Processor system comprising a processor and a memory field for containing a computer interface

Known processor systems comprising a processor and memory fields for containing computer interface profiles each having a number of elements each representing a function are static systems. The processor system according to the invention is a dynamic system, by allocating an element parameter to an element, which element parameter is a function of the number of times this element has been activated, for example per time interval, and by comparing this element parameter with a predefined value. In dependence of the comparison result, the element is displayed directly or indirectly.

A BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to a processor system comprising a processor and a 
memory field for containing a computer interface having a number of 
elements each representing a function, the processor system being adapted 
for displaying at least one element directly on a screen. 
Such processor systems are of common general knowledge, for example a 
Personal Computer (PC) or a workstation. The computer interface has a 
number of elements each representing a function, for example an icon 
(function: for example file transfer), a menubar (function: for example 
menu item choise), a window (function: for example editing of text or 
sharing computer application data), a video window (function: for example 
display of image) or a number of required video windows (function: for 
example required number of images to be displayed simultaneously). The 
processor system is adapted for displaying one or more elements directly 
on a screen, like four icons, one menubar including menu-items and two 
video windows, and for displaying other elements selectively or indirectly 
on the screen, like two other icons and a pull-down-menu-item (these can 
be displayed for example by selecting a menu-item on the displayed 
menubar). Other elements are never displayed on the screen, like the 
number of required video windows. 
These known processor systems are static systems, which is disadvantageous. 
B SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the invention, inter alia, to provide a dynamic 
processor system as defined by the preamble. 
Thereto, the processor system according to the invention is characterized 
in that the processor system is adapted for 
allocating an element parameter to an element, the element parameter being 
a function of a number of times that this element has been activated, and 
comparing this element parameter with a predefined value and in dependence 
of a comparison result directly or indirectly displaying this element on 
the screen, the memory field being an adaptable memory field and the 
computer interface being an adaptable computer interface. 
By allocating an element parameter to an element, which element parameter 
is a function of a number of times that this element has been activated, 
for example the number of times per time interval that this element has 
been activated, this element parameter can be compared with a predefined 
value. In dependence of this comparison result the element is displayed 
directly or indirectly. For example each time an application to which the 
computer interface belongs is switched on, the processor system can decide 
at the hand of several comparison results which elements are displayed 
directly and which are displayed indirectly. 
This invention is based on an insight that all present processor systems 
comprising a processor and a memory field for containing a computer 
interface are static ones, and that the number of times, for example per 
time interval, that an element has been activated should determine whether 
this element is displayed directly or indirectly. 
A first embodiment of this invention is characterized in that the processor 
system comprises a first further memory field for containing a first 
further computer interface having a first further number of elements each 
representing a function and a second further memory field for containing a 
second further computer interface having a second further number of 
elements each representing a function, the processor system being adapted 
for selecting a further memory field. 
According to this embodiment a further memory field for containing a 
further computer interface can be selected to present a user a limited 
number of possible computer interfaces. For example, the computer 
interface showing most resemblance to the adaptable computer interface 
with respect to one or more elements and their element parameters is 
selected. 
A second embodiment of this invention is characterized in that the 
processor system is adapted for 
allocating an element code to an element of the adaptable computer 
interface, the element code representing this element being enabled or 
disabled, and 
in dependence of the element code displaying or not displaying this element 
on the screen. 
According to the second embodiment an enabled element is displayed directly 
or indirectly, while a disabled element is not displayed at all or 
displayed in an other way showing the disablement. 
A third embodiment of this invention is characterized in that the processor 
system is adapted for storing a new value of the element parameter. 
By storing a new value of the element parameter the processor system, after 
the application to which the computer interface belongs being switched off 
and switched on by the same user, does not have to adapt itself all over 
again, but can start from the latest status of the computer interface. 
A fourth embodiment of this invention is characterized in that the 
predefined value comprises a previous value of the element parameter. 
In this case the predefined value will comprise the previous value of the 
element parameter to detect an increase or a decrease of the number of 
activations of this element. 
A fifth embodiment of this invention is characterized in that the 
predefined value comprises an other element parameter of an other element. 
In this case the predefined value will comprise the other element parameter 
to determine a subset of most frequently activated elements. For example 
this predefined value is a threshold value calculated from the comparison 
between all element parameters. 
A sixth embodiment of this invention is characterized in that the 
predefined value comprises a previous value of the predefined value. 
In this case an exceptional value of the predefined value is smoothened by 
taking the average of some predefined values. 
Of course, two or more of the mentioned embodiments can be combined in all 
possible ways.

In FIG. 1 processor system 10 comprises a processor 11, an interpreter 12, 
four memory fields X, Y, Z and W. Via a bus 13 processor 11 is connected 
with interpreter 12 and with the memory fields X, Y, Z and W, and via a 
bus 14 memory fields X, Y, Z and W are connected with interpreter 12. A 
memory field X, Y, Z or W contains a computer interface having according 
to this embodiment six elements A, B, C, D, E and F, each one of these 
elements representing a different function. At least one of them can be 
displayed directly on a screen, for example an icon which is activated by 
a mouse. Other elements can only be displayed indirectly, for example via 
a menu-item on a menubar via which these elements are to be selected using 
a mouse. Of course, the terms "directly" and "indirectly" are equivalent 
to respectively "indirectly" and "twice indirectly", or "twice indirectly" 
and "three times indirectly", etc. 
In FIG. 2 four memory fields X, Y, Z and W are represented. To adapt a 
computer interface, there are several possibilities: 
the content of a memory field X, Y, Z or W remains in the same memory field 
while adapting; 
the content of a memory field X, Y or Z is placed into the memory field W 
for the adapting; 
the content of a memory field X, Y, Z or W is placed into another memory 
not shown in FIG. 1, for example a processor memory, for the adapting. A 
computer interface comprises according to this embodiment six elements A 
(row i-1), B (row i=2), C (row i=3), D (row i=4), E (row i=5) and F (row 
i=6), and to each element A, B, C, D, E or F an element code (column k) 
and three element parameters (columns 1, m and n) are allocated. An 
element code X.sub.i,k, Y.sub.i,k, Z.sub.i,k and W.sub.i,k represents this 
element being enabled or disabled, and an element parameter X.sub.i,l, 
Y.sub.i,l, Z.sub.i,l and W.sub.i,l represents this element being displayed 
directly or indirectly. An element parameter X.sub.i,m, Y.sub.i,m, 
Z.sub.i,m and W.sub.i,m represents a number of times for example per time 
interval this clement has been activated, and an element parameter 
X.sub.i,n, Y.sub.i,n, Z.sub.i,n and W.sub.i,n represents a previous number 
of times for example per time interval this element has been activated. Of 
course, further element codes and element parameters are possible. 
In FIG. 3 blocks of the flow chart have the following meaning: block 
meaning 
______________________________________ 
block meaning 
______________________________________ 
20 start 
21 calculate predefined value as threshold value 
for only those elements which are enabled and 
subject to adaptation 
22 i:=1 
23 W.sub.i,m .gtoreq.threshold value ? 
if yes: to block 25 
if no: to block 24 
24 W.sub.i,i :=Indirect 
25 W.sub.i,i :=Direct 
26 i:=l + 1 
27 i = 7? 
if yes : to block 28 
if no : to block 23 
28 stop 
______________________________________ 
According to the flow chart of FIG. 3, after the adapting has started 
(block 20), a predefined value further to be called threshold value is 
calculated (block 21), but only for those elements which are enabled and 
subject to adaptation. There are several possibilities to do this, for 
example: 
comparing the number of times an enabled element has been activated with 
the number of times another enabled element has been activated for each 
possible combination of enabled elements, and at the hand of the 
comparison results selecting a certain borderline as a threshold; 
calculating an average of several previous numbers of times enabled 
elements have been activated and selecting the average as a threshold; 
adding an element-dependent number to a previous number of times an enabled 
element has been activated and selecting the sum as an element-dependent 
threshold; 
calculating an average of a present and one or more previous thresholds. 
Then i gets the value 1 (block 22) and the number of times an element has 
been activated W.sub.i,m is compared with the calculated threshold (block 
23), which causes this element to be displayed directly (block 25) or 
indirectly (block 24). Subsequently, i is increased by the value 1 (block 
26) and the next number of times an element has been activated is compared 
with the calculated threshold (block 23 etc.) until i gets the value 7 
(block 27). Of all six elements W.sub.i,l has been determined, and the 
adapting stops (block 28). 
While some thresholds, like the one being a selected borderline, will lead 
to a number of elements to be displayed directly being equal to a maximum 
number of elements that can be displayed directly, other thresholds, like 
the one being a sum of an element-dependent number and a previous number, 
could lead to a larger or smaller number than the maximum number. In case 
of a larger number, a next selection should be made to decrease the larger 
number, for example at the hand of a new borderline which is defined for 
elements belonging to the larger number only. In case of a smaller number, 
this may be increased, for example at the hand of a new borderline which 
is defined for only those elements not belonging to the smaller number. 
In FIG. 4 blocks of the flow chart have the following meaning: 
______________________________________ 
block meaning 
______________________________________ 
40 i = 1 , p = q = r = 0 
41 X.sub.i,k = W.sub.i,k and X.sub.i,l = W.sub.i,l ? 
if yes : to block 42 
if no: to block 43 
42 p := p + 1 
43 Y.sub.i,k = W.sub.i,k and Yi,l = W.sub.i,l ? 
if yes : to block 44 
if no : to block 45 
44 q := q + 1 
45 Z.sub.i,k = W.sub.i,k and Z.sub.i,l = W.sub.i,l ? 
if yes : to block 44 
if no : to block 45 
46 r := r + 1 
47 i := i + 1 
48 i = 7 ? 
if yes : to block 49 
if no : to block 41 
49 p .gtoreq. q and r ? 
if yes : to block 50 
if no : to block 51 
50 select memory field X 
51 q .gtoreq. p and r? 
if yes : to block 52 
if no : to block 53 
52 select memory fleld Y 
53 select memory field Z 
______________________________________ 
According to the flow chart of FIG. 4, i gets the value 1 and p, q and r 
get the value 0 (block 40). For i having the value 1 to 6 (block 47, 48), 
X.sub.i,k is compared with W.sub.i,k and X.sub.i,l is compared with 
W.sub.i,l (block 41) and in case of equality p is increased by the value 1 
(block 42), Y.sub.i,k is compared with W.sub.i,k and Y.sub.y,l is compared 
with W.sub.i,l (block 43) and in case of equality q is increased by the 
value 1 (block 44), Z.sub.i,k is compared with W.sub.i,k and Z.sub.i,l is 
compared with W.sub.i,l (block 45) and in case of equality r is increased 
by the value 1 (block 46). Then p is compared with q and r respectively 
(block 49) and if p.gtoreq.q, r then memory field X (block 50) is 
selected. Otherwise q is compared with p and r respectively (block 51) and 
if q.gtoreq.p, r then memory field Y (block 52) is selected. Otherwise 
memory field Z (block 53) is selected. 
At the hand of the flow chart of FIG. 4, one memory field is selected out 
of three memory fields (X, Y, Z) which shows most resemblance to another 
memory field (W). This is done by comparing for each element an element 
code (X.sub.i,k, Y.sub.i,k, Z.sub.i,k : enabled/disabled) with an element 
code of the other memory (W.sub.i,k : enabled/disabled) as well as 
comparing for each element an element parameter (X.sub.i,l, Y.sub.i,l, 
Z.sub.i,l : directly/indirectly) with an element parameter of the other 
memory (W.sub.i,l : directly/indirectly). Of course, many alternatives are 
possible, like comparing element codes only, or parameter codes only 
(possibly the number of times elements have been activated, and/or 
previous numbers of times they have been activated), and/or using 
different values for increasing p, q and r. For example, if X.sub.i,k is 
equal to W.sub.i,k and X.sub.i,l is equal to W.sub.i,l then p is increased 
with the value 3, if X.sub.i,k is equal to W.sub.i,k and X.sub.i,l is not 
equal to W.sub.i,l then p is increased with the value 2 and if X.sub.i,k 
is not equal to W.sub.i,k and X.sub.i,l is equal to W.sub.i,l then p is 
increased with the value 1. In this case, resemblance between element 
codes is more important than resemblance between parameter codes, and 
resemblance between element codes and between parameter codes is most 
important. 
The screen layout of a conference application in FIG. 5a shows a directly 
displayed element "window" containing a direct displayed element "menubar" 
comprising elements "menu-items" like CALL (set up connection), FILETX 
(select 8c transmit file), PICT (select, view & transmit selected picture) 
and DOC (local & joint editing 8r view without editing), which all are 
also displayed directly. Further an element "window" PERI (select 
peripheral) is shown comprising a directly displayed element "icon" AUD 
(select audio) and a directly displayed element "icon" VID (select video). 
The element "menu-item" DOC has been activated, and its pull down menu is 
shown comprising "pull-down-menu-items" EDIT (local editing selected 
document), JO ED (joint editing selected document) and VIEW (view selected 
document). Since the elements "pull-down-menu-item" are displayed only 
after activation of element "menu-item" DOC, these elements are displayed 
indirectly. The other elements "menu-item" CALL, FILETX and PICT are not 
activated, but could also be activated. The elements "icon" AUD and VID 
are not activated, but could be activated. If for example the element 
"icon" AUD would have been activated, as a result an element "window" 
AUDIO would have been shown comprising elements "icon" loudspeaker, AUD MU 
(audio muting) and QU (quit for closing element "window" AUDIO). Since the 
element "Window" AUDIO will be displayed only after activation of the 
element "icon" AUD, the element "window" AUDIO (and its elements "icon") 
is displayed indirectly. Two further elements "video window" showing other 
conferees are also directly displayed in this screen layout. 
The screen layout of a conference application in FIG. 5b shows a directly 
displayed element "window" containing a directly displayed element 
"menubar" comprising elements "menu-items" like CALL (set up connection), 
FILETX (select & transmit file), EDIT (local editing) and DOC (joint 
editing & view selected document & select, view and transmit selected 
picture), which all are also displayed directly. Further an element 
"window" PERI (select peripheral) is shown comprising a directly displayed 
element `icon" AUD (select audio) and a directly displayed element "icon" 
VID (select video). Element "menu-item" DOC has been activated, and its 
pull down menu is shown comprising "pull-down-menu-items" JO ED (joint 
editing selected document), VIEW (view selected document) and PICT 
(select, view & transmit selected picture). Since the elements 
"pull-down-menu-item" are displayed only after activation of the element 
"menu-item" DOC, these elements are displayed indirectly. The other 
elements "menu-item" CALL, FILETX and EDIT are not activated, but could 
also be activated. The element "icon" AUD has been activated, and as a 
result an element "window" AUDIO is shown comprising elements "icon" 
loudspeaker, AUD MU (audio muting) and QU (quit for closing element 
"window" AUDIO). Since the element "window" AUDIO is displayed only after 
activation of the element "icon" AUD, the element "window" AUDIO (and its 
elements "icon") is displayed indirectly. Two further elements "video 
window" showing other conferees are also directly displayed in this screen 
layout. 
The screen layout of a conference application in FIG. 5c shows a directly 
displayed element window" containing a directly displayed element 
"menubar" comprising elements "menu-items" like CALL (set up connection), 
FILETX (select & transmit file), EDIT (local editing) and DOC (joint 
editing & view selected document & select, view and transmit selected 
picture), which all are also displayed directly. Further an element 
"window" PERI (select peripheral) is shown comprising a directly displayed 
element "icon" AUD (select audio), a directly displayed element "icon" VID 
(select video) and a directly displayed element "icon" AUD MU (audio 
muting). The element "icon" AUD has been activated, and as a result an 
element "window" AUDIO is shown comprising elements "icon" loudspeaker and 
QU (quit for closing element "window" AUDIO). Since the element "window" 
AUDIO is displayed only after activation of the element "icon" AUD, the 
element "window" AUDIO (and its elements "icon") is displayed indirectly. 
Two further elements "video window" showing other conferees are also 
directly displayed in this screen layout. 
In the screen layouts of FIGS. 5a and 5b the element "menu-item" DOC has 
been activated, and its pull down menu is shown comprising indirectly 
displayed "pull-down-menu-items" JO ED and VIEW and in FIG. 5a EDIT (which 
is a directly displayed element "menu-item" in FIG. 5b) and in FIG. 5b 
PICT (which is a directly displayed element "menu-item" in FIG. 5a). Such 
a change could be the result of an adaptation as described in FIGS. 1, 2, 
3 and 4, due to the fact that according to the screen layout in FIG. 5a 
the element PICT has been activated more frequently than the element EDIT, 
while according to the screen layout in FIG. 5b the element EDIT has been 
activated more frequently than the element PICT. The screen layout of FIG. 
5a has been transformed into the screen layout of FIG. 5b, xbecause of the 
element "pull-down-menu-item" EDIT has been more frequently used than the 
element "menu-item" PICT in FIG. 5a. Further, according to the screen 
layout in FIG. 5a the element "icon" AUD has not been activated, while 
according to the screen layout in FIG. 5b the element "icon" AUD has been 
activated, resulting in the element "window" AUDIO. 
In the screen layouts of FIGS. 5b and 5c the element "icon" AUD has been 
activated, resulting in the element "window" AUDIO. However, according to 
the screen layout of FIG. 5b the element "window" AUDIO comprises the 
elements "icon` AUD and VID, while according to the screen layout of FIG. 
5c the element "window" AUDIO further comprises the element "icon" AUD MU. 
Such a change could be the result of an adaptation as described in FIGS. 
1, 2, 3 and 4, due to the fact that according to the screen layout in FIG. 
5b the element AUD MU has not been activated more frequently than a 
certain threshold, while according to the screen layout in FIG. 5c the 
element AUD MU has been activated more frequently than the threshold. As a 
result of the invention the layout of element "window" PERI in FIG. 5b has 
been modified into the layout of element "window" PERI in FIG. 5c due to 
the fact that element "icon" AUD MU has been activated more frequently 
than a given threshold. Further, according to the screen layout in FIG. 5b 
the element "menu-item" DOC has been activated, resulting in the elements 
"pull-down-menu-item", while according to the screen layout in FIG. 5c the 
element "menu-item" DOC has not been activated. 
According to FIG. 2 and FIG. 5a, the element codes and element parameters 
allocated to the elements could be as follows: 
______________________________________ 
element k l m n 
______________________________________ 
menubar E D -- -- 
CALL E D 7 8 
FILETX E D 6 9 
PICT E D 4 5 
DOC E D 4 6 
EDIT E I 3 4 
JO ED E I 2 2 
VIEW E I 1 2 
PERI E D -- -- 
AUD E D 6 3 
VID E D S 4 
AUD MU E I 2 3 
loudspeaker E I 1 1 
QU E I -- -- 
number of E D -- -- 
required 
video windows 
______________________________________ 
According to this table all elements are enabled (column k), which means 
that they are displayed either directly or indirectly (column 1). Further, 
the number of times (column m) they have been activated, for example 
during an hour, and the previous number of times (column n) they have been 
activated, for example during a previous hour, is shown, except for the 
elements menubar and PERI, which are always shown directly. The element 
menubar, PERI, QU and number of required video windows are not subject to 
adaptation and are to be excluded from a calculation according to FIG. 3. 
An extra column could be added to the table to indicate which elements are 
excluded from adaptation. 
As can be derived from column m, the directly displayed element "menu-item" 
PICT (E,D,4,5) has been activated 4 times per time interval and the 
indirectly displayed element "pull-down-menu-item" EDIT (E,I,3,4) has been 
activated 3 times per time interval. If during a next time interval the 
element PICT is activated 4 times and the element EDIT is activated S 
times, then the element PICT will be displayed indirectly (as a 
pull-down-menu-item element: E,I,4,4) and the element EDIT will be 
displayed directly (as a menu-item element: E,D,5,3). A new table (not 
shown) in which this amendment is done corresponds to FIG. 2 and FIG. 5b. 
As can be derived from column m, the indirectly displayed element "icon" 
AUD MU (E,I,2,3) has been activated 2 times per time interval, which 
number of times is smaller than a certain threshold, for example 4 times 
per time interval. If during a next time interval the element AUD MU is 
activated 5 times, which number of times is larger than the certain 
threshold of 4 times per time interval, then the element AUD MU will be 
displayed directly (as a direcltly displayed element "icon": E,D,5,2). 
Another new table (not shown) in which this amendment is done corresponds 
to FIG. 2 and FIG. Sc. 
Of course, measures should be taken to allocate an element type ("menubar", 
"menu -item", "pull-down-menu -item", "window", "icon" etc.) to each 
element. This could be realised by allocating a certain element type to 
each row of the shown table, in which case sometimes it will be necessary 
to interchange some elements or element types after adaptation. It could 
also be realized by adding an extra column to the shown table for 
indicating the element type. 
Further it is observed that element codes and element parameters allocated 
to an element could be made adjustable, for example in a user-dependent 
way.