Support tool for software parameterization

• US 7,587,714 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2001
• Issued: 09/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bull Sas (Atos SE)
• Original Assignee: Bull Sas (Atos SE)
• Inventors: Robilliard, Pascal
• Primary Examiner(s): Dam; Tuan Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): TECKLU, ISAAC TUKU
• Application Number:
  US10/181,038
• Publication Number:
  US 20030023965A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,860 Days
• Field of Search: 717168-178, 717/109, 717/110, 715 64-746, 709/202
• US Class Current: 717/175
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation

Abstract

The invention concerns the parameterization of a piece of software comprising parameters to be entered in order for the software to be used. The principle consists of subdividing the set of parameters into subsets, and of simultaneously displaying the subsets (SS1, SS2, SS3), the content of at least one selected subset, and the position within the set of each subset selected.

Claims

1. A method for parameterization of software by a user in a computing machine, wherein the software requires a set of parameters to be entered in order for the software to be installed and used, comprising receiving a set of parameters and subdividing the set of parameters into subsets, simultaneously displaying the subsets, receiving a selection of at least one of the displayed subsets, and displaying the content of said at least one selected subset and its position within said set, thereby enabling parameterization of the software and informing the user of the progress of the parameterization of the software, wherein all of the subsets, the content of said at least one selected subset, the position of said at least one selected subset within said set, and the progress of parameterization are displayed concurrently such that the user may view the display throughout the duration of the parameterization, wherein the parameterization is adapted to be terminated during parameterization, prior to all parameter values in said set of parameters having been entered, with all parameter values that have been entered at a time of termination being stored in a storage means, and then restarted with all entered parameter values being restored and simultaneously displayed upon restarting to allow subsequent resumption and continuance of the parameterization, wherein said entered parameter values being restored and simultaneously displayed comprise a part of said set of parameters, wherein terminating the parameterization comprises closing said piece of software, and wherein said parameterization of the software comprises installing the software.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising suspending entry of the parameters during parameterization and storing any entry to allow subsequent resumption and continuance of the parameterization.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein displaying the content of said at least one selected subset and its position within the set represents a display of the progress of the parameterization of the software and informs the user whether or not the parameters of at least one selected subset have all been entered.

4. A method according to claim 2, wherein displaying the content of said at least one selected subset and its position within the set represents a display of the progress of the parameterization of the software and informs the user whether or not the parameters of at least one selected subset have all been entered.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the selection by the user of a subset is performed based on a sequential or non-sequential entry mode of the subsets.

6. A method according to claim 2, wherein the selection by the user of a subset is performed based on a sequential or non-sequential entry mode of the subsets.

7. A method according to claim 3, wherein the selection by the user of a subset is performed based on a sequential or non-sequential entry mode of the subsets.

8. A method according to claim 4, wherein the selection by the user of a subset is performed based on a sequential or non-sequential entry mode of the subsets.

9. A method according to claim 6, wherein if the entry mode of the subsets is non-sequential, the selection of a subset displayed is performed by the user using a cursor whose movement is controlled by a mouse or by means of “

previous” and

“

next”

commands visible on a screen.

10. A method according to claim 6, wherein if the entry mode is sequential, the selection of a subset displayed is performed by the user using a cursor whose movement is controlled by a mouse.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein displaying the subsets consists of distinguishing the subsets by means of respective unique identifiers.

12. A graphical interface embodied in a physical storage medium and visible on a screen for parameterization of software by a user, the software comprising a set of parameters that must be entered into a computer system in order for the software to be installed and used in a computing machine, comprising means for subdividing the set of parameters into subsets, means for simultaneously displaying the content of at least one selected subset and its position within the set, and means for displaying the progress of parameterization on the screen wherein all of the subsets, the content of said at least one selected subset, the position of said at least one selected subset within said set, and the progress of parameterization are displayed concurrently such that the user may view the display throughout the duration of the parameterization, wherein the parameterization is adapted to be terminated during parameterization, prior to all parameter values in said set of parameters having been entered, with all parameter values that have been entered at a time of termination being stored in a storage means, and then restarted with all entered parameter values being restored and simultaneously displayed upon restarting to allow subsequent resumption and continuance of the parameterization, wherein said entered parameters being restored and simultaneously displayed comprise a part of said set of parameters, wherein terminating the parameterization comprises closing said piece of software, and wherein said parameterization of the software comprises installing the software.

13. A graphical interface embodied in a physical storage medium and visible on a screen for parameterization of software by a user comprising a set of parameters that must be entered in order for the software to be installed and used in a computing machine, comprising

a navigation area that includes the subsets that compose said set of parameters;

means for selecting at least one subset;

means for displaying in the navigation area the position of at least said selected subset within said set;

an entry area that includes the content to be entered for at least the selected subset; and

means for displaying the progress of parameterization of the software based on the content entered wherein all of the subsets, the content of said at least one selected subset, the position of said at least one selected subset within said set, and the progress of parameterization are displayed concurrently such that the user may view the display throughout the duration of the parameterization, wherein the parameterization is adapted to be terminated during parameterization, prior to all parameter values in said set of parameters having been entered, with all parameter values that have been entered at a time of termination being stored in a storage means, and then restarted with all entered parameter values being restored and simultaneously displayed upon restarting to allow subsequent resumption and continuance of the parameterization, wherein said entered parameters being restored and simultaneously displayed comprise a part of said set of parameters, wherein terminating the parameterization comprises closing said piece of software, and wherein said parameterization of the software comprises installing the software.

14. A graphical interface according to claim 13, wherein the selection means are comprised in a selection area of the screen.

15. A graphical interface according to claim 14, wherein the selection area includes a command for suspending the parameterization procedure, and for storing information entered prior to the suspension.

16. A graphical interface according to claim 13, wherein it includes an indicator (IND) indicating whether or not the selection of the subsets is sequential.

17. A graphical interface according to claim 14, wherein it includes an indicator (IND) indicating whether or not the selection of the subsets is sequential.

18. A graphical interface according to claim 15, wherein it includes an indicator (IND) indicating whether or not the selection of the subsets is sequential.

19. A support tool embodied in a physical storage medium, for parameterization of software by a user, wherein the software includes a set of parameters that renders the software in a computer machine workable, comprising means for subdividing the set of parameters into subsets and simultaneously displaying on a graphical interface the subdivided subsets, and a cursor for selection of a subset, a mouse for controlling movement of the cursor, which mouse is in turn adapted to be controlled by a user of the computer machine wherein all of the subsets, the content of said at least one selected subset, the position of said at least one selected subset within said set, and the progress of parameterization are displayed concurrently such that the user may view the display throughout the duration of the parameterization, wherein the parameterization is adapted to be terminated during parameterization, prior to all parameter values in said set of parameters having been entered, with all parameter values that have been entered at a time of termination stored in a storage means, and then restarted with all entered parameter values being restored and simultaneously displayed upon restarting to allow subsequent resumption and continuance of the parameterization, wherein said entered parameters being restored and simultaneously displayed comprise a part of said set of parameters, wherein terminating the parameterization comprises closing said piece of software, and wherein said parameterization of the software comprises installing the software.

20. A computing machine comprising a work station having at least a processor, a storage element, a communication element interconnecting the processor and the storage element, a graphical interface for displaying a set of parameters necessary for software stored in the storage element to be installed and used, and a support tool for parameterization of the software by a user, said tool being capable of subdividing the set of parameters into subsets and simultaneously displaying the subsets on the graphical interface, the content of at least one selected subset and the position within the set of each selected subset wherein all of the subsets, the content of said at least one selected subset, the position of said at least one selected subset within said set, and the progress of parameterization are displayed concurrently such that the user may view the display throughout the duration of the parameterization, wherein the parameterization is adapted to be terminated during parameterization, prior to all parameter values in said set of parameters having been entered, with all parameter values that have been entered at a time of termination being stored in a storage means, and then restarted with all entered parameter values being restored and simultaneously displayed upon restarting to allow subsequent resumption and continuance of the parameterization, wherein said entered parameters being restored and simultaneously displayed comprise a part of said set of parameters, wherein terminating the parameterization comprises closing said piece of software, and wherein said parameterization of the software comprises installing the software.

21. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of executable instructions to perform a method comprising:

receiving a set of parameters,

subdividing the set of parameters into subsets,

displaying the subsets simultaneously,

receiving a selection of at least one of the displayed subsets, and

displaying the content of said at least one selected subset and its position within said set, thereby enabling parameterization of software and informing the user of the progress of the parameterization of the software,

wherein all of the subsets, the content of said at least one selected subset, the position of said at least one selected subset within said set, and the progress of parameterization are displayed concurrently such that the user may view the display throughout the duration of the parameterization,

wherein the parameterization is adapted to be terminated during parameterization, prior to all parameter values in said set of parameters having been entered, with all parameter values that have been entered at a time of termination being stored in a storage means, and then restarted with all entered parameter values being restored and simultaneously displayed upon restarting to allow subsequent resumption and continuance of the parameterization,

wherein said entered parameters being restored and simultaneously displayed comprise a part of said set of parameters, wherein terminating the parameterization comprises closing said piece of software, and wherein said parameterization of the software comprises installing the software.