Real-time data interface and method for browsers and the like

• US 20040215740A1
• Filed: 02/02/2004
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tridium Inc. (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Tridium Inc. (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Sublett, John W., Frank, Brian S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,822,806 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/36 Software reuse
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Providing a real-time data display and interface for a network device by loading a page in a browser (115), the page including an engine which is executed in the browser (120) and used to automatically load a definition file (125) from a remote source in response to content within the page. Widgets are instantiated for display in the interface, each making data requests (145) at intervals which are forwarded to one or more servers in communication with the network device. Requested data is received (160) and presented in the interface thereby providing the user with dynamically updated data (165). An engine for driving such display comprises executable code configured to instantiate one or more widgets for rendering within the display of the real-time interface. The engine further includes a reference to a definition file which defines prescribed parameters for one or more of the widgets.

Claims

1. A method for providing a real-time data display and interface for a network device, comprising the steps of:

loading a page in a browser configured for operation on the network device, the page including an engine;

executing the engine in the browser;

using the engine to automatically load a definition file from a remote source in response to content within the loaded page;

instantiating one or more widgets in the interface and displaying them therein, each widget making data requests;

forwarding the data requests to one or more servers in communication with the network device;

receiving the requested data; and

updating the interface with the received data.

2. The method of claim 1, including the additional steps of:

loading one or more software programs each being associated with the one or more widgets in response to the instantiating step; and

executing the software programs.

3. The method of claim 1, including the additional step of repeating the forwarding, receiving and updating steps at intervals prescribed by resprective widgets in the interface.

4. The method of claim 1, including the additional step of directing data requests from at least one of the widgets directly to a particular server in communication with the network device.

5. The method of claim 1, including the additional step of directing data requests from each respective widget to the engine, wherein the forwarding step is performed by the engine.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the forwarding and receiving steps are performed over a wireless communication link.

7. The method of claim 1, including the additional steps of:

testing for inputs provided through the interface at the network device; and

processing the inputs at one of the network device and the remote source.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the input provided through the interface influences the appearance of the data displayed in the one or more widgets.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the inputs are provided by a human user.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the inputs are provided programmatically by the network device itself.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the page loaded in the browser is a web page.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the web page includes a body portion that consists essentially of the engine.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein each widget is generated dynamically in response to the definition file at the remote source.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the engine is on the order of about 400 Kilobytes in size.

15. An engine for providing a real-time data interface to a network device, comprising:

executable code configured to instantiate one or more widgets for rendering within the display of the real-time data interface; and

a reference to a definition file which defmes prescribed parameters for one or more of the widgets.

16. The engine of claim 15, wherein the definition file includes extensions to further code suitable for at least one of:

rendering one or more of the widgets, requesting data for the widget to display within the interface, and receiving data for the widget to display in the interface.

17. The engine of claim 15, fruther comprising a page in a prescribed format that includes the engine.

18. The engine of claim 17, wherein the page is in an HTML format.

19. The engine of claim 15, wherein the definition file is located at a source remote from the network device.