Adaptive computer display screen window accommodating user or human factor input

• US 6,388,682 B1
• Filed: 03/18/1999
• Issued: 05/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Levanoni, Menachem, Kurtzberg, Jerome M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cabeca, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, MYLINH T
• Application Number:
  US09/271,768
• Time in Patent Office: 1,153 Days
• Field of Search: 395/154, 345/335, 345/764, 345/762, 345/700, 345/781, 345/803, 341/175
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

The invention monitors user edit actions to window properties, as the edit actions develop over some time period of a first computer operating session. The invention then creates a user profile reflecting such editing actions, as preparatory materials for instantiation of an instant window in a second operating session. The instant window, in turn, comprises a self-reflexive admixture which correlates to the user'"'"'s specific window activity pattern and pertinent human factor rules.

Claims

1. A computer operated method for providing an adaptive computer screen window display that accommodates user or human factor input comprising the steps of:

(1) ascertaining a property of a window to be displayed on a computer screen in a default condition during a first operating session;

(2) monitoring property changes prompted by inputs by a user to effect changes from the default condition of the window, thereby automatically saving a history of a user'"'"'s specific window activity pattern developed during the first operating session;

(3) creating a first referent comprising the history of the step (2) user'"'"'s specific window activity pattern;

(4) creating a second referent comprising human factor rules which are pertinent to a property of a window;

(5) creating a modified referent by actions comprising at least one of;

a) subjecting the first referent to constraints imposed by the second referent developed as a reflection of said step (2) user'"'"'s specific window activity pattern during the first operating session;

b) subjecting the second referent to constraints imposed by the first referent developed as a reflection of said pertinent human factor rules during the first operating session; and

c) simultaneously optimizing said first and second referents; and

(6) using the modified referent for generating an instant window for display during a second operating session, which instant window has been adaptively modified from the default condition so that its properties correlate to said step (2) user'"'"'s specific window activity pattern and the pertinent human factor rules.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein step (1) comprises ascertaining the status of the default condition by registering at least one of font, color, location, shape, and content of the default window.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein step (2) comprises monitoring property changes prompted by the user throughout the entire first operating session.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein step (3) comprises creating the first referent by determining frequency-of-use of said step (2) user'"'"'s specific window activity during the first operating session.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein step (3) comprises creating the first referent by computing the maximum likelihood expected values for the properties of said step (2) user'"'"'s specific window activity during the first operating session.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein step (3) comprises creating the first referent by using the last pattern displayed by the user in that application.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein step (3) comprises creating the first referent comprising the history of said step (2) user'"'"'s specific window activity pattern developed over several operating sessions.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein step (4) comprises creating the second referent by optimizing a screen layout utilizing optimization via human factor rules using a method of Lagrangian multipliers for handling the constraints imposed by said step (2) user'"'"'s specific window activity pattern.

9. A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for providing an adaptive computer screen window display that accommodates user or human factor input, the method comprising the steps of:

(1) ascertaining a property of a window to be displayed on a computer screen in a default condition during a first operating session;

(2) monitoring property changes prompted by inputs by a user to effect changes from the default condition of the window, thereby automatically saving a history of a user'"'"'s specific window activity pattern developed during the first operating session;

(3) creating a first referent comprising the history of the step (2) user'"'"'s specific window activity pattern;

(4) creating a second referent comprising human factor rules which are pertinent to a property of a window;

(5) creating a modified referent by actions comprising at least one of;

a) subjecting the first referent to constraints imposed by the second referent developed as a reflection of said step (2) user'"'"'s specific window activity pattern during the first operating session;

b) subjecting the second referent to constraints imposed by the first referent developed as a reflection of said pertinent human factor rules during the first operating session; and

c) simultaneously optimizing said first and second referents; and

(6) using the modified referent for generating an instant window for display during a second operating session, which instant window has been adaptively modified from the default condition so that its properties correlate to said step (2) user'"'"'s specific window activity pattern and the pertinent human factor rules.

10. A computer system suitable for providing an adaptive computer screen window display that accommodates user or human factor input, the system comprising:

(1) CPU means for ascertaining a property of a window to be displayed on a computer screen in a default condition during a first operating session;

(2) CPU means for monitoring property changes prompted by inputs by a user to effect changes from the default condition of the window to automatically save a history of a user'"'"'s specific window activity pattern during the first operating session;

(3) CPU means for creating a first referent comprising the history of the user'"'"'s specific window activity pattern;

(4) CPU means for creating a second referent comprising human factor rules which are pertinent to a property of a window;

(5) CPU means for creating a modified referent by actions comprising at least one of;

a) subjecting the first referent to constraints imposed by the second referent developed as a reflection of said user'"'"'s specific window activity pattern during the first operating session;

b) subjecting the second referent to constraints imposed by the first referent developed as a reflection of said pertinent human factor rules during the first operating session; and

c) simultaneously optimizing said first and second referents; and

(6) CPU means for using the modified referent for generating an instant window for display during a second operating session, which instant window has been adaptively modified from the default condition so that its properties correlate to said user'"'"'s specific window activity pattern and the pertinent human factor rules.