Adaptive, predictive progress indicator

• US 6,275,987 B1
• Filed: 11/05/1998
• Issued: 08/14/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Schneider, Ira H., Fraley, Brad James
• Primary Examiner(s): Powell, Mark R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN BA, HOANG VU A
• Application Number:
  US09/187,069
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 Days
• Field of Search: 717/11, 717/3, 709/102, 703/26, 116/308, 714/46
• US Class Current: 717/127
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/324 Display of status information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3419 by assessing time
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3452 Performance evaluation by statistical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/865 Monitoring of software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials

Abstract

Completion times for a set of subtasks, which are performed without interaction with a main task managing execution of the subtasks, are estimated. These estimated completion times, together with actual completion times for previously performed subtasks, are employed to determine a time interval at which a progress indicator is incrementally advanced. The progress indicator is then advanced at the calculated rate concurrently with performance of a current subtask. By adjusting for actual completion times of previously completed subtasks, compensation and correction for overestimation or underestimation of subtask completion times allows the progress indicator to adapt appropriately. The advance rate may also be dynamically adjusted to compensate for underestimation of the completion time for a current subtask. The displayed progress indicator thus provides meaningful information to the user regarding the rate and extent of progress despite a lack of progress information exchange between the main task and the subtasks.

Claims

1. A method of indicating the progress of a task including a sequence of subtasks performed without progress information feedback to the task, comprising:

calculating a time estimate for performing the task utilizing time estimates for completing each subtask;

responsive to starting the task, displaying a progress indicator advanced at a rate based on the calculated time estimate;

responsive to completion of a previous subtask and initiation of a current subtask, comparing an actual completion time to an estimated completion time for all completed subtasks; and

adjusting an advance rate for the progress indicator for the current subtask according to the results of the comparing step.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the task is installation of computer software and each of the subtasks is installation of a component of the computer software with a separate installation program.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting an advance rate for the progress indicator according to the results of the comparing step further comprises:

speeding up or slowing down the advance rate of the progress indicator.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying a progress indicator advanced at a rate based on the calculated time estimate further comprises:

advancing the displayed progress indicator at a rate adjusted for a ratio of the actual completion time to the estimated completion for the completed subtasks.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying a progress indicator advanced at a rate based on the calculated time estimate further comprises:

advancing the displayed progress indicator at a rate equal to an adjusted estimated time for completion of the current subtask divided by a difference between a limit percentage and a current percentage for the progress indicator.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of comparing an actual completion time to an estimated completion time for all completed subtasks further comprises:

calculating a ratio of the actual completion time for all completed subtasks to the estimated completion time for all completed subtasks.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of adjusting an advance rate for the progress indicator for the current subtask according to the results of the comparing step further comprises:

adjusting the advance rate to a rate equal to

an estimated completion time for the current subtask times

the ratio of the actual completion time for all completed subtasks to the estimated completion time for all completed subtaks divided by

the difference between a limit percentage and a starting percentage for the current subtask.

8. A system for indicating the progress of a task including a sequence of subtasks performed without progress information feedback to the task, comprising:

means for calculating a time estimate for performing the task utilizing time estimates for completing each subtask;

means, responsive to starting the task, for displaying a progress indicator advanced at a rate based on the calculated time estimate;

means, responsive to completion of a previous subtask and initiation of a current subtask, for comparing an actual completion time to an estimated completion time for all completed subtasks; and

means for adjusting an advance rate for the progress indicator for the current subtask according to the results of the comparing step.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the task is installation of computer software and each of the subtasks is installation of a component of the computer software with a separate installation program.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the means for adjusting an advance rate for the progress indicator according to the results of the comparing step further comprises:

means for speeding up or slowing down the advance rate of the progress indicator.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the means for displaying a progress indicator advanced at a rate based on the calculated time estimate further comprises:

means for advancing the displayed progress indicator at a rate adjusted for a ratio of the actual completion time to the estimated completion time for the completed subtasks.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the means for displaying a progress indicator advanced at a rate based on the calculated time estimate further comprises:

means for advancing the displayed progress indicator at a rate equal to an adjusted estimated time for completion of the current subtask divided by a difference between a limit percentage and a current percentage for the progress indicator.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the means for comparing an actual completion time to an estimated completion time for all completed subtasks further comprises:

means for calculating a ratio of the actual completion time for all completed subtasks to the estimated completion time for all completed subtasks.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the means for adjusting an advance rate for the progress indicator for the current subtask according to the results of the comparing step further comprises:

means for adjusting the advance rate to a rate equal to an estimated completion time for the current subtask times

the ratio of the actual completion time for all completed subtasks to the estimated completion time for all completed subtaks divided by

the difference between a limit percentage and a starting percentage for the current subtask.

15. A computer program product within a computer usable medium, comprising:

instructions for calculating a time estimate for performing a task including a sequence of subtasks performed without progress information feedback to the task;

instructions, responsive to starting the task, for displaying a progress indicator advanced at a rate based on the calculated time estimate;

instructions, responsive to completion of a previous subtask and initiation of a current subtask, for comparing an actual completion time to an estimated completion time for all completed subtasks; and

instructions for adjusting an advance rate for the progress indicator for the current subtask according to the results of the comparing step.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the task is installation of computer software and each of the subtasks is installation of a component of the computer software with a separate installation program.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the instructions for adjusting an advance rate for the progress indicator according to the results of the comparing step further comprises:

instructions for speeding up or slowing down the advance rate of the progress indicator.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the instructions for displaying a progress indicator advanced at a rate based on the calculated time estimate further comprises:

instructions for advancing the displayed progress indicator at a rate adjusted for a ratio of the actual completion time to the estimated completion time for the completed subtasks.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the instructions for displaying a progress indicator advanced at a rate based on the calculated time estimate further comprises:

instructions for advancing the displayed progress indicator at a rate equal to an adjusted estimated time for completion of the current subtask divided by a difference between a limit percentage and a current percentage for the progress indicator.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the instructions for comparing an actual completion time to an estimated completion time for all completed subtasks further comprises:

instructions for calculating a ratio of the actual completion time for all completed subtasks to the estimated completion time for all completed subtasks.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the instructions for adjusting an advance rate for the progress indicator for the current subtask according to the results of the comparing step further comprises:

instructions for setting the advance rate to a rate equal to an estimated completion time for the current subtask times

the ratio of the actual completion time for all completed subtasks to the estimated completion time for all completed subtaks divided by

the difference between a limit percentage and a starting percentage for the current subtask.