Logistic management system having user interface with customizable data fields

• US 7,480,867 B1
• Filed: 03/31/2003
• Issued: 01/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Original Assignee: Unisys Corporation
• Inventors: Rasmus, Todd M., Jungers, Scott A., Jancik, Joann E., Racine, Sandra J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong; Stephen S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pitaro; Ryan F
• Application Number:
  US10/403,427
• Time in Patent Office: 2,122 Days
• Field of Search: 715/744, 715/743, 715/826
• US Class Current: 715/744
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

A system is described that includes a host computer and a user interface module executing on a client computer. The host computer maintains data for shipment items, and the client computer executes a user interface module that presents a user interface that includes at least one activity region having a preference control input and a set of data fields to display at least a portion of the data associated with the shipment items. In response to activation of the preference control input by a user, the user interface module presents a preference control window to selectively enable and disable the inclusion of each of the data fields within the activity region.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a host computer operating software that maintains data associated with shipment items; and

a client computer coupled to the host computer via a network,

wherein the client computer executes a user interface module that presents a user interface having a single screen that includes at least one activity region having a preference control input and a set of data fields to display at least a portion of the data associated with the shipment items,

wherein the set of data fields are associated with the activity region and allow a user to input and edit the data associated with the shipment items,

wherein the single screen allows the user to perform an activity related to shipment of the shipment items without requiring the user to interact with a second screen of the user interface,

wherein the user interface module presents the activity region of the single screen to display at least one of the set of data fields for performing the shipment activity,

wherein, after presenting the activity region and in response to activation of the preference control input by the user, the user interface module presents a preference control window to selectively enable and disable the inclusion of at least one of the set of data fields associated with the presented activity region of the single screen for performing the shipment activity, and

wherein the preference control window only allows the user to selectively enable and disable those data fields that;

(i) are associated with the presented activity region having the preference control input that was activated, and (ii) are specified by a user-specific profile as available for customization by the user for that activity region.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface module presents the preference control window to include a first set of the data fields available for display and a second set of currently enabled data fields.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the user interface module presents the preference control window to include a first control input to move one or more of the data fields from the first set to the second set to enable the data fields.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the user interface module presents the preference control window to include a second control input to move one or more of the data fields from the second set to the first set to disable the data fields.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the user interface module presents the preference control window to include third and fourth control inputs to reorder the data fields of the second set, and wherein the user interface modules orders the data fields of the activity region in accordance with the order of the second set.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the user interface module presents the preference control window to include a save input mechanism, and wherein in response to activation of the save input mechanism by the user, the user interface module communicates with the host computer to save data specifying the enabled data fields and the order of the enabled data fields.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the host computer stores the user-specific profile such that the user-specific profile further specifies the enabled data fields and the order of the enabled data fields for each of a plurality of users.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the host computer maintains access rights for the user, and the user interface module selects the data fields for the preference control window based on the access rights.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the user interface module provides an administrative user interface by which an administrator specifies the data fields that the user may control via the preference control window.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface module defines the set of data fields as a container of objects that conform to a document object model, and dynamically generates the container based on the enabled data fields.

11. A method comprising:

presenting, to a user, a user interface having a single screen with which the user interacts to perform an activity related to shipment of shipment items without interacting with a second screen of the user interface,

wherein the single screen includes at least one activity region having a set of data fields to display at least a portion of data associated with the shipment items maintained by a logistics management system,

wherein the set of data fields are associated with the at least one activity region and allow a user to input and edit the data associated with the shipment items, and

wherein the activity region includes a preference control input; and

after presenting the activity region, presenting a preference control window to selectively enable and disable the inclusion of at least one of the data fields associated to the presented activity region for the shipment activity in response to activation of the preference control input by the user, wherein the preference control window only allows the user to selectively enable and disable those data fields associated with the presented activity region that;

(i) are associated with the presented activity region having the preference control input that was activated, and (ii) are specified by a user-specific profile as available for customization by the user for that activity region.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising presenting the preference control window to include a first set of the data fields available for display and a second set of currently enabled data fields.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising presenting the preference control window to include a first control input to move one or more of the data fields from the first set to the second set to enable the data fields.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising presenting the preference control window to include a second control input to move one or more of the data fields from the second set to the first set to disable the data fields.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising presenting the preference control window to include third and fourth control inputs to reorder the data fields of the second set, and wherein the user interface modules orders the data fields of the activity region in accordance with the order of the second set.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising presenting the preference control window to include a save input mechanism, and wherein in response to activation of the save input mechanism by the user, the user interface module communicates with the host computer to save data specifying the enabled data fields and the order of the enabled data fields.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising storing the user-specific profile such that the user specific profile further specifies the enabled data fields and the order of the enabled data fields for each of a plurality of users.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

presenting an administrative user interface by which an administrator specifies access rights for the user; and

selecting the data fields for the preference control window based on the access rights.

19. A system comprising:

a host computer executing software that maintains data for shipment items, and a network interface means for generating a user interface as a single screen that includes at least one activity region having a set of data fields to display at least a portion of the data associated with the shipment items,

wherein the single screen allows a user to perform an activity related to shipment of the shipments items without interacting with a second screen of the user interface,

wherein the set of data fields are associated with the at least one activity region and allow the user to input and edit the data associated with the shipment items, and

wherein the activity region includes a preference control input; and

a display means executing on a remote computing device to present the user interface to a user,

wherein the network interface means generates the activity region to display at least one of the data fields for performing the activity,

wherein, after presenting the activity region and in response to activation of the preference control input by a user, the network interface means generates a preference control window to selectively enable and disable the inclusion of each of the data fields within the activity region of the single screen for performing the activity, and

wherein the preference control window only allows the user to selectively enable and disable those data fields associated with the presented activity region that;

(i) are associated with the presented activity region having the preference control input that was activated, and (ii) are specified by a user-specific profile as available for customization by the user for that activity region.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the network interface means includes generation means for generating the preference control window to include a first set of the data fields available for display and a second set of currently enabled data fields.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the generation means includes first control generation means for generating the preference control window to include a first control input to move one or more of the data fields from the first set to the second set to enable the data fields.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the generation means includes second control generation means for generating the preference control window to include a second control input to move one or more of the data fields from the second set to the first set to disable the data fields.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the generation means includes third and fourth control generation means for generating the preference control window to include third and fourth control inputs to reorder the data fields of the second set, and wherein the display means includes order means for ordering the data fields of the activity region in accordance with the order of the second set.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the network interface means includes save means for generating the preference control window to include a save input mechanism, and wherein in response to activation of the save input mechanism by the user, the save means communicates with the host computer to save data specifying the enabled data fields and the order of the enabled data fields.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein the host computing means includes access means for maintaining access rights for the user, and the network interface means includes selection means for selecting the data fields for the preference control window based on the access rights.

26. A system comprising:

a host computer operating software that maintains data associated with shipment items; and

a client computer coupled to the host computer via a network,

wherein the client computer executes a user interface module that presents a user interface comprising at least one screen having two or more regions,

wherein the two or more regions each have an associated preference control input and are associated with a respective set of data fields that display at least a portion of the data associated with the shipment items,

wherein each set of data fields allow a user to input and edit the data associated with the shipment items,

wherein the screen allows a user to perform an activity related to shipment of the shipment items,

wherein the user interface module presents the two or more regions of the screen to display at least one of the data fields for performing the shipment activity,

wherein, after presenting the two or more activity regions and in response to activation of either of the preference control inputs by the user, the user interface module presents a preference control window to selectively enable and disable the inclusion of at least one of the data fields associated to the activity region to which the activated preference control input associates, and

wherein the preference control window only allows the user to selectively enable and disable those data fields associated with the presented activity region that;

(i) are associated with the presented activity region having the preference control input that was activated, and (ii) are specified by a user-specific profile as available for customization by the user for that activity region.