System and method for entering a default field value through statistical defaulting

• US 20050192976A1
• Filed: 03/01/2004
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Klein, Udo
• Granted Patent: US 7,287,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/274 Converting codes to words; Guess-ahead of partial word inputs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access

Abstract

Principles of the present invention provide a method of entering a default field value in a second data entry field based on a user'"'"'s current entry in a first data entry field. The method establishes a relational index table, the relational index table including at least one record having at least three fields. The fields include: a parent field containing a prior entry in the first data entry field; a child field containing an associated prior entry in the second data entry field; and a frequency field including a count of the number of times the prior entry in the first data entry field was associated with the prior entry in the second data entry field. The method further includes: receiving the user'"'"'s current entry in the first data entry field; and looking up the user'"'"'s current entry in the first data entry field in the parent field of the relational index table and returning the associated prior entry in the child field as the default field value.

Claims

1. A method of entering a default field value in a second data entry field based on a user'"'"'s current entry in a first data entry field, comprising:

establishing a relational index table, the relational index table including at least one record having at least three fields, the fields including;

a parent field containing a prior entry in the first data entry field,

a child field containing an associated prior entry in the second data entry field, and

a frequency field including a count of the number of times the prior entry in the first data entry field was associated with the associated prior entry in the second data entry field;

receiving the user'"'"'s current entry in the first data entry field; and

looking up the user'"'"'s current entry in the first data entry field in the parent field of the relational index table and returning the associated prior entry in the child field as the default field value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the relational index table includes two or more records, and further wherein looking up includes looking up the user'"'"'s current entry in the first data entry field in the parent field of the relational index table and returning the associated prior entry in the child field having the greatest count from the frequency field as the default field value.

3. The method of claim 2, further including:

receiving a keystroke from the user; and

further wherein looking up includes looking up the user'"'"'s current entry in the first data entry field in the parent field of the relational index table and returning the associated prior entry in the child field having a first character matching the keystroke received from the user as the default field value.

4. A system for entering a default field value in a second data entry field based on a user'"'"'s current entry in a first data entry field comprising:

a memory; and

a microprocessor coupled to the memory and programmed to;

establish a relational index table, the relational index table including at least one record having at least three fields, the fields including;

a parent field containing a prior entry in the first data entry field;

a child field containing an associated prior entry in the second data entry field; and

a frequency field including a count of the number of times the prior entry in the first data entry field was associated with the associated prior entry in the second data entry field;

receive the user'"'"'s current entry in the first data entry field; and

look up the user'"'"'s current entry in the first data entry field in the parent field of the relational index table and return the associated prior entry in the child field as the default field value.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the relational index table includes two or more records, and further wherein the microprocessor is further programmed to look up the user'"'"'s current entry in the first data entry field in the parent field of the relational index table and return the associated prior entry in the child field having the greatest count from the frequency field as the default field value.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the microprocessor is further programmed to:

receive a keystroke from the user; and

look up the user'"'"'s current entry in the first data entry field in the parent field of the relational index table and return the associated prior entry in the child field having a first character matching the keystroke received from the user as the default field value.

7. An article of manufacture comprising instructions for entering a default field value in a second data entry field based on a user'"'"'s current entry in a first data entry field, the instructions being capable of causing a processor to:

establish a relational index table, the relational index table including at least one record having at least three fields, the fields including;

a parent field containing a prior entry in the first data entry field;

a child field containing an associated prior entry in the second data entry field; and

a frequency field including a count of the number of times the prior entry in the first data entry field was associated with the associated prior entry in the second data entry field;

receive the user'"'"'s current entry in the first data entry field; and

look up the user'"'"'s current entry in the first data entry field in the parent field of the relational index table and return the associated prior entry in the child field as the default field value.

8. The article of manufacture of claim 7, wherein the relational index table includes two or more records, and further wherein the instructions are further capable of causing a processor to look up the user'"'"'s current entry in the first data entry field in the parent field of the relational index table and return the associated prior entry in the child field having the greatest count from the frequency field as the default field value.

9. The article of manufacture of claim 8, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing a processor to:

receive a keystroke from the user; and

look up the user'"'"'s current entry in the first data entry field in the parent field of the relational index table and return the associated prior entry in the child field having a first character matching the keystroke received from the user as the default field value.

10. A method of entering a default field value in a data entry field based on prior entries in the data entry field, comprising:

establishing a frequency index table, the frequency index table including two or more records having at least two fields, the fields including;

a parent field containing a prior entry in the data entry field; and

a frequency field including a count of the number of times the prior entry in the data entry field has been entered through prior entries; and

returning the prior entry in the parent field of one of the records having the greatest count in the frequency field as the default field value.

11. The method of claim 10, further including:

receiving a keystroke from the user; and

further wherein returning the prior entry in the parent field includes returning the prior entry in the parent field having a first character matching the keystroke received from the user as the default field value.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein returning the entry in the parent field includes:

finding a record group from the two or more records, the record group having prior entries in the parent field having a first character matching the keystroke received from the user; and

returning the prior entry in the parent field of the record within the record group having the greatest count in the frequency field as the default field value.

13. A system for entering a default field value in a data entry field based on prior entries in the data entry field comprising:

a memory; and

a microprocessor coupled to the memory and programmed to;

establish a frequency index table, the frequency index table including two or more records having at least two fields, the fields including;

a parent field containing a prior entry in the data entry field; and

a frequency field including a count of the number of times the prior entry in the data entry field has been entered through prior entries; and

return the entry in the parent field of the record having the greatest count in the frequency field as the default field value.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the microprocessor is further programmed to:

receive a keystroke from the user; and

return the entry in the parent field having a first character matching the keystroke received from the user as the default field value.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the microprocessor is further programmed to:

find two or more records having entries in the parent field having a first character matching the keystroke received from the user; and

return the entry in the parent field of the record having the greatest count in the frequency field as the default field value.

16. An article of manufacture containing instructions for entering a default field value in a data entry field based on prior entries in the data entry field, the instructions being capable of causing a processor to:

establish a frequency index table, the frequency index table including two or more records having at least two fields, the fields including;

a parent field containing a prior entry in the data entry field; and

a frequency field including a count of the number of times the prior entry in the data entry field has been entered through prior entries; and

return the entry in the parent field of the record having the greatest count in the frequency field as the default field value.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 16, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing a processor to:

receive a keystroke from the user; and

return the entry in the parent field having a first character matching the keystroke received from the user as the default field value.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 17, wherein the instructions are further capable of causing a processor to:

find two or more records having entries in the parent field having a first character matching the keystroke received from the user; and

return the entry in the parent field of the record having the greatest count in the frequency field as the default field value.