Proactive presentation of automating features to a computer user
DCFirst Claim
1. A system for proactively automating an operation of a general purpose computer having a central processing unit (CPU), a display device, an input device and memory with application programs and routines by automatically intervening in a user'"'"'s manipulations of the input device to present automating features, the system comprising:
- an input monitoring means coupled to the CPU and the input device for continuously detecting and recording the user'"'"'s manipulations of the input device to achieve a desired result;
a context monitoring means coupled to the CPU for continuously detecting and recording a state of an application program during the user'"'"'s manipulation of the input device;
a plurality of feature templates, each feature template including input information representing manipulations of the input device and a state of the application, program for identifying the desired result;
wherein said memory further comprises feature presentation routines corresponding to each feature template, for controlling the CPU to display automating features on the display device that achieve a result having greater generality or persistence than the identified desired result.
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Abstract
A system for proactively automating the use of a computer comprises a central processing unit (CPU), an input device, a display device and memory including a set of feature templates, context monitoring unit, input monitoring unit, feature presentation routines and feature implementation routines. The CPU is coupled to the display device and input devices for displaying information and receiving information, respectively. The CPU is also coupled to the input monitoring unit and the context monitoring unit to detect and record user manipulations of the input device and its context. The CPU is also coupled to a section of memory containing feature templates. Each template is a set of input manipulation steps and program contexts. The CPU compares the recorded user manipulations of the input and their corresponding program context with the feature templates stored in memory. If a match is found, the CPU uses the feature presentation routines to present different features on the display to the user and implements the features with the feature implementation routines according to user selection.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A system for proactively automating an operation of a general purpose computer having a central processing unit (CPU), a display device, an input device and memory with application programs and routines by automatically intervening in a user'"'"'s manipulations of the input device to present automating features, the system comprising:
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an input monitoring means coupled to the CPU and the input device for continuously detecting and recording the user'"'"'s manipulations of the input device to achieve a desired result; a context monitoring means coupled to the CPU for continuously detecting and recording a state of an application program during the user'"'"'s manipulation of the input device; a plurality of feature templates, each feature template including input information representing manipulations of the input device and a state of the application, program for identifying the desired result; wherein said memory further comprises feature presentation routines corresponding to each feature template, for controlling the CPU to display automating features on the display device that achieve a result having greater generality or persistence than the identified desired result. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for proactively automating an operation of an application program on a general purpose computer comprising an input device, a central processing unit, a display device and memory means, said memory means including a plurality of feature templates, feature presentation and implementation routines, by automatically intervening in a user'"'"'s manipulations of the input device to present automating features, said method comprising the steps of:
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continuously monitoring for the user'"'"'s manipulations of the input device; continuously monitoring a context of an application program in which the input device is manipulated by the user; comparing the monitored user'"'"'s manipulations of the input device and state of the application program to input information in the plurality of feature templates stored in memory and corresponding to existing features provided by the application program, to identify a result desired by the user; and presenting an automating feature corresponding to a feature template on the display device that achieves a result having greater generality or persistence than the identified desired result if said step of comparing produces a match between the input information of the feature template and the monitored device manipulations and application program state. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for checking for ambiguities and conflicts while an application program is operational on a general purpose computer comprising an input device, a central processing unit, a display device and memory means, said memory means including a plurality of feature templates, feature presentation and implementation routines, said method comprising the steps of:
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continuously monitoring and recording a first direct manipulation of an input device by a computer user and a context of the direct manipulation of the input device; continuously monitoring and recording a second direct manipulation of the input device in the same context; comparing the first and second direct manipulations and their contexts to a plurality of inconsistency templates, each of which corresponds to an inconsistency between first and second direct manipulations of the input device in a given context; and displaying the inconsistency that corresponds to one of the plurality of inconsistency templates if a match is found between the one of the plurality of inconsistency templates and the first and second direct manipulations in the comparing step. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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Specification