Information manager method and system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An information management method comprising the following steps executed by a computer:
- receiving a user definition of a first user-interface page containing one or more first page fields including a plurality of first page reference fields, and for each first page reference field a respective agent set vector;
receiving a user definition of multiple instances of the first user-interface page, wherein the user definition for each instance of the first user-interface page specifies a respective value for each first page field including a respective set of first page reference field values, wherein the respective set of first page reference field values uniquely distinguishes each instance of the first user-interface page from each other instance of the first user-interface page;
automatically storing each instance of the first user-interface page as a respective first page instance metaobject in a data storage medium without abstracting the instance of the first user-interface page into a database record, wherein each first page instance metaobject contains (A) first page attributes, including the agent set vector for each first page reference field, and (B) for each of the one or more first page fields, a respective first page field object that has (i) a value attribute that contains a field value, if any, that a user has entered into the first page field in the instance of the first page, (ii) a calculation attribute that contains a calculation if a calculation is assigned to the first page field, (iii) functional state attributes that cooperatively define a functional state of the first page field, and (iv) at least one appearance attribute that contains at least one appearance definition for the first page field; and
thereafter (i) receiving from a user a given set of first page reference field values for the first user-interface page and (ii) responsively retrieving from the data storage medium a given first page instance metaobject whose reference field values match the given set of first page reference field values, and displaying a corresponding instance of the first user-interface page, including all first page field values defined by the given first page instance metaobject, whereby the user can readily retrieve a previously entered instance of the first user-interface page by simply entering the reference field values of the previously entered instance.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for providing a single software package that performs and integrates the same informational tasks that people perform on paper is disclosed. The system includes a user interface called a Page which is a generalized representation of the automation of all classes of informational tasks. The system includes an Information Manager which maintains the informational relationships within which a User interacts with the system interface or the Pages. The system further includes a Control Structure to manage the Performance and interactions among the Pages.
-
Citations
25 Claims
-
1. An information management method comprising the following steps executed by a computer:
-
receiving a user definition of a first user-interface page containing one or more first page fields including a plurality of first page reference fields, and for each first page reference field a respective agent set vector;
receiving a user definition of multiple instances of the first user-interface page, wherein the user definition for each instance of the first user-interface page specifies a respective value for each first page field including a respective set of first page reference field values, wherein the respective set of first page reference field values uniquely distinguishes each instance of the first user-interface page from each other instance of the first user-interface page;
automatically storing each instance of the first user-interface page as a respective first page instance metaobject in a data storage medium without abstracting the instance of the first user-interface page into a database record, wherein each first page instance metaobject contains (A) first page attributes, including the agent set vector for each first page reference field, and (B) for each of the one or more first page fields, a respective first page field object that has (i) a value attribute that contains a field value, if any, that a user has entered into the first page field in the instance of the first page, (ii) a calculation attribute that contains a calculation if a calculation is assigned to the first page field, (iii) functional state attributes that cooperatively define a functional state of the first page field, and (iv) at least one appearance attribute that contains at least one appearance definition for the first page field; and
thereafter (i) receiving from a user a given set of first page reference field values for the first user-interface page and (ii) responsively retrieving from the data storage medium a given first page instance metaobject whose reference field values match the given set of first page reference field values, and displaying a corresponding instance of the first user-interface page, including all first page field values defined by the given first page instance metaobject, whereby the user can readily retrieve a previously entered instance of the first user-interface page by simply entering the reference field values of the previously entered instance. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. An information management method comprising the following steps executed by a computer:
-
receiving a user definition of a first user-interface page containing one or more first page fields including a first page reference field, and for the first page reference field a corresponding agent set vector;
receiving a user definition of multiple instances of the first user-interface page, wherein the user definition for each instance of the first user-interface page specifies a respective value for each first page field including a respective first page reference field value, wherein the respective first page reference field value uniquely distinguishes each instance of the first user-interface page from each other instance of the first user-interface page;
automatically storing each instance of the first user-interface page as a respective first page instance metaobject in a data storage medium without abstracting the instance of the first user-interface page into a database record, wherein each first page instance metaobject contains (A) first page attributes, including the agent set vector for the first page reference field, and (B) for each of the one or more first page fields, a respective first page field object that has (i) a value attribute that contains a field value, if any, that a user has entered into the first page field in the instance of the first page, (ii) a calculation attribute that contains a calculation if a calculation is assigned to the first page field, (iii) functional state attributes that cooperatively define a functional state of the first page field, and (iv) at least one appearance attribute that contains at least one appearance definition for the first page field; and
thereafter (i) receiving from a user a given first page reference field value for the first user-interface page and (ii) responsively retrieving from the data storage medium a given first page instance metaobject whose reference field value matches the given first page reference field value, and displaying a corresponding instance of the first user-interface page, including all first page field values defined by the given first page instance metaobject, whereby the user can readily retrieve a previously entered instance of the first user-interface page by simply entering the reference field value of the previously entered instance. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
-
-
23. An information management method comprising the following steps executed by a computer:
-
receiving a user definition of a first user-interface page containing one or more first page fields;
receiving a user definition of an instance of the first user-interface page defining a respective value for each first page field;
automatically storing the instance of the first user-interface page as a first page instance metaobject in a data storage medium without abstracting the instance of the first user-interface page into a database record, wherein each first page instance metaobject contains (A) first page attributes and (B) for each of the one or more first page fields, a respective first page field object that has (i) a value attribute that contains a field value, if any, that a user has entered into the first page field in the instance of the first page, (ii) a calculation attribute that contains a calculation if a calculation is assigned to the first page field, (iIi) functional state attributes that cooperatively define a functional state of the first page field, and (iv) at least one appearance attribute that contains at least one appearance definition for the first page field, wherein the first user-interface page does not include any reference fields, wherein, because the first user-interface page does not include any reference fields, only one instance of the first user interface page can exist. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
-
Specification