Machine interface system with hierarchal menus allowing user sequencing and selection of menu items by actuation of three switches

• US 5,187,797 A
• Filed: 04/05/1989
• Issued: 02/16/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Solatrol, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Solatrol, Inc.
• Inventors: Nielsen, Wyn Y., Kaiser, Dennis A., Carlin, Steven C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Thomas C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELLIS, RICHARD L
• Application Number:
  US07/334,244
• Time in Patent Office: 1,413 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200 MS File, 364/900 MS File, 364/144, 364/146, 364/188, 364/474.01, 364/474.22, 364/474.27, 364/518, 364/521, 340/792, 340/825.44, 395/155, 395/156, 395/160
• US Class Current: 715/708
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/35 with light sensitive cells

Abstract

A user interface, typically to an irrigation controller, prompts user responses by asking questions. The questions are hierarchally organized, preferably in a hierarchal tree having approximately three to six questions on each hierarchal level between root and leaves. All command and data input may be done with only an "OK" pushbutton switch, and with an additional "↑", or "↓" pushbuttom switches. Each "OK" user response affirms the premise of a currently-displayed question, and advances the questioning to a related branch upon a next hierarchal level. The "↑" pushbutton is used to advance the questioning in a first direction. An optimal "↓", or down arrow,pushbutton switch advances the presentation of successive questions in a second direction. An optional "HELP" switch invokes context-sensitive help messages.

Claims

1. A manually operable interface to a machine comprising:

a display for displaying a hierarchy of messages, one message at a time step-wise sequentially among a plurality of messages at each of a plurality of levels of the hierarchy;

a manually actuable first-direction sequencing switch manually actuable for causing the display to step-wise sequentially display each of the plurality of messages at one level of the hierarchy in a first direction in response to each actuation;

a manually actuable adoption switch manually actuable at a time after a desired one of the plurality of messages at the one level of the hierarchy has been displayed for causing (i) an adoption and use of the currently displayed message by the machine and (ii) the display to display messages from another hierarchical level having a selected relationship to said currently displayed message in order to effect branching within the hierarchal tree of messages without ever leaving the hierarchal tree; and

a manually actuable second-direction sequencing switch manually actuable for causing the display to step-wise sequentially display each of the plurality of messages at one level of the hierarchy in a second direction in response to each actuation.

2. The interface according to claim 1 further comprising:

a manually actuable help switch manually actuable for causing the display to display a new message associated with a currently displayed message.

3. The interface according to claim 2 further comprising:

an instructional means for causing during a time period the display to display a plurality of instructional messages that (i) induce manual actuation of each of the first-direction sequencing switch, the adoption switch, the second-direction sequencing switch, and the help switch, and that (ii) require a particular one of these induced manual actuations to be performed in turn before the display will display a next sequential one of the plurality of instructional messages.

4. In a machine that interfaces to a man for alternative control and data entry having

a control state having a hierarchy of control levels, the machine being capable of accepting selected commands at each control level associated with the control level for effecting control of the machine, and an alternative related

data entry state having a hierarchy of data entry levels, the machine being capable of accepting selected ones of an plurality of datums at each data entry level associated with the data entry level for effecting entry of data into the machine;

an improved man/machine interface for controlling and entering data into the multi-stated multi-level hierarchical machine, the interface comprising;

a display

for displaying in the control state of the machine, and at one control level of the control state, a one of the commands associated with this control level, one command at a time, and

for displaying in the data entry state of the machine, and at one data entry level of the data entry state, a one of the datums associated with the data entry level, one datum at a time;

a manually actuable first selection switch

for causing the display to sequentially display in the control state of the machine and at a selected control level of this control state, commands associated with this one control level in a first direction in an endless loop and

for causing the display to sequentially display in the data entry state of the machine and at a selected data entry level of this data entry state, datums associated with this one data entry level in the first direction in an endless loop;

a manually actuable adoption switch for causing the machine to accept and adopt, in the control state of the machine, the currently displayed command,

for causing the machine to accept and adopt, in the data entry state of the machine, the currently displayed datum, and

for causing the display to advance to a next state as a function of a predetermined relationship to the currently displayed command or datum; and

a manually actuable second selection switch for causing the display to sequentially display, (i) in the control state of the machine at a selected control level of this control state, commands associated with the selected control level stepwise in a second direction in an endless loop and, (ii) in the data entry state of the machine at some one data entry level of this data entry state, the currently displayed datum stepwise in a second direction in an endless loop of the datums associated with this one data entry level.

5. The interface according to claim 4 wherein the display comprises:

a display for further displaying context-sensitive help messages, each of which help messages is relevant to some selected ones of the commands and the datums, one help message at a time; and

wherein the interface further comprises;

a manually actuable help switch for effecting display a help message that is associated with, currently displayed command or datum.

6. The interface according to claim 4 in a machine further having

a help state having a multiplicity of context-sensitive help messages each of which is relevant to selected ones of the commands and the datums, and wherein the display comprises:

a help message display for displaying context-sensitive help messages, one help message at a time; and

wherein the manually actuable first selection switch comprises;

a manually actuable pushbutton switch for further causing the display to advance, in the help state of the machine, the currently displayed help message stepwise in a first direction.

7. The interface according to claim 4 in a machine further having

a help state having a multiplicity of context-sensitive help messages each of which is relevant to some selected or ones of the commands and the datums, the display comprises:

a help message display means for displaying one at a time context-sensitive help messages, each of which help messages is relevant to selected ones of the commands, the datums and the help messages themselves;

wherein the manually actuable first selection switch comprises;

a manually actuable pushbutton switch for further causing the display to advance, in the help state of the machine, the currently displayed help message stepwise in a first direction; and

wherein the interface further comprises;

a manually actuable help switch for causing the display to display a help message that is associated, in the control state of the machine at some one control level, with the currently displayed command and, in the data entry state of the machine at some one data entry level, with the currently displayed datum and, in the help state of the machine, with the currently displayed help message.

8. An interface to a machine for use by a man comprising:

a display for displaying each of a multiplicity of datums one datum at a time, and for alternatively displaying each of a multiplicity of explanatory messages associated with the multiplicity of datums one message at a time;

a manually actuable adoption switch for causing the machine to adopt and use a currently displayed one of the multiplicity of datums;

a manually actuable selection switch for causing the display to display a next one of the multiplicity of datums; and

a manually actuable help switch for causing the display to display a one of the multiplicity of messages associated with a currently-displayed one of the multiplicity of datums; and

for thereafter causing the display to automatically redisplay said currently-displayed one of the multiplicity of datums.

9. The interface according to claim 8

wherein the multiplicity of datums are in the form of a multiplicity of questions;

wherein the multiplicity of messages associated with the multiplicity of questions are in the form of a multiplicity of explanations of the associated questions.

10. A manually operable interface to a machine comprising:

a display for displaying, from a multiplicity of messages that are organized in a hierarchal tree having a plurality of messages at each of a plurality of hierarchical levels, one message at a time from a plurality of messages at a selected hierarchical level in a continuous loop;

a first stepping switch manually actuable for causing the display to step in a first direction through the plurality of messages that at the one hierarchal level, one message at a time;

an adoption switch, manually actuable for a selected time after manual actuation of the first stepping switch, for causing adoption and use by the machine of the currently displayed message and the display to advance to displaying further messages, one message at a time, at a next hierarchical level having a selected relationship to the one hierarchical level; and

a second stepping switch manually actuable for causing the display to step in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, through its currently displayed plurality of messages, one message at a time;

wherein the adoption switch is actuable for a selected time after manual actuation of the first stepping switch and the second stepping switch.

11. The interface according to claim 10 further comprising:

a help switch, manually actuable alternatively to the first stepping switch and the second stepping switch and the adoption switch, for causing the display to display a message that is associated with the currently displayed message.

12. A man-machine interface comprising:

a display for displaying each of a multiplicity of datums one at a time, and for alternatively displaying each of a multiplicity of messages associated with the previously displayed datum;

a manually actuable selection switch;

means responsive to actuation of said selection switch for effecting selection and use of a currently displayed one of said multiplicity of datums;

a manually actuable advance switch;

means responsive to actuation of said advance switch for effecting display by said display of a next one of said multiplicity of datums;

a manually actuable help switch; and

means responsive to actuation of said help switch to effect display by said display of one of said multiplicity of messages corresponding to the previously displayed one of said multiplicity of datums, and for subsequently displaying said datum after actuation of said manually actuable selection switch.

13. The interface according to claim 12

wherein each of said multiplicity of datums is in the form of a question;

and

wherein each of said multiplicity of messages is associated with one of said datums and includes an explanation thereof.

14. An interface to a machine for use by a man comprising:

a display (i) for displaying a multiplicity of datums that are organized in a hierarchal tree having a plurality of datums at each of a plurality of levels between a root level and leaf level, one datum at a time, and (ii) for displaying, at other times to the multiplicity of datums, a multiplicity of messages that are associated with the multiplicity of datums, this displaying of a multiplicity of messages also being one at a time;

a first manually actuable switch for causing the display to sequentially display the plurality of datums that are upon a one hierarchal level in an endless loop, commencing at root level and proceeding step-wise one datum at a time;

a second manually actuable switch for causing, at such times as the display is displaying a one of the multiplicity of datums, (i) adoption and use by the machine of a currently displayed one of the multiplicity of datums, and (ii) the display to branch to displaying a plurality of datums that are upon a next hierarchal level to the hierarchal level of a the currently-displayed one of the plurality of datums;

a third manually actuable switch for causing the display to display a one of the multiplicity of messages that is associated with a currently-displayed one of the multiplicity of datums, after which display an actuation of the second manually actuable switch will cause the display to return to redisplaying said currently-displayed one of the multiplicity of datums.

15. An interface to a machine for use by a man comprising:

a display for displaying a multiplicity of datums one at a time;

a first manually actuable switch for causing the display to step-wise sequentially advance in its one-at-a-time displaying of the multiplicity of datums in a first direction;

a second manually actuable switch for causing the machine to adopt and use a currently-displayed one of the multiplicity of datums; and

a third manually actuable switch for causing the display to step-wise sequentially advance in its one-at-a-time displaying of the multiplicity of datums in a second direction.

16. The interface according to claim 15

wherein the display is for displaying a multiplicity of datums organized in a hierarchy having a plurality of datums upon a plurality of levels;

wherein the first and the third manually actuable switches are for causing the display to step-wise advance in a one-at-a-time displaying of a plurality of datums that are upon a single hierarchal level in an endless loop; and

wherein the second manually actuable switch is further for causing the display to progress to displaying a plurality of datums that are upon a next hierarchal level to the hierarchal level of the currently-displayed one of the plurality of datums.

17. The interface according to claim 15

wherein the display is further for displaying, at other times to the multiplicity of datums, a multiplicity of messages that are associated with the multiplicity of datums, this displaying of a multiplicity of messages also being one at a time;

and wherein the interface further comprises;

a fourth manually actuable switch for causing the display to display a one of the multiplicity of messages that is associated with a currently-displayed one of the multiplicity of datums, after which display actuations of the first and the third manually actuable switches will cause the display to return to redisplay said currently-displayed one of the multiplicity of datums.

18. An interface to a machine for use by a man comprising:

a display for displaying a multiplicity of datums one at a time, and at other times a multiplicity of messages that are associated with the multiplicity of datums also one at a time;

a manually actuable advancing switch for causing the display to step-wise advance in its one-at-a-time displaying of the multiplicity of datums, or from a displayed one of the multiplicity of messages back to redisplaying of an associated one of the multiplicity of datums, as the case may be;

a manually actuable adoption switch for causing the machine to adopt and use a currently-displayed one of the multiplicity of datums; and

a manually actuable help switch for causing the display to display a one of the multiplicity of messages that is associated with a currently displayed one of the multiplicity of datums.

19. The interface according to claim 18

wherein the display is for displaying a multiplicity of datums in the form of a multiplicity of questions, and at other times a multiplicity of messages each in the form of an explanation to an associated one of the multiplicity of questions.

20. The interface according to claim 18

wherein the display is for further displaying a multiplicity of datums organized in a hierarchy having a plurality of datums upon a plurality of levels;

wherein the manually actuable advancing switch is further for causing the display to automatically advance in its one-at-a-time displaying among a plurality of datums that are upon a single hierarchal level in an endless loop; and

wherein the manually actuable adoption switch is further for causing the display to progress to displaying a plurality of datums that are upon a next hierarchal level to the hierarchal level of the currently-displayed one of the plurality of datums.

21. A method of query-response programming of complex sequences comprising:

organizing the complex sequences into a hierarchy of a multiplicity of questions, the hierarchy of questions consisting of a first plurality of questions at a first, root, level, with at least some of these first plurality of questions having an associated second plurality of questions, with some ones of these second plurality of questions having an associated third plurality of questions and so on, the complex sequences being entirely broken down into a hierarchal tree of questions ranging from broader questions at the root level to more specific questions of the leaf level;

cyclically displaying each successive plurality, starting with the first, of questions to a human user/programmer, the user/programmer permissively adopting for each single question displayed one of the options of

a. selecting an advance response, in which case the cyclically displayed question will advance to the next successive question in the same hierarchal plurality, and so on in an endless loop while the premise or the article of the currently displayed question is not adopted;

b. selecting an OK response meaning that the premise or article of the currently-displayed question is adopted, in which case IF the currently-displayed question is not of a leaf-level plurality of questions THEN progressing to a next associated plurality of questions and proceeding to the cyclically displaying of this plurality of questions ELSE IF the currently-displayed question is of a leaf level plurality of questions THEN returning to the cyclically displaying of the first plurality of questions; and

c. selecting a HELP response, meaning help is requested, that will result in temporary display of a context sensitive help message explaining to the user/programmer the responses that are being elicited by the currently cyclically displayed plurality of questions and how the user/programmer may evoke these responses.

22. The method according to claim 21 wherein continuously performing a.) selecting an advance response causes not only that the displayed question will immediately cycle to the next successive question but that, the a.) selecting an advance response being continued, the displayed question will cycle to still another successive question at the expiration of a reduced latency time, this faster cycling thereafter being continued until, and unless, the a.) selecting an advanced response is ceased.

23. The method according to claim 21 wherein adoption of the user programmer of the displayed option b.) selecting an OK response results in the further step comprising:

displaying a confirmation message to the user/programmer showing the particular question/response adopted by act of the user/programmer'"'"'s b.) selecting an OK response until the user/programmer adopts a one of the options of

b1. selecting again the OK response, herein meaning that the currently displayed confirmation message is adopted, in which case IF further questions/responses of the same plurality of questions/responses remain unanswered and are potentially adoptable THEN returning to the display of successive further ones of the same plurality of questions/responses ELSE IF no further questions/responses of the same plurality of questions/ responses remain unanswered and adoptable THEN returning to the cyclically displaying of the first plurality of questions/responses; and

b2. selecting the advance response, herein meaning that the currently displayed confirmation message is not adopted, in which case the displayed question/response will ultimately return to that question/response for which, when previously displayed, the programmer/user did adopt the option b.) selecting an OK response.

24. A man-machine interface for manually controlling and entering data into a programmable machine, the interface comprising:

a display for sequentially displaying each of a multiplicity of all available control options for the machine in loops, each containing a plurality of control options, and for separate times sequentially displaying a multiplicity of all available datum options one datum option at a time in a loop containing a plurality of datum options associated with a particular control option;

a first-direction step-wise sequencing switch actuable by a man for causing the display to step-wise sequence in a first direction (1) its display of the multiplicity of control options, and (2) its display of the multiplicity of datum options, as a function that either (1) the loop of control options or (2) the loop of datum options is currently displayed;

a second-direction step-wise sequencing switch actuable by a man for causing the display to step-wise sequence in a second direction (1) its display of the multiplicity of control options, and (2) its display of the multiplicity of datum options, as a function that either the (1) loop of control options or (2) the loop of data options is currently displayed;

wherein the displaying of the display, and the causing of the selection switch shifts back and forth between loops of pluralities of control options and pluralities of datum options;

wherein all control options and all datum options that the machine can accept are displayed by the display in response to actuation of the sequencing switch and are adopted in response to actuation of the selection switch.

25. The man-machine interface according to claim 24 further comprising:

a help switch actuable by a man for causing the display to next display a help message that is associated with a currently-displayed one of the multiplicity of control options and the multiplicity of datum options, after which interruption the display returns, under control of the first-direction and the second-direction step sequencing switches to step-wise sequencing its display of the multiplicity of control options and the multiplicity of datum options.

26. The man-machine interface according to claim 24

wherein the control options displayed by the display are in the form of questions.