MULTI-ENVIRONMENT WIDGET ASSEMBLY, GENERATION, AND OPERATION

• US 20120137227A1
• Filed: 11/30/2010
• Published: 05/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gerken, John Kenyon III, Hsu, Jimmy Ming-Der
• Granted Patent: US 8,972,873 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/747
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces

Abstract

Widget creation, editing, augmentation, tracking and deployment is provided. Embodiments may include a Widget Assembly Application (“WAA”). The WAA may employ generalized widget templates selected by a user for customizing or assembling widgets. A generator may render previously assembled widgets when requested. The generator may use a skeleton specific to the target server type and widget, and code supporting the generator and the WAA may employ recursive eye-catcher syntax. Widgets may be deployed from any discovered instance to additional remote widget containers of the same or different type.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a computer readable storage medium storing instructions; and

a processor in communication with the computer readable medium,

wherein the instructions, which when executed by the processor, configure the processor to assemble widget content, the content assembly including;

selecting a widget skeleton associated with a previously identified environment type,

retrieving instance metadata for widget parameters saved from a widget assembly application, and

integrating widget template embedded elements from a widget assembly application into widget content being created,

wherein the instructions, which when executed by the processor, further configure the processor to return widget content to a requesting servlet, in response to a request for the widget content from the requesting servlet.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the instructions further instruct the processor to instantiate a widget assembly application, the widget assembly application having drop down menu displays identifying widget content or widget template type for selection by a user of the widget assembly application.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the widget assembly application includes a widget preview display.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the content assembly further includes:

receiving a network location of widget content and sending a retrieval query to the received network location of the widget content.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the content assembly further includes:

introspecting the retrieved widget content and associating the retrieved widget content with a wrapper, the wrapper serving to provide compatibility of the widget content with one or more specific platforms.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the instructions further instruct the processor to generate eventing constructs for the widget.

7. The device of claim 2 wherein the widget assembly application includes a plurality of widget templates, the widget templates serving as a basis for template types in one or more drop down menus of the widget assembly application.

8. A method for instantiating a widget comprising:

receiving a query to generate a widget;

in response to the query,

retrieving a widget environmental skeleton particular to the environment in which the generated widget will operate,

retrieving instance metadata for the widget to be generated, the instance metadata saved from a widget assembly application,

generating the widget, where generating the widget includes integrating template embedded elements in the widget,

providing widget content in the form requested in the query to generate the widget.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

instantiating a widget assembly application, the widget assembly application having menu displays identifying widget content or widget types for selection by a user of the widget assembly application.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the widget assembly application includes a widget preview display.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the content assembly further includes:

receiving a network location of widget content and sending a retrieval query to the received network location of the widget content.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

introspecting widget content and associating the widget content with a wrapper, the wrapper serving to provide compatibility of the widget content with one or more specific platforms.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

generating eventing constructs for the widget.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the widget assembly application includes a plurality of widget templates, the widget templates serving as a basis for template types in one or more menus of the widget assembly application.

15. A device comprising:

a computer readable storage medium storing instructions; and

a processor in communication with the computer readable medium,

wherein the instructions, which when executed by the processor, configure the processor to;

instantiate a widget assembly application,

provide instructions for providing reusable widget components within the widget assembly application,

provide instructions for providing customizable widget properties within the widget assembly application,

provide instructions for editing the provided customizable widget properties,

saving received widget customization, including customized widget properties and selected reusable widget components, as a widget template, and

deploying the saved widget template to a requestor, the deployed widget template having target sensitive architecture or eventing constructs.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein the widget assembly application has drop down menu displays identifying widget content or widget types for selection by a user of the widget assembly application.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein the widget assembly application includes a widget preview display.

18. The device of claim 15 wherein the processor is further configured to:

upon receipt of a network location of widget content, send a retrieval query to the received network location of the widget content.

19. The device of claim 15 wherein the processor is further configured to:

introspect retrieved widget content and associate the retrieved widget content with a wrapper, the wrapper serving to provide compatibility of the widget content with one or more specific platforms.

20. The device of claim 16 wherein the widget assembly application includes a plurality of widget templates, the widget templates serving as a basis for template types in one or more drop down menus of the widget assembly application.

21. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer readable storage medium, the storage medium containing instructions therein, the instructions, when executed by a processor, serve to configure the processor to

instantiate a widget assembly application,

provide instructions for providing reusable widget components within the widget assembly application,

provide instructions for providing customizable widget properties within the widget assembly application,

provide instructions for editing the provided customizable widget properties,

save the received widget customization, including customized widget properties and selected reusable widget components, as a widget template, and

deploy the saved widget template to a requestor, the deployed widget template having target sensitive architecture or eventing constructs.