EP0367709A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Customization of user interface for application programs
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1989-10-10
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-10-10
Abstract
Abstract An application program automatically creates and presents a customized user interface by determining a set of operations which is appropriate for the current user based on various relevant characteristics of the user and presenting only the specified operations in the menus, icons, application bars or other interface components of the application program.
Inventors
- 👤 Linda L. Kerr
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 05:03
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/44; G06F9/451; G06F9/453; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99939
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
201 words
In a data processing system, a procedure for automatically customizing a user interface of an application program to present a limited set of operations based on relevant characteristics of a user comprising the steps of: accepting input data relating to identifiers of actual or potential users of the application program, relevant characteristics of users and/or classes of users' and sets of operations of the application program which are appropriate for each such user or class of users; creating a user profile table which stores said relevant characteristics of users in a format which is searchable using the identifier of a user as a key value; storing the user profile table for later access; creating a customization table which stores said sets of operations in a format which is searchable using said relevant characteristics as key values; storing the customization table for later access; determining user identifier or relevant characteristics of a user when a user invokes the application program; searching the customization table for the appropriate set of operations based on the identifier or relevant characteristics of the user; and automatically generating user interface components during the running of the application program which present only the operations specified for the user.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
201 words
In a data processing system, a procedure for automatically customizing a user interface of an application program to present a limited set of operations based on relevant characteristics of a user comprising the steps of: accepting input data relating to identifiers of actual or potential users of the application program, relevant characteristics of users and/or classes of users' and sets of operations of the application program which are appropriate for each such user or class of users; creating a user profile table which stores said relevant characteristics of users in a format which is searchable using the identifier of a user as a key value; storing the user profile table for later access; creating a customization table which stores said sets of operations in a format which is searchable using said relevant characteristics as key values; storing the customization table for later access; determining user identifier or relevant characteristics of a user when a user invokes the application program; searching the customization table for the appropriate set of operations based on the identifier or relevant characteristics of the user; and automatically generating user interface components during the running of the application program which present only the operations specified for the user.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
The procedure for automatically customizing a user interface of an application program as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of determining relevant characteristics of a user is performed automatically by using an identifier of the user as a key to search said user profile table.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
76 words
The procedure for automatically customizing a user interface of an application program as recited in claim 1 further comprising the steps of: maintaining a count of the number of times a user has invoked the application program; determining said user's level of familiarity with the application program by reference to said count; and utilizing said level of familiarity with the application program as one of the relevant characteristics of the user in searching the customization table.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
70 words
The procedure for automatically customizing a user interface of an application program with system determination of the user's level of familiarity with the application program as recited in claim 3 further comprising the step of providing the user an option to override the count of times the user has invoked the application program to allow for variations in the time different users take to familiarize themselves with the application program.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
99 words
The procedure for automatically customizing the user interface of an application program as recited in claim 1 further comprising the steps of: maintaining a count of the number of serious exception conditions which occur during a user's session with the application program; automatically increasing said user's level of familiarity with the application program each time a session ends with said count being lower than a predetermined number; and storing said increased level of familiarity with the application program in the user profile table for searching the customization table in subsequent sessions by the same user with the application program.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
56 words
The procedure for automatically customizing the user interface of an application program with automatic in creasing of a user's level of familiarity with the application program as recited in claim 5 further comprising the step of providing the user an option to override said automatic increase in a user's level of familiarity with the application program.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
96 words
The procedure for automatically customizing the user interface of an application program as recited in claim 1 further comprising the steps of: maintaining a list of operations not in a user's customized operations set which are invoked by the user during a session with the application program; automatically adding to the user's customized operations set all operations from said list which were invoked more than a predetermined number of times within the session; and utilizing said additional operations in creating the user's customized user interface in subsequent sessions by the same user with the application program.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
The procedure for automatically customizing a user interface of an application program with automatic adding of certain operations to a user's customized operations set as recited in claim 7 further comprising the step of providing the user an option to override said automatic addition of operations to the user's customized operations set.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
105 words
The procedure for automatically customizing the user interface of an application program as recited in claim 1 further comprising the steps of: maintaining a count of operations not in a user's customized operations set which are invoked by the user during a session with the application program; automatically increasing said user's level of famil iarity with the application program each time a session ends with said count being higher than a predetermined number; and storing said increased level of familiarity with the application program in the user profile table for searching the customization table in subsequent sessions by the same user with the application program.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
55 words
The procedure for automatically customizing the user interface of an application program with automatic increasing of the user's level of familiarity with the application program as recited in claim 9 further comprising the step of providing the user an option to override said automatic increase in the user's level of familiarity with the application program.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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