User specific intelligent interface which intercepts and either replaces or passes commands to a data identity and the field accessed

• US 5,524,238 A
• Filed: 03/23/1994
• Issued: 06/04/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Breakout I/O Corporation
• Original Assignee: Breakout I/O Corporation
• Inventors: Miller, John A., Wall, Robert J., Cleven, David R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Choules, Jack M.
• Application Number:
  US08/216,693
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 395/600, 395/860, 395/825, 364/260.3, 364/282.1, 364/283.3, 364/286.4, 364/286.5
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04895 Guidance during keyboard input operation, e.g. prompting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation

Abstract

A user specific intelligent interface reduces the costs of application systems development and improves data security and productivity of a user interface by creating an intelligent interface customized to each specific user. The interface uses external intercepts to an application and allows external interface software to control data access and dynamically improve user productivity. The system uses a software utility that maintains tables which define permissions regarding use of specific data items in a specific context, and also processes instructions regarding the usage by specific users of individual data fields displayed on a screen. The system works in conjunction with an application to improve security, provide audit trails and productivity of each individual user'"'"'s usage of the system. The system records usage data for each individual user which is analyzed to determine future actions.

Claims

1. In a data processing system including a central processing unit (CPU), memory, means for receiving input commands from an input device and means for transmitting output commands to an output device, the CPU running an application program stored in the memory, the application program implementing a structured dialog, represented by a table having plural fields, in which the application transmits to the output device output commands associated with fields in the table and also transmits to the output device requests for input commands to be entered on the input device for insertion in the fields, a user specific intelligent interface comprising:

file means for storing in the memory a plurality of record files, each identifying a specific user with a user ID, each record file storing input and output commands operatively associated with each user ID for generating user specific record file stored input or output commands for select fields in the application program table;

input intercept means for intercepting each request for an input command transmitted by the application;

output intercept means for intercepting each output command transmitted by the application;

processing means, operatively associated with said file means, said input intercept means and said output intercept means, for determining if a request for an input command to be entered by a user or an output command transmitted by the application is for one of the select fields, and if so then implementing the stored input and/or output commands for the select field, and otherwise passing the received input command to the application or the transmitted output command to the output device.

2. The user specific intelligent interface of claim 1 wherein an input command is passed to the application program after a terminate command is entered on the input device and wherein said file means transmits any stored input command from the record file select field and the user accepts the stored input command by entering a terminate command.

3. The user specific intelligent interface of claim 2 wherein said file means selectively includes a stored terminate command for select ones of the fields so that a user cannot change a stored input command.

4. The user specific intelligent interface of claim 1 wherein said processing means includes log means for selectively recording usage of each user ID record file stored input and output commands for the select fields.

5. The user specific intelligent interface of claim 1 wherein said file means stores a user password associated with each said user ID.

6. In a dam processing system including a central processing unit (CPU), memory, means for receiving input commands from an input device and means for transmitting output commands to an output device, the CPU running an application program stored in the memory, the application program implementing a structured dialog, represented by a table having plural fields, in which the application transmits to the output device output commands associated with fields in the table and also transmits to the output device requests for input commands to be entered on the input device for insertion in the fields, a user specific intelligent interface comprising:

file means for storing in the memory a plurality of record files, each identifying a specific user with a user ID, each record file storing output commands operatively associated with each user ID for generating user specific record file stored output commands for select fields in the application program table;

output intercept means for intercepting each output command transmitted by the application;

processing means, operatively associated with said file means and said output intercept means, for determining if an output command transmitted by the application is for one of the select fields, and if so then implementing the stored output command for the select field, and otherwise passing the transmitted output command to the output device.

7. The user specific intelligent interface of claim 6 wherein said processing means includes log means for selectively recording usage of each user ID record file stored output command for the select fields.

8. The user specific intelligent interface of claim 6 wherein said file means stores a user password associated with each said user ID.

9. In a data processing system including a central processing unit (CPU), memory, means for receiving input commands from an input device and means for transmitting output commands to an output device, the CPU running an application program stored in the memory, the application program implementing a structured dialog, represented by a table having plural fields, in which the application transmits to the output device output commands associated with fields in the table and also transmits to the output device requests for input commands to be entered on the input device for insertion in the fields, a user specific intelligent interface comprising:

file means for storing in the memory a plurality of record files, each identifying a specific user with a user ID, each record file storing input commands operatively associated with each user ID for generating user specific record file stored input commands for select fields in the application program table;

input intercept means for intercepting each request for an input command transmitted by the application;

processing means, operatively associated with said file means and said input intercept means, for determining if a request for an ;

input command to be entered by a user is for one of the select fields, and if so then implementing the stored input command for the select field, and otherwise passing the received input command to the application.

10. The user specific intelligent interface of claim 9 wherein an input command is passed to the application program after a terminate command is entered on the input device and wherein said file means transmits any stored input command from the record file select field and the user accepts the stored input command by entering a terminate command.

11. The user specific intelligent interface of claim 10 wherein said file means selectively includes a stored terminate command for select ones of the fields so that a user cannot change a stored input command.

12. The user specific intelligent interface of claim 9 wherein said processing means includes log means for selectively recording usage of each user ID record file stored input and output commands for the select fields.

13. The user specific intelligent interface of claim 9 wherein said file means stores a user password associated with each said user ID.

14. In a data processing system including a central processing unit (CPU), memory, means for receiving input commands from an input device and means for transmitting output commands to an output device, the CPU running an application program stored in the memory, the application program implementing a structured dialog, represented by a table having plural fields, in which the application transmits to the output device output commands associated with fields in the table and also transmits to the output device requests for input commands to be entered on the input device for insertion in the fields, a user specific intelligent interface comprising:

file means for storing in the memory a plurality of record files, each identifying a specific user with a user ID, each record file storing input commands operatively associated with each user ID for generating user specific record file stored input commands for select fields in the application program table;

input intercept means for intercepting each input command entered on the input device;

processing means, operatively associated with said file means and said input intercept means, for determining if an input command to be entered by a user is for one of the select fields, and if so then implementing the stored input command for the select field.

15. The user specific intelligent interface of claim 14 wherein an input command is passed to the application program after a terminate command is entered on the input device and wherein said file means transmits any stored input command from the record file select field and the user accepts the stored input command by entering a terminate command.

16. The user specific intelligent interface, of claim 15 wherein said file means selectively includes a stored terminate command for select ones of the fields so that a user cannot change a stored input command.

17. The user specific intelligent interface of claim 14 wherein said processing means includes log means for selectively recording usage of each user ID record file stored input and output commands for the select fields.

18. The user specific intelligent interface of claim 14 wherein said file means stores a user password associated with each said user ID.