Abstract: The present invention provides speech and audio user-computer interface mechanisms for accessing and editing information in electronic records. A mechanism is provided by which the user can direct inputs to any of a variety of fields without following a predetermined order of input. This allows the user to be proactive in making entries rather than simply reacting to requirements set by computer-generated prompts. Audio is provided as feedback to the user, not as a fixed path prompt for the user. This feedback can be in the form of non-verbal auditory signals or synthesized speech. The invention uses audio to inform the user of whether or not the system understood the spoken words or phrases as valid inputs to the electronic record, what the system recognized as the input, and to identify the contents of various fields in the electronic record.

Abstract: This invention provides graphical user interface mechanisms for grouping and viewing data elements in a manner analogous to the way in which their physical world counterparts would interact. A system is provided by which users manipulate a pointing device (e.g., mouse, trackball, or touch screen monitor) to position iconic representations of data elements in a graphical representation of space (e.g., on an electronic map). If one icon is placed on top of another one that is an allowable container for the moved icon (i.e., that can be a parent data element for the data element represented by the moved icon), the moved icon disappears from immediate view and is placed inside the container. The contents of container icons can be viewed by placing the graphical pointer on top of them, resulting in the “blow-up” of those icons so that iconic and textual descriptions of their child data elements are displayed.