Method and computer system for creating and processing a browser complaint human interface description

• US 20040249487A1
• Filed: 07/30/2004
• Published: 12/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Koch, Wolfgang, Ahlert, Dirk, Liebich, Gunther
• Granted Patent: US 8,037,407 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/83
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Computer-implemented methods, computer systems and computer program products are provided for creating and processing a browser compliant human interface description. A predefined application specific human interface description using application specific layout elements is transformed into a standardized human interface description using basic layout elements. The standardized human interface description is decomposed into a human interface layout template and a data description. A data instance is instantiated from the data description. The data instance is merged with the human interface layout template into an individual browser compliant human interface description, which is then rendered to prompt a user for data input. The received data from the user are stored in the data instance. The status of at least one layout element is either stored in the data instance or in a runtime-copy of the standardized human interface description.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for creating and processing a human interface description, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a predefined application specific human interface description; and

transforming the application specific human interface description into a standardized human interface description.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined application specific human interface description is a markup language description using a plurality of application specific layout elements.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the standardized human interface description is a markup language description using a plurality of basic layout elements.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the transforming step uses a transformation program in a programming language.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the transformation program is a style sheet language transformation.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

converting (the standardized human interface description into a browser compliant human interface description.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the browser compliant human interface description is a markup language description.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the converting step uses a conversion program in a programming language.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the conversion program is a style sheet language transformation.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

decomposing the standardized human interface description into a human interface layout template and a data description.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the decomposing step comprises the following steps of:

extracting the human interface layout template from the standardized human interface description; and

extracting the data description from the standardized human interface description.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the extracting steps use a transformation program in a programming language.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the transformation program is a style sheet language transformation.

14. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

decomposing the browser compliant human interface description into a human interface layout template and a data description.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the decomposing step (450) further comprises the following steps of:

extracting the human interface layout template from the browser compliant human interface description; and

extracting the data description from the browser compliant human interface description.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the extracting steps use a transformation program in a programming language.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the transformation program is a style sheet language transformation.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising the further steps of:

instantiating a data instance from the data description;

merging the data instance with the human interface layout template into an individual browser compliant human interface description;

rendering the individual browser compliant human interface description to prompt an user for data input;

receiving data from the user;

storing the data in the data instance; and

storing a status of at least one basic layout element.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the merging step uses a transformation program in a programming language.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the transformation program is a style sheet language transformation.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein in the receiving step, the data comprise a XPath.

22. The method of claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

instantiating a data instance from the data description;

merging the data instance with the human interface layout template into an individual browser compliant human interface description;

rendering the individual browser compliant human interface description to prompt an user for data input;

receiving data from the user;

storing the data in the data instance; and

storing a status of at least one basic layout element.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the merging step uses a transformation program in a programming language.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the transformation program is a style sheet language transformation.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein in the receiving step, the data comprise a XPath.

38. A data carrier readable by a computer, the data carrier storing a plurality of instructions for causing a processor of the computer to create and process a human interface description, the plurality of instructions causing the computer to execute the method according to any one of claims 1, 6, 14 and 18.

39. A data carrier readable by a computer, the data carrier storing a plurality of instructions for causing a processor of the computer to create and process a human interface description, the plurality of instructions causing the computer to execute method according to any one of claims 1, 10 and 22.

26. A computer system for creating and processing a human interface description, the computer system comprising:

means for providing a predefined application specific human interface description; and

means for transforming the application specific human interface description into a standardized human interface description.

27. The computer system of claim 26, further comprising:

means for converting the standardized human interface description into a browser compliant human interface description.

28. The computer system of claim 27, further comprising:

means for decomposing the browser compliant human interface description into a human interface layout template and a data description.

29. The computer system of claim 28, further comprising:

means for instantiating a data instance from the data description;

means for merging the data instance with the human interface layout template into an individual browser compliant human interface description;

means for rendering the individual browser compliant human interface description to prompt an user for data input;

means for receiving data from the user;

means for storing the data in the data instance; and

means for storing a status of at least one basic layout element.

30. The computer system of claim 26, further comprising:

means for decomposing the standardized human interface description into a human interface layout template and a data description.

31. The computer system of claim 30, further comprising:

means for instantiating a data instance from the data description;

means for merging the data instance with the human interface layout template into an individual browser compliant human interface description;

means for rendering the individual browser compliant human interface description to prompt an user for data input;

means for receiving data from the user;

means for storing the data in the data instance; and

means for storing a status of at least one basic layout element.

32. A computer program product having a plurality of instructions for causing a processor of a computer to create and process a human interface description, the computer program product causing the computer to execute the following steps:

providing a predefined application specific human interface description; and

transforming the application specific human interface description into a standardized human interface description.

33. The computer program product of claim 32, causing the computer to execute further the step of:

converting the standardized human interface description into a browser compliant human interface description.

34. The computer program product of claim 33, causing the computer to execute further the step of:

decomposing the browser compliant human interface description into a human interface layout template and a data description.

35. The computer program product of claim 34, causing the computer to execute the further the steps of:

instantiating a data instance from the data description;

merging the data instance with the human interface layout template into an individual browser compliant human interface description;

rendering the individual browser compliant human interface description to prompt an user for data input;

receiving data from the user;

storing the data in the data instance; and

storing a status of at least one basic layout element.

36. The computer program product of claim 32, causing the computer to execute further the step of:

decomposing the standardized human interface description into a human interface layout template and a data description.

37. The computer program product of claim 36, causing the computer to execute the further the step of:

instantiating a data instance from the data description;

merging the data instance with the human interface layout template into an individual browser compliant human interface description;

rendering the individual browser compliant human interface description to prompt an user for data input;

receiving data from the user;

storing the data in the data instance; and

storing a status of at least one basic layout element.