METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR IDENTIFYING ELEMENTS OF A MOBILE APPLICATION

• US 20160124912A1
• Filed: 01/29/2015
• Published: 05/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Long, Thomas James Worthington, Kakalis, Anastasios
• Granted Patent: US 10,120,839 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/106 Display of layout of documents; Previewing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 dummy group

Abstract

Systems and methods for identifying elements of a mobile application are described. One or more processors can receive a request to identify elements of a mobile application. The processors can map a plurality of views included in the mobile application and associated transitions between the plurality of views. For each of the plurality of views, the processors can determine a category of the view. The processors can then store, for the mobile application, a data structure identifying each of the plurality of views, and for each of the plurality of views, the category of the view, and one more transitions to others of the plurality of views for use in responding to a request for content from the mobile application.

Claims

1. A method of automatically identifying elements in a mobile application, comprising:

receiving, by one or more processors, a request to identify elements of a mobile application;

mapping, by the one or more processors, a plurality of views included in the mobile application and associated transitions between the plurality of views;

determining, for each of the plurality of views, a category of the view; and

storing, by the one or more processors, for the mobile application, a data structure identifying each of the plurality of views, and for each of the plurality of views, the category of the view, and one more transitions to others of the plurality of views for use in responding to a request for content from the mobile application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein mapping the plurality of views included in the mobile application and associated transitions between the plurality of views comprises:

determining, for at least a first view, one or more actions associated with the first view; and

identifying, for at least one action of the actions associated with the first view, a subsequent view to which the mobile application transitions responsive to the identified action associated with the first view.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein mapping a plurality of views included in the mobile application and associated transitions between the plurality of views comprises assigning, the at least one action, an action identifier;

and

wherein storing, for the mobile application, the data structure includes storing the assigned action identifier.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein mapping a plurality of views included in the mobile application and associated transitions between the plurality of views comprises:

identifying a first action associated with a first view of the plurality of views;

identifying a second view of the plurality of views to which the mobile application transitions responsive to the first action on the first view;

identifying a second action associated with the first view; and

identifying a third view of the plurality of views to which the mobile application transitions responsive to the second action on the first view.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, for each of the plurality of views, a category of the view comprises determining, for each of the plurality of views, a category of the view based on an arrangement of one or more visual objects included in the view.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, for each of the plurality of views, a category of the view comprises determining, for each of the plurality of views, a category of the view based on content included in the view.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, for each of the plurality of views, a category of the view comprises determining, for each of the plurality of views, a category of the view based on information associated with the view that is provided by a mobile application developer.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying, for each of the plurality of views, a view hierarchy corresponding to an arrangement of one or more visual objects included in the view.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

identifying, from the view hierarchy, a subset of the visual objects as a stable portion of the view hierarchy; and

wherein determining, for each of the plurality of views, a category of the view includes determining, for each of the plurality of views, a category of the views based on the stable portion of the view hierarchy.

10. A system of automatically identifying elements in a mobile application, comprising:

a memory; and

one or more processors configured to;

receive a request to identify elements of a mobile application;

map a plurality of views included in the mobile application and associated transitions between the plurality of views;

determine, for each of the plurality of views, a category of the view; and

store, for the mobile application, a data structure identifying each of the plurality of views, and for each of the plurality of views, the category of the view, and one more transitions to others of the plurality of views for use in responding to a request for content from the mobile application.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein mapping the plurality of views included in the mobile application and associated transitions between the plurality of views comprises:

determining, for at least a first view, one or more actions associated with the first view; and

identifying, for at least one action of the actions associated with the first view, a subsequent view to which the mobile application transitions responsive to the identified action associated with the first view.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein mapping a plurality of views included in the mobile application and associated transitions between the plurality of views comprises assigning, the at least one action, an action identifier;

and

wherein storing, for the mobile application, the data structure includes storing the assigned action identifier.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein mapping a plurality of views included in the mobile application and associated transitions between the plurality of views comprises:

identifying a first action associated with a first view of the plurality of views;

identifying a second view of the plurality of views to which the mobile application transitions responsive to the first action on the first view;

identifying a second action associated with the first view; and

identifying a third view of the plurality of views to which the mobile application transitions responsive to the second action on the first view.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein determining, for each of the plurality of views, a category of the view comprises determining, for each of the plurality of views, a category of the view based on an arrangement of one or more visual objects included in the view.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein determining, for each of the plurality of views, a category of the view comprises determining, for each of the plurality of views, a category of the view based on content included in the view.

16. The system of claim 10, further comprising identifying, for each of the plurality of views, a view hierarchy corresponding to an arrangement of one or more visual objects included in the view.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

identifying, from the view hierarchy, a subset of the visual objects as a stable portion of the view hierarchy; and

wherein determining, for each of the plurality of views, a category of the view includes determining, for each of the plurality of views, a category of the views based on the stable portion of the view hierarchy.

18. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, which when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

receive a request to identify elements of a mobile application;

map a plurality of views included in the mobile application and associated transitions between the plurality of views;

determine, for each of the plurality of views, a category of the view; and

store, for the mobile application, a data structure identifying each of the plurality of views, and for each of the plurality of views, the category of the view, and one more transitions to others of the plurality of views for use in responding to a request for content from the mobile application.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein mapping a plurality of views included in the mobile application and associated transitions between the plurality of views comprises:

identifying a first action associated with a first view of the plurality of views;

identifying a second view of the plurality of views to which the mobile application transitions responsive to the first action on the first view;

identifying a second action associated with the first view; and

identifying a third view of the plurality of views to which the mobile application transitions responsive to the second action on the first view.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the computer is further configured to:

identify, for each of the plurality of views, a view hierarchy corresponding to an arrangement of one or more visual objects included in the view; and

identify, from the view hierarchy, a subset of the visual objects as a stable portion of the view hierarchy; and

wherein determining, for each of the plurality of views, a category of the view includes determining, for each of the plurality of views, a category of the views based on the stable portion of the view hierarchy.