Displaying graphical objects

• US 7,030,890 B1
• Filed: 11/01/2000
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Villers, Jean-Stephane, Jouet, Bruno, Huong, Emile Nguyen Van
• Primary Examiner(s): Bella, Matthew C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAHMJOO, MANUCHER
• Application Number:
  US10/111,928
• Time in Patent Office: 1,994 Days
• Field of Search: 345/619, 345/700, 345/589, 345/590, 345/593, 345/594
• US Class Current: 345/619
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention relate to a method of controlling the appearance of a graphical object in a graphical user interface. In an embodiment of an aspect of the invention, an object, such as a widget, in a graphical user interface comprises an instance of a widget class in which arr defined properties and/or methods which control operation of the object; and an associated instance of a look object class in which are defined properties and/or methods which control the look of the object.

Claims

1. A method of controlling the appearance of an object-oriented widget in a graphical user interface, comprising:

defining a look object class, wherein the look object class is linked into an application; and

associating the look object class with the object-oriented widget;

wherein the look object class includes code or parameters determining how the object-oriented widget is displayed,

wherein the look object class is configured to control the appearance of the object-oriented widget, and

wherein the look object class includes an update counter whose value is updated when the look object class is re-defined or modified.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the look object class is defined by object-oriented program code.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the object-oriented widget includes an attribute identifying the look object class associated with the object-oriented widget.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising modifying the appearance of the object-oriented widget by re-defining or modifying the look object class or by associating a different look object class with the object-oriented widget.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the look object class includes a validation mask which indicates methods that can be called by the look object class.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising controlling the appearance of a plurality of object-oriented widgets in a graphical user interface by associating the look object class with the plurality of object-oriented widgets.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of object-oriented widgets comprises a linked chain.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the look object class includes a counter which indicates the number of object-oriented widgets which are associated with that look object class.

11. A computer program product comprising a memory and processor, the memory having stored therein an application, and the processor (under the control of the application) being adapted to carry out the method as claimed in claim 1.

12. A computer program product comprising a program for carrying out the method as claimed in claim 1.

13. A computer program for carrying out the method of claim 1.

14. A computer readable medium having stored thereon a program for carrying out the method as claimed in claim 1.

9. Apparatus for controlling the appearance of an object-oriented widget in a graphical user interface, comprising:

means for defining a look object class, wherein the look object class is linked into an application; and

means for associating the look object class with the object-oriented widget; and

means for displaying the object-oriented widget,

wherein the object-oriented widget is an application intended to be displayed,

wherein the look object class is configured to control the appearance of the object-oriented widget, and

wherein the look object class includes an update counter whose value is updated when the look object class is re-defined or modified.

10. A computer program comprising code for:

defining a look object class, wherein the look object class is linked into an application; and

associating the look object class with an object-oriented widget;

wherein the object-oriented widget is an application intended to be displayed, and

wherein the look object class is configured to control the appearance of the object-oriented widget, and

wherein the look object class includes an update counter whose value is updated when the look object class is re-defined or modified.