Methods And Apparatus For Sharing User Interface Widget Annotations

• US 20090044144A1
• Filed: 08/06/2007
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Scenera Technologies LLC (Scenera Research LLC)
• Original Assignee: Scenera Technologies LLC (Scenera Research LLC)
• Inventors: Morris, Robert P.
• Application Number:
  US11/834,271
• Publication Number:
  US 20090044144A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/804
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for sharing user interface widget annotations. According to an exemplary embodiment, a method is described for sharing user interface widget annotations including determining an attribute of a first user interface widget of a first application. Annotation information for the first user interface widget is received and the annotation information associated with the first user interface widget using the attribute. Information describing the association of the annotation information and the first user interface widget is shared with a second application, different from the first application. The shared information enables the second application to present the annotation information in association with a second user interface widget of the second application.

Claims

1. A method for sharing user interface widget annotations, the method comprising:

determining an attribute of a first user interface widget of a first application;

receiving annotation information for the first user interface widget;

associating the annotation information with the first user interface widget using the attribute; and

sharing information describing the association of the annotation information and the first user interface widget with a second application, different from the first application, the shared information enabling the second application to present the annotation information in association with a second user interface widget of the second application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining an attribute comprises:

receiving an annotation input event related to the first user interface widget in response to at least one of an interaction between the first user interface widget and a user interface input device and satisfaction of an annotation rule associated with the first user interface widget; and

determining the attribute of the first user interface widget in response to receiving the annotation input event.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving annotation information comprises determining an annotation schema associated with the first user interface widget, the annotation schema defining at least one of a type and a format of the annotation information for the first user interface widget.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining an annotation schema associated with the first user interface widget comprises:

accessing a data store including an attribute-schema association that includes attribute information for matching an attribute of the first user interface widget and includes an identifier of the annotation schema; and

determining the annotation schema having the identifier forming the attribute-schema association as the annotation schema associated with the first user interface widget when an attribute of the first user interface widget matches the attribute information forming the attribute-schema association.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the attribute information forming the attribute-schema association includes at least one of a type of the first user interface widget, a name of the first user interface widget, a type of application the first user interface widget is associated with, a widget identifier, a format of the widget identifier, a type of widget the first user interface widget is embedded in or operates in conjunction with, and metadata associated with first user interface widget.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein receiving annotation information comprises:

generating an annotation user interface widget based on the determined annotation schema, the annotation user interface widget for receiving the annotation information for the first user interface widget; and

presenting the annotation user interface widget in response to at least one of an interaction between the first user interface widget and a user interface input device and satisfaction of an annotation rule associated with the first user interface widget.

7. The method of claim 6, comprising at least one of:

formatting the received annotation information according to a format corresponding to the determined annotation schema; and

validating the received annotation information based on the determined annotation schema.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving annotation information comprises presenting an annotation user interface widget in response to at least one of an interaction between the first user interface widget and a user interface input device and satisfaction of an annotation rule associated with the first user interface widget, the annotation user interface widget for receiving the annotation information for the first user interface widget.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein presenting an annotation user interface widget comprises at least one of:

providing a first widget for receiving the annotation information for the first user interface widget;

presenting at least one attribute of the first user interface widget via the annotation user interface widget;

providing a second widget for automatically associating the annotation information with a widget included in the first user interface widget;

providing a third widget for associating the annotation information with a widget related to, but not included in, the first user interface widget; and

providing a fourth widget for associating user-defined help text with the first user interface widget.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein associating the annotation information with the first user interface widget comprises creating, in a data store, an attribute-annotation association that includes attribute information for matching the attribute of the first user interface widget and includes the annotation information for the first user interface widget to associate the annotation information with the first user interface widget.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein sharing the information comprises including at least a portion of the annotation information for the first user interface widget and an attribute of the first user interface widget in the shared information.

12. The method of claim 1, comprising including an identifier of an annotation schema associated with the attribute of the first user interface widget in the shared information, wherein the annotation schema defines at least one of a type and a format of the annotation information for the first user interface widget.

13. The method of claim 1, comprising:

receiving a request for annotation information for the first user interface widget, the request including an attribute of the first user interface widget;

accessing a data store including an attribute-annotation association that includes attribute information for matching an attribute of the first user interface widget and includes the annotation information;

determining annotation information to share with the second application based on the annotation information forming the attribute-annotation association when the attribute included in the request matches the attribute information forming the attribute-annotation association; and

sending a response including at least a portion of the determined annotation information.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the information describing the association of the annotation information and the first user interface widget is automatically shared with the second application based on a subscription to annotation information associated with the first user interface widget.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein sharing the information comprises sending the information describing the association of the annotation information and the first user interface widget in at least one of a first message sent from a first device including the first application to a second device including the second application, a second message sent from the first device including the first application to a server, and a third message sent from the server to the second device including the second application.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein determining an attribute of and receiving annotation information for a first user interface widget comprises receiving the attribute and annotation information in at least one of a first message sent from a first device including the first application to a second device including the second application, a second message sent from the first device including the first application to a server, and a third message sent from the server to the second device including the second application.

17. A method for sharing user interface widget annotations, the method comprising:

receiving information including an attribute of a first user interface widget of a first application and annotation information associated with the first user interface widget via the attribute;

associating at least a portion of the annotation information with a second user interface widget of a second application, different from the first application; and

presenting the at least a portion of the annotation information associated with the second user interface widget of the second application.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising:

receiving an annotation output event related to the second user interface widget in response to at least one of an interaction between the second user interface widget and a user interface input device and satisfaction of an annotation rule associated with the second user interface widget; and

determining an attribute of the second user interface widget in response to receiving the annotation output event.

19. The method of claim 18, comprising:

accessing a data store including an attribute-annotation association that includes attribute information for matching an attribute of the first user interface widget and includes the annotation information; and

determining the at least a portion of the annotation information associated with the second user interface widget from the annotation information forming the attribute-annotation association when the attribute of the second user interface widget matches the attribute information forming the attribute-annotation association.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein associating at least a portion of the annotation information with a second user interface widget comprises creating, in a data store, an attribute-annotation association that includes attribute information for matching the attribute of the second user interface widget and includes the at least a portion of the annotation information to associate the at least a portion of the annotation information with the second user interface widget.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein presenting the at least a portion of the annotation information comprises generating a display of the at least a portion of the annotation information in response to receiving the annotation output event, the generated display presented in association with the second user interface widget based on a schema associated with the portion of the annotation information and based on a context of the annotation output event.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein receiving information comprises receiving the attribute and the annotation information for the first user interface widget in at least one of a first message sent from a first device including the first application to a second device including the second application, a second message sent from the first device including the first application to a server, and a third message sent from the server to the second device including the second application.

23. A device for sharing user interface widget annotations, the device comprising:

an annotation event monitor component configured to determine an attribute of a first user interface widget of a first application included on the device;

an annotation user interface component configured to receive annotation information for the first user interface widget;

a search/index manager component configured to associate the annotation information with the first user interface widget using the attribute; and

a share manager component configured to share information describing the association of the annotation information and the first user interface widget with a second application, different from the first application, the shared information enabling the second application to present the annotation information in association with a second user interface widget of the second application.

24. The device of claim 23, comprising an input hardware component configured to receive an annotation input event related to the first user interface widget in response to an interaction between the first user interface widget and a user interface input device

25. The device of claim 23, comprising an operating system component and a windowing subsystem component operatively coupled to the annotation event monitor component, wherein at least one of the operating system component, the windowing subsystem component, and the first application is configured to receive the annotation input event related to the first user interface widget in response to a satisfaction of an annotation rule associated with the first user interface widget, and the windowing subsystem component and the annotation event monitor component are configured to determine the attribute of the first user interface widget in response to receiving the annotation input event.

26. The device of claim 23, comprising a schema manager component configured to determine an annotation schema associated with the first user interface widget, the annotation schema defining at least one of a type and a format of the annotation information for the first user interface widget.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein the search/index manager component, operatively coupled to the schema manager component, is configured to access a data store including an attribute-schema association that includes attribute information for matching an attribute of the first user interface widget and includes an identifier of the annotation schema, and the schema manager component is configured to determine, in conjunction with the search/index manager component, the annotation schema having the identifier forming the attribute-schema association as the annotation schema associated with the first user interface widget when an attribute of the first user interface widget matches the attribute information forming the attribute-schema association.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the attribute information forming the attribute-schema association includes at least one of a type of the first user interface widget, a name of the first user interface widget, a type of application the first user interface widget is associated with, a widget identifier, a format of the widget identifier, a type of widget the first user interface widget is embedded in or operates in conjunction with, and metadata associated with first user interface widget.

29. The device of claim 26, comprising:

an annotation user interface component configured to generate an annotation user interface widget based on the determined annotation schema, the annotation user interface widget for receiving the annotation information for the first user interface widget;

wherein the annotation user interface component is configured to present the annotation user interface widget in response to at least one of an interaction between the first user interface widget and a user interface input device and satisfaction of an annotation rule associated with the first user interface widget.

30. The device of claim 29, wherein the schema manager component is configured to at least one of format the received annotation information according to a format corresponding to the determined annotation schema and validate the received annotation information based on the determined annotation schema.

31. The device of claim 23, comprising an annotation user interface component configured to present an annotation user interface widget in response to at least one of an interaction between the first user interface widget and a user interface input device and satisfaction of an annotation rule associated with the first user interface widget, the annotation user interface widget for receiving the annotation information for the first user interface widget.

32. The device of claim 31, wherein the annotation user interface component is configured to at least one of:

provide a first widget for receiving the annotation information for the first user interface widget;

present at least one attribute of the first user interface widget via the annotation user interface widget;

provide a second widget for automatically associating the annotation information with a widget included in the first user interface widget;

provide a third widget for associating the annotation information with a widget related to, but not included in, the first user interface widget; and

provide a fourth widget for associating user-defined help text with the first user interface widget.

33. The device of claim 23, wherein the search/index manager component, operatively coupled to the share manager component, is configured to create, in a data store, an attribute-annotation association that includes attribute information for matching the attribute of the first user interface widget and includes the annotation information for the first user interface widget to associate the annotation information with the first user interface widget.

34. The device of claim 23, wherein the share manager component is configured to include at least a portion of the annotation information for the first user interface widget and an attribute of the first user interface widget in the shared information.

35. The device of claim 23, wherein the share manager component is configured to include an identifier of an annotation schema associated with the attribute of the first user interface widget in the shared information, wherein the annotation schema defines at least one of a type and a format of the annotation information for the first user interface widget.

36. The device of claim 23, wherein the share manager component is configured to receive a request for annotation information for the first user interface widget, the request including an attribute of the first user interface widget.

37. The device of claim 36, wherein the search/index manager component, operatively coupled to the share manager component, is configured to access a data store including an attribute-annotation association that includes attribute information for matching an attribute of the first user interface widget and includes the annotation information, and the share manager component is configured to determine, in conjunction with the search/index manager component, annotation information to share with the second application based on the annotation information forming the attribute-annotation association when the attribute included in the request matches the attribute information forming the attribute-annotation association and to send a response including at least a portion of the determined annotation information.

38. The device of claim 23, wherein the share manager component is configured to automatically share the information describing the association of the annotation information and the first user interface widget with the second application based on a subscription to annotation information associated with the first user interface widget.

39. The device of claim 23, comprising a communication subsystem component configured to send the information describing the association of the annotation information and the first user interface widget in at least one of a first message sent from the device to a second device including the second application and a second message sent from the device to a server.

40. The device of claim 23, wherein the device includes the second application.

41. The device of claim 40, comprising an input hardware component configured to receive an annotation output event related to the second user interface widget in response to an interaction between the second user interface widget and a user interface input device.

42. The device of claim 40, comprising an operating system component and a windowing subsystem component operatively coupled to the annotation event monitor component, wherein at least one of the operating system component, the windowing subsystem component, and the second application is configured to receive the annotation output event related to the second user interface widget in response to a satisfaction of an annotation rule associated with the second user interface widget, and the windowing subsystem component and the annotation event monitor component are configured to determine an attribute of the second user interface widget in response to receiving the annotation output event.

43. The device of claim 40, wherein the search index manager component is configured to access a data store including an attribute-annotation association that includes attribute information for matching an attribute of the first user interface widget and includes the annotation information and is configured to determine at least a portion of the annotation information associated with the second user interface widget from the annotation information forming the attribute-annotation association when the attribute of the second user interface widget matches the attribute information forming the attribute-annotation association.

44. The device of claim 40, wherein the search index manager component is configured to create, in a data store, an attribute-annotation association that includes attribute information for matching the attribute of the second user interface widget and includes the at least a portion of the annotation information to associate the at least a portion of the annotation information with the second user interface widget.

45. The device of claim 40, wherein the annotation user interface component is configured to generate a display of the at least a portion of the annotation information in response to receiving the annotation output event, the generated display presented in association with the second user interface widget using at least one of a windowing subsystem component and a graphics subsystem component of the device and based on a schema associated with the portion of the annotation information and based on a context of the annotation output event.

46. The device of claim 40, comprising a communication subsystem component configured to receive the attribute and the annotation information for the first user interface widget in at least one of a first message sent to the device from a second device including the first application and a second message sent to the device from a server.

47. A server for sharing user interface widget annotations, the server comprising:

an annotation event monitor component configured to receive information including an attribute of a first user interface widget of a first application and annotation information associated with the first user interface widget via the attribute;

a search/index manager component configured to associate at least a portion of the annotation information with a second user interface widget of a second application, different from the first application; and

a share manager component configured to share information describing the association of the annotation information and the first user interface widget with a second application, different from the first application, the shared information enabling the second application to present the annotation information in association with a second user interface widget of the second application.

48. The server of claim 47, comprising a schema manager component configured to determine an annotation schema associated with the first user interface widget, the annotation schema defining at least one of a type and a format of the annotation information for the first user interface widget.

49. The server of claim 48, wherein the search/index manager component, operatively coupled to the schema manager component, is configured to access a data store including an attribute-schema association that includes attribute information for matching an attribute of the first user interface widget and includes an identifier of the annotation schema, and the schema manager component is configured to determine, in conjunction with the search/index manager component, the annotation schema having the identifier forming the attribute-schema association as the annotation schema associated with the first user interface widget when an attribute of the first user interface widget matches the attribute information forming the attribute-schema association.

50. The server of claim 48, wherein the schema manager component is configured to at least one of format the received annotation information according to a format corresponding to the determined annotation schema and validate the received annotation information based on the determined annotation schema.

51. The server of claim 47, wherein the search/index manager component, operatively coupled to the share manager component, is configured to create, in a data store, an attribute-annotation association that includes attribute information for matching the attribute of the first user interface widget and includes the annotation information for the first user interface widget to associate the annotation information with the first user interface widget.

52. The server of claim 47, wherein the share manager component is configured to include at least a portion of the annotation information for the first user interface widget and an attribute of the first user interface widget in the shared information.

53. The server of claim 47, wherein the share manager component is configured to include an identifier of an annotation schema associated with the attribute of the first user interface widget in the shared information, wherein the annotation schema defines at least one of a type and a format of the annotation information for the first user interface widget.

54. The server of claim 47, wherein the share manager component is configured to receive a request for annotation information for the first user interface widget, the request including an attribute of the first user interface widget.

55. The server of claim 54, wherein the search/index manager component, operatively coupled to the share manager component, is configured to access a data store including an attribute-annotation association that includes attribute information for matching an attribute of the first user interface widget and includes the annotation information, and the share manager component is configured to determine, in conjunction with the search/index manager component, annotation information to share with the second application based on the annotation information forming the attribute-annotation association when the attribute included in the request matches the attribute information forming the attribute-annotation association and to send a response including at least a portion of the determined annotation information.

56. The server of claim 47, wherein the share manager component is configured to automatically share the information describing the association of the annotation information and the first user interface widget with the second application based on a subscription to annotation information associated with the first user interface widget.

57. The server of claim 47, comprising a communication subsystem component configured to send the information describing the association of the annotation information and the first user interface widget in a first message sent from the server to a device including the second application and configured to receive the attribute and the annotation information for the first user interface widget in a second message sent from a device including the first application to the server.

58. A computer readable medium containing a computer program, executable by a machine, for sharing user interface widget annotations, the computer program comprising executable instructions for:

determining an attribute of a first user interface widget of a first application;

receiving annotation information for the first user interface widget;

associating the annotation information with the first user interface widget using the attribute; and

sharing information describing the association of the annotation information and the first user interface widget with a second application, different from the first application, the shared information enabling the second application to present the annotation information in association with a second user interface widget of the second application.

59. A computer readable medium containing a computer program, executable by a machine, for sharing user interface widget annotations, the computer program comprising executable instructions for:

receiving information including an attribute of a first user interface widget of a first application and annotation information associated with the first user interface widget via the attribute;

associating at least a portion of the annotation information with a second user interface widget of a second application, different from the first application; and

presenting the at least a portion of the annotation information associated with the second user interface widget of the second application.

60. Apparatus for sharing user interface widget annotations, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining an attribute of a first user interface widget of a first application;

means for receiving annotation information for the first user interface widget;

means for associating the annotation information with the first user interface widget using the attribute; and

means for sharing information describing the association of the annotation information and the first user interface widget with a second application, different from the first application, the shared information enabling the second application to present the annotation information in association with a second user interface widget of the second application.

61. Apparatus for sharing user interface widget annotations, the apparatus comprising:

receiving information including an attribute of a first user interface widget of a first application and annotation information associated with the first user interface widget via the attribute;

associating at least a portion of the annotation information with a second user interface widget of a second application, different from the first application; and

presenting the at least a portion of the annotation information associated with the second user interface widget of the second application.