Method and Apparatus for Run-Time User Control of System-Generated Content

• US 20110029472A1
• Filed: 07/30/2009
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lu, Jie, Wilcox, Lauren G., Lai, Jennifer
• Granted Patent: US 9,734,449 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 706/47
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/30 Semantic analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/40 Processing or translation of natural language natural language analysis G06F40/20; semantic analysis G06F40/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/025 Extracting rules from data
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/04 Inference or reasoning models
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for run-time user control of system-generated content. A user is presented with the system-generated content and can configure one or more rules at run-time. The rules identify one or more automated actions to perform upon the system-generated content when one or more conditions are satisfied. The automated actions are executed upon the system-generated content when the one or more conditions are satisfied. The exemplary automated actions may comprise transform, retrieve, update and alert. The conditions can specify, for example, when to perform the automated actions. Active tags may optionally be attached to or embedded directly in the system-generated content or in a document containing the system-generated content. Tools are optionally provided to allow a user to manage active tags.

Claims

1. A method for run-time user control of system-generated content, comprising:

presenting said system-generated content to a user;

obtaining a configuration of one or more rules at run-time from said user, wherein said one or more rules identify one or more automated actions to perform upon said system-generated content when one or more conditions are satisfied; and

executing said one or more automated actions upon said system-generated content when said one or more conditions are satisfied.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said system-generated content is generated based on one or more user-specified or system-generated information requests.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more automated actions comprise one or more of transform, retrieve, update and alert.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more conditions comprise one or more conditions about when to perform said one or more automated actions.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of attaching an active tag to said system-generated content.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said active tag comprises one or more options to configure said one or more automated actions.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said active tag comprises information about said content, a context in which said content occurs, system-generated parameters for said automated actions, and user-specified parameters for customizing an execution of said automated actions.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said content and said user-specified parameters are extracted from a user interaction event for said active tag.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said context of said content and said system-generated parameters are retrieved from relevant system resources associated with said system-generated content.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein said content, context, system-generated parameters and user-specified parameters for said automated actions are linked with said active tag.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said automated actions linked with said active tag are configured based on said user-specified parameters.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said automated actions linked with said active tag are executed based on said system-generated parameters and said user-specified parameters.

13. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of providing one or more tools for supporting user management of said active tag.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said user management of said active tag comprises one or more of accessing said active tag, editing said active tag, grouping said active tag, creating a template for said active tag and reusing a template for said active tag.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said editing of said active tag further comprises the steps of retrieving information linked with a given active tag and re-configuring corresponding parameters of said given active tag based on new user specifications.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said template for said active tag records one or more user-specified parameters for said system-supported automated actions for application to one or more active tags associated with different content fragments.

17. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of embedding said active tag and said system-generated content in a document.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of restoring information from said embedded active tag when said document is loaded by a system.

19. A system for run-time user control of system-generated content, comprising:

a memory; and

at least one processor, coupled to the memory, operative to;

present said system-generated content to a user;

obtain a configuration of one or more rules at run-time from said user, wherein said one or more rules identify one or more automated actions to perform upon said system-generated content when one or more conditions are satisfied; and

execute said one or more automated actions upon said system-generated content when said one or more conditions are satisfied.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein said one or more automated actions comprise one or more of transform, retrieve, update and alert.

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising the step of attaching an active tag to said system-generated content, wherein said active tag comprises one or more options to configure said one or more automated actions.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein said processor is further configured to provide one or more tools for supporting user management of said active tag.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said user management comprises one or more of accessing said active tag, editing said active tag, grouping said active tag, creating a template for said active tag and reusing a template for said active tag.

24. The system of claim 21, further comprising the steps of embedding said active tag and said corresponding system-generated content in a document and restoring information from said embedded active tag when said document is reloaded by a system.

25. An article of manufacture for run-time user control of system-generated content, comprising a machine readable storage medium containing one or more programs which when executed implement the steps of:

presenting said system-generated content to a user;

obtaining a configuration of one or more rules at run-time from said user, wherein said one or more rules identify one or more automated actions to perform upon said system-generated content when one or more conditions are satisfied; and

executing said one or more automated actions upon said system-generated content when said one or more conditions are satisfied.