COMMUNICATIONS APPARATUS, SYSTEM AND METHOD OF PROVIDING A USER INTERFACE

• US 20100251134A1
• Filed: 07/31/2008
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TomTom Navigation B.V (TomTom NV)
• Original Assignee: TomTom International BV (TomTom NV)
• Inventors: Boschker, Breght, Van Seggelen, Rob
• Granted Patent: US 10,900,791 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/744
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/36 Input/output arrangements for on-board computers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A communications apparatus includes a processing resource arranged to support, when in use, a main application and a user interface. The apparatus, in at least one embodiment, also includes a data store and a user interface host entity arranged to access, when in use, a user interface template selectable in response to a received message. The user interface template includes an expression of a number of user interface elements. The user interface is arranged to translate the user interface template selected from the expression of the number of user interface elements into a user interface instantiation.

Claims

1. A communications apparatus comprising:

a processing resource arranged to support, when in use, a main application and a user interface;

a data store; and

a user interface host entity arranged to access, when in use, a user interface template selectable in response to a received message, the user interface template including an expression of a number of user interface elements the user interface being arranged to translate the user interface template selected from the expression of the number of user interface elements into a user interface instantiation.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing resource is arranged to arbitrate between competing requests to use the user interface.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a communications interface capable of supporting communication with an external application relative to the main application via a communications network;

wherein

the processing resource is arranged to provide, when in use, the external application with remote access to the user interface via the communications network.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the communications interface is arranged to communicate, when in use, with the external application, the external application being located in a device external to the processing resource.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, further comprising an electronic apparatus comprising the device, the electronic apparatus being housed separately from the processing resource.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the number of user interface elements includes is a Graphical User Interface (GUI) widget.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the user interface is arranged to access the user interface template from a number of user interface templates stored locally.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the message received via the communications interface identifies the user interface template and constitutes a selection of the user interface template.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user interface is arranged to receive, when in use, information qualifying a user interface element of the user interface template.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the number of user interface elements comprises a definable control element.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the number of user interface elements comprises a definable label element.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the user interface is arranged to generate event data in response to a user interaction with the user interface instantiation of an element of the number of user interface elements.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the processing resource is arranged to communicate the event data via the communications interface for receipt by the external application.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an input device arranged to receive a user interface navigation gesture, the event data corresponding to the user interface navigation gesture.

15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user interface is a graphical user interface.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the user interface template has a layout associated therewith.

17. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the communications interface is a wireless communications interface.

18. A navigation apparatus comprising the communications apparatus as claimed in claim 1.

19. A communications system comprising:

a first device comprising the communications apparatus as claimed in claim 3; and

a second device supporting the external application;

wherein

the first and second devices are arranged to communicate via the communications network.

20. A system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the first device has a first operational task associated therewith and the second device has a second operational task associated therewith, the first and second operational tasks being different.

21. A system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the first device is a navigation device and the second device is an entertainment system.

26. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user interface is arranged to access the user interface template from a number of user interface templates stored locally.

27. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user interface is arranged to generate event data in response to a user interaction with the user interface instantiation of an element of the number of user interface elements.

28. A system as claimed in claim 20, wherein the first device is a navigation device and the second device is an entertainment system.

29. A computer readable medium including program segments for, when executed on a computer device, causing the computer device to implement the method of claim 1.

22. A method of providing a user interface, the method comprising:

supporting a main application and a user interface therefor;

receiving a message;

selecting a user interface template in response to the message received, the user interface template including an expression of a number of user interface elements; and

translating the selected user interface template from the expression of the number of user interface elements into a user interface instantiation for a user.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22, further comprising:

supporting a communications interface;

supporting communication in a communications network; and

providing an external application relative to the main application with remote access to the user interface via the communications network.

24. A computer program element comprising computer program code segments to make a computer device execute the method as claimed in claim 22 when the computer program segments are executed on the computer device.

25. A computer program element as claimed in claim 24, embodied on a computer readable medium.