Showing papers on "User interface published in 1999"

Towards a Better Understanding of Context and Context-Awareness

Abstract: When humans talk with humans, they are able to use implicit situational information, or context, to increase the conversational bandwidth. Unfortunately, this ability to convey ideas does not transfer well to humans interacting with computers. In traditional interactive computing, users have an impoverished mechanism for providing input to computers. By improving the computer’s access to context, we increase the richness of communication in human-computer interaction and make it possible to produce more useful computational services. The use of context is increasingly important in the fields of handheld and ubiquitous computing, where the user?s context is changing rapidly. In this panel, we want to discuss some of the research challenges in understanding context and in developing context-aware applications.

Application instantiation based upon attributes and values stored in a meta data repository, including tiering of application layers objects and components

Abstract: Instantiation of tiered software applications running on an Internet or Intranet computer system, including a method of instantiation and a program product for instantiation. The method, and program product are particularly useful in instantiation of multi-tiered applications having a user interface tier on the client, browser, or remote computer, from a meta data repository containing attributes and values of the attributes.

Why Johnny can't encrypt: a usability evaluation of PGP 5.0

Abstract: User errors cause or contribute to most computer security failures, yet user interfaces for security still tend to be clumsy, confusing, or near-nonexistent. Is this simply due to a failure to apply standard user interface design techniques to security? We argue that, on the contrary, effective security requires a different usability standard, and that it will not be achieved through the user interface design techniques appropriate to other types of consumer software. To test this hypothesis, we performed a case study of a security program which does have a good user interface by general standards: PGP 5.0. Our case study used a cognitive walkthrough analysis together with a laboratory user test to evaluate whether PGP 5.0 can be successfully used by cryptography novices to achieve effective electronic mail security. The analysis found a number of user interface design flaws that may contribute to security failures, and the user test demonstrated that when our test participants were given 90 minutes in which to sign and encrypt a message using PGP 5.0, the majority of them were unable to do so successfully. We conclude that PGP 5.0 is not usable enough to provide effective security for most computer users, despite its attractive graphical user interface, supporting our hypothesis that user interface design for effective security remains an open problem. We close with a brief description of our continuing work on the development and application of user interface design principles and techniques for security.

Principles of mixed-initiative user interfaces

Abstract: Recent debate has centered on the relative promise of focusing user-interface research on developing new metaphors and tools that enhance users abilities to directly manipulate objects versus directing effort toward developing interface agents that provide automation. In this paper, we review principles that show promise for allowing engineers to enhance human-computer interaction through an elegant coupling of automated services with direct manipulation. Key ideas will be highlighted in terms of the Lookout system for scheduling and meeting management.

Dynamic customer profile management

Abstract: The present invention is provided for utilizing various types of user indicia such as search requests, products purchased, products looked at but not purchased, products purchased and returned, reasons for returning products, customers stated profile including income level, education level, stated profession, etc. for the purpose of customizing a user interface.

Grouper: a dynamic clustering interface to Web search results

Abstract: Users of Web search engines are often forced to sift through the long ordered list of document `snippets' returned by the engines. The IR community has explored document clustering as an alternative method of organizing retrieval results, but clustering has yet to be deployed on most major search engines. The NorthernLight search engine organizes its output into `custom folders' based on pre-computed document labels, but does not reveal how the folders are generated or how well they correspond to users' interests. In this paper, we introduce Grouper, an interface to the results of the HuskySearch meta-search engine, which dynamically groups the search results into clusters labeled by phrases extracted from the snippets. In addition, we report on the first empirical comparison of user Web search behavior on a standard ranked-list presentation versus a clustered presentation. By analyzing HuskySearch logs, we are able to demonstrate substantial differences in the number of documents followed, and in the amount of time and effort expended by users accessing search results through these two interfaces.

Software for Use: A Practical Guide to the Models and Methods of Usage-Centered Design

Abstract: For anyone who designs applications or Web pages professionally, Software for Use provides an appealingly written guide to user interface design. This book delivers many valuable insights on improving interfaces for both desktop applications and Web sites. A software design process is first presented that's centered on usability (with terms like "user roles," "use cases," and "interaction contexts"). Early sections have much to say about inadequate interfaces (using a number of Windows examples) and how to improve them. The book presents an argument for creating innovative and intuitable interfaces (often by rethinking time-honored Windows conventions). The most provocative material here is the coverage of the Internet--the book argues that many Web sites sacrifice usability for visual razzle-dazzle, and it offers ways to organize Web sites for better usability. (A section on embedded devices looks at UI issues for these systems too.) A full case study of a user interface design for a corporate address book is included. Software for Use makes a good case that there is room for improvement in today's user interfaces. This book is sure to be a valuable resource for anyone serious about improving the user's experience of software or Web sites. --Richard Dragan Topics covered: Design processes; help systems and error messages; and interface creation for novice, intermediate, and advanced users.

Model-Based Design and Evaluation of Interactive Applications

Abstract: From the Publisher: If you are interested in understanding how the systematic use of task models in the design, development, and usability evaluation of interactive software applications can open new opportunities and possibilities then this book will help you do just that. Fabio Paterno also discusses related issues relevant to designing user interfaces and provides a state-of-the-art review of the field, including recently developed methods, current results and problems and trends." "Software Engineers will also find Model-Based Design and Evaluation of Interactive Applications a great help when developing projects.

Multi-perspective viewer for content-based interactivity

Abstract: A method and apparatus for interactively viewing a real-world environment. The viewer includes a user interface having a first window for displaying a two-dimensional representation of a three-dimensional model of the real world environment. The viewer further includes a plurality of other viewing areas for displaying and querying for views of the real-world environment. The viewer includes a content-based event timeline that graphically depicts multi-media events satisfying user queries. Several methods can be used to select an event for display. For example, the user can select an event by selecting the event representation from the timeline. Alternatively, the user can select an event by querying the system for selected objects, viewing angles, input devices, etc. The viewer synchronizes and links together all of the multi-media data types associated with a selected event. Thus, when the user selects an event, the viewer displays all of the multi-media information (such as audio/video and textual information) that is associated with the selected event.

Method and system for controlling presentation of information to a user based on the user's condition

Abstract: A system for controlling presentation of information to a user based on the user's current condition. In particular, the system monitors the user and the user's environment, and creates and maintains an updated model of the current condition of the user. The user condition can include a variety of condition variables, including abstract concepts such as the user's current cognitive load, desired level of privacy for output information, and desired scope of audience for output information. Upon receiving output information to be presented to the user (e.g., from an application program), the system determines an appropriate output device and an appropriate format with which to present the information to the user, and then presents the output information. The system can also receive description information about the output information that describes relevant factors for determining when and how to present the output information (e.g., the importance and urgency of the output information, the consequences of the user not receiving or ignoring the output information, etc.). Some versions of the system execute on a wearable computer having a variety of available output display devices.

UIML: an appliance-independent XML user interface language

Abstract: Today's Internet appliances feature user interface technologies almost unknown a few years ago: touch screens, styli, handwriting and voice recognition, speech synthesis, tiny screens, and more. This richness creates problems. First, different appliances use different languages: WML for cell phones; SpeechML, JSML, and VoxML for voice enabled devices such as phones; HTML and XUL for desktop computers, and so on. Thus, developers must maintain multiple source code families to deploy interfaces to one information system on multiple appliances. Second, user interfaces differ dramatically in complexity (e.g, PC versus cell phone interfaces). Thus, developers must also manage interface content. Third, developers risk writing appliance-specific interfaces for an appliance that might not be on the market tomorrow. A solution is to build interfaces with a single, universal language free of assumptions about appliances and interface technology. This paper introduces such a language, the User Interface Markup Language (UIML), an XML-compliant language. UIML insulates the interface designer from the peculiarities of different appliances through style sheets. A measure of the power of UIML is that it can replace hand-coding of Java AWT or Swing user interfaces.

Method and system facilitating web based provisioning of two-way mobile communications devices

Abstract: A system and method for provisioning a two-way mobile communications device having a display screen and user interface that is initiated from the device to be provisioned. The device to be provisioned establishes a secure communications session with a provisioning server device. The subject communications path may utilize an intermediate server device. The user of the device is then presented with a plurality of input and choice screens, which may be used in conjunction with the user interface to provide user information, select device features and services. The user information and selected feature and service requests are then forwarded to the provisioning server device. The provisioning server device processes the received information and generates provisioning packages, registration requests, and notifications for the subject mobile device and for any associated server device providing services. The provisioning packages may comprise software modules, parameters and any required security information.

Method and apparatus for user and device command and control in a network

Abstract: Method and system for performing a service on a home network having a plurality of home devices connected thereto, by: connecting a client device to the home network for displaying a user interface; executing a software agent on the client device for obtaining selection information for the network devices and displaying the selection information on a user interface displayed on the client device; selecting a first home device connected to the network from the user interface being displayed on the client device; reading first capabilities data for the first home device, where the first capabilities data includes information in a structured format for identifying the capabilities of the first home device; reading second capabilities data for a second home device connected to the network, where the second capabilities data includes information in the structured format for identifying the capabilities of the second home device; comparing the first and second capabilities data of the first and second home devices, respectively; selecting the second home device from the user interface displayed on the client device; and sending control and command data from the client device to the first and second home devices to cause the first and second home devices to communicate with each other to perform the service.

MARSYAS: a framework for audio analysis

Abstract: Existing audio tools handle the increasing amount of computer audio data inadequately. The typical tape-recorder paradigm for audio interfaces is inflexible and time consuming, especially for large data sets. On the other hand, completely automatic audio analysis and annotation is impossible using current techniques. Alternative solutions are semi-automatic user interfaces that let users interact with sound in flexible ways based on content. This approach offers significant advantages over manual browsing, annotation and retrieval. Furthermore, it can be implemented using existing techniques for audio content analysis in restricted domains. This paper describes MARSYAS, a framework for experimenting, evaluating and integrating such techniques. As a test for the architecture, some recently proposed techniques have been implemented and tested. In addition, a new method for temporal segmentation based on audio texture is described. This method is combined with audio analysis techniques and used for hierarchical browsing, classification and annotation of audio files.

Policy based storage configuration

Abstract: A storage device configuration manager implemented in software for a computer system including a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, and at least one storage device coupled to the processor, can advantageously allow a user having relatively limited knowledge to configure storage devices for use with specific applications. The storage device configuration manager includes a user interface allowing for selecting, editing, deleting, and/or activating storage polices. The storage policies include information useful for configuring the storage device to operate efficiently with a particular application, or within a particular user environment. The information is used by a policy engine to configure the storage device, thereby reducing the knowledge and effort required by a user.

Presentation services patterns in a netcentric environment

Abstract: A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for implementing presentation services patterns. Non-presentation logic executed on a client is assigned to an activity for allowing reuse of the non-presentation logic across multiple, volatile user interfaces. A view is assigned to the activity. Validation rules are also structured for validating user data across the multiple user interfaces.

Parser translator system and method

Abstract: A parser-translator technology allows a user to specify complex test and/or transformation statements in a high-level user language, to ensure that such test and/or transformation statements are well-formed in accordance with a grammar defining legal statements in the user language, and to translate statements defined by the user into logically and syntactically correct directives for performing the desired data transformations or operations. Using the parser-translator technology, a user can focus on the semantics of the desired operations and need not be concerned with the proper syntax of a language for a particular system. Instead, grammars (i.e., data) define the behavior of a parser-translator implementation by encoding the universe of statements (e.g., legal test and/or transformation statements) and by encoding translations appropriate to a particular data processing application (e.g., a data conversion program, etc.). Some parser-translator implementations described herein interface dynamically with other systems and/or repositories to query for information about objects, systems and states represented therein, and/or their respective interfaces. Some grammars described herein encode sensitivity to an external context. In this way, context-sensitive prompting and validation of correct specification of statements is provided. A combination of parser technology and dynamic querying of external system state allows users to build complex statements (e.g., using natural languages within a user interface environment) and to translate those complex statements into statements or directives appropriate to a particular data processing application.

Unified messaging methods and systems for communication and cooperation among distributed agents in a computing environment

Abstract: The present invention provides a Unified Messaging system with an emphasis on ubiquitous access and dynamic presentation of the information and services supported by an agent community. The present invention allows queries across dynamically changing, complex information; shared context and reference resolution among applications; and flexible translation of multimedia data. Utilizing an Open Agent Architecture, the present invention allows a user to receive multiple information types, such as email, voicemail, and multimedia data, utilizing a single user interface, such as a phone. Communication and cooperation between agents are brokered by one or more facilitators, which are responsible for matching requests, from users and agents, with descriptions of the capabilities of other agents. It is not generally required that a user or agent know the identities, locations, or number of other agents involved in satisfying a request, and relatively minimal effort is involved in incorporating new agents and “wrapping” legacy applications. Extreme flexibility is achieved through an architecture organized around the declaration of capabilities by service-providing agents, the construction of arbitrarily complex goals by users and service-requesting agents, and the role of facilitators in delegating and coordinating the satisfaction of these goals, subject to advice and constraints that may accompany them.

System and method for multi-protocol communication in a computer network

Abstract: A system for multi-protocol communication in the computer network has a user interface layer with a common data structure to permit instant messaging communication with multiple service providers that each have different communication protocols. Message data and commands are transferred to a conversion platform layer using an application programming interface (API). Within the conversion platform layer, the data and commands transformed to conform with the messaging requirements and communication protocol of the different service providers. The conversion process is transparent to the user and permits instant messaging to recipients regardless of the recipient's service provider. Incoming messages received from a recipient are received by the conversion platform layer and converted from the messaging requirements and communication protocol of the recipient's service provider to the common data structure of the user interface. The system also permits a user to establish and display a contact list even though the individuals in the contact list may be subscribers to different service providers. When the user logs on to the various service providers, the contact list data for each service provider is provided to the user interface and converted for display to the user.

Towards adaptive Web sites: conceptual framework and case study

Abstract: The creation of a complex Web site is a thorny problem in user interface design. In this paper we explore the notion of adaptive Web sites : sites that semi-automatically improve their organization and presentation by learning from visitor access patterns. It is easy to imagine and implement Web sites that offer shortcuts to popular pages. Are more sophisticated adaptive Web sites feasible? What degree of automation can we achieve? To address the questions above, we describe the design space of adaptive Web sites and consider a case study: the problem of synthesizing new index pages that facilitate navigation of a Web site. We present the PageGather algorithm, which automatically identifies candidate link sets to include in index pages based on user access logs. We demonstrate experimentally that PageGather outperforms the Apriori data mining algorithm on this task. In addition, we compare PageGather's link sets to pre-existing, human-authored index pages.

User interface directions for the Web

Abstract: T he Web is about to face its own Y2K crisis—one that has a great deal in common with the problems facing the mainframe industry. We know it’s coming, the solution is easy in principle, but difficult in practice due to sheer mass. And, we can safely predict that much of the problem will remain unsolved by the time it hits the fan. The Web’s Y2K crisis is due to the number of Web sites that will go online in the next few years. Figure 1 shows the growth of the Internet and the Web during the present decade. Since the diagram has a logarithmic y-axis, the curves represent exponential growth. If the growth rate does not slow down, the Web will reach 200 million sites sometime during 2003. Since the Web will have about 4 million sites by the time this issue of Communications reaches subscribers, we can conclude that about 196 million new sites will go online during the next five years. The world has about 20,000 user interface professionals. If all sites were to be professionally designed, and if a site design did not require more than a single UI professional, we can conclude that every UI professional in the world would need to If you think it’s crowded now, just wait! The Web is heading toward its own year-end calamity unless some skillful maneuvering is applied—quickly. USER INTERFACE DIRECTIONS FOR THE WEB

Navigational user interface for interactive television

Abstract: The present invention is a navigational user input device (13) interface for interactive television (11). The invention uses an intuitive interactive interface for navigating through service options preferably offered by a cable television service. Services offered such as video on demand, purchasing delivery foods, restaurant selection, banking and community events is all navigated using the present invention.

User-centered design and evaluation of virtual environments

Abstract: We present a structured, iterative methodology for user-centered design and evaluation of VE user interaction. We recommend performing (1) user task analysis followed by (2) expert guidelines-based evaluation, (3) formative user-centered evaluation, and finally (4) comparative evaluation. In this article we first give the motivation and background for our methodology, then we describe each technique in some detail. We applied these techniques to a real-world battlefield visualization VE. Finally, we evaluate why this approach provides a cost-effective strategy for assessing and iteratively improving user interaction in VEs.

Plasticity of User Interfaces: Framework and Research Agenda.

Abstract: This paper introduces the notion of plasticity, a new property of interactive systems that denotes a particular type of user interface adaptation Plasticity is the capacity of a user interface to withstand variations of both the system physical characteristics and the environment while preserving usability Typically, a ‘plastic’ electronic agenda would run both on a workstation and on a hand-held computer without requiring a complete system redesign and re-implementation We present a generic framework inspired by the model-based approach, for supporting the development of plastic user interfaces Within this framework, a plastic user interface is specified once and serves multiple sources of physical variations The goal is to guarantee usability continuity under variations in physical constraints while minimizing development and maintenance costs This framework is illustrated with two simple case studies Preliminary results and the state of the art in HCI open a new research agenda for the design and development of plastic user interfaces

System and method for providing menu data using a communication network

Abstract: A communication system includes mobile units, a network switching center, and service centers to provide a variety of enhanced services to the mobile units. In one embodiment, a service center communicates menu data to a mobile unit using a voice network. The mobile unit displays at a user interface menu options generated in response to the menu data communicated by the service center. Selecting a menu option at the user interface enables a function associated with traditional or enhanced services.

Medical network system and method for transfer of information

Abstract: The assembly and communication of multimedia information from a variety of modalities to remote users with improved control is provided for by the combined use of a browser enhancement module, such as a plug-in or ActiveX control, and a server. The server includes a data interface for acquiring the multimedia data and a storage unit for receiving and storing the data. An assembly unit in the server gathers selected data to form an e-mail package in response to instructions from a remote user unit. The server further includes a processing unit to encode and compress the data prior to packaging and an e-mail server to send the package to the remote user unit or another designated user unit. Transfer instructions for the server may be provided by the remote user unit through a browser and the browser enhancement module. The browser enhancement module is therefore configured to request a file from the server, to decompress and decode received files and to transfer such files along with a user interface to a display associated with the remote user unit. The browser enhancement module is further adapted to send instructions to the server to assemble and to e-mail selected data from a file to another user unit.

An Evaluation of WebTwig - A Site Outliner for Handheld Web Access

Abstract: Interaction problems occur when small-screen devices (PDAs, Palmtops etc) are used to access Web pages designed for conventional, large-screen displays. To overcome some of these problems, we have developed a tool, WebTwig, which is designed to improve Web access on small-screen devices. We have carried out an experiment to assess the usefulness of WebTwig. Our results indicate that the tool can improve a user's performance and satisfaction.

Computer-based medical image distribution system and method

Abstract: This invention relates to an object-oriented system and method for easily and rapidly distributing medical images from existing picture and report storage systems to a plurality of heterogeneous client workstations. The system includes one or more interface engines, for providing image objects with uniform structure regardless of the type of existing system on which they are stored, and image server middleware, for managing the distribution of image objects. The system also includes a security object server, for authorizing user access to the image distribution system and to particular objects, a personalization object server, for providing user interface preferences and client workstation capabilities, and a web server, for downloading initial access pages and user interface components. The system implements a method for medical image distribution according to which image data stored in existing picture storage systems is first converted into uniformly structured image objects before being composed for downloading to client workstations for user viewing. The system and method of this invention are easily extensible both for added function and for added performance. The system and method of this invention are preferably implemented according to CORBA standards.