Range condition managing system and user interface thereof

• US 7,712,032 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2005
• Issued: 05/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: X Corp. (f/k/a Twitter, Inc.) (X Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Breedvelt-Schouten, Ilse, Whitewolf, Lise
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore; William L
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHANTANA ANGKOOL, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US11/195,270
• Publication Number:
  US 20060294142A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,736 Days
• Field of Search: 715/744, 715/764
• US Class Current: 715/744
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A range manager system has a range definition controller, a range label handler, and a range definition indicator controller. The range definition controller controls setting of one or more boundary values defining one or more ranges. The range label handler handles labels of the ranges. The range definition indicator controller controls presentation of a range definition indicator representing definition of the ranges. The range definition indicator controller presents the ranges in vertical arrangement so as to provide an intuitive representation of the definition of the ranges.

Claims

1. A range manager system comprising:

a range definition controller receiving a plurality of boundary values from a user and positioning each received boundary value in numerical order on a single range between a highest value and a lowest value, thereby creating sub-ranges within the single range without requiring the user to specify the boundaries of the sub-ranges, wherein the sub-ranges are non-overlapping and collectively span the single range entirely;

a range label handler applying user-defined labels to the sub-ranges; and

a range definition display area controller controlling, by operation of one or more computer processors, presentation of a range definition display area to the user via an output unit, the range definition display area representing a definition of the sub-ranges, the range definition display area controller presenting the sub-ranges in vertical arrangement so as to visually convey the definition of the sub-ranges,

wherein the range definition display area controller comprises;

a boundary indicator controller controlling presentation of one or more range boundary indicators based on the boundary values; and

a boundary value location controller controlling a location of each boundary value relative to its associated boundary indicator so as to indicate to which sub-range the boundary value belongs

a range redundancy handler handling redundancy in the sub-ranges based on the boundary values and the labels of the sub-ranges such that neighboring sub-ranges having a same label are presented as a single sub-range having a single label.

2. The range manager system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the boundary value selector provides a set of values potential as boundary values, and allows the user to select one or more desired values.

3. The range manager system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the boundary value selector provides a calendar and/or clock representation for a user to select a date and/or time as a boundary value.

4. The range manager system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the boundary value selector provides a searching dialog, and allows the user to search a value available in a data source.

5. The range manager system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the boundary value location controller controls arrangement of the boundary values such that the boundary values are arranged in order and the order is maintained.

6. The range manager system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

a range information store storing information of one or more predefined range conditions, wherein the range definition display area controller presents one of the predefined range conditions.

7. The range manager system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:

a data style handler managing presentation and modification of a style of data presentation based on the range labels.

8. A range defining user interface comprising:

a range definition display area being output by a range definition display area controller and by operation of one or more computer processors, the range definition display area comprising;

one or more boundary value boxes presenting boundary values on a single range between a highest value and a lowest value, the boundary value boxes being arranged vertically in order of the boundary values;

one or more sub-ranges within the single range, the sub-ranges defined by the boundary values, the sub-ranges being arranged vertically within the single range, wherein the sub-ranges are non-overlapping and collectively span the single range entirely;

one or more range boundary indicators indicating boundaries of the sub-ranges based on the boundary values; and

one or more user-defined range labels;

wherein a relative location of a boundary value box and its associated range boundary indicator is variable so as to visually represent to which range a boundary value shown in the boundary value box belongs, and wherein the range definition display area controller handles redundancy in the sub-ranges based on the boundary values and the labels of the sub-ranges such that neighboring sub-ranges having a same label are presented as a single sub-range having a single label.

9. The range defining user interface as claimed in claim 8, wherein the boundary value boxes allows the user to modify a boundary value in one of the boundary value boxes, and maintains the order of the boundary values in the boundary value boxes.

10. The range defining user interface as claimed in claim 9, wherein the range label boxes have preview boxes presenting previews of presentation styles of data fall within the sub-ranges depending on the range labels.

11. The range defining user interface as claimed in claim 8, wherein the range definition display area further comprises:

one or more boundary value moving controls, each associated with a boundary value box, each boundary value moving control allowing the user to relocate the boundary value box relative to its associated boundary indicator so as to change the sub-ranges to which a boundary value shown in the boundary value box belongs.

12. The range defining user interface as claimed in claim 8, wherein the range definition display area further comprises:

one or more range label boxes, each range label box presenting a user-defined range label for its associated sub-range.

13. The range defining user interface as claimed in claim 8 further comprising:

a new boundary value input section allowing the user to insert a new boundary value into the range definition display area.

14. A computer readable storage medium storing computer readable code for use in the execution in a computer of a method of managing a user interface to define a range, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a plurality of boundary values from a user;

positioning each received boundary value in numerical order on a single range between a highest value and a lowest value, thereby creating sub-ranges within the single range without requiring the user to specify the boundaries of the sub-ranges, wherein the sub-ranges are non-overlapping and collectively span the single range entirely;

applying user-defined labels to the sub-ranges; and

controlling presentation of a range definition display area representing a definition of the sub-ranges, the range definition display area controller presenting the sub-ranges in vertical arrangement so as to visually convey the definition of the sub-ranges, wherein the step of controlling presentation of a range definition comprises the steps of;

controlling presentation of one or more range boundary indicators based on the boundary values; and

controlling a location of each boundary value relative to its associated boundary indicator so as to indicate to which sub-range the boundary value belongs;

wherein the range definition display area controller handles redundancy in the sub-ranges based on the boundary values and the labels of the sub-ranges such that neighboring sub-ranges having a same label are presented as a single sub-range having a single label.

15. The computer readable storage medium as claimed in claim 14, wherein the step of controlling presentation of a range definition presents a range definition display area, the range definition display area comprising:

one or more boundary value boxes presenting boundary values, the boundary value boxes being arranged vertically in order of the boundary values;

one or more sub-ranges defined by the boundary values, the sub-ranges being arranged vertically; and

one or more range boundary indicators indicating boundaries of the sub-ranges based on the boundary values,

wherein the step of controlling a location comprising the step of allowing the user to change a relative location of a boundary value box and its associated range boundary indicator so as to visually represent to which sub-range a boundary value shown in the boundary value box belongs.

16. A method of managing a user interface to define a range, the method comprising the steps of:

presenting to a user a range definition display area comprising;

one or more boundary value boxes presenting boundary values on a single range between a highest value and a lowest value, the boundary value boxes being arranged vertically in order of the boundary values;

one or more sub-ranges within the single range, the sub-ranges defined by the boundary values, the sub-ranges being arranged vertically within the single range, wherein the sub-ranges are non-overlapping and collectively span the single range entirely;

one or more range boundary indicators indicating boundaries of the sub-ranges based on the boundary values; and

one or more user-defined range labels, wherein neighboring sub-ranges having a same label are presented as a single sub-range having a single label; and

allowing the user to change a relative location of a boundary value box and its associated range boundary indicator so that the relative location visually represents to which sub-range a boundary value shown in the boundary value box belongs.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the allowing step comprises the steps of:

allowing the user to modify a boundary value in one of the boundary value boxes, and

maintaining the order of the boundary values in the boundary value boxes.

18. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein

the presenting step further presents in the range definition display area one or more boundary value moving controls, each associated with a boundary value box;

and

the allowing step allows the user to relocate the boundary value box relative to its associated boundary indicator so as to change the sub-ranges to which a boundary value shown in the boundary value box belongs.

19. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the presenting step further presents one or more range label boxes in the range definition display area, each range label box presenting a user-defined range label for its associated sub-range.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19, wherein

the presenting step further provides a preview box to each range label box in the range definition display area presenting previews of presentation styles of data fall within the sub-ranges depending on the range labels;

and

the method further comprises the step of allowing the user to select the preview box to see an associated preview of the presentation styles of data.

21. The method as claimed in claim 16, wherein

the presenting step further presents a new boundary value input section in the range definition display area;

and

the method further comprises the step of allowing the user to insert a new boundary value into the range definition display area.