Dialog user interfaces for related tasks and programming interface for same
First Claim
1. A method of creating a dialog user interface, comprising:
- (a) receiving from a first computer program a request to generate at least one dialog user interface, wherein (i) the dialog user interface has a format defined by a second computer program, (ii) the format includes a frame for containing multiple related dialogs, each of the related dialogs within the frame including predefined header and content regions, the format permitting text within the header regions and text and multiple types of user interface controls in the content regions, (iii) the request includes data indicative of content to be placed within the content region of the at least one requested dialog, the content including at least one of text and a user interface control, (iv) the request further includes data indicative of a main instruction, to be placed within the header region of the at least one requested dialog, advising a user how to respond to the content indicated by the content data, and (v) the data of (iii) and (iv) are respectively received through programming interface portions corresponding to the content and header regions; and
(b) generating the at least one requested dialog in the second program in response to the request of step (a).
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Accused Products
Abstract
One or more task page dialogs are housed within a frame. Each task page includes a header region and a content region. The header region includes a title serving as a main instruction regarding what input is expected within the content region. The content region includes text and/or user interface controls as defined by an application program requesting creation of the task page. A task page may also contain a footer region having button controls for a user to indicate that he or she has completed the task page and/or to terminate the task (or series of tasks) with which the page is associated. An application program requests creation of a task page by calling a programming interface function. Included in the function call are references to data for each of one or more pages.
112 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of creating a dialog user interface, comprising:
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(a) receiving from a first computer program a request to generate at least one dialog user interface, wherein (i) the dialog user interface has a format defined by a second computer program, (ii) the format includes a frame for containing multiple related dialogs, each of the related dialogs within the frame including predefined header and content regions, the format permitting text within the header regions and text and multiple types of user interface controls in the content regions, (iii) the request includes data indicative of content to be placed within the content region of the at least one requested dialog, the content including at least one of text and a user interface control, (iv) the request further includes data indicative of a main instruction, to be placed within the header region of the at least one requested dialog, advising a user how to respond to the content indicated by the content data, and (v) the data of (iii) and (iv) are respectively received through programming interface portions corresponding to the content and header regions; and
(b) generating the at least one requested dialog in the second program in response to the request of step (a). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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4. The method of step 2, further comprising:
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(c) sending a message from the second program indicating a user has completed a first of the multiple dialogs;
(d) receiving a message from the first program indicative of whether a second of the multiple dialogs should be displayed; and
(e) one of displaying or not displaying the second dialog based on the message of step (d).
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10. A software architecture for creating dialog user interfaces, comprising:
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at least one component configured to generate on a computer display a dialog user interface having a format defined by the at least one component, the format including a frame for containing multiple dialogs, each dialog within said frame including predefined header and content regions; and
at least one application program interface to access the at least one component, the at least one application program interface configured to accept first data indicative of content to be placed within the content region of at least one requested dialog, such content including at least one of text and a user interface control, and to accept second data indicative of a main instruction, to be placed within the header region of the at least one requested dialog, advising a user how to respond to the content displayed in the content region of the at least one requested dialog.
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11. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon data representing sequences of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform steps of a method for creating a dialog user interface, said steps comprising:
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(a) receiving from a first computer program a request to generate at least one dialog user interface, wherein (i) the dialog user interface has a format defined by a second computer program, (ii) the format includes a frame for containing multiple related dialogs, each of the related dialogs within the frame including predefined header and content regions, the format permitting text within the header regions and text and multiple types of user interface controls in the content regions, (iii) the request includes data indicative of content to be placed within the content region of the at least one requested dialog, the content including at least one of text and a user interface control, (iv) the request further includes data indicative of a main instruction, to be placed within the header region of the at least one requested dialog, advising a user how to respond to the content indicated by the content data, and (v) the data of (iii) and (iv) are respectively received through programming interface portions corresponding to the content and header regions; and
(b) generating the at least one requested dialog in the second program in response to the request of step (a). - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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14. The computer-readable medium of step 12, comprising further instructions for performing the steps of:
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(c) sending a message from the second program indicating a user has completed a first of the multiple dialogs;
(d) receiving a message from the first program indicative of whether a second of the multiple dialogs should be displayed; and
(e) one of displaying or not displaying the second dialog based on the message of step (d).
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Specification