stored thereon a computer program for autonomically configuring a user interface widget, the computer program comprising a routine set of instructions for causing the machine to perform the steps of:

evaluating business rules for configuring the user interface widget according to context information for the user interface widget; and

,

configuring the user interface widget with options permitted by said evaluation.

11. The machine readable storage of claim 10, wherein said configuring step comprises the step of suggesting at least one option to be presented to an end user through said user interface widget.

12. The machine readable storage of claim 10, wherein said configuring step comprises the step of filtering at least one option from being presented to an end user through said user interface widget.

13. The machine readable storage of claim 10, wherein said configuring step comprises the step of validating input provided through a presentation field in said user interface.