Incorporating non-native user interface mechanisms into a user interface
First Claim
1. A method for enabling access to an interface, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving a first description of a user interface that is written in a first computer language and that describes one or more user interface elements;
receiving a second description written in a second computer language that describes one or more user commands and one or more instructions associated with each user command of said one or more user commands;
receiving a user command of said one or more user commands;
in response to receiving said user command, executing at least one instruction of the one or more instructions associated with said user command; and
wherein executing at least one instruction of the one or more instructions causes accessing functionality associated with at least one user interface element described by said first description.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for enabling access to an interface is provided. In an embodiment, a process is provided for examining the description of a particular user interface to generate a projection of the user interface that provides user interface mechanisms not described by the description. The user may interact with the user interface mechanisms to access functions and content that is otherwise available through the particular user interface. For example, a web page contains code written in HTML. The HTML code defines user controls which are displayed to a user and which may be manipulated by the user with a mouse to access functionality provided by the GUI. The techniques described herein may be used to generate an audio projection of the GUI, and in particular, to generate a user interface through which the user may access functionality and content of the GUI using audio modalities, to hear the GUI'"'"'s content, and to access its functions using commands conveyed by the user audibly. The projections are accomplished through the use of code modules that (1) describe how to examine the description of a user interface to generate a projection of it, and (2) that define macros associated with instructions and user commands that may be used to invoke the macros. The instructions specify operations to perform with respect to the user interface and/or its description.
72 Citations
42 Claims
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1. A method for enabling access to an interface, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving a first description of a user interface that is written in a first computer language and that describes one or more user interface elements;
receiving a second description written in a second computer language that describes one or more user commands and one or more instructions associated with each user command of said one or more user commands;
receiving a user command of said one or more user commands;
in response to receiving said user command, executing at least one instruction of the one or more instructions associated with said user command; and
wherein executing at least one instruction of the one or more instructions causes accessing functionality associated with at least one user interface element described by said first description. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for enabling access to an interface, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:
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receiving a first description of a user interface that is written in a first computer language and that describes one or more user interface elements;
receiving a second description written in a second computer language that describes one or more user commands and one or more instructions associated with each user command of said one or more user commands;
receiving a user command of said one or more user commands;
in response to receiving said user command, executing at least one instruction of the one or more instructions associated with said user command; and
wherein executing at least one instruction of the one or more instructions causes accessing functionality associated with at least one user interface element described by said first description. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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39. An apparatus, comprising:
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a memory;
one or more processors;
a metabrowser;
said metabrowser configured to receive a first description of a user interface that is written in a first computer language and that describes one or more user interface elements;
said metabrowser configured to receive a second description written in a second computer language that describes one or more user commands and one or more instructions associated with each user command of said one or more user commands;
said metabrowser configured to receive a user command of said one or more user commands;
said metabrowser configured to execute at least one instruction of the one or more instructions associated with said user command in response to receiving said user command; and
wherein said metabrowser executing at least one instruction of the one or more instructions causes said metabrowser to access functionality associated with at least one user interface element described by said first description. - View Dependent Claims (40)
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41. An apparatus, comprising
a memory; -
one or more processors;
means for receiving a first description of a user interface that is written in a first computer language and that describes one or more user interface elements;
means for receiving a second description written in a second computer language that describes one or more user commands and one or more instructions associated with each user command of said one or more user commands;
means for receiving a user command of said one or more user commands;
means for executing, in response to receiving said user command, at least one instruction of the one or more instructions associated with said user command; and
wherein executing at least one instruction of the one or more instructions causes accessing functionality associated with at least one user interface element described by said first description. - View Dependent Claims (42)
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Specification