Template-based customization of a user interface for a messaging application program

• US 20040128358A1
• Filed: 12/27/2002
• Published: 07/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Milstein, David, Sander, Avner, Apfel, Darren Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 7,185,116 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

Mechanisms for a messaging application program (e.g., an e-mail or instant messaging application program) to render information on a display. A server may download different template sets (or the client may otherwise access such template sets) to different client computing systems. Each template is usable by the messaging application program at the respective client to render a display screen in accordance with the display capabilities and/or the user display preferences and settings of the respective client computing system. The messaging application program is allowed to stay the same, while variances due to different display capabilities and/or user display preferences and settings are accommodated by the different template sets.

Claims

1. In a network environment that includes a server computing system connected through a network to a plurality of client computing systems having various display capabilities and/or user display preferences, a method for the server computing system causing a messaging application program to render information on each of the plurality of client computing systems with little, if any, required recoding of the messaging application program to accommodate the varying display capabilities and/or user display preferences of the different client computing systems, the method comprising the following:

an act of determining that a first set of templates is suitable for a first client computing system, each of the first set of templates being usable by the messaging application program at the first client computing system to render a display screen at the first client computing system;

an act of downloading the first set of templates to the first client computing system;

an act of determining that a second set of templates is suitable for a second client computing system, each of the second set of templates being usable by the messaging application program at the second client computing system to render a display screen at the second client computing system, the first set of templates being different than the second set of templates; and

an act of downloading the second set of templates to the first client computing system.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first and second client computing systems are different client computing systems.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2,

wherein a display of the first client computing system is a black and white display, the first set of templates lacking any instruction for the first client computing system to display color,

wherein a display of the second client computing system is a color display, the second set of templates including one or more instructions for the second client computing system to display color, and

wherein each of at least some of the first set of templates is used by the first client computing system to display the same display state as displayed by the second client computing system when using a corresponding one of the second set of templates.

4. A method in accordance with claim 2,

wherein a display of the first client computing system is a text-only display, the first set of templates lacking any instruction for the first client computing system to display non-text,

wherein a display of the second client computing system is a graphical display capable of displaying graphics, the second set of templates including one or more instructions for the second client computing system to display graphics, and

wherein each of at least some of the first set of templates is used by the first client computing system to display the same display state as displayed by the second client computing system when using a corresponding one of the second set of templates.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first and second client computing systems are the same client computing system, the act of determining that a second set of templates is suitable for a second client computing system comprises the following:

an act of determining that the first set of templates is no longer suitable for the first client computing system.

6. A method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the act of determining that the first set of templates is no longer suitable for the first client computing system comprises the following:

an act of determining that a user of the first client computing system has paid for the use of the second set of templates.

7. A method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the act of determining that the first set of templates is no longer suitable for the first client computing system comprises the following:

an act of determining that a user of the first client computing system has selected the second set of templates.

8. A method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the act of determining that the first set of templates is no longer suitable for the first client computing system comprises the following:

an act of determining that it is close to a particular season, the second set of templates adapted for use during the particular season.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the act of determining that the first set of templates is no longer suitable for the first client computing system comprises the following:

an act of determining that a user of the first client computing system has paid for the use of the first set of templates.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the act of determining that the first set of templates is no longer suitable for the first client computing system comprises the following:

an act of determining that a user of the first client computing system has selected the first set of templates.

11. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the act of determining that the first set of templates is no longer suitable for the first client computing system comprises the following:

an act of determining that it is close to a particular season, the first set of templates adapted for use during the particular season.

12. A computer program product for use in a network environment that includes a server computing system connected through a network to a plurality of client computing systems having various display capabilities and/or user display preferences, the computer program product for implementing a method for the server computing system causing a messaging application program to render information on each of the plurality of client computing systems with little, if any, required recoding of the messaging application program to accommodate the varying display capabilities and/or user display preferences of the different client computing systems, the computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable media have thereon the following:

computer-executable instructions for determining that a first set of templates is suitable for a first client computing system, each of the first set of templates being usable by the messaging application program at the first client computing system to render a display screen at the first client computing system;

computer-executable instructions for causing the first set of templates to be downloaded to the first client computing system;

computer-executable instructions for determining that a second set of templates is suitable for a second client computing system, each of the second set of templates being usable by the messaging application program at the second client computing system to render a display screen at the second client computing system, the first set of templates being different than the second set of templates; and

computer-executable instructions for causing the second set of templates to be downloaded to the second client computing system.

13. A computer program product in accordance with claim 12, wherein the computer-executable instructions for determining that the first set of templates is no longer suitable for the first client computing system comprise the following:

computer-executable instructions for determining that a user of the first client computing system has paid for the use of the first set of templates.

14. A computer program product in accordance with claim 12, wherein the computer-executable instructions for determining that the first set of templates is no longer suitable for the first client computing system comprise the following:

computer-executable instructions for determining that a user of the first client computing system has selected the first set of templates.

15. A computer program product in accordance with claim 12, wherein the computer-executable instructions for determining that the first set of templates is no longer suitable for the first client computing system comprise the following:

computer-executable instructions for determining that it is close to a particular season, the first set of templates adapted for use during the particular season.

16. A computer program product in accordance with claim 12, wherein the one or more computer-readable media are physical memory media.

17. A computer program product in accordance with claim 16, wherein the physical memory media is system memory.

18. A computer program product in accordance with claim 16, wherein the physical memory media is persistent storage media.

19. In a network environment that includes a server computing system connected through a network to a plurality of client computing systems having various display capabilities and/or user display preferences, a method for the server computing system causing a messaging application program to render information on each of the plurality of client computing systems with little, if any, required recoding of the messaging application program to accommodate the varying display capabilities and/or user display preferences of the different client computing systems, the method comprising the following:

an act of determining that a first data object referred to in a first set of templates is suitable for display at the first client computing system, each of the first set of templates being usable by the messaging application program at the first client computing system to render a display screen at the first client computing system, the first set of templates being templates that are either already at a first client computing system or are to be downloaded to the first client computing system;

an act of downloading the first data object to the first client computing system;

an act of determining that a second data object referred to in a second set of templates is suitable for display at the second client computing system, each of the second set of templates being usable by the messaging application program at the second client computing system to render a display screen at the second client computing system, the second set of templates being templates that are either already at a second client computing system or are to be downloaded to the second client computing system; and

an act of downloading the second data object to the second client computing system.

20. A method in accordance with claim 19, wherein the first and second client computing systems are the same client computing system, the act of determining that a second data object referred to in a second set of templates is suitable for display at the second client computing system comprises the following:

an act of determining that the first data object referred to in the first set of data templates is no longer suitable for the first client computing system.

21. A method in accordance with claim 20, wherein the act of determining that the first data object referred to in the first set of data templates is no longer suitable for the first client computing system comprises the following:

an act of determining that a user of the first client computing system has paid for the use of the second data object.

22. A method in accordance with claim 20, wherein the act of determining that the first data object referred to in the first set of data templates is no longer suitable for the first client computing system comprises the following:

an act of determining that a user of the first client computing system has selected the second data object.

23. A method in accordance with claim 20, wherein the act of determining that the first data object referred to in the first set of data templates is no longer suitable for the first client computing system comprises the following:

an act of determining that it is close to a particular season, the second data object adapted for use during the particular season.

24. A method in accordance with claim 19, wherein the data object is a picture.

25. A method in accordance with claim 24, wherein the data object is an image representing an instant messaging presence status.

26. A method in accordance with claim 24, wherein the data object is a background image.

27. A method in accordance with claim 19, wherein the first set of templates is different than the second set of templates.

28. A method in accordance with claim 19, wherein the first set of templates is the same as the second set of templates.

29. A computer program product for use in a network environment that includes a server computing system connected through a network to a plurality of client computing systems having various display capabilities and/or user display preferences, the computer program product for implementing a method for the server computing system causing a messaging application program to render information on each of the plurality of client computing systems with little, if any, required recoding of the messaging application program to accommodate the varying display capabilities and/or user display preferences of the different client computing systems, the computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable media having thereon the following:

computer-executable instructions for determining that a first data object referred to in a first set of templates is suitable for display at the first client computing system, each of the first set of templates being usable by the messaging application program at the first client computing system to render a display screen at the first client computing system, the first set of templates being templates that are either already at a first client computing system or are to be downloaded to the first client computing system;

computer-executable instructions for causing the first data object to be downloaded to the first client computing system;

computer-executable instructions for determining that a second data object referred to in a second set of templates is suitable for display at the second client computing system, each of the second set of templates being usable by the messaging application program at the second client computing system to render a display screen at the second client computing system, the second set of templates being templates that are either already at a second client computing system or are to be downloaded to the second client computing system; and

computer-executable instructions for causing the second data object to be downloaded to the second client computing system.

30. A computer program product in accordance with claim 29, wherein the first and second client computing systems are the same client computing system, the computer-executable instructions for determining that a second data object referred to in a second set of templates is suitable for display at the second client computing system comprise the following:

computer-executable instructions for determining that the first data object referred to in the first set of data templates is no longer suitable for the first client computing system.

31. A computer program product in accordance with claim 30, wherein the computer-executable instructions for determining that the first data object referred to in the first set of data templates is no longer suitable for the first client computing system comprise the following:

computer-executable instructions for determining that a user of the first client computing system has paid for the use of the second data object.

32. A computer program product in accordance with claim 30, wherein the computer-executable instructions for determining that the first data object referred to in the first set of data templates is no longer suitable for the first client computing system comprise the following:

computer-executable instructions for determining that a user of the first client computing system has selected the second data object.

33. A computer program product in accordance with claim 30, wherein the computer-executable instructions for determining that the first data object referred to in the first set of data templates is no longer suitable for the first client computing system comprise the following:

computer-executable instructions for determining that it is close to a particular season, the second data object adapted for use during the particular season.

34. A computer program product in accordance with claim 29, wherein the one or more computer-readable media are physical memory media.

35. A computer program product in accordance with claim 34, wherein the physical memory media is system memory.

36. A computer program product in accordance with claim 34, wherein the physical memory media is persistent storage media.

37. In a network environment that includes a server computing system network connected through a network to a plurality of client computing systems having various display capabilities and/or user display preferences, a method for one of the client computing systems rendering messaging information on its display using a messaging application program that may be used with different client computing systems with little, if any, required recoding of the messaging application program to accommodate the varying display capabilities and/or user display preferences of the different client computing systems, the method comprising the following:

an act of identifying a template that is suitable for a current state of the messaging application program given the display capability of the client computing system and the user display preferences;

an act of accessing the identified template; and

an act of using the accessed template to render information on a display of the client computing system.

38. A method in accordance with claim 37, wherein the act of using the accessed template to render information on a display device of the client computing system further comprises the following:

an act of reading a reference to a data object and a position for rendering the data object on the display from the accessed template; and

an act of acquiring the data object using the reference to the data object.

39. A method in accordance with claim 38, wherein the act of using the accessed template to render information on a display device of the client computing system further comprises the following:

an act of reading static display information from the accessed template; and

an act of displaying the display information on the display as dictated by the accessed template.

40. A method in accordance with claim 38, wherein the act of reading is performed by a user interface program, and wherein the act of acquiring the data object using the reference to the data object comprises the following:

an act of the user interface program requesting the data object from the messaging application program.

41. A method in accordance with claim 38, wherein the data object is an e-mail subject, the messaging application program being an e-mail application program.

42. A method in accordance with claim 38, wherein the data object is presence status information, the messaging application program being an instant messaging application program.

43. A method in accordance with claim 38, wherein the data object is a user name.

44. A method in accordance with claim 37, wherein the messaging application program is an e-mail application program.

45. A method in accordance with claim 37, wherein the messaging application program is an instant messaging application program.

46. A method in accordance with claim 37, wherein the accessed template is correlated to the display state of the messaging application program and the display capabilities of the client computing device.

47. A method in accordance with claim 46, wherein the accessed template is further correlated to user display preferences of the client computing device.

48. A computer program product for use in a network environment that includes a server computing system network connected through a network to a plurality of client computing systems having various display capabilities and/or user display preferences, the computer program product for implementing a method for one of the client computing systems rendering messaging information on its display using a messaging application program that may be used with different client computing systems with little, if any, required recoding of the messaging application program to accommodate the varying display capabilities and/or user display preferences of the different client computing systems, the computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable media having thereon the following:

computer-executable instructions for identifying a template that is suitable for a current state of the messaging application program given the display capability of the client computing system and the user display preferences;

computer-executable instructions for causing the identified template to be accessed; and

computer-executable instructions for using the accessed template to render information on a display of the client computing system.

49. A computer program product in accordance with claim 48, wherein the one or more computer-readable media are physical memory media.

50. A computer program product in accordance with claim 49, wherein the physical memory media is system memory.

51. A computer program product in accordance with claim 49, wherein the physical memory media is persistent storage media.

52. A computer program product in accordance with claim 49, wherein the computer-executable instructions for using the accessed template to render information on a display device of the client computing system, the one or more computer-readable media further having thereon the following:

computer-executable instructions for reading a reference to a data object and a position for rendering the data object on the display from the accessed template; and

computer-executable instructions for causing the data object to be acquired using the reference to the data object.