SYSTEM AND METHOD OF SUBSTITUTING PARAMETER SETS IN SELF-CONTAINED MINI-APPLICATIONS

• US 20110067003A1
• Filed: 09/09/2010
• Published: 03/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fourthwall Media Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Fourthwall Media Incorporated
• Inventors: SLOTHOUBER, Louis P., Ye, Aaron, Johnston, Jeffrey W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,849,612 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/120
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces

Abstract

Disclosed are systems and methods of building a default set of parameters into a software application by defining a widget template having associated parameter schema and then instantiating a widget by substituting a new set of application parameters for the built-in defaults such that the new parameters meet the same constraints defined for the default parameters. Aspects of the invention also include testing the original application containing the default parameters, along with the parameter substitution process itself, using a Statistical Software Testing Methodology (SSTM) to ensure the application meets a pre-determined level of quality.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for creating a widget template having an associated schema, comprising:

defining a widget template representing a customizable, self-contained min-application containing a default set of replaceable parameters;

defining a parameter schema, wherein the parameter schema is associated with the widget template and constrains the acceptable values of the replaceable parameters; and

making the widget template and associate schema available for instantiation, certification, and deployment.

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

configuring the widget template so at least one default parameter value is replaceable with a new parameter value, wherein the new parameter values satisfy the schema without recompiling the widget template.

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

storing, in electronic memory, test parameter values, the test parameter values based on the associated parameter schema;

validating the test parameter values against the schema;

instantiating the widget template by replacing the default parameter values in the template with the validated values;

testing the instantiated widget using the test parameter values;

adjusting the widget template and associated schema; and

recompiling the widget template based on the testing.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the widget template comprises an Enhanced TV Binary Interchange Format (EBIF) application.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the test parameter values comprise typical values, boundary values, degenerative case values, or a combination of these values.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the widget template is tailored to a particular class of applications and layout options.

7. A computer-implemented method for certifying a widget template having associated schema, comprising:

selecting the widget template having associated parameter schema for certification;

specifying a target value for an acceptable defect rate;

generating, using a processor, a set of parameter values, the set of parameter values based on the associated parameter schema;

instantiating a widget using the widget template and the generated parameter values;

testing the widget for defects to determine the defect rate;

certifying the widget template having associated parameter schema when the defect rate is within the acceptable defective rate; and

terminating the certification process.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the parameter values are randomly generated.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the testing utilizes a Statistical Software Testing Methodology.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein an XML schema, enhanced XML schema, or SIAD tree is used to automatically generate the test parameter values.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein SOAD trees are used to determine the defect rate.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the parameter values are randomly generated from the set of all possible parameter values that are legal per the associated parameter schema.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the parameter values are randomly generated from a subset of parameter values that are likely to be used in deployed widgets.

14. A computer-implemented method for creating an instantiated widget, comprising:

receiving a widget template having associated parameter schema and default parameter values;

providing alternative parameter values;

validating, using a processor, the alternative parameter values against the associated parameter schema;

replacing the default parameter values with the validated alternative parameter values; and

making the instantiated widget available for use.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the widget template and associated schema are received as files or data streams.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the default parameter values are generated by a widget editor tool, test case generator, or text editor.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the associated parameter schema provides semantic and syntactic constraints.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the parameter schema is an XML schema, enhanced XML schema, or SIAD tree.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the replacing the default parameter values comprises direct replacement of values in a memory structure.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the replacing the default parameter values comprises:

direct replacement or using a call interface.

21. A computer-implemented method for deploying a customized widget, comprising:

selecting a certified widget template to customize;

defining, using a processor, widget parameter values based on an associated schema;

instantiating the widget template with the defined parameter values to create a customized widget; and

deploying, over a network, the customized widget on a customer premises equipment device.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein the customer premises equipment device is a set-top box.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein the associated schema comprises preexisting data sources such as advertiser database, ad management systems, customer databases, image databases, or video databases.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein the parameter values are defined in real time and the widget template is instantiated during a live TV broadcast.

25. The computer implemented method of claim 21, further comprising:

encapsulating the customized widget as an EBIF binary in a CoDF wrapper;

transmitting, over a network, the CoDF wrapper to a broadcast or ad insertion system for delivery to a viewer using a data carousel.

26. A system configured to create an instantiated widget, the system comprising:

a device configured to receive a widget template having default parameter values;

a processor configured to a input parameter schema, wherein the parameter schema is associated with the widget template;

electronic memory configured to store an alternative set of parameter values;

a module configured to validate the alternative parameter values against the parameter schema and replace at least one default parameter value with at least one new parameter value without recompiling source code; and

a means to make the instantiated widget available for use.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the means to make the instantiated widget available for use comprises sending the instantiated widget over a network to a set-top box.