Abstract: Screen ( 10 ) for a user interface of a television schedule system and process consists of an array ( 24 ) of irregular cells ( 26 ), which vary in length, corresponding to different television program lengths of one half hour to one-and-one half hours or more. The array is arranged as three columns ( 28 ) of one-half hour in duration, and twelve rows ( 30 ) of program listings. Some of the program listings overlap two or more of the columns ( 28 ) because of their length. Because of the widely varying length of the cells ( 26 ), if a conventional cursor used to select a cell location were to simply step from one cell to another, the result would be abrupt changes in the screen ( 10 ) as the cursor moved from a cell ( 26 ) of several hours length to an adjacent cell in the same row. An effective way of taming the motion is to assume that behind every array ( 24 ) is an underlying array of regular cells. By restricting cursor movements to the regular cells, abrupt screen changes will be avoided. With the cursor ( 32 ), the entire cell ( 26 ) is 3-D highlighted, using a conventional offset shadow ( 34 ). The offset shadow ( 34 ) is a black bar that underlines the entire cell and wraps around the right edge of the cell. To tag the underlying position—which defines where the cursor ( 32 ) is and thus, where it will move next—portions ( 36 ) of the black bar outside the current underlying position are segmented, while the current position is painted solid.

Abstract: A multi-user collaborative system in which the contents as well as the current status of other user activity of a shared structured data object representing one or more related structured data objects in the form of data entries can be concurrently accessed by different users respectively at different workstations connected to a common link. The WYSIWIS user interface representation of the shared structured data object includes an ordered listing of such entries that are maintained by the structured data object and various attributes of each listed entry, inter alia, the type and class of entry; the revision number of the shared structured data object; the number of pages and revision number of each structured data object entry; the date of creation and last revision of each such entry; whether an entry can be accessed by a user and, if not, who has prevented such access; whether a local instance of an entry is present on a user's system; and a provision for miscellaneous notes or comments relative to each entry for view by other users. Means is provided for maintaining current information relative to the shared structured object and its entries on a user initiated demand updated basis invoked by a user operation, which operation requires updated information to properly implement the operation. Further, means is provided for locking up one or more data entries by an individual user and thereby prevent access of the locked entries by other users to prevent concurrent editing and other changes to the same entries by two or more users. In this connection, editing or modification cannot be performed by a user until the shared structured data object entry or entries have been locked up. Visual indication as to the locked state of entries and other information relative to the locking user and the time of lock is updated and displayed in the shared structured data object representation present at user workstations when a use invokes a user operation on the shared structured data object or its contents.

Abstract: evaluation; guidelines; usability testing; cognitive walkthrough A user interface (UI) for a software product was evaluated prior to its release by four groups, each applying a different technique: heuristic evaluation, software guidelines, cognitive walkthroughs, and usability testing. Heuristic evaluation by several ill specialists found the most serious problems with the least amount of effort, although they also reported a large number of low-priority problems. The relative advantages of all the techniques are discussed, and suggestions for improvements in the techniques are offered.

Abstract: An advanced user interface for use with a computer system operating on an integrated operating environment. The integrated operating environment allows a plurality of application programs to be running simultaneously, one of which is designated the active application program to which all input data is directed. The advanced user interface allows a user to select among user-friendly input devices to operate any application program according to his individual preferences without change to the application program code. The advanced user interface includes alternate input modules which translate the input signals transmitted from the various input devices into input messages useable by the rest of the interface. The advanced user interface also includes interface profiles which contain mappings of the input messages against corresponding commands useable by the application programs, the integrated operating environment or other modules of the advanced user interface itself. An environment link module refers to the interface profiles and matches the input message against the corresponding command for the application program active at the time the input signal was transmitted and send the corresponding command to that application program. The environment link module matches the input message against a corresponding command for an application which owns a window in which a key feature of a gesture is made.

Abstract: A touch sensitive user interface of the type having a display screen for displaying an image; control logic responsive to the touch sensitive user interface for determining the contact position of a probe, such as a finger, thereon; a display menu of operating features, represented by a plurality of images on the display screen, so that a user may make touch selections on the images corresponding to operating features desired; a system controller for identifying a contact zone of a predetermined size with respect to the display screen, the control logic actuating the feature within the system represented by a displayed image in response to user touch within a corresponding contact zone, the system controller enlarging the contact zone of a selected feature upon selection thereof, to a size accommodating a probe tip, without overlapping on adjacent areas and upon completion of option selection, returning the expanded contact areas to said predetermined size.

Abstract: Cognitive and Linguistic Aspects of Geographic Space: An Introduction.- Section 1: Geographic Space.- 1.1 Geographic Space as a Set of Concrete Geographical Entities.- 1.2 Some Notes on Geographic Information Systems: The Relationship Between their Practical Application and their Theoretical Evolution.- 1.3 A Hand-In-Glove Paradigm for Geography.- Section 2: Cultural Influences on the Conceptualization of Geographic Space.- 2.1 "Through the Door": A View of Space from an Anthropological Perspective.- 2.2 Culture as Input and Output of the Cognitive-Linguistic Processes.- 2.3 Dialogic and Argumentative Structures of Bumper Stickers.- Section 3: Wayfinding and Spatial Cognition.- 3.1 The Development of the Abilities Required to Understand Spatial Representations.- 3.2 Making Sense of Human Wayfinding: Review of Cognitive and Linguistic Knowledge for Personal Navigation with a New Research Directioa.- 3.3 Wayfinding Theory and Research: The Need for a New Approach.- 3.4 The Effect of the Pattern of the Environment on Spatial Knowledge Acquisition.- 3.5 Methods for Measuring Spatial Cognition.- 3.6 Path Finding in Free Space Using Sinusoidal Transforms: III.- Section 4: Cartographic Perspectives.- 4.1 Mapping as Language or Semiotic System: Review and Comment.- 4.2 Plan Information and its Retrieval in Map Interpretation: The View from Semiotics.- 4.3 An Approach to Map/Text Interrelationships.- 4.4 Spatial Knowledge for Image Understanding.- Section 5: Formal Treatment of Space in Mathematics.- 5.1 The Mathematical Modeling of Spatial and Non-Spatial Information in Geographic Information Systems.- 5.2 Map Algebra as a Spatial Language.- 5.3 Qualitative Spatial Reasoning.- 5.4 Relative Representation of Spatial Knowledge: The 2-D Case.- 5.5 Matching Representations of Geographic Locations.- 5.6 The Role of Modal Logics in the Description of a Geographical Information System.- Section 6: User Interfaces and Human-Computer Interaction.- 6.1 A Formalization of Metaphors and Image-Schemas in User Interfaces.- 6.2 Elicitation of Spatial Language to Support Cross-Cultural Geographic Information Systems.- 6.3 UGIX: A Layer Based Model For A GIS User Interface.- 6.4 Deficiencies of SQL as a GIS Query Language.- 6.5 The Role of the User in Generalization within Geographic Information Systems.- 6.6 Virtual Worlds, Inside and Out.- Appendix: NATO Advanced Study Institute Participants.

Abstract: Algorithm animation is a form of program visualization that is concerned with dynamic and interactive graphical displays of a program's fundamental operations. The paper describes the Zeus algorithm animation system. Zeus is noteworthy for its use of objects, strong-typing, parallelism, and graphical development of views. Also of interest is how the system can be used for building multi-view editors. >

Abstract: A computer system having a digitizing tablet overlaying the display screen. The tablet serves as a user's primary input device. Various features of the system make it possible for the user to run and interact with standard programs designed for keystroke and mouse input and not designed for use with a tablet. In addition to the main processor, on which the user's programs are executed, there is an interface processor. In addition to a standard display buffer, there is an ink plane buffer for interface display data that is combined with the data from the standard display buffer on a pixel-by-pixel basis according to data from a mask plane buffer. The interface processor manages input from the tablet, presents feedback to the user by means of the ink and mask planes, and provides keystroke and mouse data to the main processor as if from a standard keyboard controller. The interface processor presents the user with a collection of simulated devices, including standard devices such as a keyboard and a mouse. A nonstandard simulated device performs character recognition, permitting handwritten characters to be used for program input. During interaction with one of the user's programs, the user can activate and deactivate simulated devices (by removing them from and returning them to a device tray) and can make adjustments in their operation and location on the screen.

Abstract: A declarative object-oriented approach to menu construction provides a mechanism for specifying the behavior, appearance and function of menus as part of an interactive user interface. Menus are constructed from interchangeable object building blocks to obtain the characteristics wanted without the need to write new code or code and maintaining a coherent interface standard. The approach is implemented by dissecting interface menu behavior into modularized objects specifying orthogonal components of desirable menu behaviors. Once primary characteristics for orthogonal dimensions of menu behavior are identified, individual objects are constructed to provide specific alternatives for the behavior within the definitions of each dimension. Finally, specific objects from each dimension are combined to construct a menu having the desired selections of menu behaviors.

Abstract: Representation and models - knowledge representation, general aspects, logic and objects, situational versus analytical knowledge symbolic reasoning - search, production systems, problem solving uncertainty and belief revision - representation of uncertainty, belief revision human-machine interaction - sharing intelligence, user interfaces, advanced interaction media, knowledge acquisition.

Abstract: A computer system having a digitizing tablet overlaying the display screen. The tablet serves as a user's primary input device. Various features of the system make it possible for the user to run and interact with standard programs designed for keystroke and mouse input and not designed for use with a tablet. In addition to the main processor, on which the user's programs are executed, there is an interface processor. In addition to a standard display buffer, there is an ink plane buffer for interface display data that is combined with the data from the standard display buffer on a pixel-by-pixel basis according to data from a mask plane buffer. The interface processor manages input from the tablet, presents feedback to the user by means of the ink and mask planes, and provides keystroke and mouse data to the main processor as if from a standard keyboard controller. The interface processor presents the user with a collection of simulated devices, including standard devices such as a keyboard and a mouse. A nonstandard simulated device performs character recognition, permitting handwritten characters to be used for program input. During interaction with one of the user's programs, the user can activate and deactivate simulated devices (by removing them from and returning them to a device tray) and can make adjustments in their operation and location on the screen.

Abstract: While virtual worlds offer a compelling alternative to conventional interfaces, the technologies these systems currently use do not provide sufficient resolution and accuracy to support detailed work such as text editing. We describe a pragmatic approach to interface design that provides users with a large virtual world in which such high-resolution work can be performed. Our approach is based on combining heterogeneous display and interaction device technologies to produce a hybrid user interface. Display and interaction technologies that have relatively low resolution, but which cover a wide (visual and interactive) field are used to form an information surround. Display and interaction technologies that have relatively high resolution over a limited visual and interaction range are used to present concentrated information in one or more selected portions of the surround. These highresolution fields are embedded within the low-resolution surround by choosing and coordinating complementary devices that permit the user to see and interact with both simultaneously. This allows each embedded high-resolution interface to serve as a “sweet spot” within which intonation may be preferentially processed, We have developed a preliminary implementation, described in this paper, that uses a Reflection Technology Private Eye display and a Polhemus sensor to provide the secondary lowresohttion surround, and a flat-panel display and mouse to provide the primary high-resolution interface. CR

Abstract: The authors present a framework in which human and intelligent agents (IAs) can interact to facilitate the information flow and decision making in real-world enterprises. Underlying the framework is the notion of an enterprise model that is built by dividing complex enterprise operations into a collection of elementary tasks or activities. Each such task is then modeled in cognitive terms and entrusted to an IA for execution. Tasks that require human involvement are referred to the appropriate person through their personal assistant, a special type of IA that knows how to communicate both with humans, through multimedia interfaces, and with other IAs and the shared knowledge base. The computer-aided software engineering tools supported by a library of activity models permit every individual in an enterprise to model the activities with which they are personally most familiar. The preliminary experimental results suggest that this divide-and-conquer strategy, leading to cognitive models that are buildable and maintainable by end-users, is a viable approach to real-world distributed artificial intelligence. >

Abstract: This paper reports on progress towards the development of a personal guidance system for a blind navigator. The system is being developed in light of the unique problems facing the blind traveller, which are discussed first. The system consists of four modules: a locator unit, a detailed spatial database, an algorithm for path selection and a user interface. Suggestions are offered for alternative ways of handling the locator problem using a global positioning system or a database query system. The nature of the geographic information system (GIS) to be used as a host for the database is discussed, followed by brief statement of the criteria for choosing an algorithm for path selection and suggestions on types of user interfaces best suited to the system. A report on a pilot-study GIS is presented. Special problems of database and system design are highlighted.

Abstract: A system and method for improved user interface screen generation for an application program which supports multilingual users. Dynamic generation of subscreens, or subpanels, which conform to a given country's language requirements is provided. These subscreens support both input and output operations between an application program and user of a data processing system. The system and method further provide improved conveyance of information between the person(s) responsible for the initial user interface screen or panel layout in the initial language, and the person(s) responsible for translating the language specific portion of this screen layout into a subsequent language. Information containing specific comments pertaining to a given field or submenu to be displayed, and its associated text, can be appended to the file containing the text to be displayed. Other information conveyed with the text file can include change log information, which specifies that only a portion of the whole file has been changed, and which portion needs to be translated as a result.

Abstract: A strong case has been made for iterative design, that is, progressing through several versions of a user interface design using feedback from users to improve each prototype. One obstacle to wider adoption of this approach is the perceived difficulty of obtaining useful data from users. This paper argues that quantitative experimental methods may not be practical at early stages of design, but a behavioural record used in conjunction with think-aloud protocols can provide a designer with the information needed to evaluate an early prototype in a cost-effective manner. Further, it is proposed that a method for obtaining this data can be specified which is straightforward enough to be used by people with little or no training in human factors. Two studies are reported in which trainee designers evaluated a user interface by observing a user working through some set tasks. These users were instructed to think aloud as they worked in a procedure described as “cooperative evaluation”. The instruction received by the designers took the form of a brief how-to-do-it manual. Study 1 examines the effectiveness of the trainee designers as evaluators of an existing bibliographic database. The problems detected by each team were compared with the complete set of problems detected by all the teams and the problems detected by the authors in a previous and more extensive evaluation. Study 2 examined the question of whether being the designer of a system makes one better or worse at evaluating it and whether designers can predict the problems users will experience in advance of user testing.

Abstract: This paper reports on an adaptive interface KNOWBOT designed to solve some of the problems that face the users of large centralized data bases The interface applies the neural network approach to information retrieval from a data base The data base is a subset of the Nuclear Plant Reliability Data System The interface KNOWBOT preempts an existing data base interface and works in conjunction with it By design, KNOWBOT starts as a tabula rasa but acquires knowledge through its interactions with the user and the data base The interface uses its gained knowledge to personalize the data base retrieval process and to induce new queries The interface also forgets the information that is no longer needed by the user These self-organizing features of the interface reduce the scope of the data base to the subsets that are highly relevant to the user needs A proof-of-principal version of this interface has been implemented in Common LISP on a Texas Instruments Explorer I workstation Experiments with KNOWBOT have been successful in demonstrating the robustness of the model especially with induction and self-organization This paper describes the design of KNOWBOT and presents some of the experimental results

Abstract: underlying programming language. However, it is significantly easier to use, and provides many of the adMany modern user interface development environments vantages for graphics programming that financial spreaduse constraints to connect graphical objects. Constraints sheets provide for business. are relationships that are declared once and then maintained by the system. Often, systems provide graphical, iconic, or C32 is different from previous spreadsheet systems for user demonstrational techniques for specifying some coninterface construction because it uses a wide array of visual straints, but these are incapable of expressing all desired and inferencing techniques so the user does not have to relationships, and it is always necessary to allow the user write the entire constraint by hand. In particular: interface designer to write code to specify complex constraints. The spreadsheet interface described here, called • C32 automatically generates appropriate references to C32, provides the programmer with the full power of writgraphical objects when the user clicks on the object in a ing constraint code in the underlying programming lanuser interface window. guage, but it is significantly easier to use. Unlike other • It uses demonstrational techniques to guess which spreadsheets tools for graphics, C32 automatically properties of objects should be used, generates appropriate object references from mouse clicks • It guesses how to parameterize constraints when they are in graphics windows and uses inferencing and demonstracopied from one place to another or generalized into tional techniques to make constructing and copying conprocedures, so abstract and reusable constraints can be straints easier. In addition, C32 also supports monitoring constructed by example. and debugging interfaces by watching values in the spread• It incorporates graphical techniques to help trace and sheet while the user interface is running. debug constraints. • It is integrated with an existing prototype-instance sys

Abstract: We present an interactive modeling and animation system that facilitates the integration of a variety of simulation and animation paradigms. This system permits the modeling of diverse objects that change in shape, appearance, and behaviour over time. Our system thus extends modeling tools to include animation controls. Changes can be effected by various methods of control, including scripted, gestural, and behavioral specification. The system is an extensible testbed that supports research in the interaction of disparate control methods embodied in controller objects. This paper discusses some of the issues involved in modeling such interactions and the mechanisms implemented to provide solutions to some of these issues.The system's object-oriented architecture uses delegation hierarchies to let objects change all of their attributes dynamically. Objects include displayable objects, controllers, cameras, lights, renderers, and user interfaces. Techniques used to obtain interactive performance include the use of data-dependency networks, lazy evaluation, and extensive caching to exploit inter- and intra-frame coherency.

Abstract: A description is presented of ADM (adaptive direct manipulation), a prototype graphical user interface (GUI) system which is adaptive to user performance. ADM allows users to perform a set of tasks via direct manipulation of graphical buttons presented within the display space of a computer touch screen. The presentation and management of these buttons dynamically adapt to the button selection behavior of the current user. The goal of this work was to understand and develop a working software system which could correctly integrate the necessary knowledge to support a given set of operations and effectively adapt its GUI to the behavior and performance of a user. >

Abstract: The Medical ARchival System (MARS) is an information retrieval system utilizing distributed parallel processing. It features a modular design, machine independence, and a Boolean query interface, based in a UNIX environment. Developed at the University of Pittsburgh in response to the information needs of a large academic health center, MARS integrates textual data from a wide variety of sources to create a single, comprehensive medical records information system. It currently contains 850,000 medical reports, 2,500,000 medical references, and 500,000,000 indexed words. This paper describes the software design of MARS and its implementation as a practical system for large-scale information management.

Abstract: The current generation of data flow based visual programming systems is all too often limited in application. It is our contention that data flow visual languages, to be more widely accepted for solving a broad range of problems, need to be more general in their syntax, semantics, translation schemes, computational model, execution methods and scheduling. These capabilities should be accompanied by a development environment that facilitates information processing extensions needed by the user to solve a wide range of application-specific problems. This paper addresses these issues by describing and critiquing the Khoros system implemented by the University of New Mexico, Khoros Group. The Khoros infrastructure consists of several layers of interacting subsystems. A user interface development system (UIDS) combines a high-level user interface specification with methods of software development that are embedded in a code generation tool set. The UIDS is used to create, install and maintain the fundamental operators for cantata, the visual programming language component of Khoros.

Abstract: A method of simultaneously displaying day calendar information on the screen of an interactive terminal of an information handling system along with data being processed by an application program. The day calendar data is displayed in a first view port in a compressed format which indicates busy and free time periods, while data from an application program is displayed in a second viewport. The information in the two simultaneously displayed viewports provides an improved interactive user interface in that the terminal user does not have to interrupt the task that he is working on to determine the availability of a certain time period. When the terminal is interconnected to other terminals by a network, the method provides an indication in the first viewport for the terminal user that is actively engaged in an application program, that a second user of a terminal on the network has calendared an event on the first user's calendar. The terminal user has the option of viewing the event immediately or at some other time that is more appropriate. The method also allows the terminal user to display day calendar data in compressed mode either for the next day or the previous day merely by selecting specific buttons displayed in the second viewport for this function.

Abstract: A graphical user interface for a computer system that includes a memory for storing application programs and application files. The user interface permits the user to initiate execution of a selected application program, and produces a snapshot that graphically represents a screen produced during the execution of the application program. The snapshot may be displayed after execution of the application program is terminated, and provides a visual reference for the application file that was opened when the snapshot was taken. Snapshots and their corresponding application files may be organized in a project format, and new documents opened by an application program may be automatically placed in the opened project. An improved technique for initiating the execution of application programs is also described.

Abstract: A system monitoring device is disclosed which is capable of displaying historical or real time information and also allows a user to set, via direct manipulation, a range of values in relation to other currently displayed information in graphical format on a computer screen and to view such relationships in an intuitive manner. A user interface is provided whereby a user can interact with information being viewed via an input device, e.g., a pointing device. The user interface of the system monitoring device of the present invention includes two interactive icons which allow a user to select and display information contained in a historical record, or log, of information, as well as real time information, and also to expand the interactive icon into a range of values so that there is a range, or hysteresis, between the point at which the activity may take place and the point at which the activity is canceled which a user can directly manipulate in an intuitive manner on a display device.

Abstract: LAGER is an integrated computer-aided design system for algorithm-specific integrated circuit design, targeted at applications such as speech processing, image processing, telecommunications, and robot control. LAGER provides user interfaces at behavioral, structural, and physical levels and allows easy integration of novel CAD tools. LAGER consists of a behavioral mapper and a silicon assembler. The behavioral mapper maps the behavior onto a parameterized structure to produce microcode and parameter values. The silicon assembler then translates the filled-out structural description into a physical layout, and, with the aid of simulation tools, the user can fine tune the data path by iterating this process. The silicon assembler can also be used without the behavioral mapper for high-sample-rate applications. A number of algorithm-specific ICs designed with LAGER have been fabricated and tested, and as examples, a robot arm controller chip and a real-time image segmentation chip are described. >