Heuristic and intuitive user interface for access control systems

• US 8,095,889 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2008
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: DeBlaey, Ron, Zingsheim, Jeffrey S.
• Primary Examiner(s): BONSHOCK, DENNIS G
• Application Number:
  US12/119,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20090282366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,338 Days
• Field of Search: 715/712, 715/713, 715/705, 715/822, 715/811
• US Class Current: 715/811
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

The present invention advantageously provides a method for interfacing an access control system and an input device, comprising the steps of displaying, on the input device, a set of choices from a plurality of choices, receiving one choice, and modifying the displayed set of choices based on the one choice, wherein modifying is performed by a heuristic method and/or a usage-based method. The heuristic method determines if one choice is a request for additional information, and, if it is, modifies the choices to include the additional information, and to exclude advanced and typical choices; and, if not, modifies the choices to include the advanced and typical choices. The usage-based method comprises incrementing a choice counter, if the counter is greater than multiple choices, modifying the choices to extra emphasize the choice, and if not, modifying the to emphasize the choice.

Claims

1. A method for interfacing an access control system controlling access to a facility and an input device, comprising the steps of:

the access control system displaying, on the input device, a set of choices from a plurality of choices that together control operation of the access control system through the input device wherein at least one of the plurality of choices is a request for information about another of the plurality of choices and wherein at least one of the plurality of choices is a request for additional information regarding the occurrence of an event in the facility being secured;

receiving one choice of said displayed set of choices; and

modifying said displayed set of choices based on said one choice, wherein said step of modifying includes hiding at least some of the plurality of choices to expert-level functions based upon the number of times the request for information about another of the plurality of choices has previously been selected; and

displaying, on the input device, said modified set of choices.

2. The method according to claim 1, the heuristic method comprising steps of:

if said one choice is a request for additional information, modifying said displayed set of choices to include the additional information, and to exclude advanced choices and typical choices; and

if said one choice is not the request for the additional information, modifying said displayed set of choices to include the advanced choices and the typical choices.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the set of choices are setup choices.

4. The method according to claim 1, the usage-based method comprising steps of:

incrementing a count of said one choice;

if said count is greater than a multiple choices, modifying said displayed set of choices to extra emphasize said one choice; and

if said count is not greater than the multiple choices, modifying said displayed set of choices to emphasize said one choice.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the emphasize is performed by one of bolding, Outlining, and highlighting said one choice.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the extra emphasize is performed by the emphasize said one choice and adding an asterisk to said one choice.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the input device can be accessed through the internet.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the input device can be accessed through a control panel of the access control system.

9. A computer readable medium having computer readable program for operating on a computer for interfacing, an access control system controlling access to a facility and an input device, said program comprising instructions that cause the computer to perform the steps of:

displaying, on the input device, a set of choices from a plurality of choices that control operation of the access control system through the input device wherein at least one of the plurality of choices is a request for information about another of the plurality of choices and wherein at least one of the plurality of choices is a request for additional information regarding the occurrence of an event in the facility being secured;

receiving one choice of said displayed set of choices; and

modifying said displayed set of choices based on said one choice, wherein said step of modifying includes hiding at least some of the plurality of choices to expert-level functions based upon the number of times the request for information about another of the plurality of choices has been previously selected; and

displaying, on the input device, said modified set of choices.

10. The computer readable program according to claim 9, the heuristic method comprising steps of:

if said one choice is a request for additional information, modifying said displayed set of choices to include the additional information, and to exclude advanced choices and typical choices; and

if said one choice is not the request for the additional information, modifying said displayed set of choices to include the advanced choices and the typical choices.

11. The computer readable program according to claim 10, wherein the set of choices are setup choices.

12. The computer readable program according to claim 9, the usage-based method comprising steps of:

incrementing a count of said one choice;

if said count is greater than a multiple choices, modifying said displayed set of choices to extra emphasize said one choice; and

if said count is not greater than the multiple choices, modifying said displayed set of choices to emphasize said one choice.

13. The computer readable program according to claim 12, wherein the emphasize is performed by one of bolding, outlining, and highlighting said one choice.

14. The computer readable program according to claim 12, wherein the extra emphasize is performed by the emphasize said one choice and adding an asterisk to said one choice.

15. The computer readable program according to claim 9, wherein the input device can be accessed through the Internet.

16. The computer readable program according to claim 9, wherein the input device can be accessed through a control panel of the access control system.