Systems and methods for modifying the graphics output of an application

• US 20060114250A1
• Filed: 11/30/2004
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tira Wireless, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tira Wireless, Inc.
• Inventors: Tarle, Martin Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 7,324,838 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/656 while running
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations

Abstract

A method of modifying the graphics output of an application written for a reference mobile device in order to optimize the graphics output for a target mobile device is disclosed. The target mobile device has a display having different characteristics from the reference mobile device. The method includes the following steps: a) loading the application on the target mobile device; b) executing a portion of the application on the target mobile device, such that the graphics output of the application is displayed on the display of the target mobile device; c) storing an instruction from the application which produces the graphics output; and d) changing the instruction by user input from the target mobile device.

Claims

1. A method of modifying an application developed for a reference mobile device to optimize a graphics output of the application for a target mobile device having a display having different characteristics from the reference mobile device, the method comprising:

a) loading the application on the target mobile device;

b) executing at least a portion of the application on the target mobile device, wherein the graphics output of the portion of the application is displayed on the display of the target mobile device;

c) storing at least one instruction from the application, wherein the at least one instruction is adapted to produce the graphics output; and

d) changing the at least one instruction by user input from the target mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the changing step is performed at runtime of the application.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the changing step is performed by changing a source code for the at least one instruction.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the at least one instruction comprises a method call and at least one parameter associated with the method call, wherein the changing step comprises changing one or both of the method call and the at least one parameter.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising viewing the effect of the changing step on the graphics output to the display of the target mobile device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the viewing step further comprises:

i) displaying the method call and the at least one parameter on the display of the target mobile device, and

ii) displaying the change to the at least one parameter on the display of the target mobile device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the viewing step is implemented using a GUI.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising repeating steps (c) and (d) for a plurality of the instructions.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising encoding the change to the at least one parameter into a network protocol.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the network protocol comprises HTTP.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising sending the change to a server.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising making the change to the at least one parameter of the at least one method call in a source code for the application and compiling the source code.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the application is a Java application.

14. The method claim 12, wherein the Java application is a J2ME application.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the method call comprises a method call to a J2ME graphics interface.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the method call is made from a J2ME Canvas class.

17. A system for modifying an application developed for a reference mobile device to optimize a graphics output of the application for a target mobile device having a display having different characteristics from the reference mobile device, the system comprising:

a) a first software code adapted for insertion into the application, wherein the first software code is adapted to store at least one instruction from the application, wherein the at least one instruction is adapted to produce the graphics output;

b) a data structure created by the first software code, wherein the data structure is adapted to store the at least one instruction; and

c) a second software code adapted for insertion into the application, the second software code adapted to create a GUI on the display of the target mobile device, wherein the GUI is adapted to change the at least one instruction by input from the target mobile device and display the change to the graphics output on the display screen of the target mobile device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the application is a Java application, the first software code comprises a first Java class, and the second software code comprises a second Java class.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the at least one instruction comprises a method call and at least one parameter associated with the method call, wherein the first Java class is adapted to store the method call and the at least one parameter in the data structure.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising a network component adapted to encode the change to the at least one parameter into a network protocol.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the network component is adapted to communicate the change to a server.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the server comprises a compiler adapted to change to the at least one parameter of the at least one method call in a source code for the application and compile the source code.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the application is a Java application and the first and second classes are Java classes.

24. A method of modifying an application configured to produce a graphics output when executed on a computing device having a display, the method comprising:

a) loading the application on the computing device;

b) executing at least a portion of the application on the computing device, wherein the graphics output of the portion of the application is displayed on the display of the target mobile device;

c) storing at least one instruction from the application, wherein the at least one instruction is adapted to produce the graphics output; and

d) changing the at least one instruction by user input from the computing device.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the changing step is performed by changing a source code for the at least one instruction.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the changing step is performed at runtime of the application.