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Interface for user/agent interaction

  • US 5,877,759 A
  • Filed: 03/26/1997
  • Issued: 03/02/1999
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1997
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An interface for user/agent interaction, comprising:

  • a user interface element that offers a user intelligent choices of tasks that can be accomplished, based upon a given context and selection, wherein said tasks comprise multiple sub-tasks that are separately executed in conventional systems by calling up appropriate tools in a correct sequence;

    said interface element comprising;

    a funnel into which a user can type and/or drop objects, wherein said funnel provides a decision overlay that operates upon user requests for actions or resources, where the order of execution of such requests may be simultaneous or sequential, and where sequential tasks may be randomly executed or they may be hierarchically executed, and wherein said user inherits all outside capability of an enterprise; and

    a pop-up menu that contains tasks and activities;

    wherein said interface element allows multiple ways to communicate a user request and wherein said interface element recognizes a current selection and objects dragged onto it, as well as text typed into it; and

    a meta agent that knows about the capabilities of a system and consolidates said capabilities of various plug-in agents into said interface element, wherein a funnel initiated search can be narrowed by user preferences, wherein said search may be time delimited;

    wherein said search may be performed in the background and a user may be alerted when said search is completed, and wherein said user can define any task-relevant parameter at said funnel, including any of time, context, and location.

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