U.S. patent application number 10/117061 was filed with the patent office on 2002-10-24 for semantic user interface.
This patent application is currently assigned to ActiveWord Systems Inc.. Invention is credited to Armijo-Tamez, Jesus R., Beauregard, Serge P..
Application Number | 20020156774 10/117061 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25388188 |
Filed Date | 2002-10-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020156774 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Beauregard, Serge P. ; et
al. |
October 24, 2002 |
Semantic user interface
Abstract
A system and method that allows a user to use their everyday
language or user defined words to operate a computer in a highly
efficient way. In short, every word, letter, control character and
symbol is potentially actionable. A computer user's productivity is
dramatically increased by making available those functions that
enable a user to produce most of his work through simple,
language-based commands. The present invention provides an
intuitive interface, referred to as a semantic user interface
(SUI), that enhances the operation of the current standard
window-based interface in a manner that is simple, richer and
natural. By leveraging all of the richness and power inherent in a
user's language, the present invention provides an important tool
that allows the personal computer to operate in a manner that is
much closer to our natural way of interacting. A user is allowed to
enter "commands" in his everyday natural language in order to
control the operations of the computer. All commands are
language-based and user-defined. These commands can be entered from
any context of the user's computer (e.g., any application or
operating system workspace). The commands allows a user to launch
applications and navigate within applications by using language
rather than clicks from a pointing device such as a mouse. It also
allows the replacement of keystrokes with stored words or
keystrokes. The system also keeps a complete archive record of all
the text content the user provides as input, regardless of which
application program or operating system window the user is
operating in at the time. The combined set of all user defined
commands and the memory of all the input text that is stored in the
archive constitutes the personality profile and is transportable
from one computer to another.
Inventors: |
Beauregard, Serge P.;
(Winter Park, FL) ; Armijo-Tamez, Jesus R.; (Santa
Teresa, NM) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STERNE, KESSLER, GOLDSTEIN & FOX PLLC
1100 NEW YORK AVENUE, N.W., SUITE 600
WASHINGTON
DC
20005-3934
US
|
Assignee: |
ActiveWord Systems Inc.
|
Family ID: |
25388188 |
Appl. No.: |
10/117061 |
Filed: |
April 8, 2002 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10117061 |
Apr 8, 2002 |
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09292008 |
Apr 15, 1999 |
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09292008 |
Apr 15, 1999 |
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08886011 |
Jul 3, 1997 |
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5974413 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 ;
707/999.003 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 9/45512 20130101;
Y10S 707/99932 20130101; Y10S 707/99933 20130101; Y10S 707/99931
20130101; Y10S 707/99936 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
707/3 |
International
Class: |
G06F 007/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A system for permitting a user to implement functionality. on a
computer, the functionality being provided across a plurality of
application programs or within an environment created by an
operating system, the computer including a data entry device,
comprising: means for monitoring all data entered or selected by a
user within any one of the plurality of application programs or
within the environment created by the operating system, said data
including one or more alphabetic letters, symbols and/or words,
wherein certain combinations of data represent action words; a
wordbase having stored therein a plurality of item records, each
item record having an action word and one of a plurality of
associated functions, wherein one of said item records includes a
default action word; means for searching said wordbase for a match
with an action word entered by said user; and means for performing
said function associated with said action word.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein said data is entered via a
microphone, selection device, or keyboard.
3. The system of claim 2, further comprising means for recognizing
voice signals input via said microphone to produce recognizable
data, wherein said recognizable data is used by said means for
searching.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein said data entered by said user
may be selected with a selection device by said user.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein a word entered by said user is a
dual word, wherein said user disambiguates said dual word to
indicate to said means for monitoring that said dual word is an
action word.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein said function can be activated
via a plurality of action words.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for monitoring
monitors for a delineator, wherein an action word is always
followed by an delineator.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein said delineator a punctuation
mark, a special character, entry of a space bar, or a click of a
selection device.
9. The system of claim 7, wherein said delineator is a predefined
key on a keyboard.
10. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for displaying
a charm box, said charm box having displayed therein information
relating to said data entered by said user.
11. The system of claim 1, wherein said function includes launching
an application program, a file or a folder.
12. The system of claim 1, wherein said function includes text
substitution, wherein said text is substituted at the position of a
displayed curser.
13. The system of claim 1, wherein said means for monitoring can be
toggled between on and off.
14. The system of claim 1, further comprising means for selecting a
block of data that is displayed via a graphical user interface or
one of the plurality of application programs, wherein said data can
be entered by selecting said block of data.
15. The system of claim 1, wherein said associated function may
include calling an agent.
16. The system of claim 1, wherein said wordbase is located on a
server connected to a network.
17. The system of claim 1, wherein a single action word can
activate two or more functions, the system further comprising means
for selecting between said two or more functions when said single
action word is entered by said user.
18. The system of claim 1, wherein said action word is formed by at
least two natural language words.
19. The system of claim 1, wherein said action words include code
words and dual words, the system further comprising means for
allowing said user to turn said code words and said dual words on
and off within said wordbase.
Description
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No.
08/886,011 filed on Jul. 3, 1997, which is incorporated herein in
its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates generally to a semantic
interface for a computer system, and more particularly, to a system
and method of providing a semantic interface that allows a user to
access via a set of user defined words a plurality of services,
including command, navigation and substitution, within all contexts
of his/her computer system.
[0004] 2. Related Art
[0005] Computers have revolutionized the way individuals in all
aspects of life perform tasks. A user interface provides a
mechanism for individuals to access all the features and
functionalities of their computer. Without a user friendly
interface, these features and functions are typically inaccessible
to the computer operator. The prevalent user interface in the
industry today uses windows, icons, menus and pointing devices. The
text stream entered by the user, however, has been essentially
ignored.
[0006] This window-based user interface (also referred to as a
graphical user interface or GUI) was first conceived by Xerox,
commercialized by Apple Computers (e.g., the Macintosh), and
brought to the mainstream by Microsoft Corporation (e.g., Windows
95). The GUI is powerful for organizing the capabilities and
resources available in a computer. It enables the user to
incrementally explore and discover his computer's capabilities and
controls. It keeps everything in a convenient visual context, using
helpful metaphors, like desktops and windows.
[0007] The GUI provides a menu hierarchy which is accessible via a
pointing device or mouse. One of the cornerstones of this interface
is the ability for the user to interact directly with objects and
elements. This can be a great advantage in some cases, but it can
result in making simple tasks that are often repeated into tedious
choirs of navigation through a maze of GUI windows. To provide the
ability to directly manipulate the elements or objects, you must
enable the user to work at an "atomic" level, losing the ability to
group a related series of basic actions into one high level action
or use of conditionals.
[0008] Under this paradigm, we can no longer access or work with
objects that are not visible or unknown to us. This situation is
not unlike going to eat in another country where we do not know the
language. We are thus forced to go to the kitchen and point to
whatever food we want. It is clear that we do not want to go to the
kitchen in order to eat; we would rather express ourselves using
all the richness that our natural language allows. In order to
accomplish this goal, the computer has to respond to human language
and not the other way around. In reality, we want to be able to go
to our favorite restaurant and say "give me my usual order" and
receive exactly what we ordered. This is personal attention and
awareness of your eating profile. This is, in essence, what we want
from our personal computer.
[0009] Advocates of the window-based user interface firmly believe
that the user should always be in control. The window-based user
interface provides permanent feedback to the user by providing
windows with menus. The down side of this is that the user must
always be in control even if he does not want to be or he cannot be
because of the complexity of the task. Windows 95, for example, has
started a trend in allowing the user to delegate his control to an
agent, through a concept of smart and thoughtful "agents." Such
tasks like un-installing software, are, for example, automatically
performed by Windows 95.
[0010] There are many tasks that a user must repeat again and again
when using a GUI, such as opening certain files and activating
certain controls. For such tasks, the GUI presents the user with a
single logic set, implemented within the limited screen real estate
of his computer monitor. Also, the GUI recognizes none of the
user's words. Even the simplest functions requires the user to
change mode from the keyboard to hand/eye mouse control. To use the
GUI, he must lift his hand from the keyboard to the mouse. He must
also lift his eyes to the screen to locate the desired graphical
element, and then manipulate the mouse while visually monitoring
the result. This is like having to look at someone every time you
want to say a word to that person.
[0011] Computer systems must provide users with a mechanism to undo
a previous action when a mistake has been made. These same systems
must also provide a strong warning if an intended action will be
irreversible. This is not a great concern when you are a novice
user, but when you become a more experienced user, this feature
will turn against you and unnecessarily increase your workload.
Take for instance the simple task of copying a file to a floppy
that does not have enough free space. The Macintosh window-based
interface provides a warning that you must throw away X Kb in order
to make space. The user, in an attempt to make space, discards X Kb
of data from the floppy and places it in the trash. The user once
again attempts to copy the file onto the floppy, only to be told
that there is not enough room, but would you like to throw out the
trash. This is what you wanted from the start! What was a good
feature quickly becomes a nuisance.
[0012] The problem stems from the inability of the computer to
fully understand even our simplest intentions; it lacks our
personality profile. In order to overcome this problem, the
computer needs to build a deeper model of each user's intentions
and history in order to better serve the user's needs and to
eliminate unnecessarily repetitive activities. The core requirement
here is to provide mechanisms to ascertain how users work and to
track their activities in an unobtrusive way.
[0013] Current wisdom states that the more static and unchanging
our environments, the simpler and better it is for us. As we grow
in knowledge and understanding of what the computer can do for us,
we are willing to accept changes and learn to cope with them in our
quest to increase our personal productivity. Unfortunately, current
computer user interfaces have limited abilities to allow a user to
express themselves. If computers could communicate with a richer
language, it would not be so important that everything have a
uniform look and feel.
[0014] The computer interface should allow the user to perform any
task at any time, irrespective of the application that are
currently running. In other words, if a user is working on a word
processor and needs to make some calculations, he should not be
required to leave his work and open another application via a menu
driven user interface to complete the necessary arithmetic
operations.
[0015] Every computer user has a unique pattern of use. Typically,
80% of a user's work product is accomplished through repeated use
of only 20% of his software's available features. This is commonly
referred to as Pareto's Rule, and the 20% of the tasks are often
referred to as the "vital few." The 80% of available software
features and functions that are not needed or used by any
particular user must still be available to all other users through
the GUI system of menus and windows. Every user's "80/20" profile
is unique. Nevertheless, it is the need to organize 100% of the
available functionality that necessitates the depth, nesting and
complexity of current GUI system. As a result, the GUI is an
inefficient fit, to a greater or lesser degree, for every
individual user.
[0016] Over the years, a number of approaches have been invented to
tackle this problem of inefficient fit. Because of their inherent
limitations, none have been successful enough to reach the
mainstream user. Software entrepreneurs have developed "shortcut"
utilities of various designs. While not specifically marketed as
such, the intention of these utilities is to address each user's
"80/20" pattern of often repeated tasks. These "shortcut" utilities
take two forms: macros triggered by key combinations and icon
palette macros.
[0017] Macros triggered by key combinations typically take one or
both of two forms, macro utilities and text replacement utilities.
Macro utility programs provide shortcuts to functions and processes
such as opening applications and files, making menu selections, and
performing multi-step operations. Macro utilities, such as Tempo,
MacroMagic, and Keboard Express for the "WinTel" platform and
QuicKeys for the Macintosh are all activated by the user via
keystroke combinations. Microsoft's Windows interface offers many
key combination shortcuts macros to operate various controls, menus
and etc. To activate these macros, the user must press at least one
"control" key (e.g., <alt>), combined with pressing a single
"non-control" character (e.g., <x>). Users find it very
difficult to develop a mnemonically consistent scheme for
remembering such key combinations, for two reasons. First, the
combinations are mnemonically so arbitrary that it is difficult to
use mnemonic logic to memorize the cryptic key combinations. Also,
many key combinations only work a given way in specific application
programs, further restricting the combinations that are available.
The user's limited ability to remember and reflexively recall more
than a few cryptic key combinations severely limit's the usability
of macro utilities. Many people are so intimidated by the cryptic
nature of macros they refuse to even consider their use.
[0018] Text substitution utilities provide the ability to replace a
short string of typed text with long and/or formatted text. For
example, a user may define the code word "evp" to trigger the
substitution to "Executive Vice President", or define a short code
word like "nad" to be replaced by a series of pre-defined text
lines (name and address in this case). There are several utility
software products available to do that within single applications.
Text replacement utilities for single applications are, for
example, included with Word 7.0 for Windows95. Other examples
include ShortKeys for Windows and both SpellCatcher and TypeIt4Me
on the Macintosh platform. Recognition of the user's words by these
utilities is limited to the purpose of replacing one text string
with another. These utilities are writer's aids only. They do not
enable the user to also use words for controlling computer
processes and functions.
[0019] Icon palette utilities are used to give macros a visual
presence and context. The macros are activated via mouse clicks.
The Icon pallets are an attempt to use a visual interface to
overcome the cryptic and therefore hard-to-remember keystroke
interface for macro utilities. Often, macro utility products offer
icon palettes as a second, alternative interface for accessing the
macros. In this approach, a computer macro (process or function) is
assigned to a graphical icon, which is presented on an icon bar on
the user's screen. Examples of such utilities are included in
Norton Navigator for Window95 and in both QuickKeys and OneClick on
the Macintosh platform.
[0020] By definition, these Icon pallet utilities are an extension
of the GUI. Screen size, display resolution, and the user's
preference in allocating scarce screen real estate limit the number
of icons it makes sense for the user to display on his screen.
Given that the users "vital few" can involve scores or hundreds of
items, the Icon approach is severely limited by the visual real
estate available and the amount of visual complexity the user can
tolerate. Moreover, the user must memorize the relationship between
the graphic depiction of each icon and the function or process each
executes. As the users icon pallet population increases, the
distinctiveness of each icon is reduced.
[0021] The existing shortcut utilities do not offer the user an
integrated approach to creating, managing and using shortcuts for
content services, retrieval services and command. Their interfaces
are inconsistent and far too difficult to organize and remember.
Because the user must assemble his shortcuts using a collection of
different software products, he loses a lot of his gains in dealing
with cumbersome and time-consuming management of his shortcuts.
[0022] It is clear from the above, that the current trend to rely
solely on window-based user interfaces has seriously constrained a
user's ability to fully utilize their computer. Although the
window-based user interface has revolutionized the computer system,
and has allowed millions of people to use computers, we have
reached a point where a user's ability to fully appreciate and
utilize all of the features and functionalities of their computer
system has been compromised. Thus, what is needed is a system and
method that provides a user with an efficient, convenient and
natural way to utilize his everyday language to work with
applications, files, control commands, and the like, that form
his/her "vital few."
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0023] The present invention allows a user to use their everyday
language competency or user defined code words to operate a
computer in a highly efficient way. In short, every word, letter,
control character and symbol is actionable. The present invention
is based on Pareto's law, which applies to how people work.
Pareto's law states that people use 20% of all available tools and
functionality to accomplish 80% of their tasks. Similarly, 80% of
people's work is accomplished by repeating 20%, or the vital few,
of their tasks. By focusing on those activities that enable us to
produce most of our work and making them available through simple,
natural language-based commands, the present invention enhances a
computer user's productivity dramatically. The present invention
provides a more intuitive interface that enhances the operation of
the current standard graphical user interface (GUI) in a manner
that is simple, richer and natural. By leveraging all of the
richness and power inherent in our language, the present invention
provides an important tool that allows the personal computer to
operate in a manner that is much closer to our natural way of
interacting; that is, the way people interact with each other.
[0024] The present invention provides a language awareness
paradigm, which was born out of a very practical need: to do more
with current resources. The basic principles of the language
awareness paradigm can be stated very simply:
[0025] all commands are natural language-based and/or
user-defined.
[0026] the basic set of commands are designed to allow users to
gain access to their vital few (e.g., applications, documents,
controls and functions), which defines each user's "sweet spot" of
activity, using a least effort path.
[0027] all operations and functionality are unobtrusive.
[0028] all user's input is recorded in a context rich format for
future reference.
[0029] the combined set of all user word preferences, defined
commands, and the order in which the commands are stored in memory
constitutes a personality profile and are transportable from one
computer to another.
[0030] Based on the above principles, the present invention
provides a user environment, referred to as a semantic user
interface (SUI), that compliments the GUI. Via the SUI, the user is
enabled to enter action words and interact with the system to
control the operations of the computer. The SUI is always
monitoring the user's input text stream in the background.
[0031] The SUI thus makes the computer responsive, on a system-wide
basis, to the user's every word. Accordingly, the SUI allows a user
to enter action words from any context (i.e., any application or
operating system workspace). Action words are a new category of
words introduced by the present invention. Action words are thus
words that users place into the text stream as requests for
specific services from the present invention. There are two types
of action words: code words and dual words. Code words are action
words the user makes up or which are not part of his natural
language lexicon (e.g., not in the standard dictionary). For
example, typing "msword" to launch Microsoft's Word application is
an example of entering an code word. Dual words are utterances that
can be either ordinary content words or action words, depending on
the user's intention in typing the word. The user may type "excel"
because he intends it to be a content word in his application text,
or, alternatively, he may type it because he wants to use it as an
action word for opening Microsoft Excel. An "action word" can be
either a single word or a phrase that includes two or more
words.
[0032] The action words are then checked against the contents of a
wordbase. The wordbase includes a plurality of item records. Each
item record includes an action word (i.e., code word and/or dual
word) and an associated service script. The service script may
perform a content, retrieval, navigation or command service, or a
combination of these. If the action word entered by the user is
located within the wordbase, the service script associated
therewith is executed. Otherwise, the utterance entered by the user
is a content word and is ignored by the present invention.
[0033] Action words allow a user to launch applications, navigate
within applications and control application functions by using
their natural language rather than dragging and clicking with a
pointing device such as a mouse. The language used is personalized
for each user. That is, the action words can be user defined, thus
allowing a user to utilize his own lexicon of words to control
his/her computer. The present invention allows the user to identify
a variety of repetitive tasks and trigger them via their predefined
action words. It also enables new types of computer access,
information retrieval, and other services to be performed. The
present invention works with, and independently of, any software
application (e.g., word processor, spreadsheet, presentation
package, Internet navigator, and the like). It is thus a
context-free semantic user interface, software tool and an
application environment.
[0034] The present invention saves all information that is entered
by the user, and stores this information in a maintenance free
environment, referred to as an ActiveWords archive. The present
invention records and archives the user's input text on the fly
from whatever application he is working in at that time. The
present invention further creates a so called 7.times.7 data
repository, which is a database that is divided into seven
categories, each category having seven subcategories. The 7.times.7
categorization allows a user to record notes, expenses, to do
lists, and the like. Finally, the present invention is completely
portable. It goes wherever the user goes simply by providing for
the user's personal profile to be downloadable from one computer to
any other computer that has the present invention installed.
[0035] The user can create a user profile to match his unique
language personality. The present invention keeps an archive record
of the user's language preferences, word frequencies, and his
utterance behavior. It provides the user with tools for using that
archive, in combination with his user profile, to refine his SUI
and tailor it to match his habit's and preferences. Using the SUI
thus becomes reflexive, like the use of a mouse becomes reflexive,
because it is so easy to learn and operate, and because it operates
the same way in all contexts. Finally, the SUI establishes a
platform others can use to develop and sell application products
that leverage the SUI. By linking the SUI via software agents, any
software product can become language aware.
[0036] The foregoing and other features and advantages of the
invention will be apparent from the following, more particular
description of a preferred embodiment of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0037] The present invention will be described with reference to
the accompanying figures, wherein:
[0038] FIG. 1 illustrates the placement of the present invention
within an operating system in order to be able to monitor all user
inputs.
[0039] FIG. 2 illustrates an archive generated in accordance with
the present invention.
[0040] FIG. 3 is an architectural block diagram of the present
invention.
[0041] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a micro kernel engine
(MIKE).
[0042] FIG. 5 illustrates the interaction of a control center,
which is a central place to manage the present invention, with the
other components, of the present invention.
[0043] FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the control center.
[0044] FIG. 7 is a flowchart that illustrates how the present
invention checks a wordbase for action words.
[0045] FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary environment for the present
invention.
[0046] FIG. 9 is a flowchart of the operation of a toggle function
and pop-up menu function.
[0047] FIG. 10 is a block diagram of the MIKE and a content display
system (CDS) in accordance with the present invention.
[0048] FIG. 11 is a screen shot of a window that displays Mr.
IBeams comer, which provides feedback to the user regarding their
use of the present invention.
[0049] FIG. 12 illustrates the concept of multiple personal
profiles.
[0050] FIG. 13 is a flowchart that illustrates how the ActiveWords
archive is populated with data in accordance with the present
invention.
[0051] FIG. 14 illustrates a screen shot of a monitoring bar in
accordance with the present invention.
[0052] FIG. 15 is a screen shot of a window that displays a "Tip"
that allows a user to become acquainted with the functions of the
present invention.
[0053] FIG. 16 illustrates a screen shot of the monitoring bar
along with a plurality of associated pull-down menus.
[0054] FIG. 17 illustrates the launching of Microsoft Word 97.
[0055] FIG. 18 is a screen shot of a state table in accordance with
the present invention.
[0056] FIG. 19 is a screen shot of a LightEditor for adding code
words and dual words to the ActiveWords Wordbase in accordance with
the present invention.
[0057] FIG.'s 20, 22 and 23 are screen shots of the control
center.
[0058] FIG. 21 illustrates a wordbase item record.
[0059] FIG. 24 is a screen shot of a window that allows a user to
configure the monitor bar.
[0060] FIG.'s 25 and 26 are screen shots illustrating the Advanced
Find and Find functions of the present invention, respectively.
[0061] FIG. 27 is a screen shot illustrating a banner that is
displayed in a preferred embodiment when a dual word has been
entered by the user.
[0062] FIG.'s 28 and 29 illustrate the concept of a user
profile.
[0063] FIG. 30 is a screen shot of the ActiveWords ScratchPad.
[0064] FIG.'s 31A and 31B are screen shots of a window that allows
multi-item resolution.
[0065] In the figures, like reference numbers generally indicate
identical, functionally similar, and/or structurally similar
elements. The figure in which an element first appears is indicated
by the leftmost digit(s) in the reference number.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0066] I. Overview
[0067] A. The ActiveWords System
[0068] B. ActiveWord Services
[0069] 1. Action Services
[0070] 2. Archive Services
[0071] II. Exemplary Environment
[0072] III. Capturing Utterances Entered by the User
[0073] IV. Architecture and Operation of the Present Invention
[0074] A. Action Words and Content Words
[0075] B. Run-time Operation
[0076] 1. Wordbase 340
[0077] 2. Services performed by the ActiveWords System
[0078] 3. MIKE 330
[0079] 4. Monitor 110
[0080] 5. State Table 450
[0081] 6. Archiving User Text
[0082] 7. The Control Center
[0083] 8. Run-Time Operation of the ActiveWords System
[0084] 9. The Toggle function, Pop-Up Window, Charm Box
[0085] 10. Charm Words
[0086] C. The Application Programing Interface
[0087] D. Agents
[0088] E. Multi-Item Resolution
[0089] F. Portability
[0090] G. Third Party Application Programs
[0091] V. Examples of Using the ActiveWords System
[0092] VI. Conclusion
[0093] I. Overview
[0094] A. The ActiveWords System
[0095] The present invention, referred to herein as the ActiveWords
system, provides a semantic user interface (SUI). The SUI allows a
user to use his everyday natural language or user defined words to
operate a computer and/or manipulate the user's content in a highly
efficient manner. In short, every keystroke, every word, or group
of words is actionable. Consequently, a computer user's
productivity can be dramatically increased by using action words
that the user designates to activate controls and features. This
allows the user to produce most of his work through simple, natural
language commands. The present invention provides an intuitive
interface that enhances the operation of the current standard
window-based interface (also referred to herein as a Graphical User
Interface (GUI)) in a simple natural manner. By leveraging the
richness and power inherent in a user's language, the present
invention allows the personal computer to operate in a manner that
is much closer to the way people interact with each other using
words.
[0096] The present invention provides a simpler and more natural
way to work with the objects, applications, information requests
(i.e., queries), and the like that constitute each user's "vital
few." The vital few is each users unique pattern of using objects
(e.g., applications, files, folders) and processes (e.g., computer
controls and applications features) that comprise the user's sweet
spot. The SUI allows the user to activate his/her vital few, much
more quickly and efficiently than he can using the GUI. Because the
GUI is ideal for organizing the 100% of what is available, the user
will continue to rely on the GUI to explore, discover and activate
the 80% of things he seldom uses. For example, Windows 95 installs
approximately 9000 items (applications, files, parameters, etc),
all of which are accessible via the GUI. However, only a subset of
50-300 of these items comprise the average user's vital few. As
such, in accordance with the present invention, the SUI provides a
mechanism to access this subset of information, referred to as the
vital few, in an effective way.
[0097] The present invention is a system that acts upon human
language text that arrives at the user's desktop computer. Text can
be entered directly by the user via keyboard or voice. In the case
of voice, voice-to-text software is provided to translate the voice
signals. Alternatively, text may arrive via e-mail text, Internet
page text, or other forms of text from other sources. This text,
referred to as "given text," can be selected by the user using
conventional point and click technology. Once text has been entered
or selected in this fashion, the text is passed to the present
invention to determine its actionability. If the text is
actionable, the present invention executes the designated
action.
[0098] The present invention uses the same text input stream that
the user employs to input data to applications and applications
documents. The present invention constantly monitors the text input
stream and takes appropriate action when it senses a command from
the user. The ActiveWords system works all of the time and in all
contexts (i.e,. within any application program or within the
operating system workspace). The ActiveWords system accesses that
text input stream prior to its access by an application the user
may be using at any given time.
[0099] Active Words system exploits natural language by providing a
single-word (or multi-word) logic interface, referred to herein as
the SUI. That is, every word (or for that matter keystroke) entered
or selected by a user is actionable. The term "single-word" as used
in this document means any word that has meaning in the user's
natural language (e.g., "word" for wordprocessor) or a set of
letters that only has a predefined meaning to the user (e.g,. "wp"
for wordprocessor). The present invention also provides for
multi-word expressions. That is, two or more words may activate a
service. Implementation of a multi-word embodiment will be readily
apparent to one skilled in the art after reading the detailed
description provided below for the single-word embodiment.
[0100] As a result of the present invention, the rich naming logic
of natural language can be incorporated into a user interface.
Computer users can now leverage their natural language abilities to
assign names of their choosing for all their computer activities,
including launching application programs, controlling application
program operations, replacement of text, searching, retrieval of
information, and the like.
[0101] A user is enabled to enter "utterances." Each utterance has
the potential to control the operations of the computer. An
"utterance" is any natural language word or group of words, string
of letters or symbols, etc. followed by an delineator (e.g., a
space bar or punctuation mark). The present invention checks each
utterance against a wordbase to determine whether it is an action
word (i.e., a word that when entered or selected triggers an
action). The present invention thus senses the text stream for
action words and automatically erases them when they are
encountered. Action words are user defined. The action words allow
a user to launch applications and navigate within applications by
using language rather than clicks from a pointing device such as a
mouse. The present invention, alternatively, replaces an utterance
with designated words. The combined set of all user-defined action
words, as well as a history of the user's past actions, constitute
an ActiveWords user profile. That profile is transportable from one
computer to another.
[0102] The present invention creates an environment where there are
two classes of utterances that users can enter into their
computers: content words and action words. Action words are divided
into two groups: dual words or code words. Content words are words
entered into the text stream that the user intends as input to some
document, file, or directory. Examples include word processing text
in a memo, file names in the Microsoft Windows directory, numbers
in a spreadsheet.
[0103] Action words are a new category of words introduced by the
present invention that are actionable within the SUI. Action words
are thus words that users place into the text stream as requests
for specific services from the present invention. Code words are
action words the user makes up or which are not part of his natural
language lexicon (e.g., not in the standard dictionary). For
example, typing "msword" to launch Microsoft's Word application is
an example of entering an code word. Dual words are utterences that
can be either ordinary content words or action words, depending on
the user's intention in typing the word. The user may type "excel"
because he intends it to be a content word in his application text,
or, alternatively, he may type it because he wants to use it as an
action word for opening Microsoft Excel. Content words are not
action words because the user does not intend them to be action
words. As will be shown below, the present invention provides a
simple mechanism for designating whether an entered word is an
action word or a content word.
[0104] For many functions, the SUI offers the user a faster and
simpler alternative to reaching for the mouse and using the graphic
user interface (GUI). On a case by case basis, the user decides
which interface (GUI or SUI) is most convenient for accomplishing
his intended result. Typically, the SUI becomes the preferred,
least effort path, for accessing the vital few. In a short time,
the user settles into an optimum routine that combines his use of
the GUI with his use of the SUI.
[0105] B. ActiveWord Services
[0106] The ActiveWords system provides two types of services:
action services and archive services. The action services sense
keystrokes, symbols and words within the text stream. If an action
word is entered, the ActiveWord system takes whatever action the
user has specified (i.e., each action word has at least one
associated action associated therewith) for that action word.
Action services are divided into five groups: command functions,
content functions, navigation functions, information functions and
complex functions. The archive services maintains a record of all
the text the user enters as input via keyboard or voice. As stated
above, these action and archive services are designed to be
available at all times and within any context, so long as the
computer's operating system is running. Both types of services will
be discussed below.
[0107] 1. Action Services
[0108] The present invention can be used to activate command
functions. Command functions include, for example, window controls
(e.g., resizing a window) and applications controls (e.g., save,
print, search, view, open, etc.).
[0109] The present invention can also be used to activate content
functions. Thus, action words can be used to achieve content
results, such as text substitutions, punctuation, text formatting,
text content transformation, and the like. In particular, the
ActiveWords system can be used to perform text content
substitutions, such as the detection and a correction of double
capitals (e.g., THe becomes The), abbreviations, expansions (e.g.,
ceo becomes Chief Executive Officer) and large text insertions. The
content functions further include insertion of punctuation, such as
quotes and contractions. Still further, the content functions
include formatting, such as complex formatting for programming, or
for name and addresses. Finally, the content functions include
content transformations, such as language translations (e.g.,
English to French), number to text conversion, currency conversion
(e.g., dollars to pounds or yen), in-place arithmetic (e.g.,
replace "100+300" with "400"), date transformations (e.g., 7/1/97
to Jul. 1, 1997), data conversions (e.g., chemistry symbols and
acronyms), and the like.
[0110] The present invention can further be used to activate
navigation functions. Thus, active words can be used to launch
application programs and navigate within an application program.
For example, a single-word, such as "excel," can be used to launch
a spreadsheet program from anywhere within the working environment
of a user's computer. The user can use action words to navigate
between different views in an application (e.g., navigating between
months, dates, weeks in a calendar/planning application, such as
Ecco). Documents within a wordprocessor can also be opened via an
action word. Accordingly, each of any number of documents or files
in a user's computer can be assigned an action word. Furthermore,
the user can launch various services that affect her computer
(e.g., backup of the hardrive) via an action word. These services
can be launched within the user's computer or across a network of
computers.
[0111] The present invention can also be used to locate information
within a user's computer or from external sources. For example, an
action word can be used to trigger a directory search or a database
search. Another action word may be used to trigger an Internet
search (e.g., find "xxxx" at the Wall Street Journal web site). Yet
another action word can retrieve a specific file or record
available via the Internet, extranet or intranet.
[0112] Finally, the ActiveWords system can be used to trigger
and/or perform complex functions, such as dialing a person's
telephone number or dialing a person's beeper service and send a
message to that beeper. The ActiveWords system also provides four
information and software resources, which are described in greater
detail below, referred to as the toggle function, pop-up window
function, charm-box function and charm-word function.
[0113] Note that most of the computer services and functions
discussed above are already available within a user's computer
(e.g., launching a program) or within a single application program
(e.g., text replacement or searching a database). However, access
to these services and functions is almost always context dependent
in that the user has to leave where she is (e.g., Excel) and
navigate to a specific tool or application service (e.g., Windows
95 start find menu) to obtain the service or control she needs.
From the perspective of the user, that is a cumbersome and time
consuming method. The user must find the service within the GUI's
maze of pull-down windows or to use difficult to remember
keystrokes that include control characters (e.g., ctrl, alt). The
present invention allows a user to utilize his everyday language to
activate these services, programs, functions, etc. from any context
in the computer. The service script will navigate to the
appropriate tool or context and perform designated action.
[0114] 2. Archive Services
[0115] The archive service records and stores all the text a user
inputs via keyboard or voice-to-text. The ActiveWord system tags
the text with identifying information, such as date, application
name and/or document or file name. The archive can thus be searched
based on the actual text entered by the user in combination with
the identifying information. The present invention further creates
a so called 7.times.7 data repository, which is a database that is
divided into seven categories, each category having seven
subcategories.
[0116] Provided below is a detailed description of a system
architecture for implementing a preferred embodiment of the
ActiveWords system, along with an operational description of the
present invention. Finally, this document concludes with a set of
examples that illustrate practical applications for the present
invention.
[0117] II. Exemplary Environment
[0118] The present invention may be implemented using hardware,
software or a combination thereof and may be implemented in a
computer system or other processing system. An example computer
system 801, which can be installed with the present invention, is
shown in FIG. 8. The computer system 801 includes one or more
processors, such as processor 804. The processor 804 is connected
to a communication bus 802. Various software embodiments are
described in terms of this example computer system. After reading
this description, it will become apparent to a person skilled in
the relevant art how to implement the invention using other
computer systems and/or computer architectures.
[0119] Computer system 802 also includes a main memory 806,
preferably random access memory (RAM), and can also include a
secondary memory 808. The secondary memory 808 can include, for
example, a hard disk drive 810 and/or a removable storage drive
812, representing a floppy disk drive, a magnetic tape drive, an
optical disk drive, or the like. The removable storage drive 812
reads from and/or writes to a removable storage unit 814 in a well
known manner. Removable storage unit 814, represents a floppy disk,
magnetic tape, optical disk, or the like, which is read by and
written to by removable storage drive 812. As will be appreciated,
the removable storage unit 814 is a computer usable storage medium
having stored therein computer software and/or data.
[0120] In alternative embodiments, secondary memory 808 may include
other similar means for allowing computer programs or other
instructions to be loaded into computer system 801. Such means can
include, for example, a removable storage unit 822 and an interface
820. Examples of such can include a program cartridge and cartridge
interface (such as that found in video game devices), a removable
memory chip (such as an EPROM, or PROM) and associated socket, and
other removable storage units 822 and interfaces 820 which allow
software and data to be transferred from the removable storage unit
822 to computer system 801.
[0121] Computer system 801 can also include a communications
interface 824. Communications interface 824 allows software and
data to be transferred between computer system 801 and external
devices. Examples of communications interface 824 can include a
modem, a network interface (such as an Ethernet card), a
communications port, a PCMCIA slot and card, etc. Software and data
transferred via communications interface 824 are in the form of
signals which can be electronic, electromagnetic, optical or other
signals capable of being received by communications interface 824.
These signals 826 are provided to communications interface via a
channel 828. This channel 828 carries signals 826 and can be
implemented using wire or cable, fiber optics, a phone line, a
cellular phone link, an RF link and other communications
channels.
[0122] In this document, the terms "computer program medium" and
"computer usable medium" are used to generally refer to media such
as removable storage device 812, a hard disk installed in hard disk
drive 810, and signals 826. These computer program products are
means for providing software to computer system 801.
[0123] Computer programs (also called computer control logic) are
stored in main memory and/or secondary memory 808. Computer
programs can also be received via communications interface 824.
Such computer programs, when executed, enable the computer system
801 to perform the features of the present invention as discussed
herein. In particular, the computer programs, when executed, enable
the processor 804 to perform the features of the present invention.
Accordingly, such computer programs represent controllers of the
computer system 801.
[0124] In an embodiment where the invention is implemented using
software, the software may be stored in a computer program product
and loaded into computer system 801 using removable storage drive
812, hard drive 810 or communications interface 824. The control
logic (software), when executed by the processor 804, causes the
processor 804 to perform the functions of the invention as
described herein.
[0125] In another embodiment, the invention is implemented
primarily in hardware using, for example, hardware components such
as application specific integrated circuits (ASICs). Implementation
of the hardware state machine so as to perform the functions
described herein will be apparent to persons skilled in the
relevant art(s).
[0126] In yet another embodiment, the invention is implemented
using a combination of both hardware and software.
[0127] III. Capturing Utterances Entered by the User
[0128] A preferred embodiment of the present invention is designed
to operate with Windows 95, an operating system designed and
distributed by Microsoft Corporation. However, the present
invention contemplates operating with any present or future
developed operating system, including Windows NT. For convenience,
the present invention is described with reference to the Windows 95
Operating System. The present invention is configured to always be
active in the background, similar to a real-time monitoring system.
Every time a computer implementing the present invention is turned
on, the operating system launches the present invention.
[0129] FIG. 1 illustrates how the present invention captures the
keystrokes (i.e., data entered by a user via a keyboard attached to
computer system 801) of the user. The present invention operates
with an architecture capable of monitoring for system wide inputs.
This broad I/O capability can be provided under the Virtual Machine
Manager (VMM 120) that is available under Win32. The VMM 120 is an
extensible operating system whose core and standard components are
provided by Microsoft Corporation. By writing additional modules
called VxDs (virtual device drivers), software and hardware vendors
can complement the VMM 120. The core of the present invention,
monitor 110, is implemented as a VxD (referred to as a Virtual
Input Driver or VID) under the Win32 bit environment.
[0130] The heart of the Windows 95 architecture consists of two
features: the dynamic VxD loader (VXDLDR.386) and the layered I/O
system provider VxD (IOS.386). It is the main responsibility of the
IOS VxD to catch I/O calls that user-mode applications perform to
file storage devices and route them to a set of layered VxDs that
will cooperatively process the calls.
[0131] Under Windows 95, a VxD can be loaded dynamically from
another VxD, from a 16-bit user-mode Windows or DOS based
application, or from a Win32-based application. To load a VxD from
another VxD, the services from the VXDLDR VxD can be used. A 16-bit
user-mode application obtains the VXDLDR's entry point and passes
the location of the VxD to load to the VxD loader. Once the VxD
needs to be unloaded, the application passes the module name of the
VxD to unload to the VxD loader. Unfortunately, there is no such
thing as a VxD handle that the user-mode application could use for
that purpose; either the module name or the VxD ID must be known to
the application in order to unload the VxD. A Win32-based
application must open the VxD using the CreateFile Win32 API to
obtain a handle to the VxD, and use the DeviceIOControl API to
communicate with the VxD.
[0132] FIG. 1 shows the location of where the monitor VID 110 is
placed under the Windows 95 Operating System in order to be able to
monitor all inputs (i.e., keystrokes and mousestrokes). Hardware
102 includes a keyboard, mice, microphone, handwriting tablet or
the like. The hardware 102 forwards the users input to a kernel
104. The operating system includes kernel or inner layer 104 and
upper layer 106. Both components include a plurality of window
components. The components (i.e., VM's, mangers, drivers, VxD's,
and VPICD) illustrated in FIG. 1 are well known in the art of
operating systems, and do not directly affect the present
invention. As such, for the sake of brevity, these components will
not be explained in detail herein.
[0133] The hardware 102 does not necessarily have to be connected
to a conventional personal computer or workstation. It is
contemplated that the present invention can be used to control
anything. For example, car or home alarms, appliances, audio/visual
equipment, cars, etc. Anything that has access to a processor and
operating system can utilize the present invention.
[0134] The monitor VID 110 is positioned between the two operating
system components 104, 106 such that a user's keystrokes or mouse
signals are captured prior to being forwarded to application
program(s) 118. The present invention requires that the keystrokes
entered by the user be captured prior to the operating system
forwarding the keystrokes to the foremost application program 118.
Voice signals are treated separately since they require additional
processing to convert to text, which is done using third party
voice-to-text software. The ActiveWords system will capture the
text characters from the voice-to-text software before it is
provided to the application program 118. Once captured, the source
of the text is irrelevant to the present invention.
[0135] The Monitor VID 110 is graphically represented to the user
in accordance with the present invention via a monitoring bar 325,
as shown in FIG. 14. The monitoring bar 315 will be described in
greater below in Section IV. 4. Generally, the monitoring bar 315
has two data fields: text field 1410 and feedback field 1420 and a
number of icons. Icon 1415 provides access to a productivity
center. Icon 1430, shown as C.sup.C, provides the user with access
to a control center, which is a central place to manage the present
invention. Icon 1460 is referred to as a "Mr. IBeam." Icon 1470
allows a user's profile to be changed. Icon 1440 provides access to
a LightEditor (FIG. 19). Icon 1450 provides the user with a find
function (FIG. 26). Icon 1480 provides an advanced find feature
(FIG. 25). Icon 1490 allows a user to select text, e.g., from a
notepad, spreadsheet, e-mail, word processing document, etc.
[0136] IV. Architecture and Operation of the Present Invention
[0137] As discussed above, the present invention provides
semantically driven functionality, thereby making the user's
computer "language aware." The present invention is responsive to
action words, which are the natural language text entered by the
user either via keyboard or voice. The text can be words or
phrases. There is no limit to the size of the phrase entered.
Although a preferred embodiment limits phrases to 80 characters.
Additionally, the user can select a word or phrase from a document,
e-mail, database or Internet via his mouse and submit the word or
phrase to the ActiveWord system as a potential action word. If the
word is an action word, the system will react exactly as if input
by the user via a keyboard.
[0138] The present invention operates in the background and takes
appropriate action when it senses an action word. The present
invention is seamlessly integrated with the operating system of the
user's computer thereby making it unobtrusive to the user. In an
alternate embodiment, the present invention is incorporated into
the operating system software. For the user's convenience, the
present invention provides a number of user signals and graphical
aids that help the user work with the SUI. Described below is the
general architecture and operation of the SUI, and its associated
components.
[0139] The Active Words system monitors the user's data input
whenever his computer is running, unless the ActiveWords system is
turned off by the user. In a preferred embodiment, the user can
place the ActiveWords system in "sleep" mode (via, for example, an
action word), such that inputted text is not monitored. The
services of the present invention are available in all contexts and
at all times. Being context free and "aware" of the user's natural
language and language(s)-of-art enables the ActiveWords system to
assist the user in many useful ways.
[0140] Context independence is essential to the effectiveness of
the present invention. The present invention works in the same way,
no matter what context the user is working in when he requests a
service. It makes no difference if the user is working in an
application program, a utility program, an Internet browser, or in
an operating system work space. The ActiveWords system does not
interfere with whatever text services his applications provide. The
user can use the full text services of Microsoft Word, for example,
along with the full text services of the ActiveWords system. It
compliments these application text services by providing greater
depth of functionality and universal, context free, operation. This
context-free operation enables the user to become reflexive in his
use of action words.
[0141] Reflexive use means that the behavior in question is
unconscious on the part of the person that performs that behavior.
Stepping on a break pedal, for example, is reflexive for an
experienced driver. Pointing with a mouse or other pointing device
is reflexive for an experienced GUI user. These behaviors would not
become reflexive if the break pedal only worked to slow the car on
some streets, or if the pointing device only worked to move the
cursor in some applications and not in others. Because these
devices are reliable and work in the same way all the time and in
all contexts, the user can become unmindful of them, thereby
entrusting those behaviors to her reflexes. From then on, she
performs the behavior automatically whenever she desires the result
of that particular behavior.
[0142] The ActiveWords system may be viewed as providing a virtual
personal computer within the user's actual computer. With
ActiveWords, the user can give his own names (i.e., action words)
to his computer's objects, processes, and features. He is no longer
a captive of the interface and naming choices that others have
provided. Every user's natural language vocabulary is unique to
some degree. His SUI needs to reflect that uniqueness. The
ActiveWords system enables each user to use and leverage his own
terminology, his own mnemonic metaphors, and the structure of his
personal language profile. It seems obvious that an English
metallurgist who is an amateur astronomer should have an SUI that
is significantly different from the SUI of a French businessman who
is interested in soccer.
[0143] A. Action Words and Content Words
[0144] There are two types of Action Words: code words and dual
words. a code word is any character string the user reserves for
the purpose of signaling the present invention to provide him with
a service. By designating a code word, a user is signaling his
intention to never use this combination of letters, symbols, etc.
as a content word. The ActiveWords system knows, therefore, that
whenever it senses a code word, it may immediately erase it from
the text stream. After erasing the code word, the present invention
executes a service script associated with that code word. In the
rare event when the user wants to type the code word as a content
word, he simply turns the SUI off temporarily. In a preferred
embodiment, an action word is provided to activate a service script
that turns the monitor window off until the next word has been
input. Alternatively, an icon on the monitoring bar 315, such as
Mr. I-beam, can be used to toggle between sleep and awake mode.
[0145] A dual word is any word (or phrase) in the English
dictionary (e.g., "file") or a word of-art that has a special
meaning in a personal or professional context (e.g., "walkthrough"
for programmers). In other words, a user may want a word to have a
dual purpose: (1) a content word to be used in an application and
(2) an action word to trigger a service. When a dual word is
sensed, the present invention recognizes it as an utterance having
a dual nature, in that it may be intended either as a content word
or action word. Accordingly, when it encounters such an utterance,
the present invention must be told by the user that it is an action
word (i.e., the user must disambiguate the dual word).
[0146] In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides
the user with a simple method for declaring his intention: a double
press of the space bar. If the user's intention is to use the
entered dual word as a content word, the user does not press the
space bar twice. In that event, the present invention ignores the
word and continues sensing for the next action word. If his
intention is to use it as an action word, the present invention
immediately erases the word from the text stream and executes the
service script associated with that action word. As should be
readily apparent to one skilled in the art, other techniques can be
used for disambiguating a dual word.
[0147] The present invention is language neutral. In other words,
regardless of the user's natural language, English, Spanish,
German, French, etc., the present invention operates the same. The
user can designate any word(s) as an action word(s). The user can
use any nicknaming logic for creating action words. For example,
the user might use "ms" as an Code Word prefix to trigger service
scripts related to various Microsoft application programs.
Accordingly, "msw" could be the code word used to launch Microsoft
Word, "mse" to launch Microsoft Excel, "msp" to launch Microsoft
Powerpoint, "msa" to launch Microsoft Access, and so on. Obviously,
a suffix can also be used instead of a prefix to trigger service
scripts. Alternatively, the user can create code words without
mnemonic aids such as suffixes and prefixes.
[0148] B. Runtime Operation
[0149] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the present invention during
runtime operation. The present invention includes a Virtual Input
Driver (VID) 110, a microkernel engine (MIKE) 330, a monitoring bar
315, agents 370, agent registry and services 360, third-party
applications 118, a wordbase 340, a profiles registry 350, control
center 345 and set-up files 335. Window applications 118 include
word processors, spread sheets, presentation software, utilities,
and the like. The agents 370 are application programs that are
dependent upon the present invention (i.e., require input from MIKE
330 to operate), as described in greater detail below. MIKE 330
uses a scripting language to launch an application program(s) 118
or to control functions and features of application program(s) 118.
Each function is performed by a service script, which is associated
with each action word within the wordbase 340.
[0150] MIKE 330 is made up of several components and is shown in
further detail in FIG. 4. In operation, a user 310 enters an input
via a keyboard or selects text via a mouse. This input is captured
by VID 110. All typed keystrokes are received by the VID 110, which
extends the functionality of the Win 95 Operating System, before
they are dispatched to the applications 118. In other words, the
input text stream is "hooked" by the VID 110. In a preferred
embodiment, a mouse input is received by both the VID 110 and the
Windows applications 118. In other words, the VID 110 only monitors
and senses the activity of the mouse. (The present invention
monitors the mouse since the clicking of the mouse indicates a
change of context or the end of an utterance, which is analogous to
pressing the space bar.) In an alternate embodiment, user input 310
is entered via a microphone.
[0151] The user input is then forwarded to MIKE 330. When MIKE 330
is inactive, the VID 110 retransmits all user inputs back to the
foremost Windows application. The initial settings of MIKE 330 and
monitoring bar 315 are stored in the start-up files 335, which are
read at start-up and written to after changes or shut-down. Each
user has their own start-up files 335.
[0152] MIKE 330 displays in the monitoring bar 315 the characters
input by the user. It also sends feedback messages and displays
activity indicators through monitoring bar 330. The user can
interact with MIKE 330 through pop-up menus, as well as via the
controls associated with monitoring bar 315. These controls include
changing the current user profile, capturing selected text,
launching the LightEditor, launching the Control Center, bringing
in the Advance Find from the Control Center, displaying Mr. IBeams
productivity center, turning on/off the monitoring bar 315, and
going into "sleep" mode.
[0153] The profiles registry 350 is a listing of all available user
profiles. The concept of user profiles is discussed in more detail
below. All agents are registered in registry 360. The control
center, which is a central place to manage the present invention,
has access to the wordbase 340, monitoring bar 315, profiles
registry 350, agent registry 360 and agents 370. Each major
component of the present invention will be described in detail
below.
[0154] 1. Wordbase 340
[0155] MIKE 330 searches for action words or dual words stored in
the wordbase 340. In a preferred embodiment, wordbase 340 is a
relational database that is constructed using Jet Engine.RTM.
available from Microsoft Corporation. Wordbase 340 is where all
third party applications register their set of action words. The
present invention contemplates, for example, a law wordbase, a
medical wordbase, a business wordbase, etc. Thus, the medical
wordbase, for example, will include a set of dual words, code words
and associated scripts that are specific to the practice of
medicine. Upon installation, each of these "third-party wordbases"
will be seamlessly incorporated into a user's wordbase 340.
[0156] Each action word and it's associated service script comprise
an active wordbase item record. Each wordbase item record includes
the code word and/or the dual word that will trigger the execution
of the service script. A detailed illustration of each wordbase
item record is shown in FIG. 21.
[0157] When an action word match is found within wordbase 340, MIKE
330 accesses the wordbase 340 and retrieves the service script
associated with the active word or dual word. The service script
provides a content, retrieval, navigation, information or command
service, or a combination of these. Additionally, the wordbase 340
records statistical information concerning the code word or dual
word, such as incrementing a hit count, updating last access time,
etc. These counts are recorded in the related wordbase item records
and are used by the productivity center (FIG. 11) to provide
statistical data to the user. The statistical data is used by the
user to leverage the ActiveWords training features and improve his
productivity. The operations of add, delete and modify can be
performed by a user on wordbase 340 via the control center 345 or
via a light editor (FIG. 19, which is described in detail below) as
should be apparent to a person skilled in the art.
[0158] Every time the present invention senses that the user has
finished a word, it searches the wordbase 340 to see if that word
is in an item record as a code word or dual word. There are four
possible outcomes of searching for a word (or phrase) in the
wordbase 340:
[0159] (1) A matching code word is found in an wordbase item
record. In this case, the typed word is immediately erased and the
accompanying service script is executed.
[0160] (2) A matching dual word is found in an active wordbase item
record. In this case, the ActiveWords system immediately gives the
user audible and/or visual signals. FIG. 27 illustrates a visual
display (i.e., a banner) that can be provided to the user to
indicate that a dual word has just been entered. In this example,
"Excel" has been typed. The ActiveWords system provides a visual
message in the banner--"Dual Word detected. Press SPACE to use it."
Additionally, when the present invention senses a dual word it
provides an audible signal, such as a bell or whistle. The visible
signal can also be provided via a change in where the "eyes" are
looking in the Mr. IBeam icon 1460 on the monitoring bar 315. These
signals notify the user that he has the option to treat that dual
word as either an action word or as a content word. If the user
intends the dual word to be an action word, he presses the spacebar
a second time. The ActiveWords system immediately erases the word
from the application text input stream and executes the
accompanying service script provided within the associated wordbase
item record. Obviously, keystrokes other than an additional space
character can be designated (by the user) to signal the user's
choice to treat a dual word as an action word. If, on the other
hand, the user intends the dual word to be a content word, he
simply continues typing. The ActiveWords system does nothing with
respect to that content word, and continues monitoring the text
stream for the next active word.
[0161] (3) No matching dual word is found in the wordbase 340. If
one of the dual words in the wordbase has the value "default"
(including the quotes as part of the dual word), then this will
qualify as a match and the system will perform exactly as it does
for number (2) above with respect to the service script
accompanying this "default" dual word. This feature of the present
invention makes all words actionable. In one embodiment, the
"default" script is not activated unless an predefined key (acting
as a delineator) is pressed.
[0162] (4) No match is found in the wordbase 340 and there is no
"default" dual word in the wordbase 340. The word is therefore
assumed to be a content word. The system takes no action, and
continues to monitor the text stream for the next action word.
[0163] The default feature is a very powerful component of the
present invention. It allows every word to be actionable. Thus,
words that are entered or selected by a user, but do not appear
explicitly in the wordbase 340, result in a default script being
performed. For example, all words that evoke the default script
will trigger the same function to occur (e.g., launch a browser or
provide a text entry window).
[0164] Referring to FIG. 21, each record within the active wordbase
includes a plurality of fields. Field C indicates the activation
state, on/off, of the code word for this record. Field CW is the
code word. Field D indicates the activation state, on/off, of the
dual word. Field DW is the dual word. The Comment field allows the
user to associate a comment with his action words.
[0165] The Action field contains the service script that will be
executed upon the activation of an action word. The Category field
contains information regarding the category/subcategory indicating
where the record is registered. The Editing field defined the way
the item is going to be edited. The item record can be edited as
free text, free substitution, phone number, address, etc. The
Action Type field designates the rules the present invention will
follow in executing the script for that particular item. The action
type can be one of the defaults--substitution, command,
navigation--or the name of an external agent that will perform the
action. The Extra field allows the user to provide additional
information concerning the action word.
[0166] The CWCount field keeps track of the number of times the
code word as been used. The DWCount field keeps track of the number
of times the dual word has been used. The Xid field shows a special
action to be performed. For example, the action or replacement is
in the Extra field or the clipboard will be used to make a
substitution or the substitution is a password the content of which
will not be shown in monitoring bar 315 or enable markup language
for this item record. The Modified field shows the last date/time
the record was modified. The Accessed field shows the last time the
script specified in the action field was executed. The Signature
field indicates the creator of the record. The Flags field is
system defined. The present invention is not limited to having only
these fields within wordbase 340 and other fields are contemplated
(e.g., security, product administration, application priority).
[0167] The user gains tremendously if any word, in any language,
can be used to signal the ActiveWords system. By using words and
thereby incorporating natural language logic directly into the SUI,
the ActiveWords system becomes very powerful. The ActiveWords
system achieves this power by allowing the user to associate
service scripts with either code words or dual words, whichever is
easiest for him to recall.
[0168] The service script specifies the service to be performed
whenever the action word(s) within the item record is sensed.
Service scripts in the ActiveWords system are written in scripting
language. For example, a script for using the previous word a user
typed as the find target for a search of a file directory in
Windows 95, looks like this.
<erase last word><winstart
>f</winstart><delay><- ;last
word><enter>
[0169] (This script erases the last word type--activates the
winstart key--types the letter "f" that triggers the windows find
tool--closes the winstart key--waits for 600 ms--and calls in the
last word typed--and presses enter to launch the find
operation).
[0170] Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the
specific scripting language used is implementation specific. In a
preferred embodiment, the scripting language syntax is similar to
HTML. An exemplary subset of the scripting language used in the
present invention is provided below with reference to TABLE 1.
1TABLE 1 1 <F1> Function 1 key. 2 <F2> Function 2 key.
3 <F3> Function 3 key. 4 <F4> Function 4 key. 5
<F5> Function 5 key. 6 <F6> Function 6 key. 7
<F7> Function 7 key. 8 <F8> Function 8 key. 9
<F9> Function 9 key. 10 <F10> Function 10 key. 11
<F11> Function 11 key. 12 <F12> Function 12 key. 13
<LT> Lower than character"<". 14 <GT> Greater than
character ">". 15 <ESC> Escape key. 16 <DEL[:##]>
Delete key (for deleting) [repeated ## times]. 17 <TAB[:##]>
Tab key [repeated ## times]. 18 <BACK SPACE[:##]> Back space
key (for deleting) [repeated ## times] <BACKSPACE[:##]>
<BS[:##]> 19 <ENTER[:##]> Entry key [repeated ##
times]. 20 <UP[:##]> Up arrow key [repeated ## times]. 21
<DOWN[:##]> Down arrow key [repeated ## times]. 22
<LEFT[:##]> Left arrow key [repeated ## times]. 23
<RIGHT[:##]> Right arrow key [repeated ## times]. 24
<HOME> Home key (goes to beginning of line, or top of a
list). 25 <END> End key (goes to end of line or bottom of a
list). 26 <WINSTART> </WINSTART> Windows95 special key
to activate the "START" button. 27 <WINMENU> Windows95
special key to simulate a right mouse click. 28 <ALT>
</ALT> <ALT> simulates the Alt key down, </ALT>
simulates the Alt key up. An <ALT> must always be closed by
an <ALT>. 29 <CTRL> </CTRL> Same as Alt but with
the Control key. 30 <SHIFT> <SHIFT> Same as Alt but
with the Shift key. 31 <ALTGR> <ALTGR> Same as Alt but
with the AltGr key. This key is included in some keyboards for
special characters. 32 <WAIT[:####] Waits 600 milliseconds (.6
seconds) [or waits the <DELAY[:####]> number of milliseconds
indicated by the number]. 33 <MINIMIZE WINDOW> Minimize
window. 34 <MAXIMIZE WINDOW> Maximize window. 35 <RESTORE
WINDOW> Restore window. 36 <CLOSE WINDOW> Close window. 37
<NEXT WINDOW> Next window. 38 <PREVIOUS WINDOW>
Previous window. 39 <MOVE WINDOW> Moves the window. 40
<SIZE WINDOW> Sizes the window. 41 <MONITOR POWER> Sets
the state of the display. This command supports devices that have
power-saving features, such as a batter-powered personal computer.
42 <SCREEN SAVER> Executes the screen saver application
specified in the [boot] section of the SYSTEM.INI file. 43 <APP
EXIT> Exists the current application. 44 <CLOSE DOCUMENT>
Close the current document (only for MDI Application). 45
<MINIMIZE ALL> Minimize all windows. 46 <CLOSE APP>
Close the current application (same as Close Window). 47 <Active
Word[:WALT]> Can be any ActiveWord already existing in any
glossary. [If AW is an Active Word to launch an application, the
WAIT parameter indicates that ActiveWords should wait until the
launched app is up and running to continue analyzing the rest of
the Action] 48 <LAST WORD[:##]> Retrieves the last word from
the list of Last Typed Words (LTW) and places it where the current
focus is [or retrieves the ## word from the list of LTW]. 49
<LAST REPLACED WORD[:##]> Retrieves the last word from the
list of Last Replaced Words (LRW) and places it where the current
focus is [or retrieves the ## word from the list of LRW]. 50
<ERASE LAST WORD[:##]> Deletes the last word typed [or
deletes the ## word from the list of LTW]. 51 <ERASE LAST
REPLACED WORD]:##]> Deletes the last word replaced [or deletes
the ## word from the list of LRW]. 52 <LAST LINE[:##]>
Retrieves the last line from the list of Last Typed Line (LTL) and
places it where the current focus is [or retrieves the ## line from
the list of LTL]. 53 <LAST REPLACED LINE[:##]> Retrieves the
last line from the list of Last Replaced Line (LRL) and places it
where the current focus is [or retrieves the ## line from the list
of LRL]. 54 <LAST APP[##]> Retrieves the last application
name from the list of Last Applications Used (LAU) and places it
where the current focus is [or retrieves the ## application name
from the list of LAU]. 55 <LAST AW[:##]> Retrieves the Active
Word from the list of Last Typed Active Words (LTAW) and places it
where the current focus is [or retrieves the ## Active Word from
the list of LTAW]. 56 <LAST NESTED AW[:##]> Retrieves the
Active Word from the list of Last Replaced ActiveWords (LRAW) and
places it where the current focus is [or retrieves the ##
ActiveWord from the list of LRAW]. 57 <LAST DW[:##]>
Retrieves the DualWord from the list of Last Typed Dual Words
(LTDW) and places it where the current focus is [or retrieves the
## DualWord from the list of LTDW]. 58 <MORE INFO> Retrieves
information related with the last AW typed, from the Comments
field. 59 <MORE INFO:COMMENTS> Same as above. 60 <MORE
INFO:ACTION> Retrieves information with the last AW typed, from
the Action field and writes it as a replacement ignoring Type and
MarkUp Language tags. 61 <MORE INFO:COUNT> Retrieves
information related with the last AW typed, from the Count field.
62 <MORE INFO:NORMAL> Retrieves information related with the
last AW typed, from the DualWord field. 63 <MORE INFO:EXTRA>
Retrieves information related with the last AW typed, from the
eXtra field. 64 <MORE INFO:MASK> Retrieves information
related with the last AW typed, from the Mask field. 65 <MORE
INFO:CATEGORY> Retrieves information related with the last AW
typed, from the Category field. 66 <MORE INFO:XID> Retrieves
information related with the last AW typed, from the Xid field. 67
<MORE INFO:AWAPP> Retrieves information related with the last
AW typed, from the AWApp field. 68 <NESTED MORE INFO>
Retrieves information related with the last nested AW, from the
Comments field. 69 <NESTED MORE INFO:COMMENTS> Same as above.
70 <NESTED MORE INFO:ACTION> Retrieves information related
with the last nested AW, from the Action field and writes it as a
replacement ignoring Type and MarkUp Language tags. 71 <NEXTED
MORE INFO:COUNT> Retrieves information related with the last
nested AW, from the Count field. 72 <NESTED MORE INFO:NORMAL>
Retrieves information related with the last nested AW, from the
DualWord field. 73 <NESTED MORE INFO:EXTRA> Retrieves
information related with the last nested AW, from the eXtra field.
74 <NESTED MORE INFO:MASK> Retrieves information related with
the last nested AW, from the Mask field. 75 <NESTED MORE
INFO:CATEGORY> Retrieves information related with the last
nested AW, from the Category field. 76 <NESTED MORE INFO:XID>
Retrieves information related with the last nested AW, from the Xid
field. 77 <NESTED MORE INFO:AWAPP> Retrieves information
related with the last nested AW, from the AWApp field. 78 <DW
MORE INFO> Retrieves information related with the last DW typed,
from the Comments field. 79 <DW MORE INFO:COMMENTS> Same as
above. 80 <DW MORE INFO:ACTION> Retrieves information related
with the last DW typed, from the Action field and writes it as a
replacement ignoring Type and MarkUp Language tags. 81 <DW MORE
INFO:COUNT> Retrieves information related with the last DW
typed, from the Count field. 82 <DW MORE INFO:AW> Retrieves
information related with the last DW typed, from the Active Word
field. 83 <DW MORE INFO:EXTRA> Retrieves information related
with the last DW typed, from the eXtra field. 84 <DW MORE
INFO:MASK> Retrieves information related with the last DW typed,
from the Mask field. 85 <DW MORE INFO:CATEGORY> Retrieves
information related with the last DW typed, from the Category
field. 86 <DW MORE INFO:XID> Retrieves information related
with the last DW typed, from the Xid field. 87 <DW MORE
INFO:AWAPP> Retrieves information related with the last DW
typed, from the AWApp field. 88 <UNDO> Undoes the last
replacement. 89 <DATE> Inserts the current date. 90
<TIME> Inserts the current time. 91 <SCRATCH PAD>
Brings up a text capturing window. 92
<DLL:DllName.dll:Function> Calls the specified function from
a .DLL. The Function parameter is case sensitive. 93 <LAST
something[:N.vertline.LIST][:D]> Applies to all the "LAST"
commands (e.g. word, replaced word, line, etc.). When a number is
specified, the something in the Nth position is returned (normal
behavior). The user can also specify a group of elements through a
LIST. This list may have any of the forms: 1-3 1, 2, 5 4-8 1, 3,
5-10 If the last parameter is D, the last something(s) are returned
with their respective delimiters. 94 <NOTIFICATIONI[:Bannertype-
][Sound file]> Indicates that a notification must be presented
when the term is hit. The Banner Type can be: GO FIND CLOSE If no
Banner Type is specified, the default for all other actions is
DEFAULT. The user can specify a sound file other than the default.
95 <ONLY:App1, App2 . . . AppN> Specifies that the current CW
and DW should only be executed if they are being called from one of
the specified applications. 96 <NOT:App 1, App2 . . . AppN>
Specifies that the current CW and DW should not be executed if they
are being called from one of the specified applications. <USER
INPUT[:Question]> Brings up the ScratchPad as a text capturing
window, with a user definable question or message. 97 <INPUT
INFO> Inserts the information captured by the last call to the
<USER INPUT> tag within the current script. 98
<{VARIABLE}> Replaces the tag for the value specified by
VARIABLE, where VARIABLE can be other tags, such as LAST WORD. The
result is a new string to be evaluated. 99 <ED:{VARIABLE}[WORD
1, WORD2 . . . Executes the respective CodeWord in positional order
WORDN]:CW1, CW2 . . . CWN> depending on the number obtained from
resolving the VARIABLE, where if the result is 1 (one) the first CW
is executed, if 2 (two) the second CW is executed and so on. If the
result from resolving the VARIABLE isn't a number, but instead a
word, following should be the same number of words to compare the
VARIABLEs value, and once again, depending on which word matches,
the corresponding CW in positional order is executed. 100
<WITH:Word15 . . . Executes the rest of the script associated
with the item Word2, Word1 .vertline. Word1> containing the
DualWord found, only if the previous words match the parameters.
Where Word1 should match with the LastWord Typed and so on. Each
word separated by a comma is treated as a Boolean AND. Each word
separated by the .vertline. character is treated as a Boolean
OR.
[0171] Obviously, the present invention contemplates that the
service script syntax and content will expand and evolve. The
present invention is not limited to the service scripts provided in
TABLE 1. Rather, TABLE 1 is merely exemplary, as should be readily
apparent to those skilled in the art.
[0172] Scripts within wordbase 340 can also be qualified. For
example, a script can be designated as "only" if a user only wants
an action word to cause a function within a certain environment
(e.g., a replacement only in his e-mail application, but nowhere
else). A script can also be "contra" indicated if a user does not
want an action word to cause a function within certain environments
(e.g., perform a replacement of text unless he is in his e-mail
application).
[0173] This feature allows the same action word to produce
different functions depending upon the application that is foremost
(i.e., the application the user is working on at the time.) Thus,
once an active word is entered, the present invention checks the
wordbase 340 for a match. If it finds a match, but the script
indicates that within the present user environment (e.g., e-mail)
that the designated function should not be performed then the
system continues to check the wordbase 340 for another match. If it
comes across another match, and there is no contra indicator, then
the script is performed.
[0174] In one embodiment, a script can include an action word.
Thus, executing the script will require accessing the wordbase 340
to determine the next action to be performed.
[0175] MIKE 330 supports several users and user profiles. On
startup, MIKE 330 checks profiles registry 350. The current user
and profile can be changed on-the-fly via either an active word or
via an option control associated with monitoring bar 315 (i.e.,
icon 1470). FIG. 12 is a high level block diagram of a wordbase. It
includes two user profiles 1230 and 1240 and a set of shared item
records 1220. A list of all the user profiles and shared item
records is provided via a master index 1210. The wordbases can be
shared among different users on a system. The wordbase 340 may be
stored at the network level (e.g., on a server) so that all users
can obtain access and are read only. The present invention
contemplates that the wordbase 340 will be accessible over a LAN,
WAN, as well as other types of networks. Each user profile is a
unique view into the shared wordbase that contains everything the
user defines as his profile and the settings for these items. An
editor 1235 is provided, which can be accessed via a control center
345, as described below, to edit the items contained in the user's
profile.
[0176] Referring to FIG. 23, a view of wordbase 340 (as displayed
by the control center 345) is shown. The master index 1210 is shown
in window 2310. The master index 1210 is divided into drawers
(e.g., Hobby, Places, etc.) and folders (e.g., Cities, States,
etc.). FIG. 23 illustrates only six of the columns within wordbase
340. The columns of the wordbase 340 have been described with
reference to FIG. 21, and for the sake of brevity will not be
explained again.
[0177] FIG. 28 and FIG. 29 illustrate the concept of user profiles.
A user's profile includes a combination of third party applications
and wordbase item records, which are located in folders. Different
profiles can be created by enabling/disabling the ActiveWords
system for certain applications and by turning on/off folders of
wordbase item records. Furthermore, drawers and folders can be
assigned a priority.
[0178] FIG. 28 illustrates a list of applications (e.g., Microsoft
Word, Ecco Pro, Internet Explorer, etc.). In a preferred
embodiment, the present invention requires a user to configure an
application after a user launches the application for the first
time. These applications can be configured by the user to be on/off
or placed in sleep mode. If an application is on, the ActiveWords
system operates as described herein. If the application is off, the
ActiveWords system is disabled while the user is using this
application, but enabled in other contexts. Sleep mode disables the
ActiveWord system, but still allows a user to enter action words
via an ActiveWord Scratch Pad (FIG. 30). The Scratch Pad simply
provides a text entry field to the user. While in sleep mode,
action words entered directly into the application will not be
sensed by the ActiveWords system. In an alternate embodiment, only
certain categories of action words are placed in "sleep" mode. This
allows a user to still use a subset of his active words under
normal use (e.g., entered or selected from any application or
within the operating system environment).
[0179] FIG. 29 illustrates the drawers and folders that are part of
a user profile called "My Profile." Profile names are user
assignable. Drawers and folders can be turned on/off. Each folder
contains a plurality of wordbase item records. By turning a folder
"off," all wordbase item records within the folder are disabled. If
a folder is "on" for a given profile, the profile is extended to
include the pattern of wordbase item records in the folder that are
turned on and off. For example, FIG. 23 illustrates that certain
codes words and dual words can be disabled (e.g., the dual word
"items" is disabled). Each folder is further assigned a priority.
As such, if an code word appears in more than one drawer and
folder, the service script within the highest priority
drawer/folder will be executed. If a dual word appears in more than
one drawer/folder, a preferred embodiment of the present invention
provides for multi-item resolution, as described below.
[0180] A user can thus create multiple profiles by turning
applications, drawers and/or folders on/off and by assigning
priorities to each of the drawer/folder combinations. Thus, a user
may have several user profiles: one for work, one for entertainment
use of his computer, and several for each of his community and
hobby interests. The windows shown in FIG. 28 and FIG. 29 are
available via the control center 345.
[0181] The user profile allows, for example, an English speaking
metallurgist who is interested in astronomy, to share a computer
with someone having very different user profile. His sharing
partner may be a French businessman who has an interest in soccer.
Their respective user profiles are comprised of different
selections (items on or off) and precedence-orders for the
Applications in the Word Base.
[0182] An English or French user of the ActiveWords system will
populate his wordbase 340 with code words and dual words that make
sense to him as an English or French speaker. An English speaking
metallurgist, for example, would have additional "word-of-art"
items records (i.e., action words) related to metallurgy. These
metallurgy terms enable the ActiveWords system to provide services
tailored to the user's needs as a metallurgist. The user would
specify that his metallurgy items records must override any items
records that he has in the wordbase 340 for Standard English.
Therefore, the service script associated with "steel" in his
Metallurgy item record would override the service script associated
with "steel" in his wordbase item record for Standard English.
[0183] An English speaking metallurgist would have service scripts
associated with the word "mercury" in both his Standard English and
Metallurgy Applications. When he is at work, his user profile
priority settings tell the ActiveWords system to override
associations for "mercury" in his Standard English item record in
favor the his Metallurgy item record for "mercury." If our English
metallurgist is also an amateur astronomer, he might have an
wordbase item record for "mercury" as part of his ActiveWords
Astronomy Application (a hypothetical application). One of his user
profile's, that he uses for his hobby activities, would allow him
to give the item records associated with his Astronomy Application
precedence over the item records associated with his Standard
English and Metallurgy Applications. In that case, any service
scripts triggered by the planet name "mercury" would take
precedence over service scripts triggered by the metal "mercury" in
his Metallurgy or Standard English Applications.
[0184] In a preferred embodiment, code words and dual words are not
sensitive to upper/lower case. As such, "Mercury" and "mercury" are
handled in exactly the same manner.
[0185] The ActiveWords system leverages the precedence-order of
words that appear in two or more wordbase items records (i.e., as
part of two or more ActiveWords Applications). The system uses the
precedence-order in the user profile to determine which service
script should be triggered or otherwise given precedence when an
action word matches two or more wordbase item records.
[0186] In this way, ActiveWords takes the user's universe of
meanings and contexts into account, at the level of single-word or
multi-word expressions. The ActiveWords system allows the user to
designate and manage as many ActiveWords applications and user
profiles as he requires.
[0187] ActiveWords enables the user to manage and organize his
action words. The use of "mercury" above is a good example. In
addition to managing its use in three contexts (Standard English,
Metallurgy and Astronomy), the user may also wish to have "mercury"
capitalized when he uses it as a planet's name. He may also want
ActiveWords to substitute "Mercury" for "mc." The present invention
allows the user to have one place to go and one set of tools for
specifying and managing all his uses of a given word or a group of
words.
[0188] The ActiveWords system includes the capability to write
small agent applications that will automatically create an active
word record (action word and/or code word and the accompanying
ActiveWords script) that corresponds to the ASCII value of that
field. For example, an ActiveWords agent for Microsoft Outlook can
be written to access each of the contact name and company name
fields in the Outlook database and that creates an ActiveWords item
for each first name, middle name, last name and company name in
that Outlook database and stores each item in the ActiveWords
WordBase 340. Thereafter all those names are actionable as WORDS.
The same approach can be taken with names, or part numbers, part
names, or account numbers, telephone numbers, in any database.
[0189] 2. Services performed by the Active Words System
[0190] As discussed above, the ActiveWords system can perform a
variety of services in response to an action word, as discussed
above. In a preferred embodiment, service scripts are constructed
using a combination of these four service types:
[0191] (1) Content service--alters the user's text content in some
way. Transforming a shorthand word into its longhand form is an
example (e.g., typing "ddl" in order to have the ActiveWords system
type "due diligence"). The present invention can be set to
automatically capitalize the first letter of proper nouns. Hence
"tom" is automatically capitalized. Likewise for Washington,
January, pluto, easter, lincoln, cobol, etc. From the day the
ActiveWords system is installed, the user can forget about
capitalizing proper nouns that are common to his natural language
and his language(s) of art. Similarly, contractions automatically
receive an inserted apostrophe, e.g., can't, won't, couldn't,
shouldn't, hadn't, wouldn't, etc. Likewise with hyphenations:
user-friendly, client-server, single-keystroke, etc. The
ActiveWords system can also automatically corrects double caps at
the beginning of a word (occurs when the user accidentally stays on
the shift key too long), automatically capitalizes the first
letters in sentences, automatically eliminates double spaces
between words (if the user wishes) and automatically corrects
inadvertent use of the "Caps Lock" key so that "tHIS" is
automatically changed to "This".
[0192] (2) Information service--assembles and delivers software and
information resources to the user's screen (e.g., having the
ActiveWords system look up a word in a dictionary, database or at a
website via an internet browser).
[0193] (3) Command service--causes an operation to be performed by
a software application, a utility program, or by the operating
system (e.g., opening a word processing document).
[0194] (4) Navigation services--causes navigation within an
application or launches an application.
[0195] 3. MIKE 330
[0196] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of MIKE 330. MIKE 330 includes a
data manager 410, a fetcher 420, a command interpreter 430, a
navigational manager 440, a state table 450 and an agent services
module 460. Once the data has been captured by VID 110, it is sent
character by character, to data manager 410. Data can also be
entered via a microphone. Three actions occur while the present
invention monitors for user input: updating the state table 450,
searching for action words and updating an archive (not shown) with
the contents of the current text stream.
[0197] The data manager 410 is a simple character store that
ensures that no character is lost in case the system is busy. It
works as a circular or rolling storing list of 200 bytes under a
FIFO protocol. Data manager 410 is independent of the stream of
inputs stored in an archive (not shown) by the present invention.
The purpose of the data manager 410 is to detect an action word. An
utterance is cleared by the data manager 410 upon the activation of
a delineator. A delineator is a keystroke (or other indicator) that
signals data manager 410 that a complete set of keystrokes (e.g.,
word, group of words, number, etc.) has been entered. Bottom line,
any action by the user that provides an indication to the data
manager 410 that entered or selected text is an action word (or
phrase) can be a delineator. Example delineators include the
pressing of the space bar, change of application context, an end of
word punctuation, pressing the right or left buttons on the mouse,
a function (or other predefined) key, or the like. A delineator can
also be a biometric signal, such as eye movement, hand signal, etc.
Time can also be used as a delineator. A predetermined (and/or
assignable) time interval could be selected (e.g., two seconds)
after which an entered or selected word would be compared against
the wordbase 340. Each time data manager 410 is cleared, it begins
monitoring for another action word. The type of delineators used in
a preferred embodiment of the present invention is user
assignable.
[0198] The data manager 410 also sends all characters and special
keys (re-transmission of typed characters) from the user's data
stream to the command interpreter 430. The command interpreter 430
passes each utterance to fetcher 420. Fetcher 420 is responsible
for searching within wordbase 340 for action words. The wordbase
340 is searched after each delineator (e.g., space, tab comma,
other punctuation, etc.). Wordbase 340 is searched to determine
whether the utterance is actionable. Paired with each action word
in every item record of wordbase 340 is a service script, as
described above.
[0199] When data is entered via a microphone, the voice signals are
recognized by voice recognition software and the generated text is
provided to the command interpreter 430 via AW services 460. The
present invention further contemplates receiving the translated
voice signals via other components and/or drivers. Otherwise,
operation of the present invention is analogous to when data is
entered via a keyboard or selected via a mouse.
[0200] In a preferred embodiment, the fetcher 420 uses the Jet
Database Engine to look for utterances inside the wordbase 340.
That is, fetcher 420 determines whether the utterance matches an
item record within the wordbase 340. If the fetcher 420 finds a
match, it sends the action (i.e. service script), type, comments,
and informational fields associated with the action word to the
command interpreter 430.
[0201] The command interpreter 430 executes service scripts
associated with an action word. The command interpreter 430 sends
all keyboard related actions (replacements, special keys, and the
like) associated with fetched action words through the VID 110 to
the applications 118. For example, when the action word entered by
the user requires a substitution (e.g., "June" to "June"), the
command interpreter 430 forwards the replacement text to the
application program (e.g., wordprocessor) via VID 110.
[0202] The data manager 410 can also activate an action box 470.
The action box 470 is also referred to herein as a scratch pad
(FIG. 30). The action box 470 notifies the data manager 410 when
any of its options or related actions are executed. The action box
is a dialog feature for general purposes, such as inputting text in
response to a request from a service script. In its most common
use, the scratch pad is a window that enables a user to enter
action words when the user does not want to enter text into his
foremost application. The display of a window in which text can be
entered and selected is well known in the art.
[0203] The data manager 410 sends the typed characters (converted
from ScanCodes to characters), feedback messages, control changes,
and activity indicators to the monitoring bar 315. The monitoring
bar 315 sends notifications of changes to control option settings
the user issues to the data manager 410 via the monitoring bar's
icons or pull down menu.
[0204] The data manager 410 notifies the command interpreter 430
when a delineator is detected. This indicates that the user has
completed inputting a complete utterance that needs to be matched
against the item records in the wordbase 340 to determine if it is
an action word. The command interpreter 430 first compares each
word with a list of integrated action words, which are stored
locally within the command interpreter 430. Integrated action words
are special action words for controlling various functions directly
relating to the user's computer or the ActiveWords system, such as
temporarily deactivating the present invention for the next word
thus preventing the next word from being matched against the
wordbase 340. This is referred to as putting the monitoring bar to
sleep. The present invention also contemplates designating certain
common spelling mistakes or proper nouns as integrated action
words. For example "tHe" can be automatically replaced with "The"
without having to access the wordbase 340. If it is not an
integrated active word, it sends the word to the fetcher 420 so it
can check the wordbase 340 for a match with the action word.
[0205] If a match is detected by the fetcher 420, the command
interpreter 430 notifies the data manager 410 of the type of
service script (e.g., substitution, control, navigation, in-place
transformation) associated with the action word. If the service
script calls for a text substitution, the command interpreter 430
also sends the replacement text to the data manager 410 for further
processing (e.g., to act on another action word embedded in the
script).
[0206] Command interpreter 430 receives the service scripts that
fetcher 420 locates within wordbase 340 and proceeds to interpret
them. A service script is made up of a series of commands which can
range from a simple word replacement to a call to an application
program. Scripts also allows the present invention to use the
functionality included in agents 370 or application programs 118.
For example, a third-party PIM application can directly insert,
using Microsoft OCX controls, an appointment into their database
using their own insertion function by simply making a call from the
service script. This is a powerful and simple way, via the
ActiveWords system, for the user to leverage the capabilities of
third-party functionality.
[0207] The state table 450 provides information to application
programs 118 and agents 370 via ActiveWords (AW) agent services 460
and Win95 messaging system 405. The information includes data about
the user's typed/replaced text stream and the user's foremost
environment (e.g., program, window, document) at the time an action
word is sensed. It is a circular structure that contains lists of
the last W words typed, the last X words replaced, the last Y code
words typed or embedded, last Z lines typed or replaced. In a
preferred embodiment, W, X and Y are set to 15 and Z is set to 1.
However, W, X, Y and Z are user configurable. FIG. 18, which is
described in greater detail below, illustrates a screen shot of a
window that is displaying the state table 450.
[0208] The AW agent services are a set of functions and commands
offered by the MIKE 330 to the application programs 118 and agents
370. These functions can retrieve information from MIKE 330, send
information to the MIKE 300, set behavior, conditions and settings
of MIKE 330. The AW agent services 460 and the agents 370
communicate with each other through the Windows 95 messaging system
405. Agents 370 also communicate with applications 118 (e.g.,
wordprocessors, spreadsheets, etc.) through the Windows 95
messaging system 405. Through this channel the agents 370 can
request information or execute an action (such as fetch an action
word and execute its associated service script or paste text to the
current application) from MIKE 330. MIKE 330 further uses the
Windows 95 messaging system 405 to act on applications, such as
minimizing and maximizing windows.
[0209] Navigation manager 440 receives commands from command
interpreter 430 regarding the launching, closing, and navigation of
documents, applications, folders, links, URL's, and the behavior of
windows. Navigational manager 440 communicates with applications
via the Win95 Messaging system 405.
[0210] 4. Monitor 110
[0211] Monitor VID 110 is graphically represented to the user in
accordance with the present invention via a monitoring bar 315, as
shown in FIG. 14. The monitoring bar 315 has two data fields: text
field 1410 and feedback field 1420. The text field 1410 contains
the symbol, character or word currently typed (i.e., prior to a
space bar being pressed by the user or typing any other
user-defined delimiter). The feedback field 1420 provides an
indication, when appropriate, of the script being executed. The
launching of Microsoft Word 97 is shown in FIG. 17. The feedback
field 1420 illustrates the a script that is performed to launch
this application program. The feedback field 1420 can also be used
to display "hints" to the user for using the present invention. For
example, the message "use d for and" can be displayed to tell the
user that typing the letter "d" can be typed and the ActiveWords
system will replace the "d" with "and".
[0212] The monitoring bar 315 further includes a number of other
icons. Icon 1430, shown as C.sup.c, provides the user with access
to a control center 345, which is described below. Icon 1470 allows
a user to change his user profile.
[0213] Icon 1440 provides access to a LightEditor, which is shown
in FIG. 19. The LightEditor allows a user to make quick, simple
changes to a wordbase 340, such as adding or modifying items in the
wordbase 340 or consulting an existing item in the wordbase 340.
The LightEditor can also be activated by dragging and dropping a
shortcut to file, folder or program onto monitoring bar 315. The
user then specifies the action word that, when typed by the user,
will launch that file, folder or program.
[0214] The LightEditor allows a user to create and add an action
word and its service script to the wordbase 340. In a preferred
embodiment, the LightEditor is called from the monitoring bar 315,
either from an icon 1440 or from an option in the pull-down menu.
It can also be called via an action word. The LightEditor is
similar to the editing mask in the Control Center 345. It contains
several fields for user input, as well as buttons for actions
related with the contents of the various fields that comprise a
wordbase item record. The first two fields 1910 and 1920 are where
the user specifies the code word and dual word, respectively, for
that item. Each of these fields can be activated or de-activated
through a check box 1915 and 1925. If either of these fields are
empty, the corresponding check box is not checked. As soon as the
user types in an empty field, the corresponding check box is
automatically checked. The check mark tells the system to monitor
the text stream for that word and to perform the service script
when that word is encountered.
[0215] The user has to specify in what Drawer/Folder a new item is
to be inserted in field 1930. When editing, the user can modify the
destination of the item (i.e., move an item from one drawer/folder
to another). The LightEditor pre-selects the action type (also
referred to as a service type) within field 1940 related with a new
action word, depending on how the LightEditor was activated. If the
LightEditor was activated via a drag and drop operation by the
user, navigation is selected. On the other hand, if it is activated
through a icon on the monitoring bar 315, text substitution is
selected. The user can change the action type by selecting one of
the displayed action type categories via a mouse. When the action
type is selected, the wordbase browser software enables the user to
find the desired application, document, or link to be associated
with that action word. The action type also enables the browser to
select the correct editing mask for making additions or changes to
that wordbase item record at a later time.
[0216] Icon 1450 provides the user with a find function that allows
a user to find any word or set of words stored within his current
wordbase 340. FIG. 26 illustrates a window that allows the user to
enter one or more words to be located via a searching algorithm.
Searching algorithms are well known in the art, and for the sake of
brevity will not be described herein. Icon 1480 provides an
advanced find feature (FIG. 25), which is available via the control
center 345. The advanced find feature allows a more granular level
of searching (e.g., searching between two dates). Activation of
icon 1480 also launches the control center 345. Icon 1490 allows a
user to select text, e.g., from a notepad, spreadsheet, e-mail,
word processing document, etc., and search the wordbase 340 for the
selected text to determine whether it is an action word.
[0217] Icon 1460 is referred to as a "Mr. IBeam." Mr. IBeam is
cartoon character comprised of a vertical line with a pair of
graphically displayed eye glasses that cover a pair of eyes that
move. Mr. IBeam is designed to be a focal point to provide the user
with feedback regarding his text stream and action words. For
example, if the feedback field 1420 displays a "hint," the pair of
eyes will shift to look towards this field. Icon 1415 provides
access to "tips" to aid the user in using the ActiveWords System,
as well as Mr. IBeams productivity center. An exemplary tip is
shown in FIG. 15.
[0218] FIG. 11 illustrates Mr. IBeams productivity center, which
allows a user to optimize his use of the present invention. Mr.
IBeams productivity center has two windows: productivity window
1110 and training window 1120. The productivity window 1110 allows
a user to view his least and most used code words. It further
allows a user to view his most recently created (new) code words.
The productivity window 1110 further shows the number of keystrokes
saved as a result of using the text substitution capabilities of
the present invention during a current work session, as well as the
number of keystrokes saved from the day ActiveWords was installed.
Although only code words are shown in FIG. 11, dual words, or
action words generally, could also be displayed.
[0219] The productivity center can also provide feedback to the
user regarding application programs and/or text that do not
currently have an action word associated therewith. In other words,
the present invention provides feedback to the user regarding which
application programs or utterances should be assigned an action
word to make the user more productive. For example, the
productivity center may inform the user that she used the utterance
"productivity" 75 times during a session. Accordingly, the user may
want to substitute the code word "prod" to perform a substitution
to the word "productivity."
[0220] Mr. IBeams productivity center also provides a mechanism for
allowing a user to select training options. For example, a user can
select a subset of training code words. The system can then be
configured to provide "in-place punishment" (e.g., requiring you to
erase the inputted text and enter the code word) or just a reminder
that a code word is available (e.g., a banner). Training can also
be applied to dual words or actions words generally. Training thus
conditions the user, using operant training techniques, to utilize
the present invention in a reflexive manner.
[0221] The present invention is also configured in a preferred
embodiment to coach the user about how to leverage its text
substitution capabilities. It will tell the user which utterances
to abbreviate via code words. It will also analyze documents of his
choice to determine which words-of-art should have shorthand
equivalents. Each word in his wordbase 340 is assigned a savings
index based on how often it occurs in the average text, modified by
how often it occurred in the user's text files. The present
invention will estimate the keystroke savings that can be achieved
by implementing the advice.
[0222] A training agent (not shown) is also provided, which enables
the user to ask the present invention for help in learning the
shorthand, x words at a time. For example, if the user specifies
that he wants to learn 3 substitution words at a time, the
application will then pick the three words that have the highest
savings index and substitute "!Active Word!" each time he types the
full text of the word he wants to learn the shorthand for. For
example, if he types "this," the present invention will substitute
the user's defined shorthand, "!ti!". He then has to backspace over
"!ti!" and type "ti" in order to have the ActiveWords system
substitute the text "this".
[0223] After the user has learned the shorthand for a word, by
typing the code word correctly ten times in a row (for example),
the present invention will turn the training off for that word. It
will then turn training on for the three words that has the next
largest savings index value. This process can continue
indefinitely.
[0224] The user specifies how he wants the training agent to work.
He can override the defaults to designate the number of words he
wants to learn at a time, the number of correct code words in a row
that turn off training for a given word, and the error notification
pattern (e.g., "!ti!" above) the trainer should use when he types
the full word instead of it's code word. The training agent will
quickly make the user reflexive in his use of code words.
[0225] FIG. 16 illustrates a set of pull-down windows that are
associated with the monitoring bar 315 that can be activated, for
example, by pressing the right button on a user's mouse. Window
1610 allows a user to add an active word, open the control center
345, save a temporary active words, adjust the feedback mechanism,
change the monitoring bar settings, view internal active words,
information about active words, and exit the program. Obviously,
other menu selections can be provided.
[0226] FIG. 24 illustrates a window that allows a user to configure
the monitoring bar 315. Special code words can be assigned for
closing the monitoring bar 315, placing the monitoring bar 315 in
sleep mode and hiding the monitoring bar 315. The monitoring bar
315 can also be set so certain words, such as a password. Temporary
action words can also be added via the configuration window. Other
controls, not relevant to the present invention, can also be
provided, as should be readily apparent to one skilled in the
art.
[0227] 5. State Table 450
[0228] State table 450 is a storage file of fixed length, storing
data that has been entered by a user. The state table 450 is made
available to any application program 118 or agent 370. FIG. 18
illustrates state table 450.
[0229] Window 1810 displays the last fifteen typed words. Window
1820 displays the last fifteen replaced words. Window 1830 displays
the last fifteen typed content words. Window 1840 displays the last
fifteen typed action words. Window 1850 displays the last fifteen
embedded action word (i.e., an action word that is selected via a
mouse). Window 1860 displays the last fifteen applications
launched. Window 1870 displays the last fifteen lines of text as
entered by the user (including the net result of all
substitutions). Window 1880 displays the last fifteen lines that
included replaced text.
[0230] The state table 450 also stores a list of all end of word
punctuation, the name of the foremost application, the name of the
foremost document and the time and date of each entry in the state
table. The numbers provided above (e.g., last fifteen dual words)
are arbitrary. Furthermore, the state table 450 can store other
information as should be readily apparent to one skilled in the
art.
[0231] 6. Archiving User Text
[0232] The archiving agent (not shown) plays a critical role in the
overall operation of the present invention. An important part of
the personality profile of each user is contained within the
archived information. The archive also provides the information
upon which all statistical analysis is performed.
[0233] The basic block of archived text is that text that is
captured during a session. A session is defined to be all the
content words and keystrokes input via the user into the computer
uninterrupted in an application. Switching from one application to
another starts another session and creates another archive block of
text. After that, all blocks will be indexed by date (day, week,
month and year). (Note that content words are sometime placed
within a text stream via an action word that performs substitution.
For example, "wsj" can be a code word for wall street journal.
After replacement, the content words "wall street journal" becomes
part of the users text stream, and thus part of an archived text
block.)
[0234] FIG. 2 illustrates the full index hierarchy of the archive.
In particular, the contents of the session are stored in records.
Each record contains the actual text stream and a tag identifying
the application and file that were foremost when the text block was
archived. Furthermore, each record has an associated timestamp.
Text segments captured during a user's session are thus stored
based on these three categories. This data structure permits a user
to precisely locate information, oftentimes created months or years
before, in a minimum amount of time and effort.
[0235] In a preferred embodiment, in the context of the archive
tags, a full search capability is provided. Since the information
is application stamped, a detailed reference is available. A full
sort capability is provided when a user chooses to display the
archive as a table.
[0236] FIG. 13 is a block flow diagram that illustrates the concept
of the ActiveWord archive. The user 310 enters a text string, as
shown in block 1310. First, the present invention determines
whether the word should be stored in a 7.times.7 category in block
1320. If so, the inputted text is stored in the 7.times.7 category.
The present invention provides seven user-assignable categories.
Each category, in turn, has seven sub-categories. The ActiveWords
system automatically makes a default code word by using the first
letter of the category name and the first two letters of the
sub-category name. This scheme provides forty-nine (49)
user-assignable storage/retrieval files. The user can rapidly model
and accomplish his casual filing requirements using his 49
categories. He can change them on a going-forward basis at any
time. He may also change the default code words to any action words
(code words and/or dual words) he wishes to use.
[0237] At any later time, the user can search the 7.times.7 archive
for any word. The ActiveWords system can indicate where in the text
stream that word appears (in the context of text tags). The user
can also directly access the 7.times.7 files and read the entries
chronologically, by category/subcategory.
[0238] This is a very powerful facility for quickly taking and
organizing notes. The user does this for one of two reasons. One,
he is not sure if he will ever need that information again but
quickly files it away by category just in case. If he had to go to
the trouble of accessing an application or utility program to
record such notes, he might not take the trouble. A traveling
businessman might take casual notes of this sort about the
restaurants and hotels he visits in his travels. Two, a field
researcher would use this to take note of observations that occur
while he is working in different applications in his computer, not
wanting to take the time to open a special utility or application
for recording the note. He might use some or all of the available
forty-nine categories for various aspects of his research
projects.
[0239] A person may use the 7.times.7 to stage information for
later review and for entry into some other application. A
presenter, for example, would rapidly record notes this way while
making presentations at client meetings using Microsoft's
PowerPoint application. The 7.times.7 allows him to take quick
notes without leaving PowerPoint. In this case, he is quickly
staging his notes in a temporary location, 7.times.7
category/subcategory, for later disposition. Later on, in the
evening, he'll review his staged notes and move them to whatever
application he wishes for later follow-up. No matter where he moves
that information, a permanent record of those notes are maintained
and indexed according to the users's 7.times.7 tags. This
information is then available for later retrieval in the
ActiveWords archive.
[0240] The choice of seven categories and seven sub-categorize is
not accidental. Human factors research has established the "Seven
Plus or Minus Two Rule." Research has shown that people can only
reliably remember on-the-fly information that is chunked in
clusters of seven plus or minus two items or categories. That is
why, for example, telephone numbers are chunks of three and four
digit groupings. The 7.times.7 Repository was designed to provide
the user with a powerful archive and retrieval resource for casual
or staged information. Although a 7.times.7 data repository is used
in the preferred embodiment, the present invention contemplates any
number of categories or subcategories.
[0241] In one embodiment, an icon (not shown) is provided on the
monitoring bar 315 for storing information into the archive using
the 7.times.7 category tags. For example, the icon would result in
a pull-down menu that allows a user to select a
category/subcategory. In an alternated embodiment, one or more
action words are used to store text into the 7.times.7
category/subcategory. For example, a first action word designates a
specific category/subcategory, as well as indicating that the
ActiveWords system should start storing the entered text stream
into the specified category/subcategory. a second action word would
inform the ActiveWords system to stop storing the entered text
stream. Other mechanisms can be provided to select the 7.times.7
function as should be readily apparent to one skilled in the
art.
[0242] If 7.times.7 storage is not selected, the process continues
to block 1330. The present invention next determines whether the
user's inputted word is an action word, as shown in block 1330. If
not, it is a content word intended for the user's application.
Accordingly, the word is delivered to text archive 1350. The
information archived includes:
[0243] (1) All text typed by the user (includes substitutions and
does not include any action words text, which the present invention
erases from the stream of content words);
[0244] (2) A tag identifying the application that received the
text;
[0245] (3) A tag identifying the document that received the text;
and
[0246] (4) A tag identifying the time and date (strings of words
are entered into the archive and time stamped when the user enters
or exit's an application).
[0247] The information in the archive becomes part of the user
profile. The present invention provides tools for searching that
archive, which take advantage of the tags it has stored in the
archive along with the text. For example, the user can search the
archive for the word "Italian," looking for an Italian restaurant
he dined at in Vancouver, sometime last year. Occurrences of
"Italian" that appear in conjunction with his expense or calendar
applications (tags identify the applications and documents) are
good bets for finding a reference to the restaurant he is looking
for. He only wants the reference information and has no need to use
the applications themselves to search through all his
documents.
[0248] At this point, no further functions need to be performed and
the system begins to monitor for the next letter, symbol or word.
If the word was an action word, and it calls for a text
substitution, the content of the substitution is stored in the
archive along with the context tags, as shown by block 1360.
Otherwise, the function associated with the action word is
performed and nothing is added to the archive.
[0249] The information stored in-the archive is available for ad
hoc retrieval using the context tags recorded along with the users
text content. The context information provided by the tags makes
for very efficient search and retrieval of the user's historical
work product. Recording the input into the archive is automatic,
and, therefore, effortless to the user.
[0250] 7. The Control Center
[0251] The user 310 can control the operation of the present
invention by setting parameters associated with action words and by
reading and writing information to the wordbase 340 via a control
center 345, as shown in FIG. 5. The control center 345 is a single
place to manage the wordbase 340, the wordbase item records and
various aspects of the SUI. Wordbase item records can be added,
modified or deleted via the control center 345. The control center
provides organizing tools and editors for working with item records
within the wordbase 340. The control center 345 further allows the
user to configure the ActiveWords system.
[0252] The control center 345 uses the windows messaging system 405
to receive the actions to perform and to return all the requested
data. All agents 370 use the windows messaging system 405 to
communicate with the control center 345. The configuration file 530
stores information relating to either default settings and/or a
user's unique setting for his system. The configuration file 530,
as well as the wordbase 340, is portable from one computer to
another.
[0253] FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram of the control center
345. FIGS. 20, 22 and 23 show some exemplary screen shots that can
be displayed via the control center 345. The user 310 can control
and manage the ActiveWords system via the control center 345. Some
of the services provided by the control center 345 include writing
to the wordbase 340, reading from the wordbase 340, deleting from
the wordbase 340, changing the configuration files 530, etc.
[0254] The control center 345 includes a control center manager
610, profiles registry 620, agents/DLL registry 630 and master
organizer 640. At start up, the control center manager 610 reads
the wordbase 340 and all the configuration files 530 to create the
SUI as defined by the user or by default settings. The user can
modify these control settings using the control center 345, and
these changes will take effect the next time the system is
initialized.
[0255] The control center manager 610 reads from the user profiles
registry 620 the necessary information to run agents 370 (e.g.,
Dynamic Link Libraries (DLL's) according to the user's user
profile. It also receives and records all changes made to the
profiles by the application programs 118 or agents 370 or directly
by the user. According to the user defined profiles, the control
center 345 enables the appropriate resources and updates the
control center display with the appropriate information. The
current user and user profile is displayed so that the user can
refer to it easily.
[0256] The master organizer 640, via an editing mask 650, enables a
user to change his user profile, change the active user, organize
his drawers and folders, and edit the wordbase 340. These settings
can also be changed directly via the monitoring bar 315.
[0257] When an application program 118 or agent 370 is installed,
its name and the link to its working directory are deposited in the
active application registry 630. This information is read by the
control center manager 610 at start up. The control center manager
610 has the ability to change this information as required by the
user, application programs 118, the agents 370 and/or DLLs.
[0258] FIGS. 20 and 22 and 23 illustrate the control center 345.
FIG. 20 illustrates a screen shot of wordbase 340. Action words can
be added, deleted or modified via the control center 345. Different
action words can be viewed via an alphabetic scale 2010 (i.e., a to
z). In this example all action words starting with "w" are
illustrated. The wordbase 340 indicates that the function of
closing a window without saving its contents can be performed by
the code word, wcn, or the dual word, close.
[0259] FIG. 23 illustrates another view of control center 345.
Window 2310 shows a user's profile divided into drawers (e.g.,
Default) and folders (e.g., substitution). Additionally, the user's
active agents and DLL's are displayed. FIG. 23 further illustrates
a set of exemplary pull-down menu (e.g., file, edit, drawer, view,
setting, tools, help) that allows perform functions on the wordbase
340. For example, the drawer pull-down menu allows a user to insert
a new drawer to wordbase 340 and/or add to an existing drawer.
[0260] FIG. 23 shows the contents of an exemplary drawer/folder
within wordbase 340. In particular, the users wordbase 340 is shown
with 118 items.
[0261] Associated with each code word and dual word is a field
labeled "C" and "D," respectively. These fields indicate whether
the code word or dual word is currently active (i.e., on/off).
Actions words can be added, deleted or modified using icons 2340,
2342 and 2344, respectively.
[0262] FIG. 22 illustrates some additional fields within wordbase
340 including the CWCount field, the Xid field and last modified
field and the last accessed field.
[0263] 8. Run-Time Operation of the Active Words System
[0264] FIG. 7 is an operational flow diagram illustrating some of
the run-time functions of the present invention. In a preferred
embodiment, the user enters action words at any time and in any
context via a keyboard (or alternatively voice-to-text). For
example, while the user is typing content into an application
document or operating system directory field (e.g., a file name
field), he can type an action word at any time and the present
invention will sense it as an action word. FIG. 7 illustrates a
text string being entered into an application program 710.
[0265] The present invention first performs a keystroke service, as
shown in block 750. In block 720, the present invention determines
whether the user's entry is requires a single keystroke service.
Keystroke services include sentence capitalization, correcting
double capitals, etc. In a preferred embodiment, keystroke services
do not require access to the wordbase 340. The data manager 410 is
responsible for providing all the special keystroke services. Other
services, such as spell checking, capitalizing proper names, etc.,
can also be performed prior to checking the wordbase 340.
[0266] If a keystroke service is not required, the ActiveWords
system checks the wordbase 340 to determine whether the user's
input matches an action word. No action is performed if there is no
match, as shown in block 740. Otherwise, the service script
associated with the action word is retrieved. Before executing the
related service script, the system will erase the action word from
the user's input text, as shown in block 760. Next, the service
script is examined to determine whether it requires a text string
service, as shown in block 780. If a text string service (e.g., a
text replacement) is required, it is performed as shown in block
770. Otherwise, a service, such as launching an application
program, navigation, opening a file or document, and the like, is
performed, as shown in block 790. Although not showing in FIG. 7,
if a dual word was matched with a wordbase item record, the dual
word notification procedure is first followed to determine if that
word needs to be treated as an action word or ignored as a content
word.
[0267] If, for any reason, the user does not want to type his
action words in the text field provided by the application program,
he can call up a Scratch Pad, as shown in FIG. 30, as an
alternative to using the text stream in the foremost application
710. In a preferred embodiment, the user does this by pressing the
<shift key> twice (i.e., by entering the integrated action
word provided for that purpose). The Scratch Pad then stands in for
the foremost application. The present invention will then sense any
action word(s) the user types into the Scratch Pad. When it senses
an action word, the system performs the services associated with
the action word.
[0268] Furthermore, the present invention can sense action words
even when there is no text field present in the foremost window
(e.g., some operating system displays offer no text field--contents
of a directory when no file name is selected). In that case the
monitoring bar 315 will be the only place the user can actually see
what he is typing.
[0269] In an alternate embodiment, the user may speak his action
words and the ActiveWords system will sense his words from the text
stream produced by the speech recognition software, instead of
sensing them from the text stream provided by the keyboard. Speech
recognition is handled by recognition hardware and software systems
provided by third parties. These systems typically turn their
recognized speech into text, which is then available to any system
that "knows" the interface standard.
[0270] Instead of being typed or spoken, action words may be
selected from text that arrives on the user's screen. These "given"
words may arrive via documents, E-mail, over the Internet, or from
any other source. Those words were either input by someone else or
by the user at some earlier time. These "given" words can be used
as action words so long as they can be selected by the user via
highlighting. In a preferred embodiment, a user, after selecting a
"given" word clicks an icon 1490 located on the monitoring bar 315.
This signals the present invention to search the wordbase 340 for
the selected given word to determine whether it is an action
word.
[0271] In one embodiment, the present invention is implemented
entirely on a server (not shown) that is connected via an internal
network or the Internet to a plurality of workstations. Text
entered or selected by the user are forwarded to the server. As
discussed above, the server would include a wordbase 340. The text
entered or selected by the user would be checked against the
wordbase 340 and action is taken if appropriate. The server may
also include a plurality of wordbases. Each wordbase could be
associated with a single user or a group of users.
[0272] In another embodiment, the present invention will query a
user for additional information once an active word is entered or
selected. For example, a user may type "www", which will result in
an input box being displayed along with the question "what site do
you want to visit?"
[0273] 9. The Toggle Function, Pop-Up Window, Charm Box
[0274] FIG. 10 illustrates two components. The first component
provides the user the ability to enter data via a keyboard or
microphone and have the computer system recognize this information
and perform functions based on this information from any
application currently executing on the computer system. As
described above, this first component is MIKE 330. The second
component, content display system (CDS) 1020, allows the computer
system and user to fully utilize the first feature. The three
functions provided in a preferred embodiment of the second
component are: the toggle function 1030, the pop-up menu function
1040, and the charm box function 1050.
[0275] The toggle function 1030, pop-up menu function 1040 and
charm box function 1050 are mechanisms for providing additional
information to the user regarding a word or expression just entered
or selected by the user. As discussed above, these features, along
with all features of the present invention, are available in all
contexts at any time and not just within a single application such
as a wordprocessor or spreadsheet program.
[0276] In a preferred embodiment, the toggle function 1030 is
implemented as part of the CDS 1020. However, the toggle function
1030 can also be implemented as part of the first component 330. In
operation, the toggle function 1030 allows a user to select among a
plurality of choices for insertion into the text stream. The toggle
function 1030 is activated via an action word and operates on the
previous word in the text stream. For example, the user types
"1/5/97" followed by an action word that represents toggle (e.g.,
"tog"). The present invention sequentially returns replacement text
for the entered text stream--for example, "Jan. 5, 1997," "Jan. 5,
1997," 5/1/97, etc.--, or leaves it unchanged if the word was not
recognized. After the CDS component 1020 replaces the typed text
with a toggle option, it waits for a specific amount of time and
then begins to replace the word with the next replacement option
obtained from the wordbase 340 until the user signals that the
currently displayed option is selected. As discussed above, the
text option inserted into the text stream is also recorded into the
archive.
[0277] As an alternative to typing an action word calling for the
toggle function 1030, the user may request a pop-up menu 1040 of
alternatives. The pop-up menu 1040 is a window that contains
several options associated with the word, which can be selected by
the user via the keyboard or mouse. One of the options may be "go
to Charm Box," which in a preferred embodiment is the default. Also
in a preferred embodiment, the user always has the option to
"close" the pop-up menu 1040, which leaves the user where he was
before activating the pop-up menu 1040.
[0278] The remaining options are divided into two groups and are
displayed according to the user's configuration of the CDS
component 1020. The first group of options corresponds to the
toggle options of the word. In this case, the wordbase item record
associated with an action word may specify that the user be
presented with a pop-up menu 1040 that lists all of the options.
The user can select the option of his choice via a mouse for
insertion into the text stream. The second group of options are the
different contexts of information that the Charm Box 1050 can
display. For example, the Charm Box 1050 may be configured to
display a number of resources relating to that word. Then, a Charm
Box 1050 could include a dictionary, a list of equivalent words in
another language(s), and list of Internet links (URL's) to cites
related to a particular action word.
[0279] The pop-up menu 1040 is a program that works in coordination
with MIKE 330. When displaying the pop-up window 1040, the CDS
component 1020 uses the filtering function to identify the kind of
word, and uses functions of MIKE 330 for simulating keyboard input
and providing feedback to the user. MIKE 330 detects the fact that
an action word has been entered and passes control to the CDS 1020.
In other words, CDS 1020 is an agent 370.
[0280] In an alternate embodiment, the toggle function 1030 and
pop-up menu 1040 function can be implemented to trigger based on
the activation of the space bar. FIG. 9 illustrates how a user
activates the toggle and pop-up window in this manner. In block
910, the user types, speaks or selects an utterance. As discussed
above, an utterance is any group of characters or words, including,
for example, natural language words, non-natural language words,
dates, weights and measures, arithmetic expressions, and the like.
Using this option instead of an code word (e.g., tog), the user
activates the word by pressing the space bar twice, as shown in
block 920. Activation can occur by either holding the space bar
down on the second press, or by releasing the space bar on the
second press. If the user holds the space bar down, the word will
begin to change (toggle) into different options according to the
word after a specified number of milliseconds (which is user
definable), as shown in block 930. The toggling occurs after a
short delay. For example, if the word is a date, and the user types
1.1.97, it will change to 1/1/97, Jan. 1, 1997, and so on, until
the user releases the space bar. The options that appear for each
word are user-configurable. Once the user releases the space bar
after a toggle, the CDS sequence is complete.
[0281] As shown in block 940, if the user releases the space bar
after the double click, or if the CDS component 1020 does not
recognize the word or expression as a "toggle-enabled word or
expression," a pop-up window will be displayed containing several
options. The user highlights the option he wants, as shown in block
950.
[0282] The so-called "Charm Box" 1050 is an interface that displays
a rich group of information contexts to the user about a selected
word. The "charm" metaphor is apt because the present invention
uses the user profiles meaning of the word (i.e., it's semantic
influence or charm). It can be used to assemble a subset of all the
software and information resources available in the user's
computational environment (computer and network) that are relevant
to a particular word or expression. It automatically places links
to those resources and prevent them to the user in a Charm Box 1050
display window. The user can select a link by clicking on his
choice, and the present invention will use that link to execute the
service. The contents of the Charm Box 1050 are specified by the
user via the wordbase item script associated with the word that
called the Charm Box 1050 forth in the first place.
[0283] Referring to FIG. 10, the charm box set up files 1070
records each user's preferences by setting for distinct information
display options. These preferences can be unique for each user and
in this way, the look and feel of the Charm Boxes become part of
the user's profile.
[0284] 10. Charm Words
[0285] A charm word is special type of dual word. In particular, a
charm word is a dual word that, when sensed, will notify the user
if there is information available related to that word. In fact,
the user may not even know that the dual word exists. (Remember,
not all action words are user defined. Some wordbase item records
may be defined and/or developed, for example, by third parties.)
These dual words may, for example, be stored in the user's wordbase
340 by a server process that automatically populates his wordbase
340 with charm word item records. The ActiveWords system displays a
distinctive charm word banner once a charm word has been entered.
This distinctive banner is specified by a command in the service
script language that identifies the item record as a charm word
item. In a preferred embodiment, the banner is a different color
than the banner displayed for a typical dual word.
[0286] Referring to FIG. 10, the word category filter 1060 allows
the present invention to determine if the selected or typed word is
a "charm word". In other words, certain words are set aside as
having special meaning (i.e., having charm). The present invention
thus provides a special filter for these words. For example, the
charm word "call" can be used to provide the user with a pop-up
menu of everyone in his address book. This, in essence, determines
the type of words upon which the system needs to perform charm
related actions. The filter 1060 is configured to fit the needs of
each individual user.
[0287] Suppose that a user goes through his day working on various
projects, each of which involve employees, consultants and
customers. He receives an e-mail message telling him about a person
named John Miller. He has never met Mr. Miller. He selects the text
"John Miller" from the incoming address line of the read-only
incoming message and clicks "given words" icon on the monitoring
bar 315. That tells Active Words to run that name through the
wordbase to see if it is an active word. (The user could,
alternatively, have typed "John Miller" in the Active Words Scratch
Pad or in whatever application he is working at the time.) The
ActiveWords system responds by giving a low hum as an audible
signal along with a green dual word option banner. This tells the
user that information is on file about John Miller. Obviously, if a
banner is not displayed, information about Mr. Miller is not
available.
[0288] The user takes the dual word option by pressing the space
bar a second time. Active words executes the script associated with
"John Miller," which launches an Internet browser via a URL that
also contains "John Miller" as the information request. That URL is
for an Internet site/page on the corporate Intranet, in another
city. Within moments, he has a web page that includes John Miller's
photo, his affiliation (he is a consultant who works for the user's
company). He is also provided with a brief biography of John
Miller, along with information on how to contact Mr. Miller.
[0289] In this example, the "John Miller" item was "pushed" into
his wordbase 340 by an Internet tool called Castanet (Marimba,
Inc.), which allows users to subscribe to various web site
services. In his case, our user subscribes to several databases
that have information about people of interest to the staff in his
company, including the employee database, the consultant database,
the customer database and the visitor database. Each of these sites
uses Internet push technology tools to update each subscribers'
Active Words wordbase once each day when they first sign onto the
corporate Intranet. The updates add and delete wordbase items that
are formatted precisely to Active Words standards, each with a
script that contains a URL that points to the correct web
site/server/page that contains details about that name. The
detailed information is at the web site and the name tag is in each
subscriber's wordbase 340.
[0290] This allows any person's name to be a Charm Word candidate
for the user. (The system can recognize multi-name charm words by
using the <WITH: . . . > service script, as shown in item 100
of TABLE 1.) To learn if his company has any information on file,
the user simply types the name he wants information about. If there
is information on file, the word has "charm." The script of a Charm
Word includes a script element telling it to show the dual word
banner in a color that is distinctive for Charm Words. If the name
has no charm, nothing happens.
[0291] The idea here is to have the computer mimic what happens
when one utters a name in a social or business gathering. The
interpersonal signaling among a group of people tells the person
who says a name if someone knows that person; perhaps a smile or a
raised eyebrow is the telltale. At that point, the speaker can ask
that person for further information. The speaker can also usually
tell if the name is unknown. Charm Words are a way to make
computers name aware in a similar way.
[0292] Of course, Charm Words are not limited to names. In an
automotive company, a user's wordbase might include Charm Word
items related to its products. Thus, when the user typed "Large
Trucks," the system would give him a Charm Word sound/banner,
inviting him to ask for more information by simply tapping a space
bar.
[0293] C. The Application Programing Interface
[0294] The application programming interface (API) allows a user to
extend the original functionality of the preferred embodiment by
allowing the inclusion of external programs that operate in
conjunction with the core architecture of the present invention. We
call such external programs ActiveWords Agents 370. An important
part of the ActiveWords system is the capability to enable third
parties to create extensions of the basic functionality via Agents
and DLL's. A particular important component of third party
connectivity is the development and distribution of an OLE Control
(OCX) component (i.e., a code object). Its main purpose is to
provide programmers easy access to the core of the ActiveWords
system functionality and extend its support for their specific
applications. The OCX provides, among others things, the services
and messages described below:
[0295] RegisterProactiveAWApp: Function used to set the ActiveWords
system to notify the OCX when one or more of the following events
occur (the application must provide the function to act upon
notification).
[0296] TYPEDWORD--The user typed a word.
[0297] REPLACEWORD--The user did a substitution.
[0298] TYPEDCW--The user typed a code word.
[0299] NESTEDCW--The user executed a service script that contained
a CW.
[0300] TYPEDDW--The user typed a dual word.
[0301] TYPEDLINE--The user finished typing a line.
[0302] REPLACEDLINE--The user used a code word or dual word to
replace a line.
[0303] MrlBeamState: Function used to determine the state of Mr.
I-Beam (awake/asleep).
[0304] GetAWDir: Retrieves the directory where the ActiveWords
system is installed.
[0305] SendString: Used to send a string to the current
application. The string can contain commands and/or other code
words.
[0306] FeedbackMessage: Used to send a message through the
ActiveWords interface.
[0307] SetUser: On a multiple user environment, sets the active
user.
[0308] SetProfile: Use to select the active profile, if multiple
profiles are available.
[0309] FetchCW: Used to execute a specific code word.
[0310] FetchDW: Used to execute a specific dual word.
[0311] GetFetchCW: This function is used when the application wants
to obtain information about a certain item. It can be used with one
of the following parameters, depending on the information required.
ALL_FIELDS, ACTIVE_FIELD, CW_FIELD, DW_FIELD, ACTION_FIELD,
COMMENT_FIELD, ACTIONTYPE_FIELD, EDITINGSTYLE_FIELD, COUNT_FIELDs,
XID_FIELD, EXTRA_FIELD, and MODIFIED_FIELD, and ACCESSED_FIELD.
[0312] GetFetchNW: Same as the previous function, but used to
obtain information of a Dual Word instead of the Code Word. The
parameters needed are: ALL_FIELDS, ACTIVE_FIELD, CW_FIELD,
DW_FIELD, ACTION_FIELD, COMMENT_FIELD, ACTIVETYPE_FIELD,
EDITINGSTLE_FIELD, COUNT_FIELDs, XID_FIELD, EXTRA_FIELD, and
MODIFIED_FIELD, ACCESSED_FIELD.
[0313] GetProfile: Used to obtain the active profile
[0314] GetUser: Used to obtain the current user.
[0315] GetLastWord: Used to obtain one of the last fifteen words
typed by the user.
[0316] GetLastCW: Used to obtain one of the last fifteen code words
used.
[0317] GetLastDW: Used to obtain one of the last fifteen dual words
used.
[0318] GetLastLine: Used to obtain one of the last fifteen typed
words by the user.
[0319] GetLastReplacedWord: Used to obtain one of the last fifteen
words that were substituted.
[0320] GetLastNestedCW: Obtains one of the last fifteen code words
that were contained within executed scripts.
[0321] GetLastReplacedLine: Used to obtain one of the last fifteen
lines that were substituted using a code or a dual word.
[0322] Once the OCX is inserted into a development application that
supports OCX-Containment (such as, e.g., Visual Basic, Visual C++,
Excel, Word), all the functions are available to the application.
The application can provide functions to support the messages the
OCX will send when the user performs a certain action. An example
of this can be the following:
m_textvariable=The OCX.GetLastWord(5)
[0323] Which says the string type variable "m_textvariable" will
receive the string that the GetLastWord method of the OCX object
returns. This method receives a parameter specifying which last
word to return. In this case, it is the fifth word of the user's
text stream. (The OCX in the example above is the name of the
control, defined by the user. The user is able to use more than one
OCX control to communicate with a given application.)
[0324] The parameters provided above is the minimal set presently
considered essential for an agent to interact with the present
invention. Parameters can be added or deleted as should be readily
apparent to one skilled in the art.
[0325] D. Agents
[0326] An agent is any program written to be called by an service
script. An agent can be called by a script when an action required
by a user is beyond the capabilities of the scripting language.
Agents can be provided by third parties so long as the ActiveWords
standards and rules are followed. Some agents operate at a VDD
level, and allows for multithreading. Other Agents can be simply
executable programs or DLL's, depending on the nature of the Agents
functional requirements. While other agents can be written in C++
or Visual Basic, for example, so long as they configured to
interact with the Active Words system (embedded OCX controls,
etc.). Agents typically use some capabilities of the present
invention to accomplish their tasks. In a preferred embodiment, the
state table 450 is made available to agents 370 by passing a
pointer when the agent 370 is registered in the agent registry 360.
The preferred embodiment of the present invention includes at least
the following agents: archiving, training, telephony, organizer,
alarms, calendar, in-place transformations (e.g., arithmetic,
weight and measures, etc.)
[0327] The agents can be either pro-active or re-active. All active
agents are registered in file 360. The registry contains a list of
all active agents and the services they provide. When an Active
Word or Dual Word is associated with an Active Agent 370, control
is passed to the specified re-active agent. When a control
character is identified, MIKE 330 checks to see if any pro-active
agents are registered, and sends them a message. MIKE 330 also
receives messages from the agents through the services they offer.
Agents 370 communicate with MIKE 330 through services they offer
(e.g., requesting information, sending information, asking MIKE 330
to fetch an Action Word, etc.). Communication is performed via
Windows Messaging.
[0328] E. Multi-Item Resolution
[0329] A user can designate a single action word for two or more
services. As such, the present invention provides for multi-item
resolution. As discussed above, the wordbase 340 is checked after
the entry of each utterance. If multiple item records are found
that match the utterance, i.e., the action word, a list is
generated and a multi-item resolution window is displayed. This
Multi-item resolution window includes the contents of the Comment
field in each item record paired with each item's code word and/or
dual word.
[0330] FIG. 31A illustrates a window that allows a user to select
from a list of names in response to the charm word "call." In this
case, filter 1060, displays a pop-up menu that includes multiple
phone numbers for a set of individuals. In other words, the charm
word call activates a telephone directory. FIG. 31B illustrates a
multi-item resolution window 3120 that allows a user to select from
a list of phone numbers in response to the charm word "John
Miller." Window 3120 is a list of multiple phone numbers for John
Miller, including his home phone number, office phone number,
facsimile number, etc. Alternatively, a dual word, such as
"Miller," could have been assigned to each of these wordbase item
records. The resulting multi-item resolution window would be
identical.
[0331] Multi-item resolution will now be described by way of an
example. Suppose the user has seven documents in his computer named
"Expenses." Each is in a separate folder, most of which are for
tracking various projects. Some of those documents are Excel
spreadsheets, some are Microsoft Word documents and one is an Ecco
(Netmanage, Inc.) document. He uses the drag/drop technique to
create wordbase item records and gives each folder the dual word
"expenses," which is the most natural word for referring to those
documents. In the Comment field of each item record, he identifies
its project folder name. He also assigns a code word that is unique
for each item.
[0332] Later, when he types "expenses," he gets a dual word
confirmation (e.g., sound/yellow banner) offering him the option to
treat it as an action word related to those folders. He takes the
dual word option by tapping the space bar a second time. Active
words responds by finding all seven items. Since there is more than
one in the wordbase 340, it opens a Multi-Item Resolution Box. This
Multi-Item Resolution Box includes the contents of the comment
field in each item paired with each item's code word. The user
selects one of the records using the up/down arrows and presses
enter to select the one he wants, and presses enter for that script
to be executed. The script associated with the selected item record
opens the document. Instead of using the up/down arrows, the user
could simply type the code word, shown in the multi-item resolution
box, for the item he wants to select. After opening a specific
document enough times, he will begin to remember its code and omit
the Multi-Item Resolution Box procedure.
[0333] The idea behind this feature is to mimic the way people work
with names. Lots of people and things have the same names, and
using those names is very natural. Likewise, in naming computer
objects, process and information, people should have the same
flexibility. This Multi-Item Resolution Box mechanism allows the
user to use natural names as dual words, without worry. He can
point to the item he has in mind when he uses that name.
[0334] F. Portability
[0335] The present invention is portable via diskettes, e-mail,
LAN/WAN connection or over the Internet via upload and download to
any computer. In a preferred embodiment, the "user's profile,"
which includes wordbase 340, agent registry 360, profile registry
350 and archive data, can be transferred to another computer. This
enables the user to carry his ActionWords functionality from one
real computer to any other computer, so long as the ActiveWords
system is installed on each.
[0336] The present invention can also be installed on a network
server. This would allow a user to maintain his personal SUI as she
moves from one workstation to another. The user profile can be kept
on the server or copied into the workstation hard drive upon log
in. In a preferred embodiment, the user profile is made secure via
a password.
[0337] Portability will now be explained by way of example. Suppose
the user decides to travel for brief work assignment in his
company's operation on the other coast. He creates a series of
diskettes that will contain his entire user profile. This includes
the ActiveWords software, the wordbase 340, all his ActiveWords
applications and his archive. Alternatively, he could upload his
user profile to a web site so he could download it into his
computer at the other office as soon as he arrives there.
[0338] Accordingly, when a user arrives in his office on the other
coast, he can install his user profile in the computer he will use
while he is working in his office; making it fully language aware
according to his user profile. Everything works the same as it does
on his home-office computer. If a service script refers to some
resource (e.g., a file) that is unavailable on this alternate
computer, the ActiveWords system simply not execute the service
script. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a message
to the user that the resource is not available. In this simple way,
the user can make any computer as personal as his own.
[0339] G. Third Party Application Programs
[0340] It is contemplated that third parties will produce and
market application programs that are based on the present
invention. Third Party (or ActiveWords) application programs are
defined as including a set of wordbase item records and/or one or
more agents 370. As discussed above, agents 370 perform specific
functions in response to a call from a service script. Third party
application programs allow third parties to create a set of code
words and dual words for a user that relate to a specific subject
matter. Thus, the third party application program is a collection
of wordbase items records and agents 370 that are related in some
way (e.g., action words and service scripts related to finance,
engineering, astronomy, Microsoft excel controls, etc.).
[0341] The third party wordbase is incorporated into the user's
wordbase 340. In the eyes of the user, she only has a single
wordbase 340. The user can still add, delete, or edit the action
words within the wordbase 340. Furthermore, the user can turn the
item records within the third party wordbase on and off, as well as
assign a priority to each item record. As discussed above,
different user profiles can thus be created. The user profile
tailors the ActiveWords system to which ever languages the user
speaks and the precedence-order his language(s)-of-art (e.g.,
Metallurgy and Astronomy) should be given in providing him with
ActiveWords services.
V. EXAMPLES OF USING THE ACTIVEWORDS SYSTEM
[0342] The use of action words allows a user to perform a variety
of functions, heretofore accomplished using either a complicated
combination of control keys (e.g., Ctrl., Alt, shift) or point and
click technology. For example, the present invention allows a user
to define an action word for all the common window operations.
Thus, an action word can be used to close, restore, minimize,
maximize, move, resize windows within the user's graphical user
interface.
[0343] Furthermore, any document in the PC can be opened with just
a single action word, from any place in the work space. Still
further, any application can be launched from any place in the PC
by just typing the associated action word followed by the space
bar. A user can also launch third party macros without having to
remember cryptic key combinations (shift+ctrl+alt+char). The user
merely defines an action word and the present invention will
execute the macro.
[0344] Provided below are nineteen practical applications for the
present invention. Some of the examples discuss hypothetical third
party applications, which aid in discussing the broad scope of the
present invention.
Example 1
[0345] Launching and Opening--Command Service
[0346] While writing an e-mail message, the user types the word
"dial." The present invention immediately responds with a visual
and/or audible cue, notifying the user that "dial" is a dual word
associated with a service script for launching a phone dialer.
Phone dialer applications are presently available from Microsoft
Office 97. The user then has two options: activate the dual word or
ignore the dual word. In the first option, the user simply presses
the space bar again (the space bar was first pressed after typing
the word "dial"). The present invention responds to the user by
erasing the word "dial" from his e-mail text (via backspacing) and
launches the dialing application. While the service script is
launching the dialer, the user continues working in his E-mail
message, until the dialer window appears on his screen. Under the
second option, if the user intends the word "dial" as a content
word for his e-mail message text, he simply continues typing. The
ActiveWords system ignores the action word potential of the dual
word "dial."
[0347] The experienced user will simply type
"dial[spacebar/spacebar]", without waiting for the visual/audible
signal. In this fashion, action words can be used to launch or open
any software application, documents, Windows 95 directory/folder,
utility, operating system view, Internet browser, or the like.
[0348] Remember, using code words allows the ActiveWords system to
automatically assume the user does not intend the code word to be
text content in his application document. Accordingly, the user can
designate "dl" as his code word to launch the dialer. The present
invention automatically erases "dl" and launches the dialer. Any
abbreviation, acronym and code can be designated as a code
word.
Example 2
[0349] Text Substitution Services--Content Service
[0350] A user can designate "evp" as a code word for a service
script that substitutes "E.V.P." in the text string. The user may
also use "evpe" ("e" as a suffix for expanded form) as the code
word for "Executive Vice President". He can designate any number of
such expansions using any nicknamning logic that he finds
mnemonically convenient, such as evp/evpe, ovp/ovpe, ceo/ceoe,
coo/cooe, if he favors suffixes, or alternatively, evp/eevp,
ovp/eovp, ceo/eceo, coo/eceo, if he favors prefixes.
[0351] The user has complete freedom to create a vocabulary of
action words. His ability to use any number of dual words to
activate a single service script can free himself from remembering
which word to use. Here is an example of an approach a user could
take. To activate the dialer (Example 1), he can assign three dual
words to that one service script--say "dial," "dialer," and
"phone." That way, whenever he wants to execute that script, he can
guess an obvious word; he is likely to guess one of the three words
he designated as triggers. After triggering the dialer a number of
times, one of these three dual words will automatically come to
mind whenever he wants the dialer. He can then delete the other two
dual words or leave them unused. Similarly, following the example
above, the user can designate both "eevp" and "evpe" as his code
words for "Executive Vice President." That way, it doesn't make any
difference if he has a prefix or a suffix preference on the day he
created his code words. The ability to use any number of words for
the same service script makes the present invention very
powerful.
Example 3
[0352] Formatted Substitutions of Any Sort and Length--Content
Service
[0353] A user may type, for example, "nad" as an action word he has
designated for his formatted name and address. Thus, typing "JDoe
nad" results in the following information being displayed on the
screen:
[0354] John Doe
[0355] 1212 Maple Street
[0356] Apartment #45
[0357] Big City, Big State 00000
Example 4
[0358] In-place Text, Arithmetic and Transformation
Services--Content Service
[0359] In an outgoing E-mail message, the user types
"134.times.16.7==." The user has designated "==" (two equal signs)
as his code word for performing in-place arithmetic on the
preceding expression. In this case the present invention will
analyze the "134.times.16.7," then calculate the result (using an
agent), then erase the "134.times.16.7==" from his text, and
finally, substitute the result value, 2237.8 for the original
expression.
[0360] To add 3 to this value, he would follow the "2237.8" with "p
3==", where p represents "plus," and that value would be erased and
2340.8 would be substituted as the new result. And so on, until he
has achieved the result he needs. There is always the possibility
to include a powerful third party math agent to perform complex
calculations. As should be readily apparent, the present invention
allows every word, letter, symbol to be an action.
[0361] Using the above example, the user could follow the result
"2340.8" with "tsft", his code word signaling the present invention
to evaluate the preceding word or expression (i.e., 2340.8) and
transform it to text. In this case the present invention will erase
"2340.8" and substitute "two thousand two hundred forty-two and
eight-tenths." Or, the user could type "tsftf" the code word for a
transformation of a number into a fractional notation. Obviously,
these code words are exemplary only.
[0362] Similarly, the present invention allows the user to specify
transformations to and from: text and numeric date formats,
different weights and measures systems (miles/kilometers),
telephone number formats, currency conversions (Dollars/Yen),
numeric to spelled out (numbers, currency), etc. The type of
transformation is user assignable. The above list of
transformations are exemplary only. Other transformations can
easily be activated by the present invention as should be readily
apparent to a person skilled in the relevant art. Further, third
parties can leverage this transformation capability in ways that
suit specific groups (e.g., Physicians, Architects, Chemists,
Astronomers, Lawyers, etc.).
[0363] In order to implement the above, the present invention
simply picks up the signal (i.e., the keystrokes) and passes
control to the designated software agent (a program/application)
that performs a transformation. When it passes control to the
agent, the ActiveWords system also passes the contents of the state
table 450.
[0364] The present invention allows a user to enter keystrokes in
any application, and if a predefined mistake is made, have this
mistake corrected. For example, the present invention corrects
simple spelling mistakes, such as double words, double capital
letter, simple spelling mistakes, and the like. The present
invention further detects and automatically corrects (user
selectable) the most common capitalizations, day names, month
names, key holidays, and common first and last names. Still
further, if an action word for a transformation is capitalized, the
replacement is also capitalized.
[0365] By appending an action word to a number (e.g., "dl" for
dollar), the present invention automatically replaces the number
with a predefined currency format, like 12870dl=>$12,870.00.
Similar to currency symbols, dates are autoformatted according to
the user's favorite format, like 121196dd=> Dec. 11, 1996, where
"dd" is an action word that indicates that a date change is
requested by the user.
Example 5
[0366] Internet Navigation Services--Command Service
[0367] An additional feature of the present invention is to combine
action words and actual text. For example, an action word, for
example "iex," could be used to launch an Internet explorer. Thus a
user would type the words to be used in the Internet search, type
the action word "iex" and the present invention initiates a web
search using the search term that preceded the action word. In
other words, the script associated with the action word "iex" is
written to also check the text prior to the action word. As a
result, the present invention will connect to the Internet and
launch the predefined Web Browser with the result already in
it.
[0368] The user may make a simple call, for example, to a web site
by designating "yho" to launch his favorite browser via Yahoo's
URL. In this case, the present invention will erase "yho" and
launch the designated browser with the URL.
[0369] The user may further call to a web site with a search
algorithm. The user could use "exxon fwsj" to take him to the Wall
Street Journal's web site and instruct it's search engine to locate
articles about Exxon. The user's code word is "fwsj," for
"find--Wall Street Journal". The present invention first erases
"exxon fwsj," then inserts "exxon" in the search argument location
within the URL, and then launches the browser using the URL. The
user continues working, as allowed by the multi-processing service
of Windows 95/Windows NT (for example), until the operation is
complete and the browser is foremost.
Example 6
[0370] Reference Information and Tools Services--Retrieval and
Content Services
[0371] In combination with the user profile, the charm box can
deliver tools and information to the user that are finely tailored
to his purposes and needs.
[0372] The interface is as simple as they get. The user selects or
types a word, then the associated service script assembles the
information and software resources he is likely to need.
[0373] The user may type "china syn" to ask the present invention
to give him a list of the synonyms for the word "China." The
present invention begins by erasing "syn," and then looks up
"China" in the designated thesaurus. It then presents a Pop-up list
of synonyms for "China." The user can select one synonym for
placement in the text stream as a replacement for "China."
[0374] The user selects the word "steel" with his mouse and presses
a designated spot on the monitoring bar 315. His user profile tells
the ActiveWords system that he is an English-speaking metallurgist.
The present invention immediately assembles the information and
software resources that have been specified for "steel" in the
wordbase 340 for metallurgy. These resources are assembled and
presented in an charm box window.
[0375] In this example the Charm Box would include several icons
linking to web sites that are useful to metallurgists (e.g.,
suppliers, availability and market prices), listings from the
user's database of technical specifications for metals, a
scientific calculator, the E-mail addresses of his suppliers, and
any other relevant software or information assets for "steel." The
user could have achieved the same result as above by typing "steel
cb" ("cb" being his code word for Charm Box).
[0376] For our French businessman, the Charm Box would include the
listing for "acier" (French for "steel") from the standard French
application, listings for his French thesaurus, encyclopedia
entries and tools. Since he is not a metallurgist, "acier" is not
in his vocabulary-of-art. The difference in how the Charm Box
operates for our two hypothetical users is a good example of the
power of the user profile.
[0377] A related capability of the present invention is to serve
bi- and multi-lingual users. Our French businessman may be
French/English bilingual. His wordbase 340 would allow him to
express his profile (word choices and precedence) for both French
and English.
Example 7
[0378] Archiving Every Word the User Ever Types--Content and
Retrieval Services
[0379] Once installed, the present invention archives every word
the user types. Accompanying the stored user text are tags that
record the context he was working in at the time the text was
input. It further keeps a frequency count of how many times the
user enters each word. This allows the present invention to
determine the productivity benefit the user enjoys from using the
word substitution capability of the present inventions. (To favor
the use of the Archive 1350 for future reference purposes, the
present invention archives the substituted word and not the code
words.)
[0380] At any time, the user can type an action word, whose service
script will find any specified word in his archive. For example,
the user types "fia" (for find in archive). ActiveWords responds by
displaying an ActiveWords Scratch Pad. The user then types "Italian
Restaurant." ActiveWords responds with a display listing all the
occurrences of "Italian Restaurant" that he has typed since he
installed ActiveWords, which could be years. Since he uses Excel to
keep track of his expenses, he <nexts> his way through the
list tagged with Excel. He double-clicks on the likely entries, and
ActiveWords shows him that segment of the text stream. Once he has
located the information he wants, he simply copies it to a
clipboard and uses it in any way he wishes.
[0381] This also enables the user to jettison the original
application documents themselves and only retain the compressed
text in the Archive 1350. The savings in disk space can be
enormous. Although he loses the formatting (because the archive is
an ASCII format file), all the information and context tags are
still there. This also enables the user to work in a document,
updating it every day, for months and years and still use the
ActiveWords tags stamping to locate information he typed into that
document at a certain point in time.
Example 8
[0382] Information Pop-ups--Control Service
[0383] Let's assume that a user has defined his user profile to
include both English and Spanish. He also has installed a
hypothetical ActiveWords application named English/Spanish
Bilingual Writer's Helper. He types the word "cow" and receives a
visual and/or audible signal telling him a bilingual service is
available to him by tapping the space bar a second time (if he
keeps typing, the service option goes away). He taps the spacebar a
second time and the word cow is erased and replaced with "vaca."
There are several interesting ways the present invention can
respond.
[0384] The user may not use the visual/audible alert method,
preferring to call for the bilingual translation service for the
previous word using an action word. The user could use "tgl" as his
Code Word for the translation toggle (e.g., "cow" to "vaca") to
take place on the previous word he typed. Or he could escalate
matters and type "pu" for an ActiveWords Pop-up list display. This
display would include the word "Vaca," plus all the grammatical
forms, conjugations, and usage rules for the word "vaca." Or, the
user could go all the way, typing "chr" to invoke an ActiveWords
Charm Box for the word "vaca." This would bring the relevant subset
of all his computer's information, software and network resources
relevant to his English/Spanish bilingualism to is screen. In this
case, those resources include: the "cow/vaca" entries in his
bilingual dictionary, the "vaca" entry in his Spanish encyclopedia,
the "cow" entries in his English dictionary and encyclopedia, the
usage listings in his Spanish usage guide, several icons that will
take him to several useful web sites that have English/Spanish
bilingualism tools, etc.
[0385] Using these Toggle function 1030, Pop-up menu 1040 and Charm
Box 1050 mechanisms, our French businessman who is a sports
enthusiast, could call forth services related to his unique user
profile. For example, assume that the user purchased a hypothetical
ActiveWords Soccer Application, which included wordbase item
records for a variety of soccer terms and players. Thus, "Pele"
would toggle to Pele's full name, the pop-up list might include his
key game statistics and the Charm Box would show his picture and
include listings from the user's CD/ROM Sports Encyclopedia, and
several icons leading to web sites that cater to Soccer fans.
Example 9
[0386] Agents and the State Table--Control Service
[0387] Our user designated "dbp" as his code word for dialing a
person's beeper. He types "Smith dbp" and the present invention
responds by executing a service script. That script erases the
previous word, "Smith," and passes control to a beeper program,
which may be in the user's computer or in some remote computer on
his network. When control is passed, the present invention also
passes the contents of the state table 450, which contains the text
of the last word typed (i.e., "Smith"). The service script then
dials the beeper number.
Example 10
[0388] Opening and Closing Directories (folders)--Control
Service
[0389] The user types "myf" his code word (i.e., My Folder) for
opening two folders in his Windows 95 directory. One is called My
Computer and the other is My Folders. The present invention
responds by executing the service script that opens those folders
for him. In this case, the service script the present invention
uses to launch those two folders is: <C:.backslash.My
Documents> <C:.backslash.My Computer>
Example 11
[0390] Navigation--Control Service
[0391] The user types "msw" to bring Microsoft Word foremost and
"msx" to bring Excel foremost. If those programs are not already
running, the present invention launches them whenever the user
types either "msw" or "msx." The service scripts the present
invention uses for those code word are, respectively:
<C:.backslash.Program Files.backslash.Microsoft Office/Microsoft
Word.Exe> and <C:.backslash.Program Files.backslash.Microsoft
Office/Microsoft Excel.Exe>
Example 12
[0392] Launching Macros--Control Service
[0393] The user has a utility program, provided by a third party,
which enables him to create cross-context macros. Those macros are
activated via "F" keys and "control" key combinations. Although
there are thousands of possible key combinations, he can't remember
more than about 10, because they have no logical consistency. He
has created a macro to backup his system. The control key
combination he uses to execute the macro is <alt>
<control> <b>.
[0394] Using the present invention as his interface (his SUI) to
that macro program, he now types "backup", his dual word for
executing the service script that launches the macro that performs
a complete system backup. The present invention responds by
offering an option to trigger the backup. The user taps the
spacebar a second time, which issues the <alt>
<control> <b> key combination that launches the backup
macro.
[0395] Thus, the present invention turns a cryptic macro capability
into a rich resource for triggering hundreds of functions. It
allows the user to employ his ActiveWords SUI to make fuller use of
his macro utility.
Example 13
[0396] A market for ActiveWords Applications--Control, Contend and
Retrieval Services
[0397] The user, a real estate agent, signs on to
www.ActiveWords.com to purchase ActiveWords applications. He
browses among the various natural language groupings--French,
German, Spanish, English and etc., choosing English. He selects
several applications that he thinks will be useful. He downloads
the following (hypothetical) ActiveWords applications.
[0398] In-Place Real Estate Math. It provides in-place arithmetic
for real estate specialists (mortgage calculations, etc.).
[0399] Real Estate Charm Words. This application provides Toggles,
Pop-ups and Charm Boxes that are handy for people working in real
estate. The application includes in-place toggles for calculating
monthly mortgage payments. It also includes in-place
transformations from square feet to square yards, transformations
to metric (for European clients), transformations from acres to
square meters, and etc.
[0400] Real Estate Terms. This application provides substitution
words that are specialized for the real estate user. For example,
it includes a substitution Wordbase for all the common financial
institutions that relate to the real estate market, such as "fhlb"
for Federal Home Loan Bank. There are hundreds of such wordbase
item records.
[0401] Telephone Dialer for Microsoft Outlook97. This application
automatically dials the phone numbers that the user stored in
Microsoft's Outlook97 telephone directory.
[0402] Each of the downloaded applications include some or all of
the following components: wordbase item records, which include code
words, dual words, replacement words, service scripts, calls to
agents, and agent software, such as the software designed to dial
telephone numbers that appear in the Microsoft Outlook97 telephone
directory. This software would use the published OLE controls that
Microsoft has published for access to the Outlook 97 directory.
Agent software is included where necessary for the application to
properly function. An On-line help file could be provided to help
the user understand each wordbase item record. A tool-tip file
could also be provided (FIG. 15).
[0403] The user begins by registering his new ActiveWords
application into the present invention. Registration is done via
the control center 345. The control center 345 makes sure the
ActiveWords applications have the correct serial number for his
copy of the present invention. The control center then enters the
various application components into the wordbase 340. The editors
provided with the applications allow the user to do the following
things: Browse the item records for each application to discover
what the application can help him do and how he can trigger those
functions; Click the On-Line Help icon provided beside each item to
learn more about what it does and how to format, modify and use the
accompanying script; Review the tool-tips; and Click on a "Try Me"
icon, which causes the script for that item to be executed.
[0404] Via the control center 345, the user could further turn
wordbase item record on or off, change the action words in the
wordbase 340, change the service scripts associated with the
wordbase item records, create new items and service scripts, search
for and find item records, and sort the items records.
Example 14
[0405] ActiveWords Servers--Control, Content and Retrieval
Services
[0406] Your employer has assigned an ActiveWords administrator to
maintain a number of up-to-date ActiveWords Directories, including
a directory of the official acronyms used throughout the company.
He also maintains a number of other directories that users can
access via action words. The user types the code word "usafahe,"
the acronym for U.S. Air Force Attack Helicopter. The "e" suffix
makes it an Action Word to substitute the expanded text, "U.S. Air
Force Attack Helicopter." ActiveWords responds by looking the word
up in its Active Wordbase, on his computer. The Service Script
passes control to an ActiveWords network agent, which, in turn,
looks the word up in his company's database server via a SQL
command.
Example 15
[0407] 7.times.7 Archive--Content, Control and Retrieval
Services
[0408] The user wishes to take a quick note related to a person he
was introduced to in a human resources meeting at work. His
organization charting program is foremost. He presses
<spacebar> 21 spacebar> to bring up the ActiveWords
Scratch Pad. Then he types his note into the Scratch Pad, including
as much text as he wants, He follows that with "bhu," his action
word standing for Business Human Resources. The present invention
responds by storing the text of his note in the ActiveWords
archive, tagged to identify the foremost application, the foremost
document and the 7.times.7 category/subcategory (i.e.,
Business/Human Resources).
[0409] As discussed above, the present invention includes a special
7.times.7 repository for notes. There are seven user-assignable
categories (in this example "Business" is one of the seven
categories). Each category, in turn, has seven sub-categories (in
this example, Human Resources is one of the seven sub-categories in
the Business category). The ActiveWords system automatically makes
a default code word by using the first letter of the category name
and the first two letters of the sub-category name (hence "bhu," in
this example).
[0410] If the user is in a word processing application at the time
he wants to record something in the 7.times.7 repository, he can
simply use the applications text field to write the note. In a
preferred embodiment, he presses <enter>, causing a "return"
to a new paragraph, and types his note. He then types "bhu," his
code word to capture the note and store it in the 7.times.7
Archive. This results in everything he has typed since the last
return to be stored in the appropriate 7.times.7 file.
Example 16
[0411] Internet Setup
[0412] The user starts each day by opening his Internet connection,
Eudora, and Netscape Navigator. He then checks for new email. The
user has defined a service script associated with the code word
"si" meaning "start Internet." The service script opens the dialup
networking application, inserts the appropriate password, dials the
Internet service provider's phone number, opens the Eudora E-mail
application, opens the Netscape Navigator browser, makes Eudora the
foremost application, and executes the "Get Mail" command.
Example 17
[0413] Stock Symbols--Content and Retrieval Services
[0414] The user is an investment advisor who routinely publishes
analysis and recommendations for his clients and his newsletter.
The investment advisor, as a result of years in the profession,
relates stock symbols to equities as a natural language shortcut
for communicating with his peers. When writing, however, his
audience is general in nature and does not know how to interpret
the symbols.
[0415] The investment advisor purchases a hypothetical Forbes Stock
Symbol and Name conversion application from the ActiveWords web
site, since configuring his system to replace all stock symbols
with the actual company name would be time consuming. This
application contains the symbols and names of every company and
mutual find traded on United States Exchanges, as well as summary
information relevant to the advisor such as total shares of Common
Stock outstanding, SIC classification, and recent sales/earnings
information. This data can be updated monthly on an annual
subscription basis.
[0416] The advisor is writing an E-mail message to his client base
concerning oil industry investments is recommending. He wants to
mention several oil companies. He types "RD" which is replaced with
"Royal Dutch Petroleum Company (RD)." He types "XON" which is
replaced with "Exxon Corporation (XON)." He types "OXY" which is
replaced with "Occidental Petroleum Corporation (OXY)."
Example 18
[0417] Active Words Launch Center
[0418] The user is copied on an E-mail message addressed to
"Rodriguez." He selects the word and clicks on the ActiveWords
Information Center icon on the monitoring bar 315, which is docked
at the top of his screen. The ActiveWords Information Center Window
drops down from the upper right corner of his screen. It includes a
text field that has "Rodriguez" in it. Below that, there is a list
of several resources he can use: Customers, Employees, Suppliers,
and Yahoo. He selects Suppliers by clicking or by typing the code
word text that is shown just under Suppliers (let's assume that
code word is "xc"). In either case, the present invention searches
the wordbase 340 for a match for "xc," finds it and executes it's
service script. The service script passes control to an agent that
launches an SQL call to return a list of all "Rodriguez" that occur
in the company's Supplier database. The agent handles the
navigation through his company's LAN/WAN network to handle the
query and response. Alternatively, he could have typed "Rodriguez"
in his application text stream.
Example 19
[0419] User Input Boxes--All Types of Active Words Services
[0420] The user decides to search the company's Intranet web site
for a specific product name. He types "find." This is a dual word
and the user signals that he wants it to be treated as an action
word. The ActiveWords system responds by opening a User Input Box,
with the message "Please type what you are looking for." The user
types "lock nuts" and presses <enter>. The script in the
"find" item launches a browser via a URL pointing to the company's
Intranet copy of the Yahoo search engine.
Example 20
[0421] Universal Hypertext Links
[0422] Combining the addition of the "default" word option with the
ability to have ActiveWords look up whatever text is currently in
the buffer after some user-assignable interval (i.e., using time as
a delineator), and with the ability to submit selected and/or typed
text to the ActiveWords system for matching in tile wordbase 340, a
new application universe that is referred to as Universal Hypertext
Links (UHL) is created. An ActiveWords application that is
configured to use these features will recognize every word or
phrase a user types or which he selects by highlighting it with his
mouse or with his keyboard. A word or phrase will either be matched
with a specific item in the wordbase 340 or will be matched against
the "default" word in the wordbase 340.
[0423] One example of the UHL application is the ActiveWords
Internet Companion for Yahoo!. This application effectively ties
every word or phrase a user can type or select directly into the
various pages and services available at Yahoo! The scripts
associated with about 200 specific words (e.g., sports, business,
games, weather) will automatically navigate the users computer to
his web browser and to the appropriate page on the Yahoo! site. All
other words or phrases will be matched with the "default" WORD,
which will execute an ActiveWords script that offers the user a
selection of Yahoo! resources (e.g., Dictionary, Stock Quotes, Zip
Code, Area Code) where the word or phrase the user typed or
selected can automatically be looked up.
Example 21
[0424] Help Desk
[0425] The ActiveWords system can be used to assist technical
help-desks. Technical troubleshooting, which is typically performed
over the telephone, can be very difficult. This work is performed
by navigating to various objects on the users computer, opening
these objects, observing data values (e.g., the operator may say
"tell me which check-box has the x in it"), and making a judgment
about those values. The present invention allows organizations that
provide help desk services (e.g., computer manufacturers, software
vendors, help-desk software providers, etc.) to create a set of
action words that can be downloaded to or stored on the user's
computer (or server connected to the user's computer). Once entered
by the user, the action word is compared to the wordbase 340, which
results in the accompanying script being executed. The technical
support can then merely ask the user to type an active word and the
appropriate windows can be displayed, information retrieved or
application programs launched. Thus, the users does not have to be
"talked" through a complicated process, but only needs to enter
(via keyboard, speech or handwriting tablet) actions words.
[0426] VI. Conclusion
[0427] The present invention provides the user with direct access
to desired results, eliminating repetitive effort. The user can
save more than half his keystrokes, for the rest of his life. He
also avoids many runs, endlessly repeated, through the GUI's maze
of menus and Windows. The user becomes more productive,
accomplishing his work faster. The present invention works with
words of the user's choice, all the time and in all contexts. Its
use becomes reflexive. The present invention controls the computer
in the user's natural language. It mitigates many inefficiencies of
the GUI, while preserving it's many benefit's, The present
invention keeps a history of the user's text input and helps him
discover ways to improve his productivity by using his natural
language to create a highly personal SUI.
[0428] While various embodiments of the present invention have been
described above, it should be understood that they have been
presented by way of example only, and not limitation. Thus, the
breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by
any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be
defined only in accordance with the following claims and their
equivalents.
* * * * *
References