Object-oriented computer user interface
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A computer user interface comprising:
- means for graphically representing a set of objects as instances of types of semi-structured objects, wherein each object type has a set of actions that can be performed upon instances of such object type and wherein an object has a set of fields and one of the fields may contain information of any type, and wherein a first object may contain, as part of the value of one of the fields of the first object, a link to a second object, and wherein a graphical representation of the first object includes a display of an indication the link;
means for arranging the objects in a hierarchy of increasingly specialized types of a generic object type, and for causing each object type to inherit fields and actions from any parent thereof; and
means for defining each type of object by means of a template.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A computer user interface includes a mechanism for graphically representing and displaying user-definable objects of multiple types. The object types that can be represented include data records, not limited to a particular kind of data, and agents. An agent processes information automatically on behalf of the user. Another mechanism allows a user to define objects, for example by using a template. These two mechanisms act together to allow each object to be displayed to the user and acted upon by the user in a uniform way regardless of type. For example, templates for defining objects allow a specification to be input by a user defining processing that can be performed by an agent.
-
Citations
16 Claims
-
1. A computer user interface comprising:
-
means for graphically representing a set of objects as instances of types of semi-structured objects, wherein each object type has a set of actions that can be performed upon instances of such object type and wherein an object has a set of fields and one of the fields may contain information of any type, and wherein a first object may contain, as part of the value of one of the fields of the first object, a link to a second object, and wherein a graphical representation of the first object includes a display of an indication the link; means for arranging the objects in a hierarchy of increasingly specialized types of a generic object type, and for causing each object type to inherit fields and actions from any parent thereof; and means for defining each type of object by means of a template. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
-
-
4. A computer user interface comprising:
-
means for graphically representing objects that collectively are instances of a plurality of object types, wherein a data record is one of such object types; means for causing at least some of the objects to be semi-structured in that each such object has at least one field in which the permitted value is not restricted to a specific kind of information and wherein at least one object includes at least one link to another object; means for displaying an object including means for displaying an indication of any link from the object to another object; means, responsive to user selection of a displayed indication of a link from one object to another object, for displaying the other object; and means for providing a tailorable summary display of objects in response to user selection of fields of the object type. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14)
-
-
10. A computer user interface, comprising:
-
means for graphically representing objects that collectively are instances of at least one object type, each object type is semi-structured by having a set of fields, wherein at least one field contains information of any type, wherein a first object may contain, as part of the value of one of the fields, a link to a second object; means for displaying the first object and an indication of the link; means, responsive to user selection of the displayed indication of the link from the first object to the second object, for displaying the second object; and means for providing a tailorable summary display of objects in response to user selection of fields of the object type. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
-
-
15. An object-oriented computer user interface system, comprising:
-
a first semi-structured object type, wherein an instance of the first object type comprises; a collection of fields, wherein information in at least one of the fields may be of any type, and wherein a value in at least one field includes a link to another instance of any object type; a display method for displaying the instance of the object type, including displaying an indication of the link to the other instance of any object type; a display link method for displaying the other instance of any object type upon selection by the user of the displayed indication of the link; and a second semi-structured object type, wherein an instance of the second object type comprises; a collection of fields, wherein information in at least one of the fields may be of any type, and wherein a value in at least one field includes a link to another instance of any object type; a display method for displaying the instance of the object type, including displaying an indication of the link to the other instance of any object type; a display link method for displaying the other instance of any object type upon selection by the user of the displayed indication of the link; and means for displaying a summary view of a plurality of instances of an object type, wherein fields to be displayed are selectable by a user. - View Dependent Claims (16)
-
Specification