Methods and systems for specifying a user interface for an application

• US 20060230068A1
• Filed: 04/12/2005
• Published: 10/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Coulombe, Joseph S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,596,577 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

Systems and methods for generating and/or modifying a specification for an application. Data to be incorporated into the specification is stored in a database. The data is stored in the database according to a conceptual model that allows a specification generator application to generate the specification by making a series of queries to the database. Because the data is stored in a database, a change to a particular piece of data need only be made once, thereby simplifying maintenance and increasing accuracy of the specification.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing a specification for an application, the computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving data inputted by a user to be used in the specification;

storing the data in a database; and

accessing the database to generate at least a portion of the specification using data accessed from the database.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising formatting the data accessed from the database.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the inputted data includes data associated with a page of a user interface (UI).

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 wherein the inputted data includes settings for the page.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 wherein the inputted data includes tasks associated with the page.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 wherein the inputted data includes workflow data associated with the page.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 wherein the workflow data includes data related to permission granted for modifying the specification.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 wherein the workflow data includes data related to approval of portions of the specification.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the database comprises a relational database that includes a table of settings defined for all of the pages in the specification, and a table of page settings with relationships to the settings table.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the method is implemented using a web-services model.

11. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that when executed perform operations implementing the method of claim 1.

12. A system to generate a specification for an application, the system comprising:

an input interface to receive data inputted by a user to be used in the specification;

a specification database to store the inputted data; and

a specification generator to generate at least a portion of the specification using data accessed from the specification database.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the specification generator is further to format the data accessed from the database.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the inputted data includes data associated with a page of a user interface (UI).

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the inputted data includes one or more of settings, tasks, or workflow data associated with the page.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the specification database comprises a relational database that includes a table of settings defined for all of the pages in the specification, and a table of page settings with relationships to the settings table.

17. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon instructions that when executed perform operations implementing the system of claim 12.

18. A system for generating a specification for an application, the system comprising:

means for receiving data inputted by a user to be used in the specification;

means for storing the data, the means for storing comprising a database; and

means for accessing the database to generate at least a portion of the specification using data accessed from the database.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the inputted data includes one or more of settings, tasks, or workflow data associated with the page.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the database comprises a relational database that includes a table of settings defined for all of the pages in the specification, and a table of page settings with relationships to the settings table.