Providing a standard user interface (UI) across disparate display interfaces

• US 20070266335A1
• Filed: 05/12/2006
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Mak, William, Stallard, Jennifer, Zielinski, Tobiasz
• Application Number:
  US11/433,499
• Publication Number:
  US 20070266335A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/787
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/76 Adapting program code to run in a different environment; Porting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files

Abstract

A system and method for providing a standard user interface (UI) across disparate display interfaces is disclosed. The technology initially determines a scaling factor for a UI containing a plurality of elements. The technology also establishes a reflow characteristic of the plurality of elements within the UI. The technology additionally provides a scrollbar characteristic for the UI. In so doing, the reflow characteristic is utilized when the scaling factor results in a UI that does not fit on a display interface. Moreover, the scrollbar characteristic is utilized when the reflow characteristic also results in a UI that does not fit on a display interface.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing a standard user interface (UI) across disparate display interfaces, said computer-implemented method comprising:

determining a scaling factor for a UI containing a plurality of elements;

establishing a reflow characteristic of said plurality of elements within said UI; and

providing a scrollbar characteristic for said UI, wherein said reflow characteristic is utilized when said scaling factor results in a UI that does not fit on a display interface and said scrollbar characteristic is utilized when said reflow characteristic results in a UI that does not fit on a display interface.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

utilizing screen resolution and pixel density to determine said scaling factor for said UI containing said plurality of elements.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

utilizing said scaling factor and said reflow characteristic to maintain a minimum standard physical size of said plurality of elements within said UI regardless of said display interface.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

utilizing said scaling factor, said reflow characteristic and said scrollbar characteristic to maintain a minimum standard physical size of said plurality of elements within said UI irrespective of said display interface.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein said determining of said scaling factor comprises:

calculating a scaling factor for a UI containing a plurality of elements, wherein said elements contain a plurality of tiles, utilizing a most constrained tile of said plurality of tiles as a limiting factor in said calculating of said scaling factor.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 wherein said scaling factor comprises:

utilizing a density of pixels on said display interface in conjunction with a display resolution for calculating said scaling factor.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining a font size characteristic wherein an adjustment to said font size adjusts each of a plurality of tiles in each of said plurality of elements within said UI.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

creating a reference layout for each of said elements of a UI, wherein said reference layout optimizes a location for each of said elements of said UI; and

utilizing said reference layout to determine a minimum size for each of said elements in said UI.

9. A user interface (UI) standardizer comprising:

a UI element receiver for receiving a plurality of UI elements; and

a UI layout optimizer coupled with said UI element receiver, said UI layout optimizer for creating a UI layout of said plurality of UI elements, said UI layout optimizer providing a scaling factor and a reflow protocol for said UI layout such that each of said plurality of said UI elements in said UI layout maintains a minimum standard physical size regardless of a display interface on which it is presented.

10. The code functionality extractor of claim 9 wherein said scaling factor provides placement of said plurality of UI elements in said UI layout based on at least one characteristic of said display interface.

11. The code functionality extractor of claim 9 wherein said reflow of said plurality of elements is performed when said scaling factor of said UI layout on said display interface with a minimum standard physical size does not fit on said display interface.

12. The code functionality extractor of claim 9 wherein said UI layout optimizer further provides at least one scrollbar said at least one scrollbar provided for said UI layout when said scaling factor and said reflow does not satisfactorily represent said UI layout on said display interface.

13. The code functionality extractor of claim 9 wherein said UI layout optimizer further comprises:

a reference layout creator for creating a reference layout for said UI elements that determines a minimum UI element size.

14. The code functionality extractor of claim 13 wherein said UI layout optimizer further comprises:

a UI limiting factor definer for defining a limiting factor of said UI element based on said minimum UI element size.

15. Instructions on a computer-usable medium wherein the instructions when executed cause a computer system to perform a method for providing a standard user interface (UI) across disparate display interfaces, said computer-implemented method comprising:

calculating a scaling factor for a UI containing a plurality of elements, said scaling factor based on a minimum standard physical size for said plurality of UI elements;

performing a reflow of said plurality of elements within said UI when said scaling factor does not satisfactorily represent said UI on a display interface; and

providing at least one scrollbar on said display when displaying said plurality of elements within said UI when said scaling factor and said reflow does not satisfactorily represent said UI on said display, wherein said satisfactory representation comprises maintaining a standard physical size of said plurality of elements within said UI regardless of said display interface.

16. The computer-usable medium of claim 15 further comprising:

creating a reference layout for said elements of a UI, wherein said reference layout optimizes a location of said elements of said UI.

17. The computer-usable medium of claim 16 further comprising:

utilizing said reference layout to determine a minimum standard physical size for said elements of said UI.

18. The computer-usable medium of claim 17 further comprising:

determining limiting factors of said UI based on said minimum standard physical size for said elements of said UI determined by said reference layout, wherein said limiting factors are utilized in said calculating of said scaling factor.

19. The computer-usable medium of claim 15 wherein said element further comprises:

providing a plurality of tiles within each of said plurality of said UI elements, wherein the tile with the most constrained dimension of said plurality of tiles within each of said plurality of said UI elements is utilized when calculating said scaling factor.

20. The computer-usable medium of claim 15 further comprising:

providing a plurality of tiles within each of said plurality of said UI elements, wherein an increase font size command results in a proportional increase in each of said plurality of tiles within each of said plurality of said UI elements.