Self-diagnosing and self-correcting data entry components with dependency behavior

• US 6,658,622 B1
• Filed: 12/14/1998
• Issued: 12/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Trend Micro Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Aiken, William Holland, Sharp, Frederick Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen S.
• Application Number:
  US09/211,544
• Time in Patent Office: 1,814 Days
• Field of Search: 345/710, 707/507, 707/505, 707/506, 715/505, 715/506, 715/507
• US Class Current: 715/210
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture, and a memory structure for accepting data input into a computer is disclosed.

The method presents an independent component and a dependent component to the user. The independent component comprises an input area for accepting independent input data. The dependent component comprises a dependent component input area for accepting dependent component input data and is associated with a dependent component constraint that is at least partially dependent on the independent component input data. User input is accepted into the dependent component input area, and an assistance policy associated with the dependent component is followed when the user input violates the dependent component constraint. The article of manufacture comprises a program storage device tangibly embodying instructions for performing the method steps defined above.

The apparatus comprises means for presenting the independent and dependent components described above, means for accepting user input into the dependent component input area, and means for following an assistance policy associated with the dependent component when the user input violates the dependent component constraint.

Claims

1. A method of accepting input data into a computer, comprising the steps of:

presenting an independent component to a user, the independent component including an independent component input area for accepting independent component input data;

presenting a dependent component to a user, the dependent component including a dependent component input area for accepting dependent component input data, wherein the dependent component is associated with a dependent component constraint that is at least partially dependent upon the independent component input data;

accepting user input into the dependent component input area; and

if the user input violates the dependent component constraint, following an assistance policy associated with the dependent component before committing a second user input to another component presented to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the independent component is associated with an independent component input constraint, and the step of following the assistance policy comprises the step of following the assistance policy associated with the dependent component and the independent component when the user input violates the dependent component constraint.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

accepting user input into the independent component input area; and

following an assistance policy associated with the dependent component and the independent component when the user input into the independent component input results in a violation of the dependent component constraint.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of following the assistance policy when the user input violates the dependent component constraint comprises the steps of:

receiving the independent component input data;

receiving an input event into the dependent component input area;

calling a validate routine from the component to determine if the input event violates the dependent component constraint;

calling a diagnostic routine from the component when the input event violates the dependent component constraint according to the assistance policy; and

calling a fix routine from the component to alter the user input to comply with the dependent component constraint according to the assistance policy.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of determining the dependent component constraint from the independent component input data.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of determining the dependent component constraint from the independent component input data comprises the step of transmitting the independent component input data from the independent component to the dependent component when the dependent component is a diagnosis listener on a independent component diagnosis listener list.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the independent and the dependent components ate presented to the user in a single dialog box.

8. An apparatus for accepting input data into a computer, comprising:

means for presenting an independent component to a user, the independent component including an independent component input area for accepting independent component input data;

means for presenting a dependent component to a user, the dependent component including a dependent component input area for accepting dependent component input data, wherein the dependent component is associated with a dependent component constant that is at least partially dependent upon the independent component input data;

means for accepting user input into the dependent component input area; and

means for following an assistance policy associated with the dependent component if the user input violates the dependent component constraint, wherein the assistance policy is followed before committing a second user input to another component presented to the user.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the independent component is associated with an independent component input constraint, and the means for following the assistance policy comprises means for following the assistance policy associated with the dependent component and the independent component when the user input violates the dependent component constraint.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, fixer comprising:

means for accepting user input into the independent component input area; and

means for following an assistance policy associated with the dependent component and the independent component when the user input into the independent component input results in a violation of the dependent component constraint.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the means for following the assistance policy when the user input violates the dependent component constraint comprises:

means for reeving the independent component input data;

means for receiving an input event into the dependent component input area;

means for calling a validate routine from the component to determine if the input event violates the dependent component constraint;

means for calling a diagnostic routine from the component when the input event violates the dependent component constraint according to the assistance policy; and

means for calling a fix routine from the component to alter the user input to comply with the dependent component constraint according to the assistance policy.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising means for determining the dependent component constraint from the independent component input data.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the means for determining the dependent component constraint from the independent input data comprises means for transmitting the independent component input data from the independent component to the dependent component when the dependent component is a diagnosis listener on a independent component diagnosis listener list.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the independent and the dependent components are presented to the user in a single dialog box.

15. A program storage device, readable by a computer, tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps of accepting input data into the computer, the method comprising the method steps of:

presenting an independent component to a user, the independent component including an independent component input area for accepting independent component input data;

presenting a dependent component to a user, the dependent component including a dependent component input area for accepting dependent component input data, wherein the dependent component is associated with a dependent component constraint that is at least partially dependent upon the independent component input data;

accepting user input into the dependent component input area; and

if the user input violates the dependent component constraint, following an assistance policy associated with the dependent component before committing a second user input to another component presented to the user.

16. The program storage device of claim 15, wherein the independent component is associated with an independent component input constrain, and the step of following the assistance policy comprises the step of following the assistance policy associated with the dependent component and the independent component when the user input violates the dependent component constraint.

17. The program storage device of claim 16, wherein the method steps filer comprise the steps of:

accepting user input into the independent component input area; and

following an assistance policy associated with the dependent component and the independent component when the user input into the independent component input results in a violation of the dependent component constraint.

18. The program storage device of claim 15, wherein the method step of following the assistance policy when the user input violates the dependent component constraint comprises the method steps of:

receiving the independent component input data;

receiving an input event into the dependent component input area;

calling a validate routine from the component to determine if the input event violates the dependent component constraint,

calling a diagnostic routine from the component when the input event violates the dependent component constraint according to the assistance policy; and

calling a fix routine from the component to alter the user input to comply with the dependent component constraint according to the assistance policy.

19. The program storage device of claim 18, wherein the method steps further comprise the step of determining the dependent component constraint from the independent component input data.

20. The program storage device of claim 19, wherein the method step of determining the dependent component constraint from the independent component input data comprises the method step of transmitting the independent component input data from the independent component to the dependent component when the dependent component is a diagnosis listener on an independent component diagnosis listener list.

21. The program storage device of claim 15, wherein the independent and the dependent components are presented to the user in a single dialog box.

22. A method of accepting input data into a computer, comprising the steps of:

presenting a plurality of components to a user, the plurality of components including;

an independent component including an independent component input area for accepting input independent component data;

a dependent component including a dependent component input area for accepting dependent component input data, wherein the dependent component is associated with a dependent component constraint that is at least partially dependent upon the independent component input data;

a third component including a third component input area;

accepting user input into the dependent component input area; and

if the user input violates the dependent component constraint, following an assistance policy associated with the dependent component before committing an input to the third component input area.