Method and algorithm for content layout across diverse and dynamic displays

• US 20070180362A1
• Filed: 01/30/2006
• Published: 08/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Palmer, Jake, Hunt, Christian, Merrill, Ethan, Vay, Charles
• Granted Patent: US 9,317,302 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/210
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to content layout in a pervasive device display and provide a method, system and computer program product for the dynamic selection of a content layout for content in a pervasive device display. In one embodiment of the invention, a dynamic content layout method for pervasive devices can include obtaining display characteristics for a host pervasive device, locating a layout mode corresponding to the obtained display characteristics, and arranging panels of a graphical user interface for an application in the host pervasive device according to the located layout mode.

Claims

1. A dynamic content layout method for pervasive devices, the method comprising:

obtaining display characteristics for a host pervasive device;

locating a layout mode corresponding to the obtained display characteristics; and

,

arranging panels of a graphical user interface for an application in the host pervasive device according to the located layout mode.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

parsing a layout specification defined in markup; and

,

creating a layout mode object for each layout mode defined in the layout specification.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein locating a layout mode corresponding to the obtained display characteristics, comprises matching the display characteristics to corresponding display attributes for each created layout mode object.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein arranging panels of a graphical user interface for an application in the host pervasive device according to the located layout mode, comprises:

identifying a number of rows for display in the pervasive device, and particular ones of the panels to be placed in selected ones of the identified rows; and

,

inserting the selected ones of the panels in corresponding rows specified by the located layout mode.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a transition from one layout mode to another in the layout specification;

detecting a refresh event implicating the determined transition; and

,

re-arranging the panels of the graphical user interface for the application in the host pervasive device according to a layout mode specified by the transition.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising re-arranging panels of a graphical user interface for an application in the host pervasive device according to a located layout mode for display characteristics of the display of the pervasive device responsive to detecting one of a refresh event and a rendering event.

7. A pervasive data processing system comprising:

an application server;

a plurality of applications managed for distribution by the application server, each of the applications implementing a layout manager interface;

a layout specification for each of the applications, each layout specification defining a plurality of layout modes for a graphical user interface for a corresponding one of the applications; and

,

a factory comprising program code enabled to generate the graphical user interface based upon the layout specification.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the layout specification comprises markup conforming to a schema and defining a plurality of panels for the graphical user interface, and a plurality of layout modes for different display characteristics of a pervasive device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the markup further defines a plurality of transitions from one layout mode to another.

10. A computer program product comprising a computer usable medium embodying computer usable program code for dynamic content layout, the computer program product including:

computer usable program code for obtaining display characteristics for a host pervasive device;

computer usable program code for locating a layout mode corresponding to the obtained display characteristics; and

,

computer usable program code for arranging panels of a graphical user interface for an application in the host pervasive device according to the located layout mode.

11. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising:

computer usable program code for parsing a layout specification defined in markup; and

,

computer usable program code for creating a layout mode object for each layout mode defined in the layout specification.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer usable program code for locating a layout mode corresponding to the obtained display characteristics, comprises computer usable program code for matching the display characteristics to corresponding display attributes for each created layout mode object.

13. The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the computer usable program code for arranging panels of a graphical user interface for an application in the host pervasive device according to the located layout mode, comprises:

computer usable program code for identifying a number of rows for display in the pervasive device, and particular ones of the panels to be placed in selected ones of the identified rows; and

,

computer usable program code for inserting the selected ones of the panels in corresponding rows specified by the located layout mode.

14. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising:

computer usable program code for determining a transition from one layout mode to another in the layout specification;

computer usable program code for detecting a refresh event implicating the determined transition; and

,

computer usable program code for re-arranging the panels of the graphical user interface for the application in the host pervasive device according to a layout mode specified by the transition.

15. The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising computer usable program code for re-arranging panels of a graphical user interface for an application in the host pervasive device according to a located layout mode for display characteristics of the display of the pervasive device responsive to detecting one of a refresh event and a rendering event.