UI taxonomy being abstraction of UI class

• US 20070150805A1
• Filed: 12/28/2005
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Misovski, Filip
• Granted Patent: US 7,870,512 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/234
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces

Abstract

A method of organizing user interface information in a computer system includes receiving a user'"'"'s definition of at least a user interface (UI) layout and a UI principle, and creating a UI taxonomy that is an abstraction of a class of UIs being consistent with the UI layout and the UI principle. A computer system includes an application development software for a developer to create an application having a user interface (UI), and a UI taxonomy including a UI layout and a UI principle, the UI taxonomy being an abstraction of a class of UIs. The computer system provides a UI prototype to the developer in creating the UI for the application, the UI prototype being created using the UI taxonomy.

Claims

1. A method of organizing user interface information in a computer system, the method comprising:

receiving a user'"'"'s definition of at least a user interface (UI) layout and a UI principle; and

creating a UI taxonomy that is an abstraction of a class of UIs being consistent with the UI layout and the UI principle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user further creates, using the UI taxonomy, a UI prototype that is an instance of the class.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein creating the UI prototype comprises selecting the UI layout taking the UI principle into account, linking the UI environment and the UI style to the UI prototype.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the UI prototype is provided with at least one UI pattern and a UI topology that are included in the UI layout.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising providing the UI prototype to a developer for creating an application using application development software.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the UI layout comprises at least a UI pattern or a UI topology.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the UI principle comprises at least a UI concept or a UI rule.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the UI principle comprises the UI concept and wherein the method further comprises automatically verifying whether a UI complies with the UI concept, and taking a predefined action if the UI does not comply with the UI concept.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the predefined action includes using the automatic verification and the UI concept to generate a message stating how the UI does not comply with the UI concept.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the automatic verification is initiated in the computer system by one selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a UI designer working in a design environment, wherein the UI belongs to a UI prototype; and

(b) a developer working in an application development environment, wherein the UI belongs to an application.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the UI principle comprises the UI rule and wherein the method further comprises automatically verifying whether a UI complies with the UI rule, and taking a predefined action if the UI does not comply with the UI rule.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the predefined action includes reformatting the UI to comply with the UI concept.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the automatic verification is initiated in the computer system by one selected from the group consisting of:

(a) a UI designer working in a design environment, wherein the UI belongs to a UI prototype; and

(b) a developer working in an application development environment, wherein the UI belongs to an application.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the user'"'"'s definition further includes a UI environment and wherein the class of UIs is consistent also with the UI environment.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the user'"'"'s definition further includes a UI style and wherein the class of UIs is consistent also with the UI style.

16. A computer program product tangibly embodied in an information carrier, the computer program product including instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a user'"'"'s definition of at least a user interface (UI) layout and a UI principle; and

creating a UI taxonomy that is an abstraction of a class of UIs being consistent with the UI layout and the UI principle.

17. A computer system comprising:

application development software for a developer to create an application having a user interface (UI); and

a UI taxonomy including a UI layout and a UI principle, the UI taxonomy being an abstraction of a class of UIs;

wherein the computer system provides a UI prototype to the developer in creating the UI for the application, the UI prototype being created using the UI taxonomy.

18. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the computer system provides the UI taxonomy to the developer using a plug-in application in application development software.

19. The computer system of claim 17, wherein UI controls are associated with the UI taxonomy, the UI controls being abstractions of UI objects that are usable in the UI.

20. The computer system of claim 19, wherein the UI taxonomy further includes a UI environment including at least one service that is associated with at least some of the UI controls.

21. The computer system of claim 19, wherein the UI taxonomy further includes a UI style sheet that is associated with at least some of the UI controls.