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Description  |
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to data entry arrangements.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is well known that such persons as securities traders, sales people,
order takers, nurses, etc., spend an appreciable amount of time over the
course of a day manually filling in various forms, such as purchase
orders, charts, etc. Various techniques have been devised to reduce the
amount of time spent filling in such forms. One such technique displays
the fields of a form on the cathode ray tube or other display of a
computer. A user "fills in" the displayed fields by entering the
information called for by each field using the computer keyboard. However,
the amount of time that such known techniques save over the manual method
of filling in a form is not substantial when a user thereof is not
proficient in using a computer keyboard.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
We have recognized that a more desirable approach to providing a
computerized form entry system is one that upon displaying a form
indicates in a predetermined sequence which of the information fields of
the displayed form a user is to fill in and concurrently displays one of a
plurality of predefined tools adapted to specifically facilitate the
inputting of the information called for by that field. Specifically, in
our arrangement, the field that is to be filled in by the user is
highlighted and the tool which the user operates to fill in the
highlighted field is displayed as an overlay (window) on the form. A tool
could be, for example, a calculator, a keyboard, a date pad, etc.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the form entry system may
be arranged to communicate with illustratively a host computer during the
course of filling in a form or chart to obtain the entries for one or more
fields thereof. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, one of
the displayed fields could be a bit-mapped graphics field which the user
fills in by writing on the touch screen using a hand-held stylus. In
accordance with another aspect of the invention, the user may erase a
displayed tool and bring up another tool and use the other tool to fill in
a respective field.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other objects and features, together with the operation and
utilization of the present invention, will be more apparent from the
illustrative embodiment shown in conjunction with the drawings in which
FIG. 1 illustrates a computer arrangement in which the present invention is
illustratively implemented;
FIGS. 2 through 10 show various stages of a customized form displayed by
the computer arrangement of FIG. 1 in which a field in the form is filled
in using a respective displayed tool in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 11 depicts a menu of predefined tools that is displayed by the
computer arrangement of FIG. 1 when a user points to a respective one of
the function keys shown in FIGS. 2 through 10;
FIG. 12 shows a telephone station set tool which may be displayed by the
computer arrangement of FIG. 1 to establish a telephone call;
FIG. 13 is a simplified block diagram of the computer arrangement of FIG.
1;
FIG. 14 is a simplified block diagram showing a central computer connected
to a plurality of other computers, such as the computer depicted in FIG.
1, the computers, in turn, being shown connected to respective display
panels;
FIGS. 15 and 16 are flowcharts describing the operation of the computer
arrangement of FIG. 1 in relation to, inter alia, filling in the form of
FIGS. 2 through 10, in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 17 shows the manner in which FIGS. 15 and 16 should be arranged; and
FIG. 18 illustrates a portion of memory contained within the computer of
FIG. 1 in which is stored, inter alia, the form shown in FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Form entry system 10 depicted in FIG. 1 includes personal computer 20 and
display panel 15. Computer 20 operates under a predetermined operating
system--illustratively the MS-DOS operating system. (The MS-DOS operating
system is available from Microsoft, Inc.) The computer includes a display
21, keyboard 23 and floppy diskette unit 22 as well as other internal
components not explicitly shown in FIG. 1, such as a hard disk unit. The
keyboard 23 provides a mechanism for the user to input instructions to the
computer, such as an instruction to bring up a predefined screen pattern
on display 21. In the practice of the invention, display 21 is not
required since any screen pattern that is brought up on display 21 is also
brought up on display panel 15.
In particular, panel 15 includes a touch-sensitive screen 16 overlaying a
display device, for example, an ac plasma display. The touchsensitive
screen could be, for example, the TIX touch-screen available from the
Elographics Company of Oak Ridge, Tenn., and the ac plasma display could
be, for example, the D0640LB ac plasma display available from DIXY
Corporation of Japan. The display 21 and the D0640LB ac plasma display
each comprise 400 rows of 640 picture elements (pixels) in each row and
therefore, both are suitable for displaying so-called bit-mapped graphics.
Cable 17 includes a multilead bus connected between the ac plasma display
and a video (monitor) output port (not shown) available at the back of
computer 20. It also includes signal leads connected between
touch-sensitive screen 16 and a touch-screen controller circuit board
mounted in an available computer 20 circuit board slot (not shown). When
touch-screen 16 is touched by the user, the voltage levels appearing on
particular signal leads of cable 17 change. The touch-screen controller
decodes these changes in the signal levels into x and y coordinates, which
define the location that is being touched.
As will be discussed below, a user of the invention may design a customized
form for display on panel 15 such that the fields of the form are
highlighted one at a time in a particular pattern, such as a sequential
pattern. Moreover, the user may associate a predefined tool with a
particular field and have that tool displayed as an overlay when the
associated field is highlighted. When the user "fills in" a highlighted
field using the displayed tool, the system automatically advances to the
next field to be filled in, highlights that field and displays the tool
that will be used to fill in the field.
Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown an illustrative example of a
customized form which may be displayed on the ac plasma display of panel
15 after the computer 20 is turned on and has performed some initial tasks
including the "booting" of the operating system from the aforementioned
hard disk unit, and a screen command identifying the form has been
inputted into computer 20 via keyboard 23. Form 30 comprises two pages in
which the first page is shown in FIGS. 2-9 and the second page is shown in
FIG. 10.
Form 30 is illustratively a customized form for ordering a particular model
of automobile from the fictitious Saturn Motor Company (SMC). The form
comprises a plurality of information fields each identifying the kind of
information to be inserted therein, such as Model, Year, Qty (quantity),
etc. The fields, when filled in by a user (e.g., a salesperson), define a
particular model of automobile having a particular set of options, the
options being filled when the user reaches the options section 31 of the
form. Also, special equipment may be ordered when the user points to the
box labeled SP EQUIP, as will be discussed below.
(The term "points to" and the variants of that term as used herein is meant
to include other terms that are understood by the art and which define
similar functions. For example, it includes such notions as moving a
screen cursor to the location of displayed text or to an entry in a menu
of entries and operating, for example, an enter key; as "touching" the
screen as one would touch the touch screen 16 of panel 15; or even as
identifying particular displayed text or a menu of entries using terminal
buttons, for example, computer keyboard buttons.)
It is seen from FIG. 2 that the fields of form 30 are actually constructed
from a plurality of vertical and horizontal lines, such as lines 20, 21,
23, 24 and 25 which define fields 41 and 51 labeled Model and Year,
respectively. Function keys 32 through 37 and the manner in which a user
specifies the various horizontal and vertical lines to construct the
fields of a customized form will be discussed below.
When a form is first brought up on panel 15, one of the fields in the form
is illustratively highlighted and, in accordance with the invention, the
predefined tool for filling in that field is concurrently displayed
illustratively as a window overlaying the form.
Specifically, FIG. 3 depicts form 30 when it is first brought up on panel
15. It is seen from FIG. 3 that the first field in the form--the Model
field 41--is highlighted and the tool 40 for filling in that field is
displayed as an overlay (window) on form 30. In this instance, tool 40 is
a menu of predefined entries (or items) 42 through 46 representing
respective models of automobiles available from SMC. To "fill in" field
41, then, in accordance with a feature of the invention, all that the user
needs to do is to point to one of the entries 42 through 46.
(Other functions related to a displayed tool can be invoked by touching
tool movement icon 48 or tool erase icon 47, the former allowing the user
to move the tool to another location on the display and the latter
allowing the user to erase the tool from the display.)
For example, if it is assumed that a purchaser wishes to purchase the
CONVERTIBLE model, then the user points to that entry. As shown in FIG. 4,
the form entry system, responsive thereto (a) inserts the name CONVERTIBLE
in field 41, (b) erases menu 40 from the display of panel 15, (c)
highlights the next field--the Year field--and (d) brings up the
corresponding tool 50 to fill in that field.
It is assumed for the purpose of illustrating the invention that SMC has an
inventory of automobiles that it manufactured during the years 1978
through 1986 and the entries in tool 50 reflect that fact. To fill in
field 51, then, all that the user needs to do is to point to one of the
entries displayed in tool 50. Assuming that the user selects the entry
1986, the system (a) inserts 1986 in field 51, (b) erases tool 50 from the
display, (c) highlights the next field to be filled in, i.e., the Qty
field, and (d) displays the tool for filling in that field.
Turning then to FIG. 5, there is shown form 30 at the point where fields 41
and 51 have been filled in and field 61 is highlighted, indicating that
field 61 is the next field to be filled in by the user. The device for
filling in field 61--number entry tool 60--has also been brought up on the
display. The number entry tool 60 operates similar to a standard hand-held
calculator in which the user composes a string of numbers by touching
individual ones of the displayed buttons of tool 60, for example, the
button labeled 0 (zero), as though the user were touching the number
buttons on a hand-held calculator or the number buttons on a computer
keyboard.
Number entry tool 60 also includes four function keys 63 through 66.
Briefly, the BS (back space) key 63 allows the user to backspace to
overwrite a digit displayed in the display section 62. The C (clear) key
64 clears the number displayed in display section 62. The E (enter) key 65
allows the user to transfer the number displayed in display section 62 to
the highlighted field, i.e., field 61, but the system does not
automatically skip, or advance, to the next field to be filled in. To
advance to the next field, the user would have to point to it. When the
user does so, the system highlights that field (i.e., the Bid Date field)
and brings up the tool for filling in the field. The E/S (enter/skip) key
66 causes the system to transfer the number displayed in display section
62 to field 61 and advance to the next field to be filled in.
In the illustrative example of the present invention, it is assumed that
the number of automobiles to be ordered is ten. Accordingly, the user
touches the digit 1 and 0, respectively, to enter the number 10. In turn,
the system displays the digits in the display section 62 of tool 60, as
shown in FIG. 6.
FIG. 6 depicts the result of the user having pointed to the E/S key 66 of
tool 60. It is seen that the system has inserted the number 10 in field 61
and has highlighted the Bid Date field 71 to indicate to the user that
that field is the next field to be filled in. The system has also brought
up the tool 70 for filling in field 71, which, in this case, is a
transitory date and time entry tool 70 that is updated periodically. The
current date 72 and time 73 displayed in tool 70 are derived from computer
20.
Since the Bid Date field 71 calls for a date and not a time, the user
points to the E/S key 74 of tool 70. When the user does so, the system
inserts the current date 72 in the associated field 71 and advances to the
next field to be filled in.
As will be discussed below, the form entry system of the present invention
may be programmed, in accordance with a feature of the invention, to
advance to any field in the form. Thus, the system may be programmed, for
example, to pass over one or more fields and to return to those fields
after the other fields have been filled in.
Turning then to FIG. 7, there is shown an example in which the system has
been programmed to pass over field 85-1 and highlight field 81. The system
has also brought up keyboard tool 80, since field 81 calls for the
insertion of a name.
Specifically, tool 80 is patterned after a conventional keyboard having a
display section 82. The user may illustratively compose a name by pointing
to respective ones of the displayed keys of tool 80. When the user touches
a key, for example, the key labeled C, the system displays that letter in
display section 82 of tool 80. Upon composing the customer's name and
seeing it displayed in display section 82, as shown in FIG. 7, the user
then enters the name in the associated field 81 by pointing to the E/S key
83.
At this point in the discussion, it is assumed that, upon filling in field
81, the system is programmed to skip over fields 85-2 and 85-3 and advance
to the Return Request To field 91. When the system advances to field 91,
it highlights that field and brings up the corresponding tool for filling
in the field, such as a menu of names (not shown). In the present
illustrative example of the invention, when the user selects one of the
names in the displayed menu of names, the system inserts the selected name
in field 91 and advances to DLR INFO 90.
In certain instances, it may be advantageous to allow a central location,
such as a host computer, to determine the information that is to be
inserted in a field of a form. For example, a unique number is typically
printed on each copy of a printed form to distinguish one copy of the form
from another copy. The preprinted form number thus prevents the same
number from being used on more than one copy of the form, which may not be
ensured if the person who is filling in the form also fills in the form
number, since the person could mistakenly write the same number on more
than one copy.
Also, in certain instances, the same information may be inserted in a
particular field(s) of a form each time a copy of the form is filled in,
such information being, for example, the phone number of the dealer
inserted in field 85-3.
In accordance with a feature of the invention, the form entry system may be
programmed to communicate with other equipment, such as a host computer,
via an application program to obtain information for filling in one or
more fields of a form, such as fields 85-1 through 85-7.
Turning then to FIG. 8, there is shown form 30 with DLR INFO 90
highlighted. In this instance, DLR INFO 90 provides the function of a
"button" rather than a field. When the user touches button 90, computer 20
communicates with a host computer via an application program (discussed
below) to obtain the information for filling in fields 85-1 through 85-7.
Upon obtaining such information, the system automatically (a) inserts it
in fields 85-1 through 85-7, (b) removes the highlighting at button 90 and
(c) advances to the option section 31 of the form, as shown in FIG. 9.
It is seen from FIG. 9 that the system, in advancing to option section 31,
has highlighted field 101 and has brought up tool 100 comprising a menu of
alternatives which the user operates to fill in that field in the manner
as discussed above. The remaining fields of section 31, i.e., the fields
labeled Engine through Ex Sys, are filled in by the user as each of those
fields is highlighted and the respective tool is displayed.
It is assumed at this point in the discussion that page 1 of form 30 has
been filled in and the system has highlighted the SP EQUIP (special
equipment) button 102. When the user points to button 102, the system
erases page 1 of form 30 and displays page 2 of form 30, as shown in FIG.
10.
It is seen from FIG. 10 that the fields in the top section of page 2 and
the fields in the top section of page 1 of form 30 are identical.
Accordingly, the system, upon bringing up page 2 of the form,
automatically fills in those fields using the information inserted in the
corresponding fields of page 1. In bringing up page 2, the system also
highlights field 110 of form 30.
Specifically, field 110 is, in accordance with a feature of the invention,
a bit-mapped graphics field which permits the user to "write in"
instructions in the field. These instructions may be, illustratively,
special equipment items to be ordered from SMC. Other instructions, such
as the method of delivering the automobiles to the purchaser, may also be
written in field 110 as well as the signature of the person filling in
form 30. In the present example of the invention, the special equipment
item called "cruise control" is being ordered. Accordingly, the user
writes in the name of that item in field 110. In turn, the system tracks
the points on touch screen 16 that is being touched by the stylus and
illuminates the corresponding points on the ac plasma display of panel 15,
thereby tracking the user's handwriting. Upon filling in field 110, the
user touches the RTN (return) button 111. When the user does so, the
system erases page 2 and redisplays page 1 of form 30.
Page 1 of form 30 includes a COMP (complete) button 103, as shown in FIG.
9. Upon filling in the form, the user touches button 103. In response
thereto, the system illustratively (a) stores the various field entries in
a so-called hand-off file, (b) erases form 30 from the display and brings
up a fresh form 30, as shown in FIG. 3, and (c) passes the hand-off file
to the host computer for processing.
Other functions related to either filling in form 30 or creating a
customized form can be invoked, or selected, by pointing to, i.e.,
touching, individual ones of the function keys 32 through 37 displayed
along the top of form 30, as shown in FIG. 9. Briefly, key 32 is blank and
available for future use, such future use being, for example, an edit key
which causes a menu of editing functions to be displayed when the user
touches key 32. The SPECIALS key 33 provides two functions, the first
function allowing the user to store a customized form in hard disk, and
the second function allowing the user to calibrate a touch point on touch
screen 16 with either the ac plasma display of panel 15 or display 21 of
computer 20 if the touch screen happens to be overlaying the latter
display. The HIGHLIGHT key 34 allows the user to change the contrast of
form 30 when it is being displayed from light to dark or vice-versa. The
TOOLBOX key 35 displays a menu of predefined "tools" as will be discussed
below. The STYLUS key 36 changes the style of handwriting displayed in a
bit-mapped graphics field of form 30 to either fine or bold point writing.
The CLEAR key 37 allows the user to either clear one or all of the filled
in fields of a displayed form.
In certain instances the tool that the system brings up for filling in a
corresponding field may be out of date. For example, assume that SMC adds
a new tire to its product line and that the tool 100, shown in FIG. 9, has
not been updated to include the new tire as an option. Thus, tool 100
could not be used to fill in field 101 if the new tire is the selected
option. This problem is dealt with, in accordance with a feature of the
invention, by allowing the user to bring up another tool, such as the
keyboard shown in FIG. 7, and use that tool to fill in field 101. The user
brings up the keyboard by first touching the erase icon of the displayed
tool, which erases the displayed tool, and then touching the toolbox
function key 35, which displays a menu of predefined tools.
Turning then to FIG. 11, there is shown the menu 115 of predefined tools
that is displayed as an overlay when the user touches function key 35. The
user may redisplay the tool that was erased from the screen by touching
the corresponding one of the tools 1 through 8. For example, tool 100
(shown in FIG. 9) is redisplayed by touching menu item 1 and is
redisplayed with an E/S button if menu item 2 is touched. In particular,
the user may bring up either the keyboard tool 80 (shown in FIG. 7), the
number pad tool 60 (shown in FIG. 5) or the date and time tool 70 (shown
in FIG. 6) by touching either menu item 4, 5 or 6, respectively. The user
may bring up a date pad tool (not shown) by touching item 3. The date pad
that is brought up on the display has a format that is similar to the
format of number pad 60 and is used to insert a date in a field when the
date to be inserted is not the current date. The user may bring up a
calculator tool (not shown) by touching item 7. The calculator tool is
similar in appearance to a conventional hand-held calculator and includes
four registers. The user operates the displayed calculator as though the
user was operating a hand-held calculator. The user may also bring up the
four calculator registers (not shown) without bringing up the calculator
by touching menu item 8.
The foregoing was discussed in terms of displaying a customized form and
the tools that are used to enter data in the fields of the form.
Alternatively, the present invention may be adapted to bring up a tool
which is used to perform a specific function other than inserting data in
a field.
For example, FIG. 12 shows tool 120 which is patterned after a telephone
station set and which may be brought up on panel 15 when the latter is
connected to a computer having the capability to establish a telephone
connection, such as the AT&T UNIX PC 7300.
Specifically, the buttons bearing the labels 1 through 0, * and # represent
telephone buttons which the user touches as though he or she were touching
the similarly labeled buttons on a conventional telephone station set to
dial in a telephone number. Included in telephone tool 120 are buttons 121
through 124 which are used to invoke well-known telephone features. For
example, Conference button 121 is used to establish a conference call,
Drop button 122 is used to terminate a call, Transfer button 123 is used
to transfer a call to another station or computer and Hold button 124 is
used to place a call on hold. Telephone tool 120 also includes fields
125-1 through 125-3 which display the status of respective telephone lines
connected to the computer. FIG. 12 shows two such telephone lines--Line 1
and Line 2--in fields 125-1 and 125-2, respectively. Field 125-3 is shown
blank to indicate that it is reserved for a third telephone line not yet
connected to the computer. Each of the fields 125-1 through 125-3 has
associated therewith two other fields, such as fields 126 and 127, to
simulate the functions performed by the well-known in-use lamps that are
found on conventional business telephone station sets. For example, field
126 represents the red in-use lamp and is highlighted to indicate to the
user that line 1 is the line that will be used (or is being used) when
placing a telephone call. It is noted that the computer will typically
select line 1 and will place that line in the off-hook state when tool 120
is brought up on the display. The user may select line 2 by touching field
125-2, in which case, the computer places line 1 in the on-hook state if a
call has not been established over that line and places line 2 in the
off-hook state.
Field 127 represents the green in-use lamp and is highlighted to indicate
to the user that the associated line is active. The field is also placed
in a flashing mode by highlighting and removing the highlighting from the
field to indicate that a call is being received over the associated line.
Field 128 represents an intercom button which is highlighted when the user
touches field 128. In that event, the computer connects the user to an
intecom line. Fields 129-1 through 129-5 represent the well-known
one-touch dialing buttons that are found on conventional station sets. For
example, if the user wishes to place a telephone call to the person named
in field 129-1, i.e., DAY, then all the user needs to do is touch that
field rather than dialing the person's telephone number using the
displayed telephone keypad.
In operation, when tool 120 is brought up, fields 126 and 127 are
highlighted indicating that line 1 is the active line. When the user
touches one of the digits of the displayed keypad, for example, the digit
labeled 2, the form entry system passes the coordinates of the touch point
to an application program, as will be discussed below. The application
program, in turn, causes the computer to outpulse the digit over line 1,
line 1 and line 2 being connected to, for example, a telephone company
central office. The form entry system operating in conjunction with the
application program handles the remaining digits touched by the user in
the same fashion to establish a telephone connection to the desired
telephone number.
According to a feature of the invention, the user may design his or her own
customized form for a particular application. In designing such a form the
user specifies, using various commands, where on the screen the rectangles
(fields), lines, text and graphic images should be placed, such commands
being stored in a screen file as they are being inputted by the user via
keyboard 23 of computer 20 (FIG.1). The user also specifies the attributes
of each field, i.e., the highlighting of the field, the tool that is
brought up when the field is highlighted, the next field that is
highlighted when the current field is filled in, etc., as will be
discussed below. In discussing the design of a form, reference will be
made to FIG. 2.
Returning then to FIG. 2, it is noted that function keys 32 through 37 are
typically displayed regardless of which form or tool is brought up,
function keys 32 through 37 being displayed over illustratively the first
30 rows of pixels. Thus, the beginning (upper left-hand corner) of form 30
starts at row 31 of the display. It is seen from FIG. 2, that a
demarcation between form 30 and keys 32 through 37 is established by the
bold line 22. A line in a form, such as line 22, may be specified using
illustratively a line command as follows:
putline(x1,y1,x2,y2,linewidth)
where x1 and y1 are the horizontal and vertical coordinates (row and
column) of one endpoint of the line, x2 and y2 are the coordinates of the
other endpoint of the line and linewidth is the thickness of the line, in
pixels, and is restricted to 1, 2 or 3, such as the thickness of lines 20,
21 and 22, respectively. Accordingly, the command that is inputted to
display line 22 is as follows:
putline(31,3,31,635,3)
(It is noted that the putline command may also be used to bring up a
diagonal line by specifying the coordinates of the endpoints of the line.)
A horizontal line may be displayed using illustratively the command,
puthline(x,y,length,linewidth)
where x and y are the coordinates of the upper-left-most pixel of the line
and length is the length of the line in pixels. Thus, line 22 may also be
inputted as follows:
puthline(31,3,635,3)
A vertical line may be displayed using illustratively the command,
putvline(x,y,length,linewidth)
where length in this case is the height (number of rows) of the vertical
line.
Text may be inserted in a form using illustratively a text command as
follows:
puttext1(x,yh,font,"text")
where x is the horizontal coordinate of the location of where the text is
to being, yh is the top pixel of the text string, font specifies the type
of font to be used (for example, the type of font that is used to spell
out "SATURN", "Model" or "Required Options" shown in FIG. 1), and text is
the string of text to be displayed. Thus, the user inputs the following
commands to display the text that is shown across the the top of form 30:
puttext1(28,37,9,"SATURN")
puttext1(250,37,1"Special Equipment Worksheet Page 1")
The following sequence of commands establishes the first set of fields of
form 30; namely, the Model, Year, Qty, Bid Date and Saturn Ord. fields:
puthline(3,60,537,2); (1)
putvline(3,60,105,2); (2)
puttext1(15,65,1,"Model"); (3)
putvline(95,60,35,1); (4)
puttext1(98,65,1,"Year"); (5)
putvline(135,60,35,1); (6)
puttext1(138,65,1,"Qty"); (7)
putvline(190,60,35,1); (8)
puttext1(193,65,1,"Bid date") (9)
putvline(325,60,35,1); (10)
puttext1(328,65,1,"Saturn Ord. No.") (11)
putvline(540,60,70,2); (12)
puthlin | | |
