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

• US 7,243,308 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2004
• Issued: 07/10/2007
• 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:
  US10/952,578
• Publication Number:
  US 20050050473A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• Field of Search: 715/749, 715/744, 715/748, 715/760, 715/825, 715/962
• 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 displaying data values on a client computing device, comprising:

transmitting an information request based on user-defined criteria from the client computing device;

receiving transmitted results, sub-items associated with the results, and rules of enforcement of sub-item combinations in response to the information request;

displaying a first set of results on the client computing device;

processing the first set of results in real time using the client computing device in response to a user adjustment of the first set of results to obtain processed results;

preventing a user from creating and encountering sub-item conflicts by automatically correcting any sub-item conflicts made during the user adjustment using the transmitted rules of enforcement; and

displaying the processed results on the client computing device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a graphical user interface on the client computing device for allowing the user adjustment.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the graphical user interface has at least one graphical control for allowing the user to dynamically adjust displayed data and sub-items.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the data values comprise pricing data for at least one object, and the associated sub-items comprise user selectable options for the object.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically correcting any sub-item conflicts further comprises automatically deselecting at least one of a previously selected sub-items when the user adjustment includes selecting a new sub-item which conflicts with the at least one previously selected sub-items.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising automatically selecting at least one of an additional sub-items when during the user adjustment a user selects a sub-item which requires selection of the at least one additional sub-items.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising processing the rules of enforcement for sub-item combinations in the background.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein processing of the first set of results further comprises processing the first set of results and the user adjustment on the client computing device after a communications interface between a server and the client has been terminated.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a transmitted control module; and

using the control module to process the first set of results in real time.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the control module has a graphical user interface for allowing the user to interact with and provide the user adjustment to the first set of results on the client computing device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first set of results comprise pricing data for at least one object, and the associated sub-items comprise user-selectable options for the objects.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising using the control module to automatically display a warning message when a user selects a sub-item during the user adjustment which conflicts with at least one of the sub-items already selected by the user such that the user is informed that the sub-item conflict has been automatically corrected.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising using the control module to automatically deselect a previously selected sub-item when a user selects a sub-item during the user adjustment that conflicts with the previously selected sub-item.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising using the control module to automatically display a message on the client computing device prompting a user to select between conflicting sub-items when the user selects a sub-item during the user adjustment that conflicts with a previously selected sub-item.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the control module is capable of remotely processing the first set of results and associated sub-items in response to the user adjustment of the first set of results and sub-items after a communications interface between a server and the client has been terminated.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the communications interface is the Internet.

17. A display device having rendered thereon dynamically changing results of a database query, comprising:

a set of results, criteria associated with the set of results, and rules of enforcement of the criteria being stored as data on a server, wherein the data is transmitted from the server to a remote client after the remote client makes a request to the server for information, the rules of enforcement containing all predefined known conflicts between the associated criteria in different data fields; and

at least one adjustable interface option displayed on the remote client allowing a user adjustment the associated criteria using the remote client, the user adjustment constrained by the transmitted rules of enforcement such that potential conflicts between the associated criteria during the user adjustment are prevented and automatically corrected to prevent a user from encountering and viewing the conflicts.

18. The display device of claim 17, wherein the at least one adjustable interface option further comprises input boxes for adjusting the associated criteria in real time.

19. The display device of claim 17, wherein the at least one adjustable interface option further comprises input boxes, drop-down menus, check boxes and radio buttons.

20. The display device of claim 17, wherein the at least one adjustable interface option further comprises dynamically coupled check boxes so that designated check boxes dynamically change during the user adjustment.

21. The display device of claim 17, further comprising:

a control module stored on the server, wherein the control module is transmitted from the server to the remote client in response to a request by the remote client;

wherein the at least one adjustable interface option displayed on the remote client communicates with the control module, and wherein the control module facilitates the user adjustment on the remote client.

22. The display device of claim 21, wherein the at least one adjustable interface option further comprises input boxes that are coupled such that the input boxes change in real time during the user adjustment.

23. The display device of claim 22, wherein the at least one adjustable interface option further comprises display markers that are used as indicia of potential sub-item conflicts.

24. The display device of claim 22, wherein the at least one adjustable interface option further comprises activated dialog boxes for displaying during the user adjustment any potential sub-item conflicts, providing suggestions to resolve the conflicts and providing user interaction to resolve the conflicts.

25. A method for enforcing valid combinations of data using a server computer, comprising:

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

transmitting results, sub-items associated with the results, and rules of enforcement of sub-item combinations from the server to the remote computer in response to the request, wherein processing of the transmitted results is performed in real time in response to a user adjustment of the transmitted results and sub-items associated with the transmitted results; and

preventing a user of the remote computer from creating, encountering, and viewing conflicts between sub-items in different data fields during the user adjustment of the sub-items by automatically correcting any conflicts using the rules of enforcement such that only sub-items applicable to the user-defined criteria are displayed on the remote computer, the rules of enforcement containing all potential configurable conflicts and predefined known conflicts between the sub-items.