System and method for generating a graphical user interface (GUI) element

• US 20050010901A1
• Filed: 07/09/2004
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Computer Associates Think Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Udler, Arthur
• Granted Patent: US 7,761,842 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/109
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

In certain embodiments, a method for generating a graphical user interface (GUI) element comprises storing code for each of one or more types of GUI elements and receiving a request to generate a particular type of GUI element, the request comprising one or more parameters. The method further comprises accessing the code for the requested particular type of GUI element and automatically generating a GUI element package based on the code for the requested particular type of GUI element and the one or more parameters of the request.

Claims

1. A system for generating a graphical user interface (GUI) element, comprising:

a memory operable to store code for each of one or more types of GUI elements; and

a GUI generating component coupled to the memory and operable to;

receive a request to generate a particular type of GUI element, the request comprising one or more parameters;

access the code for the requested particular type of GUI element; and

automatically generate a GUI element package based on the code for the requested particular type of GUI element and the one or more parameters of the request.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more parameters of the request comprise one or more of:

a GUI descriptor identifying the particular type of GUI element to be generated;

a data source identifier;

one or more display characteristics; and

scripting information.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more parameters comprise a data source identifier and a data item identifier, the GUI generating component further operable to:

initiate connection to a data source identified by the data source identifier to retrieve data associated with the data item identifier; and

generated the GUI element package based at least in part on the retrieved data.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more parameters comprise one or more display characteristics, the GUI generating component further operable to generate the GUI element package based at least in part on the one or more display characteristics.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more parameters comprise scripting information identifying one or more scripts, the GUI generating component further operable:

initiate access to one or more scripts identified by the scripting information; and

generate the GUI element package based at least in part on the one or more accessed scripts.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the GUI generating component is operable to modify the accessed code for the requested particular type of GUI element based on the one or more accessed scripts.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the request is received from a user system comprising a browser for displaying the generated GUI element.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein:

the generated GUI element package comprises the accessed code for the particular type of GUI element; and

the GUI generating component is further operable to initiate communication of the GUI element package automatically generated in response to the request to the user system for processing and display on the browser associated with the user system.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the generated GUI element package is communicated to the user system in HyperText Markup Language (HTML) format.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the GUI generating component is further operable to initiate the addition of a GUI element corresponding to the GUI element package generated in response to an existing GUI displayed on the browser of the user system.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein:

the generated GUI element package comprises the code for the particular type of GUI element accessed in response to the request, the accessed code being modified based on the one or more parameters of the request, the GUI element package comprising the modified code; and

the GUI generating component is further operable to communicate the GUI element package comprising the modified code to the user system for compiling at the user system for display on the browser.

12. The system of claim 1, further operable to dynamically generate particular types of GUI elements in response to a plurality of user requests to generate particular types of GUI elements.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the GUI generating component is further operable to store the generated GUI element package for reuse in response to a request from the same or a different user system, the request comprising the same one or more parameters.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the GUI generating component is operable to:

receive code for generating a customized type of GUI element; and

store the code for the customized type of GUI element in the memory, the code being accessible to the GUI generating component.

15. A method for generating a graphical user interface (GUI) element, comprising:

storing code for each of one or more types of GUI elements;

receiving a request to generate a particular type of GUI element, the request comprising one or more parameters;

accessing the code for the requested particular type of GUI element; and

automatically generating a GUI element package based on the code for the requested particular type of GUI element and the one or more parameters of the request.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more parameters of the request comprise one or more of:

a GUI descriptor identifying the particular type of GUI element to be generated;

a data source identifier;

one or more display characteristics; and

scripting information.

17. The method of claim 15, the one or more parameters comprising a data source identifier and a data item identified and the method further comprising:

initiating a connection to a data source identified by the data source identifier to retrieve data associated with the data item identifier; and

generating the GUI element package based at least in part on the retrieved data.

18. The method of claim 15, the one or more parameters comprising one or more display characteristic and the method further comprising generating the GUI element package based at least in part on the one or more display characteristics.

19. The method of claim 15, the one or more parameters comprising scripting information identifying one or more scripts and the method further comprising:

initiating access to one or more scripts identified by the scripting information; and

generating the GUI element package based at least in part on the one or more accessed scripts.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising modifying the accessed code for the requested particular type of GUI element based on the one or more accessed scripts.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising receiving the request from a user system comprising a browser for displaying the generated GUI element.

22. The method of claim 21, the generated GUI element package comprising the accessed code for the particular type of GUI element and the method further comprising initiating communication of the GUI element package automatically generated in response to the request to the user system for processing and display on the browser associated with the user system.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising communicating the generated GUI element package to the user system in HyperText Markup Language (HTML) format.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising initiating the addition of a GUI element corresponding to the GUI element package generated in response to an existing GUI displayed on the browser of the user system.

25. The method of claim 21, the generated GUI element package comprising the code for the particular type of GUI element accessed in response to the request, the accessed code being modified based on the one or more parameters of the request, the GUI element package comprising the modified code and the method further comprising initiating communication of the GUI element package comprising the modified code to the user system for compiling at the user system for display on the browser.

26. The method of claim 15, further comprising dynamically generating particular types of GUI elements in response to a plurality of user requests to generate particular types of GUI elements.

27. The method of claim 15, further comprising storing the generated GUI element package for reuse in response to a request from the same or a different user system, the request comprising the same one or more parameters.

28. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving code for generating a customized type of GUI element; and

storing the code for the customized type of GUI element in the memory, the code being accessible to the GUI generating component.

29. Software for generating a graphical user interface (GUI) element, the software being embodied in computer-readable media and when executed operable to:

store code for each of one or more types of GUI elements;

receive a request to generate a particular type of GUI element, the request comprising one or more parameters;

access the code for the requested particular type of GUI element; and

automatically generate a GUI element package based on the code for the requested particular type of GUI element and the one or more parameters of the request.

30. The software of claim 29, wherein the one or more parameters of the request comprise one or more of:

a GUI descriptor identifying the particular type of GUI element to be generated;

a data source identifier;

one or more display characteristics; and

scripting information.

31. The software of claim 29, the one or more parameters comprising a data source identifier and a data item identifier and the software is further operable to:

initiate a connection to a data source identified by the data source identifier to retrieve data associated with the data item identifier; and

generate the GUI element package based at least in part on the retrieved data.

32. The software of claim 29, the one or more parameters comprising one or more display characteristics and the software is further operable to generate the GUI element package based at least in part on the one or more display characteristics.

33. The software of claim 29, the one or more parameters comprising scripting information identifying one or more scripts and the software is further operable to:

initiate access to one or more scripts identified by the scripting information; and

generate the GUI element package based at least in part on the one or more accessed scripts.

34. The software of claim 33, further operable to modify the accessed code for the requested particular type of GUI element based on the one or more accessed scripts.

35. The software of claim 29, further operable to receive the request from a user system comprising a browser for displaying the generated GUI element.

36. The software of claim 35, the generated GUI element package comprising the accessed code for the particular type of GUI element and the software is further operable to initiate communication of the GUI element package automatically generated in response to the request to the user system for processing and display on the browser associated with the user system.

37. The software of claim 36, further operable to communicate the generated GUI element package to the user system in HyperText Markup Language (HTML) format.

38. The software of claim 35, further operable to initiate the addition of a GUI element corresponding to the GUI element package generated in response to an existing GUI displayed on the browser of the user system.

39. The software of claim 35, the generated GUI element package comprising the code for the particular type of GUI element accessed in response to the request, the accessed code being modified based on the one or more parameters of the request, the GUI element package comprising the modified code and the software is further operable to initiate communication of the GUI element package comprising the modified code to the user system for compiling at the user system for display on the browser.

40. The software of claim 29, further operable to dynamically generate particular types of GUI elements in response to a plurality of user requests to generate particular types of GUI elements.

41. The software of claim 29, further operable to store the generated GUI element package for reuse in response to a request from the same or a different user system, the request comprising the same one or more parameters.

42. The software of claim 29, further operable to:

receive code for generating a customized type of GUI element; and

store the code for the customized type of GUI element in the memory, the code being accessible to the GUI generating component.

43. A system for generating a graphical user interface (GUI) element, comprising:

means for storing code for each of one or more types of GUI elements;

means for receiving a request to generate a particular type of GUI element, the request comprising one or more parameters;

means for accessing the code for the requested particular type of GUI element; and

means for automatically generating a GUI element package based on the code for the requested particular type of GUI element and the one or more parameters of the request.