US5900870A — Object-oriented computer user interface

Claim 1

Independent Claim 144 words

A computer user interface, comprising: means for graphically representing objects that collectively are instances of a plurality of object types, wherein an object has a plurality of fields of which at least one field may contain information of any type; and means for creating and editing object types, and for creating, editing and displaying each instance of an object type using a template; wherein the means for graphically representing objects, and the means for creating and editing each object type and creating, editing and displaying each instance, present each object to and permit action upon and editing of each object by a user in a substantially uniform way, regardless of type, and wherein the means for graphically representing objects includes means for displaying a summary of a collection of objects showing one or more fields selected by a user from each of the objects.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 144 words

A computer user interface, comprising: means for graphically representing objects that collectively are instances of a plurality of object types, wherein an object has a plurality of fields of which at least one field may contain information of any type; and means for creating and editing object types, and for creating, editing and displaying each instance of an object type using a template; wherein the means for graphically representing objects, and the means for creating and editing each object type and creating, editing and displaying each instance, present each object to and permit action upon and editing of each object by a user in a substantially uniform way, regardless of type, and wherein the means for graphically representing objects includes means for displaying a summary of a collection of objects showing one or more fields selected by a user from each of the objects.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 21 words

A computer user interface according to claim 1, further comprising: means for permitting objects to be defined hierarchically by the user.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 34 words

A computer user interface according to claim 2, wherein the graphical display of the link includes at least one of a symbol for the second object, and a template associated with the second object.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 51 words

A computer user interface according to claim 1, wherein each object type has a set of actions that can be performed upon instances of the object type, and the objects are arranged in a hierarchy of increasingly specialized types, with each object type inheriting fields and actions from any parent thereof.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 17 words

A computer user interface according to claim 4, wherein a rule is one of the object types.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 17 words

A computer user interface according to claim 4, wherein a folder is one of the object types.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 26 words

A computer user interface according to claim 4, wherein a folder is one of the object types and a rule is another of the object types.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 44 words

A computer user interface according to claim 1, wherein a first object may contain, as part of a value of one of the fields, a link to a second object, and wherein the means for graphically representing the first object graphically displays the link.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 17 words

A computer user interface according to claim 1, wherein a folder is one of the object types.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 26 words

A computer user interface according to claim 1, wherein a folder is one of the object types and a rule is another of the object types.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 25 words

The computer user interface of claim 1, wherein the means for creating and editing object types includes means for adding fields to an object type.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 14 words

The computer user interface of claim 1, wherein the summary is a table view.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 14 words

The computer user interface of claim 1, wherein the summary is a graphical view.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 118 words

A computer user interface, comprising: means for graphically representing a collection of objects of more than one type in a selected one of formats, wherein one format is a table and another format is a graphical view wherein the structure of the graphical view shows relationships among objects in the collection, wherein an object has a plurality of fields, wherein at least one field may contain information of any type; means for creating and editing object types and instances of object types using a template; and means for permitting the user to customize the formats utilized by the means for graphically representing the collection of objects, according to one or more selected fields defined for the object types.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 118 words

A computer user interface, comprising: means for graphically representing a collection of objects of more than one type in a selected one of formats, wherein one format is a table and another format is a graphical view wherein the structure of the graphical view shows relationships among objects in the collection, wherein an object has a plurality of fields, wherein at least one field may contain information of any type; means for creating and editing object types and instances of object types using a template; and means for permitting the user to customize the formats utilized by the means for graphically representing the collection of objects, according to one or more selected fields defined for the object types.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 38 words

A computer user interface according to claim 14, wherein each object has a set of fields and a first object may contain, as part of the value of one of its fields a link to a second object.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 16 words

A computer user interface according to claim 15, wherein the graphical view is a node-arc graph.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 16 words

A computer user interface according to claim 14, wherein the graphical view is a node-arc graph.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 27 words

A computer user interface according to claim 14, wherein a folder is one of the types of objects in the collection and the collection is a folder.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 28 words

An interface according to claim 14, wherein the means for graphically representing includes means for permitting any of the formats to be applied to any collection of objects.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 14 words

An interface according to claim 19, wherein the graphical view is a node-arc graph.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 14 words

An interface according to claim 19, wherein the graphical view is a calendar view.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 14 words

An interface according to claim 14, wherein the graphical view is a calendar view.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 25 words

The computer user interface of claim 14, wherein the means for creating and editing object types includes means for adding fields to an object type.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 79 words

A computer user interface comprising: means for easily creating and editing object types with different fields, wherein information in at least one of the fields of each object may be of any type; means for easily creating and editing instances of objects of the defined object types; and means for easily creating different user-tailorable summary views of collections of the instances of objects, wherein a view is defined by one or more selected fields defined for the object types.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 79 words

A computer user interface comprising: means for easily creating and editing object types with different fields, wherein information in at least one of the fields of each object may be of any type; means for easily creating and editing instances of objects of the defined object types; and means for easily creating different user-tailorable summary views of collections of the instances of objects, wherein a view is defined by one or more selected fields defined for the object types.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 24 words

The computer system of claim 24, further comprising: means for easily defining links between instances of objects; and means for providing traversal of links.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 41 words

The computer system of claim 25, wherein links may be active links in fields of objects; and wherein the means for creating views may create views of objects generated by following active links in the fields used to generate the view.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 20 words

The computer system of claim 26, further comprising: means for easily defining agents for performing functions on instances of objects.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 38 words

The computer system of claim 27, wherein agents are defined as objects having fields including functions to be performed, and wherein the means for creating views allows a view to be created based on fields of agent objects.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 19 words

The computer system of claim 25, further comprising: means for defining agents for performing functions on instances of objects.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 38 words

The computer system of claim 29, wherein agents are defined as objects having fields including functions to be performed, and wherein the means for creating views allows a view to be created based on fields of agent objects.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 19 words

The computer system of claim 24, further comprising: means for defining agents for performing functions on instances of objects.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 38 words

The computer system of claim 31, wherein agents are defined as objects having fields including functions to be performed, and wherein the means for creating views allows a view to be created based on fields of agent objects.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 26 words

The computer user interface of claim 24, wherein the means for easily creating and editing object types includes means for adding fields to an object type.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 113 words

An object-oriented computer user interface system, comprising: a generic semi-structured object type comprising: a collection of fields, wherein at least one field may contain information which may be of any type; a create subclass method for permitting a user to create a new subclass of an object type; a create instance method for permitting a user to create a new instance of an object type; an edit method for permitting a user to edit the object type; and a display method permitting a user to select fields of an object type for displaying a summary of a collection of objects including objects of at least the object type, thereby providing user-tailorable summary views.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 113 words

An object-oriented computer user interface system, comprising: a generic semi-structured object type comprising: a collection of fields, wherein at least one field may contain information which may be of any type; a create subclass method for permitting a user to create a new subclass of an object type; a create instance method for permitting a user to create a new instance of an object type; an edit method for permitting a user to edit the object type; and a display method permitting a user to select fields of an object type for displaying a summary of a collection of objects including objects of at least the object type, thereby providing user-tailorable summary views.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 38 words

The object-oriented computer user interface system of claim 34, wherein the generic semi-structured object type further comprises: a field edit method for permitting a user to add a field to the collection of fields of an object type.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2002-05-03	2002-11-02	2003-05-04	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2006-05-03	2006-11-02	2007-05-04	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2010-05-03	2010-11-02	2011-05-04	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Object-oriented computer user interface

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