AUTOMATIC CONFIGURATOR OF DISPLAY OBJECTS

• US 20100251146A1
• Filed: 03/25/2009
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Williams, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 9,195,365 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A system for configuring objects such as buttons for screens presented in a touch screen display. The configuration may be automatically based on preset styles. The graphical elements or icons and textual elements may be created once but used multiple times in various places. Multiple graphical and textual elements may be displayed on any button of the screens. The system may be based on the use of a predefined set of button styles that define the layout of each textual and graphical element in basic terms, such as left, right, and center. These styles do not necessarily prescribe a size, but a layout of the elements. The sizing, layout, justification, and clipping of each element may be determined by the button style. For each button style, the assigned textual and graphical elements may be automatically placed for the best or optimal layout and fit.

Claims

1. A method for providing an object for display on a screen for a business automation system, comprising:

providing an object having a style selected from a set of preset styles, for a display on a screen for a business automation system;

specifying a textual element as needed for the object;

specifying a graphical element as needed for the object; and

wherein for each style of the object, the specified textual and graphical elements are automatically placed for optimal fit and layout on the object.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

setting the object size; and

wherein for a set size, the textual and graphical elements are automatically positioned and sized to fit within available space on the object.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising setting a location on a screen for the object.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising re-setting the object size as needed for placement of the object on a screen.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the graphical element can be specified again for an object.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the textual element can be specified again for an object.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

selecting a raised or pressed style for the graphical element; and

selecting font style, color and size for the textual element.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the available space on the object is indicated by a face rectangle element.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein if a graphical element on the object is removed, added, or changed in size, the other one or more textual and/or graphical elements, if any, are automatically and optimally positioned and sized to fit within the available space on the object.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing a program for automatic placement of specified textual and graphical elements for a best fit within the available space on the object, and for automatic positioning and sizing the textual and graphical elements to fit optimally within the available space on the object.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the object is a button.

12. An automatic display object configurator comprising:

a set of predefined styles;

a tool for providing a button having a style selected from the set of pre-defined styles;

one or more graphical and/or textual elements situated on the button;

a second tool for automatically positioning and fitting the one or more elements for an optimal fit for the style of the button; and

wherein;

the button has a size; and

if the size changes then the second tool automatically positions and re-fits the one or more elements for an optimal fit for the style and new size of the button.

13. The configurator of claim 12, further comprising a face rectangle representing an area on the button for the one or more graphical elements situated on the button.

14. The configurator of claim 13, wherein the area represented by the face rectangle is provided to the second tool.

15. The configurator of claim 12, wherein:

a textual element comprises settings for font style, size and color; and

a graphical element comprises an entry for a raised appearance and an entry for a pressed appearance.

16. The configurator of claim 13, wherein the tools are instantiated in program code.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein each of the graphical and textual elements of a preset style is reusable on numerous objects.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein:

the graphical and/or textual elements are placed within a face rectangle element of the object;

the face rectangle element indicates an optimal surface area on the object for graphical and/or textual elements;

a textual element is for placement of messages, description and/or labels;

font style and color of the textual elements are selectable;

a graphical element has a raised or pressed appearance or neither appearance; and

an object is a button.

17. A system for configuring an object on a screen of a display for a building control system, comprising:

a layout mechanism for inserting and arranging graphical and textual elements on an object according to a preset style on a screen for a display of a building control system; and

a set of preset styles for permitting an automatic arrangement of the graphical and textual elements on the objects; and

wherein;

each preset style defines an arrangement of the graphical and textual elements on an object; and

each preset style permits the graphical and textual elements to be automatically sized for a given size of the object.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein each preset style permits the graphical and textual elements to be automatically resized for another size of the object.