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.

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.[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 ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[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.

Problems solved by technology

Without a user friendly interface, these features and functions are typically inaccessible to the computer operator.

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.

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.

The problem stems from the inability of the computer to fully understand even our simplest intentions; it lacks our personality profile.

Unfortunately, current computer user interfaces have limited abilities to allow a user to express themselves.

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.

Because of their inherent limitations, none have been successful enough to reach the mainstream user.

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.

Recognition of the user's words by these utilities is limited to the purpose of replacing one text string with another.

They do not enable the user to also use words for controlling computer processes and functions.

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.

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.

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.

all operations and functionality are unobtrusive.

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.

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.

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.

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