System and method for dynamically adjusting data values and enforcing valid combinations of the data in response to remote user input

• US 6,803,926 B1
• Filed: 09/18/1998
• Issued: 10/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Lamb, Steven D., Feldstein, Adam M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Sy D.
• Application Number:
  US09/157,018
• Time in Patent Office: 2,216 Days
• Field of Search: 345/744, 345/746, 345/804, 345/805, 345/866, 345/962, 345/968, 345/326, 345/335, 345/346, 705/20, 705/26, 705/27, 705/42, 709/203
• US Class Current: 715/744
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/201 Price look-up processing, e.g. updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/962 Operator interface for marketing or sales

Abstract

The present invention is embodied in a system and method for dynamically adjusting data values and preventing conflicts in response to remote user input. Namely, the system and method provides a remote user with real time interaction of data values, such as a set of results, associated sub-items or dependencies, and rules of enforcement of sub-item combinations produced by a host system. Adjustment of conflicting sub-items is prevented with the rules of enforcement and predefined interactive options. As such, the user can dynamically adjust the set of results and sub-items from a remote location. The system and method of the present invention preferably utilizes client-side processing to achieve real time interaction.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically displaying pricing data on a client display device comprising:

establishing a communications interface between a client computer and a server computer;

requesting pricing data from the client to the server for at least one object;

generating pricing data with associated options and rules for selection and combination of the associated options for each object at the server;

transmitting the pricing data, associated options, and rules for selection and combination of the associated options from the server to the client;

displaying a first set of pricing results on the client display device;

providing a user interface on the client display device for user interaction with the pricing data and selection and combination of the associated options;

using the rules to prevent a user from encountering a conflict by automatically correcting any conflicts to prevent the conflicts from being displayed during the user interaction with the pricing data, the rules for selection and combination containing all potential conflicts that may occur during the user interaction and corresponding safeguards to prevent the user from encountering and viewing a conflict during the user interaction with the pricing data; and

dynamically updating the pricing data using the client computer to process the update and displaying the pricing data on the client display device in response to user interaction with the pricing data and associated options, and rules for selection and combination.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the rules for selection and combination of the associated options automatically prevent user selection or combination of incompatible or conflicting options.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the pricing data and associated options are dynamically updated and displayed on the client display device in response to user interaction with the pricing data and associated options.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one previously selected options are automatically deselected when the user selects a new option which conflicts with the at least one previously selected options.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one additional sub-items are automatically selected when a user selects a sub-item which requires selection of the at least one additional sub-items.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting a control module from the server to the client; and

using the control module to dynamically update the pricing data and process the update.

7. A method for dynamically displaying data values on a client computer, comprising:

transmitting a request for information based on user-defined criteria from the client computer such that transmitted results are narrowed, limited and targeted to the information;

receiving transmitted data values, sub-items associated with the data values, and rules of enforcement of sub-item combinations in a predefined format through a communications interface in response to a request from the client computer, the rules of enforcement containing all known conflicting sub-item combinations;

creating a control module on the client computer;

using the control module to control the transmitted data values and process in real time user adjustment of the transmitted data values and sub-item combinations;

automatically noting the known conflicting sub-item combinations between a sub-item in a first field and another sub-items in second field using the rules of enforcement;

preventing a user from creating, encountering and viewing conflicts between sub-item combinations during the real-time user adjustment using the noted known conflicting sub-item combinations such that only the sub-items applicable to the user-defined criteria are displayed on the remote computer;

automatically selecting at least one additional sub-item in response to a user selecting a sub-item during the user adjustment of the transmitted data that requires selection of the at least one addition sub-item; and

dynamically displaying the processed data values on a client display device of the client computer.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein creating the control module further comprises receiving the transmitted control module from a server in response to a request from the client computer.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein creating the control module further comprises dynamically creating the control module on the client computer.