Dynamic wizard interface system and method

• US 7,290,215 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2002
• Issued: 10/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Evans, Christopher A., Bybee, Andrew G., Obla, Pritvinath, Yeh, Leslie S., Neff, Chad C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo; Weilun
• Assistant Examiner(s): Theriault; Steven B.
• Application Number:
  US10/161,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20030222908A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,975 Days
• Field of Search: 715/705, 715/708, 715/733, 715/744, 715/749, 715/760, 715/853, 715/762, 717/107, 717/175, 718/104
• US Class Current: 715/760
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method for providing dynamic wizard interfaces to end users. In one embodiment, a client device retrieves a container encapsulating a number of packages utilizing a self-describing data format from a remote server. A wizard engine on the client device interprets the container and packages to produce a wizard interface. Preferably, the present invention utilizes a compatible data structure for receiving, saving, and transmitting captured information regarding the wizard interface.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for providing a dynamic wizard interface comprising:

(a) in response to a user request for a wizard interface, generating an initial set of packages for creating a wizard interface, said packages including data and executable code for laying out and generating graphical user interface components;

(b) encapsulating said packages in a container;

(c) delivering said container to a wizard engine for transformation into the wizard interface using the data and executable code included in said packages;

(d) in response to receiving said container, said wizard engine;

(i) analyzing the data and executable code included in said packages; and

(ii) creating a wizard interface in accordance with the data and executable code included in said packages;

(e) in response to a user request for an update of the wizard interface, generating at least one package for updating the wizard interface, said at least one package containing data and executable code for updating said wizard interface;

(f) encapsulating said at least one package in a container;

(g) delivering said container to said wizard engine; and

(h) in response to receiving said container, said wizard engine;

(i) analyzing the data and executable code included in said at least one package; and

(ii) updating the wizard interface in accordance with the data and executable code included in said at least one package.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said container and said packages are in a self-describing data format.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said self-describing data format is XML.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said packages comprise pages and objects describing the wizard interface.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said objects are in a self-describing data format.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said pages contain forward and backward pointers for preserving a forward and backward flow between said pages.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein said objects include an action object.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying the user requesting the wizard interface and retrieving relevant user data for pre-filling the wizard interface.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein pre-filling the wizard interface comprises matching self-described data field in a data structure with self-described objects in said package.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein generating an initial set of packages comprises collecting packages to be encapsulated in said container up to and including a first branching package.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein after said first branching package has been delivered to the wizard engine, reusing said delivered first branching package when said first delivered branching package is selected.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said first branching package is cached.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said first branching package comprises pointers to a plurality of branching packages.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein in response to a selection in the wizard interface, one of said branching packages is encapsulated in a branch container for delivery to said wizard engine.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said encapsulated branch container comprises a pointer to a page in said one of said branching packages containing a selection object where said selection was made.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of said set of packages encapsulates an additional package.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said additional package comprises live data objects.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said additional package is a branching package and said live data object is a selection object, the selection of which determines which branching package will be delivered to said wizard engine.

19. A computer server apparatus having a processor and memory containing executable instructions for providing a dynamic wizard interface and operative to:

(a) in response to a request received from a client device, determine an initial set of packages for creating a wizard interface, said packages including data and executable code for laying out and generating graphical user interface components;

(b) retrieve said packages from a database containing a plurality of packages;

(c) encapsulate said packages in a container;

(d) deliver said container to said client device, said client device including a wizard engine for transforming said data and executable code included in said packages encapsulated into said container into the wizard interface by;

(i) analyzing the data and executable code included in said packages; and

(ii) creating a wizard interface in accordance with the data and executable code included in said packages;

(e) in response to a request received from said client device to update the wizard interface, determine at least one package for updating the wizard interface, said at least one package containing data and executable code for updating said wizard interface;

(f) retrieve said at least one package from said database containing a plurality of packages;

(g) encapsulate said at least one package in a container; and

(h) deliver said container to said client device for updating said wizard interface by;

(i) analyzing the data and executable code included in said at least one package; and

(ii) updating the wizard interface in accordance with the data and executable code included in said at least one package.

20. The computer server apparatus of claim 19, wherein said container and said packages are in a self-describing data format.

21. The computer server apparatus of claim 20, wherein said self-describing data format is XML.

22. The computer server apparatus of claim 19, wherein said packages comprise pages and objects that describe the wizard interface.

23. The computer server apparatus of claim 22, wherein said objects are in a self-describing data format.

24. The computer server apparatus of claim 22, wherein said pages contain forward and backward pointers for preserving a forward and backward flow between said pages.

25. The computer server apparatus of claim 22, wherein said objects include an action object.

26. The computer server apparatus of claim 22 further operative to:

identify a user of the client device and retrieve relevant user data for pre-filling the wizard interface.

27. The computer server apparatus of claim 26, wherein pre-filling the wizard interface comprises matching self-described data fields in a data structure with self-described objects in said package.

28. The computer server apparatus of claim 19, wherein determining an initial set of packages comprises collecting packages to be encapsulated in said container up to and including a first branching package.

29. The computer server apparatus of claim 28, wherein after said first branching package has been delivered to the client device, reusing said delivered first branching package when said delivered first branching package is selected.

30. The computer server apparatus of claim 29, wherein said first branching package is cached.

31. The computer server apparatus of claim 28, wherein said first branching package comprises pointers to a plurality of branch packages.

32. The computer server apparatus of claim 31, wherein in response to a selection in the wizard interface, one of said branching packages is encapsulated in a branch container for delivery to said wizard engine.

33. The computer server apparatus of claim 32, wherein said encapsulated branch container comprises a pointer to a page in said one of said branching packages containing a selection object where said selection was made.

34. The computer server apparatus of claim 19, wherein said at least one package encapsulates an additional package.

35. The computer server apparatus of claim 34, wherein said additional package may comprise live data objects.

36. The computer server apparatus of claim 35, wherein said additional package is a branching package and said live data object is a selection object, the selection of which determines which branching package will be delivered to said client device.

37. A computer readable storage medium comprising computer executable code for providing a wizard interface component by:

(a) in response to a user requesting a wizard interface, determining an initial set of packages for creating a wizard interface, said packages including data and executable code for laying out and generating user interface components;

(b) encapsulating said packages in a container

(c) delivering said container to a wizard engine for transformation into the wizard interface using the data and executable code included in said packages;

(d) in response to receiving said container, said wizard engine;

(i) analyzing the data and executable code included in said packages; and

(ii) creating a wizard interface in accordance with the data and executable code included in said packages;

(e) in response to a user request for an update of the wizard interface, generating at least one package for updating the wizard interface, said at least one package containing data and executable code for updating said wizard interface;

(f) encapsulating said at least one package in a container;

(g) delivering said container to said wizard engine; and

(h) in response to receiving said container, said wizard engine;

(i) analyzing the data and executable code included in said at least one package; and

(ii) updating the wizard interface in accordance with the data and executable code included in said at least one package.

38. The computer readable storage medium of claim 37, wherein said containers and said packages are in a self-describing data format.

39. The computer readable storage medium of claim 38, wherein said self-describing data format is XML.

40. The computer readable storage medium of claim 37, wherein said packages comprise pages and objects that describe the wizard interface.

41. The computer readable storage medium of claim 40, wherein said pages contain forward and backward pointers for preserving a forward and backward flow between said pages.

42. The computer readable storage medium of claim 40, wherein said objects include an action object.

43. The computer readable storage medium of claim 40, wherein said objects are presented in a self-describing data format.

44. The computer readable storage medium of claim 43, further comprising computer executable code for:

identifying the user requesting the wizard interface and retrieving relevant user data for pre-filling the wizard interface.

45. The computer readable storage medium of claim 44, wherein pre-filling the wizard interface comprises matching self-described data field in a data structure with self-described objects in said package.

46. The computer readable storage medium of claim 37, wherein said determining an initial set of packages comprises collecting packages to be encapsulated in said container up to and including a first branching package.

47. The computer readable storage medium of claim 46, wherein after said first branching package has been delivered to the wizard engine, reusing said delivered first branching package when said delivered first branching package is selected.

48. The computer readable storage medium of claim 47, wherein said first branching package comprises pointers to a plurality of branching packages.

49. The computer readable storage medium of claim 48, wherein said branching packages are cached.

50. The computer readable storage medium of claim 48, wherein in response to a selection in the wizard interface, one of said branching packages is encapsulated in a branch container for delivery to said wizard engine.

51. The computer readable storage medium of claim 50, wherein said encapsulated branch container comprises a pointer to a page in said one of said branching packages containing a selection object where said selection was made.

52. The computer readable storage medium of claim 37, wherein said at least one package encapsulates an additional package.

53. The computer readable storage medium of claim 52, wherein said additional package may comprise a live data object.

54. The computer readable storage medium of claim 53, wherein said additional package is a branching package and said live data object is a selection object, the selection of which determines which branching package will be delivered to said wizard engine.