US5798757A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Methods and interface for building command expressions in a computer system
Assignee: ABB Management AG
•
Filing: 1995-11-13
•
Granted: 1998-08-25
•
Expires: 2015-11-13
Abstract
Abstract The system of the present invention comprises a development system having an Expression Builder for assisting a user with creating an expression. With full syntax checking enabled, the user builds an expression in "token" mode. As the user enters each token element, the system attempts to validate the expression and, if the expression is valid, displays the result. If the expression is incomplete or invalid, however, the system displays a message explaining what is needed. The Expression Builder of the present invention employs placeholders or "proxies" for representing elements in an expression which should be replaced before the expression is valid. The expression is dynamically adjusted during user editing as required to maintain expression validity. In this manner, the user is provided with in situ assistance in constructing syntactically-correct expressions.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth Wayne Smith
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 21:12
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F8/00; G06F8/30; G06F8/33
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
174 words
In a computer system for evaluating expressions entered by a user, the expressions comprising a plurality of tokens which evaluate to a result, said plurality of tokens comprising at least one operator token specifying what type of operation is to occur upon evaluation of the expression and at least one operand token specifying a data member which said at least one operator token is to operate on, a method for assisting the user with correctly creating an expression, the method comprising: (a) storing a set of rules specifying valid relationships between adjacent tokens, said set of rules including rules specifying valid relationships between adjacent operator and operand tokens; (b) receiving user input for placing at least one token in said expression being created; (c) determining validity of said expression being created by applying said rules to adjacent ones of said at least one token; and (d) if said expression being created is determined not to be valid in step (c), automatically modifying said expression so that validity of said expression being created is maintained.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
174 words
In a computer system for evaluating expressions entered by a user, the expressions comprising a plurality of tokens which evaluate to a result, said plurality of tokens comprising at least one operator token specifying what type of operation is to occur upon evaluation of the expression and at least one operand token specifying a data member which said at least one operator token is to operate on, a method for assisting the user with correctly creating an expression, the method comprising: (a) storing a set of rules specifying valid relationships between adjacent tokens, said set of rules including rules specifying valid relationships between adjacent operator and operand tokens; (b) receiving user input for placing at least one token in said expression being created; (c) determining validity of said expression being created by applying said rules to adjacent ones of said at least one token; and (d) if said expression being created is determined not to be valid in step (c), automatically modifying said expression so that validity of said expression being created is maintained.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said tokens comprise nonreducible textual elements in said expression being created.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising: constraining user input so that new tokens are placed in said expression only at locations between existing tokens.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1, further comprising: (e) receiving user input for removing at least one token from said expression being created; and (f) repeating steps (c) and (d) for all said at least tokens deleted.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 4, wherein step (f) includes: deleting at least one token for a token whose presence in the expression would render the expression invalid.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said tokens include a pair of grouping tokens for grouping related ones of said tokens.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 6, wherein said pair of grouping tokens comprise "(" and ")" tokens.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1, wherein said tokens include a function token comprising a function name followed by a left paren, said function token corresponding with a matching right paren token.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 8, wherein said tokens include comma-delimited function parameter tokens corresponding with a function token.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
149 words
In a system for processing commands entered by a user, the commands including expressions which resolve to a result, said commands comprising at least one operand token specifying a data member and at least one operator token specifying a particular type of operation to occur to particular data members upon evaluation of expressions, a method for assisting the user with construction of a valid expression, the method comprising: (a) receiving input from the user specifying a desired expression; (b) dividing said input into a plurality of tokens, said plurality of tokens including adjacent operator and operand tokens; (c) determining validity of said desired expression by comparing said tokens against a set of rules specifying valid relationships between tokens; and (d) if said desired expression being created is determined not to be valid in step (c), automatically modifying said desired expression so that validity of said desired expression is maintained.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
149 words
In a system for processing commands entered by a user, the commands including expressions which resolve to a result, said commands comprising at least one operand token specifying a data member and at least one operator token specifying a particular type of operation to occur to particular data members upon evaluation of expressions, a method for assisting the user with construction of a valid expression, the method comprising: (a) receiving input from the user specifying a desired expression; (b) dividing said input into a plurality of tokens, said plurality of tokens including adjacent operator and operand tokens; (c) determining validity of said desired expression by comparing said tokens against a set of rules specifying valid relationships between tokens; and (d) if said desired expression being created is determined not to be valid in step (c), automatically modifying said desired expression so that validity of said desired expression is maintained.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
157 words
A development system for creating syntactically-correct expressions from data entered by a user, the expressions comprising a plurality of tokens which evaluate to a result, said plurality of tokens comprising at least one operand token specifying a data member and at least one operator token specifying a particular type of operation to occur to particular data members upon evaluation of expressions, the system comprising: a computer having a processor and a memory; means for storing in said memory information specifying valid relationships between tokens, said information including rules specifying valid relationships between adjacent operator and operand tokens; input means for receiving user input for placing at least one token in a particular expression being created; means for determining validity of said particular expression being created by applying said rules to adjacent ones of said at least one token; and means for automatically modifying said particular expression so that validity of said particular expression being created is maintained.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
157 words
A development system for creating syntactically-correct expressions from data entered by a user, the expressions comprising a plurality of tokens which evaluate to a result, said plurality of tokens comprising at least one operand token specifying a data member and at least one operator token specifying a particular type of operation to occur to particular data members upon evaluation of expressions, the system comprising: a computer having a processor and a memory; means for storing in said memory information specifying valid relationships between tokens, said information including rules specifying valid relationships between adjacent operator and operand tokens; input means for receiving user input for placing at least one token in a particular expression being created; means for determining validity of said particular expression being created by applying said rules to adjacent ones of said at least one token; and means for automatically modifying said particular expression so that validity of said particular expression being created is maintained.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
99 words
A computer system for creating an expression comprising: a processor and a memory; means for storing syntactic information for a desired target language in said memory, said information specifying valid combinations of operand and operator elements for an expression; an interface means for specifying an edit operation at a desired location in the expression, said edit operation for adding or deleting an element to an expression comprising operand and operator elements; comparison means for comparing said edit operation with said syntactic information; and means for automatically modifying said edit operation so that the expression maintains valid combinations of elements.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
99 words
A computer system for creating an expression comprising: a processor and a memory; means for storing syntactic information for a desired target language in said memory, said information specifying valid combinations of operand and operator elements for an expression; an interface means for specifying an edit operation at a desired location in the expression, said edit operation for adding or deleting an element to an expression comprising operand and operator elements; comparison means for comparing said edit operation with said syntactic information; and means for automatically modifying said edit operation so that the expression maintains valid combinations of elements.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 12, wherein said modifying means includes means for adding additional elements to the expression if required to maintain a valid combination of elements.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 12 wherein said modifying means includes means for deleting elements present in the expression if required to maintain a valid combination of elements.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
43 words
The system of claim 12, wherein said interface means includes means for positioning an edit caret to a desired location in the expression, said edit caret being constrained such that it may only be positioned from one element of the expression to another.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4459678A
Cited
US4617643A
Cited
US4806919A
Cited
US4622013A
Cited
US4899276A
Cited
US4789962A
Cited
US4648062A
Cited
US4970678A
Cited
US4890257A
Cited
US5029113A
Cited
US4964077A
Cited
US4992972A
Cited
US5040131A
Cited
US5179654A
Cited
US5179654C1
Cited
US5317688A
Cited
US4972328A
Cited
US5157768A
Cited
US5155806A
Cited
US5123087A
Cited
US5255363A
Cited
US5317686A
Cited
US5303146A
Cited
US5485618A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-08-24 | 2002-02-23 | 2002-08-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-08-24 | 2006-02-23 | 2006-08-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-08-24 | 2010-02-23 | 2010-08-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |