MULTI-PLATFORM GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE

• US 20080163080A1
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CA, Inc. (d/b/a CA Technologies) (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CA, Inc. (d/b/a CA Technologies) (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lee, Patrick R., DeFrang, Bruce A., Kooy, Darrell J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,499,276 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/762
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces

Abstract

The invention provides systems and methods for developing multi-platform graphical user interface (GUI) for a target software application. In invention includes assessing one or more functional requirements of the target software application and defining a functional specification for the multi-platform GUI using the assessed functional requirements. The functional specification is used to develop source code for the graphical user interface. An abstraction framework that evaluates functions of the GUI source code and provides instruction to perform the functions in each of the plurality of operating environments is then developed and used as an intermediary between the GUI source code and each of the plurality of operating environments.

Claims

1. A method of developing a graphical user interface for a target software application, wherein the graphical user interface can be used in a plurality of operating environments, the method comprising:

assessing one or more functional requirements of the target software application;

defining a functional specification using the assessed functional requirements, wherein the functional specification outlines functional characteristics of the graphical user interface;

developing source code for the graphical user interface; and

developing an abstraction framework that mediates interaction between each of the plurality of operating environments and the source code of the graphical user interface by evaluating functions of the source code of the graphical user interface and providing instruction necessary to perform the functions in each of the plurality of operating environments.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the abstraction framework is written in one of java code, C++ code, or visual basic code.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the abstraction framework is written in java code and wherein the abstraction framework comprises one or more java classes.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the source code for the graphical user interface comprises one of java code, C++ code, or visual basic code.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of operating environments include disparate graphical user interface interaction characteristics.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of operating environments includes at least one thick-client operating environment and at least one thin-client operating environment.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of operating environments includes at least two disparate thick-client operating environments.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of operating environments includes at least two disparate thin-client operating environments.

9. A system for developing a graphical user interface for a target software application, wherein the graphical user interface is compatible with a plurality of operating environments, the system comprising:

a specification engine that assesses functional requirements of the target software application and defines a functional specification using the assessed functional requirements, wherein the functional specification outlines functional characteristics of the graphical user interface;

a graphical user interface development engine that produces source code for the graphical user interface according to the functional specification;

an abstraction framework that mediates interaction between each of the operating environments and source code of the graphical user interface, wherein the abstraction framework evaluates functions of the source code of the graphical user interface and provides instruction necessary to perform the functions in each of the plurality of operating environments.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the abstraction framework is written in one of java code, C++ code, or visual basic code.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the abstraction framework is written in java code and wherein the abstraction framework comprises one or more java classes.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the source code for the graphical user interface comprises one of java code, C++ code, or visual basic code.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of operating environments include disparate graphical user interface interaction characteristics.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of operating environments includes at least one thick-client operating environment and at least one thin-client operating environment.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of operating environments includes at least two disparate thick-client operating environments.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of operating environments includes at least two disparate thin-client operating environments.