GUI resource editor for an embedded system

• US 6,429,885 B1
• Filed: 10/30/1998
• Issued: 08/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Saib, Joseph, Suzuki, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Kimbinh T.
• Application Number:
  US09/183,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20020057268A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,376 Days
• Field of Search: 345/3, 345/334, 345/418, 345/419, 345/854, 345/851, 345/840, 345/835, 345/780, 345/765, 345/762, 345/352, 345/810, 717/4
• US Class Current: 715/854
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming

Abstract

A technique for converting displayable objects of a graphics user interface (GUI) display into a code representation with minimal user intervention. The technique includes creation of the GUI display and analysis of each displayable object when prompted by the user to convert to a code representation. The analysis features accessing parameters of each displayable object to produce an object data file, a color data file storing colors used by the displayable objects of the GUI display and a bitmap data file to contain bitmaps of logos or images featured in the GUI display. These data files are complied with an implementation file featuring a software library to generate an executable program having the code representation of the GUI display.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a monitor; and

a computer coupled to the monitor, the computer executing software to automatically convert an object appearing on the monitor into a code representation of the object, the converted code being generated from a plurality of parameters including navigation information to maintain a predetermined highlight ordering scheme.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the object includes a button.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the object includes a rectangle.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the object includes a text field.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein a plurality of parameters of the object includes an X-offset value, a Y-offset value, a height value, a width value, a color type and a gradation value.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the object along with other objects are used to produce a complex display object being one of a simulated remote control and a simulated front-panel.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of parameters of the object further includes an object identification.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the object includes a text string.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein a data structure of the object includes one of an X-offset, a Y-offset, a height, a width and a font type.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the code representation is a data structure in C programming code.

11. A method comprising:

creating an object characterized by a plurality of parameters including navigation information to maintain a predetermined highlight ordering;

producing a data file from the plurality of parameters associated with the object; and

compiling the data file to produce an executable program that, when executed, generates a graphics user interface (GUI) display including the object.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the producing of the data file includes loading the plurality of parameters into C programming data structures.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the compiling includes providing an implementation file including a software library of function calls;

and

compiling together the data file and the implementation file to produce the executable program.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein prior to compiling, the method comprises producing a bitmap file to contain a bitmap of any detailed image in combination with the object.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the compiling includes providing an implementation file including a software library of function calls;

and

compiling together the data file and the implementation file to produce the executable program.

16. A machine readable medium having embodied thereon a computer program for processing by a computer, the computer program comprising:

a first program to obtain parameter values associated with an object, the parameter values including navigation information to maintain a predetermined highlight ordering scheme;

a second program to convert the object into a code representation of the object; and

a third program to prompt the compilation of the code representation, a software library and the parameter values of the object to produce an executable program that, when executed by the computer, produces signals for displaying the object.

17. A system comprising:

a monitor; and

a computer coupled to the monitor, the computer executing software to automatically convert an object appearing on the monitor into a code representation of the object, the converted code being generated by analyzing graphic nature of the object appearing on the monitor.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the computer is to create at least an object data file, a color data file and a bitmap data file to analyze the graphic nature of the object appearing on the monitor.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the computer is to execute the software upon a user-initiated selection to convert the object appearing on the monitor into a code representation of the object.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the user-initiated selection is a selection by a user of a menu option appearing on the monitor.