Data input method and system with multi-sub-field matching of user entries into a graphical input device

• US 20060224995A1
• Filed: 06/02/2006
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interface IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Bruce Johnson, Byron G. Caldwell, Varda Treibach-Heck
• Inventors: Johnson, Bruce, Treibach-Heck, Varda, Caldwell, Byron G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,500,201 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/816
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

A current set of user-selectable choices is associated with a displayed graphical input device, which is used to select a value of an input parameter. Each user-selectable choice has at least one pair of information fields separated by a delimiter and each information field comprises sequentially ordered characters. A search for a matching entry to assign to the input parameter is carried out as the user enters each of a sequence of characters, and if a match is not found in a first information field, then (or simultaneously) it is sought in a different information field, also on the basis of the character-by-character user entries.

Claims

1. A data input method comprising:

in a mark-up language-based browser, generating and displaying on a display screen of a user'"'"'s computer a graphical input device, the graphical input device being associated with an input parameter;

associating a current set of user-selectable choices with the graphical input device, each user-selectable choice having at least one pair of information fields separated by a delimiter and each information field comprising sequentially ordered characters;

sensing user selection of the graphical input device;

locally, that is, within the user'"'"'s computer, executing a client-side script and thereby;

sensing user entry of a character sequence comprising at least one character;

sequentially and character-by-character searching of at least an initial information field for each of the user-selectable choices according to each user-entered character;

for each character sequence of at least one user-entered character that matches a corresponding character sequence in the initial information field of at least one user-selectable choice, highlighting at least one of the matching choices for the user;

if no initial information field of the user-selectable choices has a character sequence matching the user-entered character sequence, highlighting for the user at least one user-selectable choice in a different information field whose initial characters match the user-entered character sequence, whereby a matching user-selectable choice can be located in more than one information field based on character-by-character comparison with the same user-entered character sequence; and

upon sensing an acceptance action by the user, setting the input parameter to the graphical input device to the currently highlighted user-selectable choice.

2. A system for inputting data into a computer comprising:

a user'"'"'s computer;

a mark-up language-based browser loaded in the user'"'"'s computer for generating and displaying on a display screen of a user'"'"'s computer a graphical input device, the graphical input device being associated with an input parameter and a current set of user-selectable choices, each user-selectable choice having at least one pair of information fields separated by a delimiter and each information field comprising sequentially ordered characters;

a physical input device;

a client-side script module stored for execution within the user'"'"'s computer and comprising computer-executable code

for sensing user entry into the graphical input device of a character sequence comprising at least one character;

for sequentially and character-by-character searching of at least an initial information field for each of the user-selectable choices according to each user-entered character;

for each character sequence of at least one user-entered character that matches a corresponding character sequence in the initial information field of at least one user-selectable choice, highlighting at least one of the matching choices for the user;

if no initial information field of the user-selectable choices has a character sequence matching the user-entered character sequence, highlighting for the user at least one user-selectable choice in a different information field whose initial characters match the user-entered character sequence, whereby a matching user-selectable choice can be located in more than one information field based on character-by-character comparison with the same user-entered character sequence; and

upon sensing an acceptance action by the user, setting the input parameter to the graphical input device to the currently highlighted user-selectable choice.