Context-based management user interface supporting extensible subtractive filtering
First Claim
1. One or more tangible computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions for performing a method to determine one or more user interface elements to display for a user interface surface, the method comprising:
- receiving a definition of the user interface surface;
receiving an indication of a current context with multiple current context factors, each current context factor having a possible set of management element definitions with an associated set of user interface element definitions for presentation on the user interface surface, wherein the possible sets of management element definitions comprise logic for retrieving data to be displayed on the user interface surface determining an intersection of the associated sets of user interface element definitions as a display set of user interface element definitions, the determining the intersection comprising,applying a first subtractive filter before querying a management element store for one or more interface elements,applying a second subtractive filter after querying the management element store, the second subtractive filter being associated with the management element store, andapplying a third subtractive filter after receiving the definition of the user interface surface, the third subtractive filter being associated with the definition of the user interface surface; and
displaying at least a portion of the display set of user interface element definitions on the user interface surface using the logic for retrieving data to be displayed on the user interface surface of the sets of management element definitions associated with the user interface element definitions.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A management user interface can be generated at run time via subtractive extensible context-based filtering. Definitions of user interface elements can include an indication of appropriate contexts for which the user interface elements are to be shown. Context factors can include application state, external state, surface or element definitions, or some combination thereof. The context-based filtering approach allows definition of user interface elements and user interface surfaces so that appearance of additional elements in the appropriate surfaces can be accomplished without programming. For example, a user interface surface definition can specify categories of user interface elements. At run time, those user interface elements of the category can be chosen for display. When new elements relating to the category are added, the new elements appear when the surface is rendered. Other features include heterogeneous type selection and exact number homogeneous type selection.
56 Citations
35 Claims
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1. One or more tangible computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions for performing a method to determine one or more user interface elements to display for a user interface surface, the method comprising:
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receiving a definition of the user interface surface; receiving an indication of a current context with multiple current context factors, each current context factor having a possible set of management element definitions with an associated set of user interface element definitions for presentation on the user interface surface, wherein the possible sets of management element definitions comprise logic for retrieving data to be displayed on the user interface surface determining an intersection of the associated sets of user interface element definitions as a display set of user interface element definitions, the determining the intersection comprising, applying a first subtractive filter before querying a management element store for one or more interface elements, applying a second subtractive filter after querying the management element store, the second subtractive filter being associated with the management element store, and applying a third subtractive filter after receiving the definition of the user interface surface, the third subtractive filter being associated with the definition of the user interface surface; and displaying at least a portion of the display set of user interface element definitions on the user interface surface using the logic for retrieving data to be displayed on the user interface surface of the sets of management element definitions associated with the user interface element definitions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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22. A method of processing definitions of user interface elements at runtime of a management user interface, the method comprising:
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receiving a definition of a management user interface surface comprising a plurality of zones, at least two of the zones having different respective categories specified therefor; determining a user role of a current user; determining at least one user selection from the management user interface; for respective zones of the plurality of zones of the management user interface surface, determining a current context using the user role and the at least one user selection from the management user interface; applying a first filter for filtering management-related user interface element definitions before a query to a store of management-related user interface element definitions; for the respective zones of the plurality of zones, applying a second filter for filtering management-related user interface element definitions after querying the store of management-related user interface element definitions, the second filter being associated with the store of management-related user interface element definitions; and applying a third filter for filtering management-related user interface element definitions after receiving the definition of the management user interface surface, the third filter being associated with the definition of the management user interface surface; wherein the filtering of the first, second, and third filters is based upon the current context of a given zone to produce filtered management-related user interface element definitions, the user interface element definitions comprising trouble ticket functionality for a managed item; and rendering, in the respective zones of the plurality of zones of the management user interface surface, management-related user interface elements according to the filtered management-related user interface element definitions chosen based upon the current context for the respective zones and using logic contained in one or more management element definitions associated with the filtered management-related user interface element definitions; wherein the store of management-related user interface element definitions is codeless such that no code need be stored in the store to determine when and how to render the management-related user interface elements.
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23. A computer system comprising:
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a display; a central processing unit; computer memory; a user interface service stored in computer memory and executable using the central processing unit, the user interface service comprising; a set of management element definitions, the management element definitions comprising respective metadata indications comparable against a current context to determine whether a respective user interface element definition is to be chosen for display and further comprising logic for retrieving data to be displayed, the respective user interface element definition comprising trouble ticket functionality for a managed item; and a first management element definition context-based filter operable to filter before a query to a management element store; a second management element definition context-based filter operable to filter after a query to the management element store, the second management element definition context-based filter being associated with the management element store; a third management element definition context-based filter operable to filter after receiving a definition of a user interface surface, the third management element definition context-based filter being associated with the definition of the user interface surface; wherein the first, second, and third management element definition context-based filters are further operable to compare the current context against the respective metadata indications of the set of management element definitions to determine whether the respective user interface element definition is to be chosen for display; wherein the user interface service supports a hierarchy of user element definition types and wherein the first, second, and third management element definition context-based filters are operable to filter out parent user element types while allowing child user element types to pass through for display. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 35)
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28. A computer system comprising:
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a display; a central processing unit; computer memory having computer-executable instructions for performing a method, the method comprising; receiving definitions of at least two user interface surfaces; associating filters with the interface surface definitions; defining a set of management elements, the defining comprising a respective appropriate indication comparable against a current context to determine whether a respective user interface element is to be chosen for display; loading the associated filters with their interface surface definitions; filtering the set of management elements, wherein the filtering comprises using the loaded filters for the associated interface surfaces to compare the current context of each associated interface surface against the respective indications of the management elements to determine whether the respective user interface element is to be chosen for display, wherein at least one respective indication of the management elements comprises a user role factor comprising at least one user responsibility out of a plurality of responsibilities and at least one permitted user functionality; wherein the filtering further comprises; applying a first subtractive filter before querying a management element store; applying a second subtractive filter after querying the management element store, the second subtractive filter being associated with the management element store; and applying a third subtractive filter after receiving at least one of the interface surface definitions, the third subtractive filter being associated with at least one of the interface surface definitions; and displaying, using logic defined in one or more management element definitions, one or more respective user interface elements chosen for display, the one or more respective elements chosen for display comprising a user interface element for creating a trouble ticket.
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Specification