Object-oriented computer user interface
First Claim
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1. A computer user interface comprising:
- means for graphically representing objects as instances of a plurality of object types, wherein a data record is one of the plurality of object types and wherein an agent, for producing specifications for processing information automatically on behalf of the user, is another of the plurality of object types; and
means for defining each type of object and for displaying each instance of an object, using of a template;
wherein the means for graphically representing objects and the means for defining each type of object present each object to and permit action upon each object by the user in a uniform way, regardless of type.
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Abstract
A computer user interface includes a mechanism of 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.
49 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A computer user interface comprising:
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means for graphically representing objects as instances of a plurality of object types, wherein a data record is one of the plurality of object types and wherein an agent, for producing specifications for processing information automatically on behalf of the user, is another of the plurality of object types; and means for defining each type of object and for displaying each instance of an object, using of a template; wherein the means for graphically representing objects and the means for defining each type of object present each object to and permit action upon each object by the user in a uniform way, regardless of type. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An object-oriented computer user interface system, comprising:
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a generic object type defining a collection of fields and having a display method for permitting a user to select fields of an object displaying the object thereby providing user-tailorable views; an agent object type derived from the generic object type, wherein an agent, an instance of the agent object type, comprises; an indication of a collection of instances of an object type derived from the generic object type, at least one rule to be applied to the collection of instances of an object type, an indication of a trigger condition indicating when the at least one rule is to be applied, and a trigger method for evaluating occurrence of the trigger condition; and a data record object type derived from the generic object type, wherein a data record, an instance of the data record object type, comprises; a collection of fields for storing data.
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10. A computer system comprising:
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means for easily defining new object types with different fields; means for creating instances of objects of the defined object types; means for easily defining agents as object types and for performing functions on instances of objects and wherein an instance of the agent object type comprises an indication of a collection of objects of at least one of the defined object types, an indication of at least one rule to be applied to the collection of objects, and an indication of an event the occurrence of which causes the rule to be applied to the collection of objects; and
means for creating user-tailorable views of an object type, wherein a view is defined by one or more selected fields of the object type.
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Specification