User interface form field expansion

• US 9,959,263 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2010
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Bach, Michael, Tan, Simon, Joshi, Vishal
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Quoc A
• Application Number:
  US12/962,644
• Publication Number:
  US 20120144285A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,702 Days
• Field of Search: 715221-226, 715273, 715762-763
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/14 Tree-structured documents parsing G06F40/205; validation G06F40/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/18 of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/183 Tabulation, i.e. one-dimensional positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/226 Validation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

The subject disclosure relates to configurable multi-view data entry. When a user encounters a form field with a complex data type, depending on the invoking mechanism, either automatic when on focus, or through a user gesture such as clicking on an icon in the form field, the form field expands to multiple form fields including the original form field. The multiple form fields can allow the user to enter in each separate data item that makes up the complex data type. As data items are entered, the data items can be combined into a correct format and displayed in the original form field.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an expander component configured to display, via at least one computing device, an input window that includes a form field, the form field displaying a compound data type in a formatted or delimited composition, the compound data type including multiple data components, the input window includes multiple constituent fields, each constituent field associated with a select data component of the compound data type;

a user interface (UI) configured to receive, via at least one computing device, data entry input into each of the constituent fields; and

a synthesis component configured to display, in real-time, via at least one computing device, correctly formatted inline updates to the form field, or to the input window, based upon the data entry inputs received by the UI, so that the form field displays the compound data type in accordance with the formatted or delimited composition;

wherein the expander component is configured to display the input window based upon at least one of invoking input received by the UI, automatic presentation, or an inference.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the compound data type is a formatted or delimited composition of multiple data subtypes.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the multiple data subtypes are at least one of simple data types that relate to single data elements associated with the multiple constituent fields, compound data types, or a combination of single data elements and compound data types.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the expander component is further configured to display the input window based upon a setting.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the expander component is further configured to display the input window based upon an inference.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the expander component is further configured to remove or hide the input window based upon at least one of a de-invoking input to the UI, completion of the data entry input, expiration of a time interval after completion of the data entry input, or a period of inactivity.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the synthesis component is further configured to display correctly formatted inline updates as the data entry input is received.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the synthesis component is further configured to display correctly formatted inline updates prior to completion of the data entry input or a portion thereof.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a copy component configured to store, via at least one computing device, the compound data type displayed in the form field to a memory buffer associated with a copy/paste function.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising an arrangement component configured to determine, via at least one computing device, at least one of a size of the input window or a location of the input window based upon at least one of a layout associated with the UI, a number or location of one or more other form fields or other input windows, a number of constituent fields, or a form factor associated with the UI.

11. A system, comprising:

a processor;

a presentation component configured to present, via the processor, an input window to a display component of a user interface (UI) of a device that includes a form field associated with a complex connection string employed to connect an application to a data source over a communications network, wherein the input window includes multiple constituent fields associated with portions of the complex connection string, wherein the complex connection string is displayed in accordance with a formatted or delimited composition; and

an updater component configured to present in real-time, via the processor, correctly formatted inline updates to the form field or the input window based upon data entry input received by the UI so that the complex connection string is displayed in accordance with the formatted or delimited composition;

wherein the presentation component displays the input window based upon at least one of invoking input received by at least one of the UI, automatic presentation, or an inference.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the presentation component is further configured to display the input window based upon a setting.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the updater component is further configured to present correctly formatted inline updates at least one of as data entry input is received, or prior to completion of the data entry input or a portion of the data entry input.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising a copy component configured to store the complex connection string presented in the form field to a memory buffer associated with a copy or paste function.

15. The system of claim 11, further comprising an arrangement component configured to determine at least one of a size of the input window or a location of the input window based on at least one of a layout associated with the presentation component, a number or location of one or more other form fields or other input windows included in the display component, a number of constituent fields, a form factor associated with the presentation component, a form factor associated with the device, or the UI.

16. A method for facilitating multi-view data entry, comprising:

displaying an input component via a user interface (UI) that includes a form field for a complex data type, the complex data type including multiple individual portions, the form field associated with a formatted or delimited composition;

displaying, in the input component, multiple component fields associated with the individual portions of the complex data type;

receiving through the UI input data in at least one of the component fields; and

presenting correctly formatted inline updates in real-time to at least one of the form field or the input component based upon input data received by the UI;

wherein the displaying includes at least one of;

displaying the input component in response to the input data received by the UI;

displaying the input component in response to the display of the form field by the UI;

or

displaying the input component based upon an inference.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the displaying includes

displaying the input component based upon a configurable setting.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising at least one of:

removing the input component from the UI;

displaying correctly formatted inline updates as the data entry input is received;

displaying the correctly formatted inline updates prior to completion of the input data or a portion of the input data;

storing the complex data type in the form field to a memory associated with a copy or paste function;

determining a size of the input component according to a first analysis;

or determining a position for the input component according to a second analysis.