Intelligence driven icons and cursors

• US 7,992,094 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2007
• Issued: 08/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Miller, Landon C. G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Tuyetlien T
• Application Number:
  US11/838,764
• Publication Number:
  US 20090049376A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,449 Days
• Field of Search: 715/273, 715/771, 700/79, 340/522
• US Class Current: 715/771
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34012 Smart, intelligent I-O coprocessor, programmable sensor interface
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37027 Sensor integrated with tool or machine

Abstract

A method is presented for representing emergent data in intelligent icons. The intelligent icons are visually coded to represent the emergent data. When logically linked, the visual coding of linked intelligent icons changes in accordance with how the intelligent icons are linked.

Claims

1. A method for displaying emergent information, the method comprising:

creating emergent information from underlying data;

creating at least one intelligent icon from the emergent data, wherein the at least one intelligent icon is visually coded to represent the emergent data for one or more specific parties on a visual display;

displaying at least one intelligent icon on the visual display, wherein the at least one intelligent icon presents information needed by a user to react to the emergent information, wherein the at least one intelligent icon is a spider chart;

interlinking the underlying data and logic for multiple parties on the visual display by clicking different intelligent icons for each of the multiple parties, wherein the multiple parties comprise a friendly marine vessel and a hostile marine vessel, and wherein the altering of the visual coding represents a likelihood that the friendly marine vessel is capable of interdicting the hostile marine vessel;

in response to the interlinking, altering a visual coding of intelligent icons associated with the multiple parties;

reacting to the emergent information by initiating physical action that results in the emergent information being changed;

presenting at least one intelligent icon as an intelligent cursor on the visual display; and

in response to the intelligent cursor being clicked, presenting the underlying data on the visual display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple parties comprises a specific retail store, a specific distribution center, and a specific transportation vehicle, and wherein the altering of the visual coding depicts an effectiveness of utilizing the specific distribution center and the specific transportation vehicle for providing a particular product to the specific retail store.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the underlying data is received from a previously stored database.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the underlying data is received from an array of sensors in an array location, and wherein the emergent information is initially created by:

programming each sensor in the array of sensors with a trigger rule, wherein the trigger rule describes a local condition that must be met for the sensor to trigger an event signal;

programming each sensor in the array of sensors with a relationship rule, wherein the relationship rule describes a hierarchy of communication control among sensors in the array of sensors;

activating the array of sensors; and

in response to conditions at the array location causing a predetermined percentage of sensors, from the array of sensors, to trigger event signals, generating emergent information about the array location, wherein the emergent information describes conditions at the array location, and wherein the emergent information exists only when the predetermined percentage of sensors trigger event signals.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the array location is on a water coastline, and wherein the array of sensors comprises a weather sensor, a thermal sensor, a video camera, a radar system, and an audio sensor.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoding therein computer readable instructions for implementing a method for displaying emergent information, the method comprising:

creating emergent information from underlying data;

creating at least one intelligent icon from the emergent data, wherein the at least one intelligent icon is visually coded to represent the emergent data for one or more specific parties on a visual display;

displaying at least one intelligent icon on the visual display, wherein the at least one intelligent icon presents information needed by a user to react to the emergent information, wherein the at least one intelligent icon is a spider chart;

interlinking the underlying data and logic for multiple parties on the visual display by clicking different intelligent icons for each of the multiple parties, wherein the multiple parties comprise a friendly marine vessel and a hostile marine vessel, and wherein the altering of the visual coding represents a likelihood that the friendly marine vessel is capable of interdicting the hostile marine vessel;

in response to the interlinking, altering a visual coding of intelligent icons associated with the multiple parties;

reacting to the emergent information by initiating physical action that results in the emergent information being changed;

presenting at least one intelligent icon as an intelligent cursor on the visual display; and

in response to the intelligent cursor being clicked, presenting the underlying data on the visual display;

wherein the underlying data is received from an array of sensors in an array location, and wherein the emergent information is initially created by;

programming each sensor in the array of sensors with a trigger rule, wherein the trigger rule describes a local condition that must be met for the sensor to trigger an event signal;

programming each sensor in the array of sensors with a relationship rule, wherein the relationship rule describes a hierarchy of communication control among sensors in the array of sensors;

activating the array of sensors; and

in response to conditions at the array location causing a predetermined percentage of sensors, from the array of sensors, to trigger event signals, generating emergent information about the array location, wherein the emergent information describes conditions at the array location, and wherein the emergent information exists only when the predetermined percentage of sensors trigger event signals,

and wherein the array location is on a water coastline, and wherein the array of sensors comprises a weather sensor, a thermal sensor, a video camera, a radar system, and an audio sensor.