Method for enabling rapid modification of a display controlled by a computer program

• US 6,348,934 B1
• Filed: 05/17/2000
• Issued: 02/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gipalo, Dave
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thai, Cuong T.
• Application Number:
  US09/572,056
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 345/333, 345/334, 345/335, 345/339, 345/762, 345/744, 345/763, 345/764, 395/682, 705/38, 705/302, 709/302, 709/328
• US Class Current: 715/762
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof

Abstract

A credit card processing system includes a layer of abstraction between the presentation layer and the display, which enables rapid modification of the display by a user who is not necessarily knowledgeable about the inner workings of the presentation layer. To enable rapid modification of the program that controls a graphical user interface, the present invention uses generic statements in the commands in the underlying computer program that reference a series of tables (termed “Meta Data Tables”), in which are stored the values necessary to effect the desired command. These tables are known as Meta Data Tables because they store Meta Data, which is defined as data or information about other data. A powerful example of the use of the Meta Data Table is to define the nodes within the tree of screens presented to the user in a Graphical User Interface (GUI). By defining the nodes in the tree in a Meta Data Table, these nodes can be changed easily, but even more significant, the underlying code can be significantly reduced in size.

Claims

1. A method for enabling rapid modification of a graphical user interface whose display screens are controlled by a computer program, comprising the steps of:

a) storing meta data in a table that reduces the size of the computer program generating the graphical user interface, which meta data includes a first data set regarding a second data set to be displayed via the graphical user interface

b) executing an instruction in the computer program that refers to the meta data table when preparing the second data set for display via the graphical user interface;

c) controlling the display screens based on the interaction between the instructions in the computer program and the meta data tables.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first data set includes at least one selected from the group consisting of a data label, an ordering of data, and a data mask.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first data set includes a tree structure.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying the meta data table in response to a user command.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising the step of permitting user editing of the meta data table independent of the computer program.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising the step of saving a revised meta data table so that further executions of the computer program refer to the revised meta data table.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first data set includes at least a command tree structure and nodes associated with the command tree structure.

8. A method for organizing a computer program so that future modifications to a graphical user interface created by the computer program can be implemented rapidly and by any user without requiring detailed knowledge of the computer program, said method comprising the steps of:

a) separating meta data from programming instructions, which form an executable instruction list;

b) storing the meta data in a user accessible file that reduces the size of the computer program generating the graphical user interface, whereby a user can edit the meta data;

c) referring to the user accessible file containing the meta data in the executable instruction list when creating any graphical user interface; and

d) establishing parameters of any data to be displayed via the graphical user interface in accordance with the meta data stored in the user accessible file.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the meta data includes a first set of data regarding a second set of data, and the second set of data is that data which is to be displayed via the graphical user interface.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the user accessible file includes a database.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the parameters include at least one selected from the group consisting of data labels, an order of the data presented, a color, a data type, a mask for the data, and a number of positions for the data.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein the parameters include a command tree structure and nodes associated with the command tree structure.

13. An information processing apparatus in a client-server environment, comprising:

a) a presentation layer program running on a client workstation and controlling a navigation through a plurality of screens to enable a user to select specific records for processing;

b) a database accessible by the client and the server;

c) a meta data table stored in the database, that reduces the size of the computer program generating the graphical user interface, and interacting with the presentation layer program to create displays on the plurality of screens, wherein the meta data table stores information regarding the data to be displayed on the plurality of screens; and

d) a database manager controlling an operation of the database to enable interaction of the user with the meta data table, wherein the database manager permits user editing of the meta data table independent of the presentation layer program.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said information regarding the data to be displayed includes at least one selected from the group consisting of a data label, an ordering of data, and a data mask.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the database manager displays the meta data table in response to a user command.

16. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the database manager permits user editing of the meta data table independent of the presentation layer program.

17. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the database manager saves a revised meta data table so that further executions of the presentation layer program refer to the revised meta data table.

18. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the information regarding the data to be displayed includes at least one whether a particular icon is draggable or not.

19. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the information regarding the data to be displayed includes at least which type of icon is associated with a particular node.

20. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the information regarding the data to be displayed includes at least a column width.

21. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the information regarding the data to be displayed includes at least scrolling parameters.

22. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the information regarding the data to be displayed includes at least help instructions that appear when a cursor rests on the field.

23. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the information regarding the data to be displayed includes at least searching of the data.

24. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the information regarding the data to be displayed includes at least navigational aids for navigating through a model of the data.

25. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the information regarding the data to be displayed includes a command tree structure and nodes associated with the command tree structure.

26. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the information regarding the data to be displayed includes whether a field is updatable.

27. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the information regarding the data to be displayed includes whether a field is a critical field.

28. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the information regarding the data to be displayed includes a display code for a field.

29. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the information regarding the data to be displayed includes whether a field is an enumerated field that may have only a predetermined number of possible values.

30. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the information regarding the data to be displayed includes a security code indicating that a certain level of security is required to modify a field associated with the security code.