User identification and password field determination

Abstract

The present invention is a method for automatically determining a user identification (user ID) display field and a password display field during a logon process. The present invention comprises identifying the password display field based on a characteristic associated with the password display field and then identifying the location of the user ID display field based on a predetermined relationship to the identified password display field.

1 . A method for automatically determining from a plurality of display fields displayed on a computer monitor the location of a first display field having a display characteristic for entry data and a second display field having a predefined relationship with the first display field comprising: 
 identifying the first display field from among the plurality of display fields based on the display characteristic for entry data of the first display field; and    identifying the second display field from among the plurality of display fields based on the predefined relationship between the second display field and the identified first display field.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first display field is a password display field and the second display field is a user identification display field.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying the first display field with the display characteristic for entry data comprises monitoring display fields displayed on the computer monitor and detecting the first display field having the display characteristic for entry data.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the display characteristic for entry data is a non-display attribute.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein an emulator generates display fields on the computer monitor and monitoring display fields displayed on the computer monitor comprises examining a new display field in response to an interrupt generated by said emulator when a cursor is positioned within said new display field.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein identifying the second display field comprises monitoring the display fields displayed on the computer monitor and determining which display field has the predefined relationship with the first display field.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein an emulator generates display fields on the computer monitor and monitoring the display fields displayed on the computer monitor comprises examining a new display field in response to an interrupt generated by said emulator when a cursor is positioned within said new display field.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said predefined relationship between the second display field and the first display field is that the second display field is the first non-empty display field preceding the first display field.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the predefined relationship is that the second display field is positioned a predetermined number of display fields from the first display field.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said predefined relationship is that the second display field is positioned a predetermined number of non-empty display fields from the first display field.  
   
   
       11 . A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer usable program code for automatically determining from a plurality of display fields displayed on a computer monitor the location of a first display field having a display characteristic for entry data and a second display field having a predefined relationship with the first display field, said computer program product comprising; 
 computer usable program code for identifying a first display field displayed on the computer monitor based on said display characteristic for entry data of said first display field; and    computer usable program code for identifying a second display field displayed on the computer monitor based on a predefined relationship between said second display field and said identified first display field.    
   
   
       12 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein said computer usable program code for identifying said first display field with said display characteristic for entry data further comprises computer usable program code for monitoring display fields displayed on the computer monitor and detecting the first display field having said display characteristic for entry data.  
   
   
       13 . The computer program product of  claim 12 , wherein said display characteristic for entry data of said first display field a non-display attribute.  
   
   
       14 . The computer program product of  claim 11 , wherein said computer usable program code for identifying said second display field further comprises computer usable program code for monitoring the display fields displayed on the computer monitor and computer usable program code for determining which display field has said predefined relationship with said first display field.  
   
   
       15 . The computer program product of  claim 14 , wherein said predefined relationship between said second display field and said first display field is that said second display field is the first non-empty display field preceding said first display field.  
   
   
       16 - 20 . (canceled)  
   
   
       21 . A method for creating a logon macro from data entered into display fields displayed on a computer monitor by an emulator for accessing an application comprising: 
 recording data entered into display fields displayed on the computer monitor;    identifying a first display field displayed on the computer monitor based on a display characteristic for entry data of said first display field, said first display field receiving a first character string as entry data;    substituting a first placeholder for said first entry character string in the recorded entry data;    identifying a second display field displayed on the computer monitor based on a predetermined relationship between said second display field and said first identified display field, said second display field receiving a second character string as entry data; and    substituting a second placeholder for said second entry character string in the recorded entry data.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein identifying said first display field displayed on the computer monitor based on a characteristic of said first display field comprises monitoring the display fields generated by the emulator on the computer monitor during a logon process and detecting the first display field having said the display characteristics for entry data.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said display characteristic for entry data of said first display field is that a non-display attribute.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said predefined relationship between said second display field and said first display field is that said second display field is the first non-empty display field preceding said first display field.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein identifying said second display field further comprises monitoring the display field generated by the emulator on the computer monitor during a logon process and detecting the first non-empty display field preceding said first display field.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein said first display field is a password display field and said second display field is a user identification display field.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein substituting said first placeholder for said first entry character string in the recorded entry data and substituting said second placeholder for said second entry character string in the recorded entry data occur during the recording of the data entered into the display fields.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein substituting said first placeholder for said first entry character string in the recorded input data and substituting said second placeholder for said second entry character string in the recorded input data occur after the recording of the data entered into the display fields is complete.