SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EXTENDING A VISUALIZATION PLATFORM

• US 20120174002A1
• Filed: 10/06/2011
• Published: 07/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: iRise, Inc.
• Original Assignee: iRise, Inc.
• Inventors: Martin, Maurice, Yamanaka, Steven, Akiva, Daniel, Basham, Norman, Lipson, Bryan
• Granted Patent: US 8,954,870 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/763
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44 Arrangements for executing specific programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/966 Computer process, e.g. operation of computer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/967 Visual or iconic programming

Abstract

Systems and methods for extending a visualization platform are disclosed. A user may create a visualization project created. One or more properties for a non-native widget established by a developer of the non-native widget may be received from the project. Such properties may designate a name or a type of data that the non-native widget is capable of processing. Responsive to an instruction received from the user of the visualization authoring environment, a source of data to be processed by the non-native widget or a destination of data produced by the non-native widget to be processed by other widgets may be established. The appearance or behavior of the non-native widget may be rendered based at least in part on a value available from the source of the data or the appearance or behavior of one or more other widgets may be rendered based at least in part on data produced by the non-native widget.

Claims

1. A method for extending a visualization platform, the method comprising:

providing a visualization authoring environment configured to enable a developer to define a user interface appearance and behavior of a prospective software application or a prospective modification to an existing software application at least in part by incorporating native widgets;

storing such definitions on computer readable media in a format that can be utilized by one or more other instances of the visualization authoring environment and/or one or more instances of a visualization rendering environment;

providing in the visualization authoring environment a facility to enable a user to incorporate one or more non-native widgets into the visualization authoring environment without requiring acquisition or installation of a new version of the visualization authoring environment;

providing in the visualization authoring environment a facility to enable the user to incorporate non-native widgets into a visualization project;

encapsulating computer readable instructions for an appearance and/or behavior of one or more non-native widgets into the visualization project at least partly in response to a user action;

providing in the visualization authoring environment a facility to enable the user to modify one or more of the following attributes of an instance of a non-native widget;

size, position, connections between the non-native widget and other widgets; and

providing in a visualization rendering environment a facility to exhibit the desired visual rendering and/or interactive behavior during rendering of the visualization project to thereby simulate the proposed software application.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, where the computer readable instructions that govern the appearance and/or behavior of the non-native widget are stored as part of the visualization project and not integral to the visualization authoring environment.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, where the computer readable instructions that govern the appearance and/or behavior of the non-native widget are stored as part of the visualization project and not integral to the visualization rendering environment.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein incorporating the non-native widgets into a visualization authoring environment does not require that the user incorporating the non-native widget into a visualization authoring environment to write code.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein encapsulating computer readable instructions for an appearance and/or behavior one or more non-native widgets into a visualization project does not require that the user incorporating the non-native widget into a visualization project to write code.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein modifying one or more attributes of the non-native widget includes further specifying which data elements flow from a second widget to the non-native widget and/or from the non-native widget to the second widget.

7. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein modifying one or more attributes of the non-native widget includes further specifying processing of events by one or more other widgets.

8. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein modifying one or more attributes of one or more other widgets includes further specifying processing of events the non-native widget.

9. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising providing a facility for storage and distribution of non-native widgets using a web site.

10. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the computer readable instructions for an appearance or behavior of the non-native widget is stored on a world wide web server, referenced from the visualization project and/or visualization rendering environment and not integral to either the visualization authoring environment or the visualization rendering environment.

11. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein incorporating the non-native widgets into the visualization authoring environment is automatically performed upon detecting availability of the non-native widget.

12. A method for extending a visualization platform, the method comprising:

receiving from a visualization project created by a user one or more properties for a non-native widget established by a developer of the non-native widget, such properties designating one or more of a name and/or a type of data that the non-native widget is capable of processing;

at least partly in response to an instruction received from the user of the visualization authoring environment, establishing a source of data to be processed by the non-native widget and/or a destination of data produced by the non-native widget to be processed by other one or more other widgets; and

rendering the appearance and/or behavior of the non-native widget based at least in part on a value available from the source of the data and/or rendering the appearance and/or behavior of one or more other widgets based at least in part on data produced by the non-native widget.

13. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein the user creating the visualization project is different from the user providing the instruction.

14. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein the user of the visualization authoring environment also has access to native widgets in the visualization authoring environment.

15. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein the properties established designate one or more constraints on the valid values of data that the non-native widget is capable of processing

16. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein the source of the data to be processed by the non-native widget is one or more values entered by the user of the visualization authoring environment.

17. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein the source of the data to be processed by the non-native widget is another widget selected by the user of the visualization authoring environment.

18. A method for extending a visualization platform, the method comprising:

receiving from a visualization project created by a user one or more event definitions for a non-native widget established by a developer of the non-native widget, such event definitions designating one or more of the name and/or type of event that the non-native widget is capable of processing or producing;

at least partly in response to an instruction received from the user of the visualization authoring environment, establishing a source of the event to be processed by the non-native widget and/or the destination of events produced by the non-native widget to be processed by other one or more other widgets; and

rendering the appearance and/or behavior of the non-native widget based at least in part on an event received from the source of the event and/or rendering the appearance and/or behavior of one or more other widgets based at least in part on the event produced by the non-native widget.

19. The method as defined in claim 18, wherein the user creating the visualization project is different from the user providing the instruction.

20. The method as defined in claim 18, wherein the user of the visualization authoring environment also has access to native widgets.

21. The method as defined in claim 18, wherein the properties established designate one or more constraints on the valid events that the non-native widget is capable of processing.

22. A system comprising:

a computing system, including one or more processing devices;

one or more modules stored in non-transitory memory configured to cause the computing system to perform operations comprising;

providing a visualization authoring environment configured to enable a coder to define a user interface appearance and behavior of a prospective software application or a prospective modification to an existing software application at least in part by incorporating native widgets;

storing such definitions on computer readable media in a format that can be utilized by one or more other instances of the visualization authoring environment and/or one or more instances of a visualization rendering environment;

providing in the visualization authoring environment a facility to enable a user to incorporate one or more non-native widgets into the visualization authoring environment without requiring acquisition or installation of a new version of the visualization authoring environment;

providing in the visualization authoring environment a facility to enable the user to incorporate non-native widgets into a visualization project;

encapsulating computer readable instructions for an appearance and/or behavior of one or more non-native widgets into the visualization project at least partly in response to a user action;

providing in the visualization authoring environment a facility to enable the user to modify one or more of the following attributes of an instance of a non-native widget;

size, position, connections between the non-native widget and other widgets; and

providing in a visualization rendering environment a facility to exhibit the desired visual rendering and/or interactive behavior during rendering of the visualization project to thereby simulate the proposed software application.

23. The system of claim 22, where the computer readable instructions that govern the appearance and/or behavior of the non-native widget are stored as part of the visualization project and not integral to the visualization authoring environment.

24. The system of claim 22, where the computer readable instructions that govern the appearance and/or behavior of the non-native widget are stored as part of the visualization project and not integral to the visualization rendering environment.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein incorporating the non-native widgets into a visualization authoring environment does not require that the user incorporating the non-native widget into a visualization authoring environment to write code.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein encapsulating computer readable instructions for an appearance and/or behavior one or more non-native widgets into a visualization project does not require that the user incorporating the non-native widget into a visualization project to write code.

27. The system of claim 22, wherein modifying one or more attributes of the non-native widget includes further specifying which data elements flow from a second widget to the non-native widget and/or from the non-native widget to the second widget.

28. The system of claim 22, wherein modifying one or more attributes of the non-native widget includes further specifying processing of events by one or more other widgets.

29. The system of claim 22, wherein modifying one or more attributes of one or more other widgets includes further specifying processing of events the non-native widget.

30. The system of claim 22, further comprising providing a facility for storage and distribution of non-native widgets using a web site.

31. The system of claim 22, wherein at least a portion of the computer readable instructions for an appearance or behavior of the non-native widget is stored on a world wide web server, referenced from the visualization project and/or visualization rendering environment and not integral to either the visualization authoring environment or the visualization rendering environment.

32. The system of claim 22, wherein incorporating the non-native widgets into the visualization authoring environment is automatically performed upon detecting availability of the non-native widget.

33. One or more modules stored in non-transitory memory configured to cause a computing system to perform operations comprising:

providing a visualization authoring environment configured to enable a coder to define a user interface appearance and behavior of a prospective software application or a prospective modification to an existing software application at least in part by incorporating native widgets;

storing such definitions on computer readable media in a format that can be utilized by one or more other instances of the visualization authoring environment and/or one or more instances of a visualization rendering environment;

providing in the visualization authoring environment a facility to enable a user to incorporate one or more non-native widgets into the visualization authoring environment without requiring acquisition or installation of a new version of the visualization authoring environment;

providing in the visualization authoring environment a facility to enable the user to incorporate non-native widgets into a visualization project;

encapsulating computer readable instructions for an appearance and/or behavior of one or more non-native widgets into the visualization project at least partly in response to a user action;

providing in the visualization authoring environment a facility to enable the user to modify one or more of the following attributes of an instance of a non-native widget;

size, position, connections between the non-native widget and other widgets; and

providing in a visualization rendering environment a facility to exhibit the desired visual rendering and/or interactive behavior during rendering of the visualization project to thereby simulate the proposed software application.

34. The one or more modules of claim 33 where the computer readable instructions that govern the appearance and/or behavior of the non-native widget are stored as part of the visualization project and not integral to the visualization authoring environment.

35. The one or more modules of claim 33 where the computer readable instructions that govern the appearance and/or behavior of the non-native widget are stored as part of the visualization project and not integral to the visualization rendering environment.

36. The one or more modules of claim 33, wherein incorporating the non-native widgets into a visualization authoring environment does not require that the user incorporating the non-native widget into a visualization authoring environment to write code.

37. The one or more modules of claim 33, wherein encapsulating computer readable instructions for an appearance and/or behavior one or more non-native widgets into a visualization project does not require that the user incorporating the non-native widget into a visualization project to write code.

38. The one or more modules of claim 33, wherein modifying one or more attributes of the non-native widget includes further specifying which data elements flow from a second widget to the non-native widget and/or from the non-native widget to the second widget.

39. The one or more modules of claim 33, wherein modifying one or more attributes of the non-native widget includes further specifying processing of events by one or more other widgets.

40. The one or more modules of claim 33, wherein modifying one or more attributes of one or more other widgets includes further specifying processing of events the non-native widget.

41. The one or more modules of claim 33, further comprising providing a facility for storage and distribution of non-native widgets using a web site.

42. The one or more modules of claim 33, wherein at least a portion of the computer readable instructions for an appearance or behavior of the non-native widget is stored on a world wide web server, referenced from the visualization project and/or visualization rendering environment and not integral to either the visualization authoring environment or the visualization rendering environment.

43. The one or more modules of claim 33, wherein incorporating the non-native widgets into the visualization authoring environment is automatically performed upon detecting availability of the non-native widget.

44. A system comprising:

a computing system, including one or more processing devices;

one or more modules stored in non-transitory memory configured to cause the computing system to perform operations comprising;

receiving from a visualization project created by a user one or more properties for a non-native widget established by a developer of the non-native widget, such properties designating one or more of a name and/or a type of data that the non-native widget is capable of processing;

at least partly in response to an instruction received from the user of the visualization authoring environment, establishing a source of data to be processed by the non-native widget and/or a destination of data produced by the non-native widget to be processed by other one or more other widgets; and

rendering the appearance and/or behavior of the non-native widget based at least in part on a value available from the source of the data and/or rendering the appearance and/or behavior of one or more other widgets based at least in part on data produced by the non-native widget.

45. The system as defined in claim 44, wherein the user creating the visualization project is different from the user providing the instruction.

46. The system as defined in claim 44, wherein the user of the visualization authoring environment also has access to native widgets in the visualization authoring environment.

47. The system as defined in claim 44, wherein the properties established designate one or more constraints on the valid values of data that the non-native widget is capable of processing

48. The system as defined in claim 44, wherein the source of the data to be processed by the non-native widget is one or more values entered by the user of the visualization authoring environment.

49. The system as defined in claim 44, wherein the source of the data to be processed by the non-native widget is another widget selected by the user of the visualization authoring environment.

50. One or more modules stored in non-transitory memory configured to cause the computing system to perform operations comprising:

receiving from a visualization project created by a user one or more properties for a non-native widget established by a developer of the non-native widget, such properties designating one or more of a name and/or a type of data that the non-native widget is capable of processing;

at least partly in response to an instruction received from the user of the visualization authoring environment, establishing a source of data to be processed by the non-native widget and/or a destination of data produced by the non-native widget to be processed by other one or more other widgets; and

rendering the appearance and/or behavior of the non-native widget based at least in part on a value available from the source of the data and/or rendering the appearance and/or behavior of one or more other widgets based at least in part on data produced by the non-native widget.

51. The one or more modules as defined in claim 50, wherein the user creating the visualization project is different from the user providing the instruction.

52. The one or more modules as defined in claim 50, wherein the user of the visualization authoring environment also has access to native widgets in the visualization authoring environment.

53. The one or more modules as defined in claim 50, wherein the properties established designate one or more constraints on the valid values of data that the non-native widget is capable of processing

54. The one or more modules as defined in claim 50, wherein the source of the data to be processed by the non-native widget is one or more values entered by the user of the visualization authoring environment.

55. The one or more modules as defined in claim 50, wherein the source of the data to be processed by the non-native widget is another widget selected by the user of the visualization authoring environment.

56. A system comprising:

a computing system, including one or more processing devices;

one or more modules stored in non-transitory memory configured to cause the computing system to perform operations comprising;

receiving from a visualization project created by a user one or more event definitions for a non-native widget established by a developer of the non-native widget, such event definitions designating one or more of the name and/or type of event that the non-native widget is capable of processing or producing;

at least partly in response to an instruction received from the user of the visualization authoring environment, establishing a source of the event to be processed by the non-native widget and/or the destination of events produced by the non-native widget to be processed by other one or more other widgets; and

rendering the appearance and/or behavior of the non-native widget based at least in part on an event received from the source of the event and/or rendering the appearance and/or behavior of one or more other widgets based at least in part on the event produced by the non-native widget.

57. The system as defined in claim 56, wherein the user creating the visualization project is different from the user providing the instruction.

58. The system as defined in claim 56, wherein the user of the visualization authoring environment also has access to native widgets.

59. The system as defined in claim 56, wherein the properties established designate one or more constraints on the valid events that the non-native widget is capable of processing.

60. One or more modules stored in non-transitory memory configured to cause the computing system to perform operations comprising:

receiving from a visualization project created by a user one or more event definitions for a non-native widget established by a developer of the non-native widget, such event definitions designating one or more of the name and/or type of event that the non-native widget is capable of processing or producing;

at least partly in response to an instruction received from the user of the visualization authoring environment, establishing a source of the event to be processed by the non-native widget and/or the destination of events produced by the non-native widget to be processed by other one or more other widgets; and

rendering the appearance and/or behavior of the non-native widget based at least in part on an event received from the source of the event and/or rendering the appearance and/or behavior of one or more other widgets based at least in part on the event produced by the non-native widget.

61. The one or more modules as defined in claim 60, wherein the user creating the visualization project is different from the user providing the instruction.

62. The one or more modules as defined in claim 60, wherein the user of the visualization authoring environment also has access to native widgets.

63. The one or more modules as defined in claim 60, wherein the properties established designate one or more constraints on the valid events that the non-native widget is capable of processing.