Configurable user-interface component management system

• US 6,944,829 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2001
• Issued: 09/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wind River Systems Incorporated (Aptiv PLC)
• Original Assignee: Wind River Systems Incorporated (Aptiv PLC)
• Inventors: Dando, Owen
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine
• Assistant Examiner(s): PESIN, BORIS M
• Application Number:
  US09/963,188
• Publication Number:
  US 20030058286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,449 Days
• Field of Search: 345/804, 345/798, 345/788, 345/821, 345/979, 345/837
• US Class Current: 715/798
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A configurable user-interface component management system and method are provided where frame containers contain a number of child components and user-interface components. The frame containers and their children are arranged in a specific hierarchy that determine their on-screen appearance. The hierarchy is a result of the software architecture of the software objects corresponding to the visual on-screen objects. The user-interface components in each visual component are configured based on certain, predetermined policies. The method of managing the frame containers and their children includes waiting for an event that affects a frame and then responding by creating a frame, destroying a frame, changing a hierarchy order, moving a frame from one hierarchy to another, or sizing a frame, after which the appropriate policies are removed and applied as needed, affected hierarchies reconfigured and then saved.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a graphical user interface comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of generic frame objects in a hierarchical tree,

providing a plurality of container components, each of the plurality of container components defining a respective menu/toolbar layout;

associating a first one of the plurality of container components with a first one of the plurality of generic frame objects;

displaying a frame on a display, wherein a position of the frame and the menu/toolbar layout of the frame is a function of the first one of the plurality of container components, the first one of the plurality of generic frame objects, and any ancestor object of the first one of the plurality of generic frame objects;

in response to an event,

disassociating the first one of the plurality of container components from the first one of the plurality of generic frame objects, and

associating the first one of the plurality of container components with a second one of the plurality of generic frame objects; and

displaying the frame on the display, wherein a position of the frame and the menu/toolbar layout of the frame is a function of the first one of the plurality of container components, the second one of the plurality of generic frame objects, and any ancestor object of the second one of the plurality of generic frame objects.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the hierarchical tree includes a first hierarchical tree and a separate, second hierarchical tree.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of container components include one or more of an SDI container object and an MDI container object, the SDI container object defining a single document interface environment where a number of views are configured with each view having a corresponding menu bar and/or a corresponding tool bar, the MDI container object defining a multiple document interface where a parent view and a number of child views are configured, and wherein a common menu bar and/or common tool bar is provided for the parent view and the number of child views.

2. A method for displaying a graphical user interface comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of generic frame objects in a hierarchy,

providing a plurality of container components, each of the plurality of container components defining a respective menu/toolbar layout;

providing a component;

associating the component with a first one of the plurality of container components, and associating the first one of the plurality of container components with a first one of the plurality of generic frame objects;

displaying the component in a frame on a display, wherein a position of the frame and the menu/toolbar layout of the frame is a function of the first one of the plurality of container components, the first one of the plurality of generic frame objects, and any ancestor object of the first one of the plurality of generic frame objects;

in response to an event,

disassociating the first one of the plurality of container components from the first one of the plurality of generic frame objects, and

associating the first one of the plurality of container components with a second one of the plurality of generic frame objects; and

displaying the component in the frame on the display, wherein a position of the frame and the menu/toolbar layout of the frame is a function of the first one of the plurality of container components, the second one of the plurality of generic frame objects, and any ancestor object of the second one of the plurality of generic frame objects.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising providing a data file for the component, the data file including information indicative of a policy for at least one menu/toolbar entity displayed in the frame.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the component comprises a plurality of view components, each having a respective data file.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein, prior to the event, the position of the frame and the menu/toolbar layout of the frame is a function of the first one of the plurality of container components, the third one of the plurality of generic frame objects, and any ancestor object of the third one of the plurality of generic frame objects.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein, after the event,

the step of disassociating includes changing the hierarchy by disassociating the first one of the plurality of container components from the first one of the plurality of generic frame objects, and disassociating the component from the third one of the plurality of generic frame objects,

the step of associating includes changing the hierarchy by associating the first one of the plurality of container components with the second one of the plurality of generic frame objects, and associating the component with a fourth one of the plurality of generic frame objects, the fourth one of the generic frame objects being a descendent of the second one of the plurality of generic frame objects and

the step of displaying includes displaying the component in the frame on the display, wherein a position of the frame and the menu/toolbar layout of the frame is a function of the first one of the plurality of container components, the fourth one of the plurality of generic frame objects, and any ancestor object of the fourth one of the plurality of generic frame objects.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the component is a view component.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the component is a container component.

4. A method for displaying a graphical user interface comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of generic frame objects in a hierarchical tree,

providing a plurality of container components, each of the plurality of container components defining a respective menu/toolbar layout;

associating a first one of the plurality of container components with a first one of the plurality of generic frame objects;

displaying a frame on a display, wherein a position of the frame and the menu/toolbar layout of the frame is a function of the first one of the plurality of container components, the first one of the plurality of generic frame objects, and any ancestor object of the first one of the plurality of generic frame objects;

in response to an event,

disassociating the first one of the plurality of container components from the first one of the plurality of generic frame objects, and

associating the first one of the plurality of container components with a second one of the plurality of generic frame objects; and

displaying the frame on the display, wherein a position of the frame and the menu/toolbar layout of the frame is a function of the first one of the plurality of container components, the second one of the plurality of generic frame objects, and any ancestor object of the second one of the plurality of generic frame objects, wherein the plurality of generic frame objects include one or more of a Java JFrame object, a Java JTabbed object, and a Java JPane object.

8. A method of displaying a graphical user interface comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of components including an SDI container object and an MDI container object, the SDI container object defining a single document interface environment where a number of views are configured with each view having a corresponding menu bar and/or a corresponding tool bar, the MDI container object defining a multiple document interface where a parent view and a number of child views are configured, and wherein a common menu bar and/or common tool bar is provided for the parent view and the number of child views;

providing a plurality of generic frame objects, the generic frame objects including a tabbed frame object, an internal frame object, and a frame object;

providing a component;

associating the component with a first one of the plurality of components, and associating the first one of the plurality of components with a first one of the plurality of generic frame objects;

displaying the component in a frame on a display, wherein a position of the frame and the menu/toolbar layout of the frame is a function of the first one of the plurality of components and the first one of the plurality of generic frame objects;

in response to an event,

disassociating the component from the first one of the plurality of components, and

associating the component with a second one of the plurality of components, the second one of the plurality of components being associated with one of the plurality of generic frame objects; and

displaying the component in the frame on the display, wherein a position of the frame and the menu/toolbar layout of the frame is a function of the second one of the plurality of components and the one of the plurality of generic frame objects.

9. A method for displaying a graphical user interface comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of generic frame objects in a hierarchy,

providing a plurality of container components, each of the plurality of container components defining a respective menu/toolbar layout;

providing a component;

associating the component with a first one of the plurality of container components, and associating the first one of the plurality of container components with a first one of the plurality of generic frame objects;

displaying the component in a frame on a display, wherein a position of the frame and the menu/toolbar layout of the frame is a function of the first one of the plurality of container components, the first one of the plurality of generic frame objects, and any ancestor object of the first one of the plurality of generic frame objects;

in response to an event,

disassociating the first one of the plurality of container components from the first one of the plurality of generic frame objects, and

associating the first one of the plurality of container components with a second one of the plurality of generic frame objects; and

displaying the component in the frame on the display, wherein a position of the frame and the menu/toolbar layout of the frame is a function of the first one of the plurality of container components, the second one of the plurality of generic frame objects, and any ancestor object of the second one of the plurality of generic frame objects, wherein, prior to the event, the component is associated with a third one of plurality of generic frame objects, the third one of the generic frame objects being a descendent of the first one of the plurality of generic frame objects, the component being a descendant of the first one of the container components.

14. A method of displaying a graphical user interface comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of components including an SDI container object and an MDI container object, the SDI container object defining a single document interface environment where a number of views are configured with each view having a corresponding menu bar and/or a corresponding tool bar, the MDI container object defining a multiple document interface where a parent view and a number of child views are configured, and wherein a common menu bar and/or common tool bar is provided for the parent view and the number of child views;

providing a plurality of generic frame objects, the generic frame objects including a tabbed frame object, an internal frame object, and a frame object;

providing a component;

associating the component with a first one of the plurality of components, and associating the first one of the plurality of components with a first one of the plurality of generic frame objects;

displaying the component in a frame on a display, wherein a position of the frame and the menu/toolbar layout of the frame is a function of the first one of the plurality of components and the first one of the plurality of generic frame objects;

in response to an event,

disassociating the component from the first one of the plurality of components, and

associating the component with a second one of the plurality of components, the second one of the plurality of components being associated with one of the plurality of generic frame objects; and

displaying the component in the frame on the display, wherein a position of the frame and the menu/toolbar layout of the frame is a function of the second one of the plurality of components and the one of the plurality of generic frame objects, wherein, prior to the event, the component is associated with a third one of plurality of generic frame objects, the third one of the generic frame objects being a descendent of the first one of the plurality of generic frame objects, the component being a descendant of the first one of the container components.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein, prior to the event, the position of the frame and the menu/toolbar layout of the frame is a function of the first one of the plurality of container components, the third one of the plurality of generic frame objects, and any ancestor object of the third one of the plurality of generic frame objects.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein, after the event,

the step of disassociating further includes disassociating disassociating the component from the third one of the plurality of generic frame objects,

the step of associating further includes associating the component with another one of the plurality of generic frame objects, the another one of the generic frame objects being a descendent of the one of the plurality of generic frame objects and

the step of displaying includes displaying the component in the frame on the display, wherein a position of the frame and the menu/toolbar layout of the frame is a function of the second one of the plurality of container components, the another of the plurality of generic frame objects, and any ancestor object of the another one of the plurality of generic frame objects.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the component is a view component.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the component is a container component.

19. A method for displaying a graphical user interface comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of container components in a hierarchy, each of the plurality of container components defining a respective menu/toolbar layout;

associating each of the plurality of container components with a corresponding one of a plurality of generic frame objects, each of the plurality of generic frame objects having a corresponding frame displayed on a display;

wherein a position of each frame and the menu/toolbar layout of each frame is a function of its corresponding generic frame object and ancestors thereof in the hierarchy and its corresponding container component and ancestors thereof in the hierarchy;

in response to an event,

changing the hierachy; and

based on the changed hiearchy, disassociating at least one of the plurality of container components from its corresponding generic frame object, associating each of the at least one of the plurality of container components with another one of the plurality of generic frame objects, wherein a position of each frame and the menu/toolbar layout of each frame is a function of its corresponding generic frame object and ancestors thereof in the changed hierarchy and its corresponding container component and ancestors thereof in the changed hierarchy.