The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 28, 2001
Filed:
Dec. 16, 1998
William L. Long, Dallas, TX (US);
Richard G. Van Tyne, Jr., Denton, TX (US);
Scott J. Haney, Collin, TX (US);
Dwight C. Hilton, Denton, TX (US);
Michael W. Duncan, Dallas, TX (US);
Vasundhara K. Reddy, Collin, TX (US);
Alcatel USA Sourcing, L.P., Plano, TX (US);
Abstract
A table-driven interface system and method to a computer application is provided. The system includes an input handler operable to receive a command entered by a user, and at least one input table indexable by the received command for determining a sequence of required input parameters associated with the received command, the sequence of required input parameters being used to prompt the user for required input parameter values. A server handler is operable to construct a message having a predetermined format containing the required input parameter values, the server handler further operable to send the constructed message to a server. The server handler is operable to receive a reply message from the server containing at least one output parameter value. At least one output table containing display control information are indexable by the received command and required input parameters. An output handler is operable to construct a formatted display of the at least one output parameter value with the display control information contained in the at least one output table, the formatted display being displayed to the user. New commands and parameters can be added by updating the tables and not the handlers.