Abstract user interface manager with prioritization
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for abstracting a user interface, comprising the operations of:
- receiving a request from an application program to present data to a user, the request being communicated through an abstract user interface manager that will handle the request through one or both of an abstract context and a direct context, the abstract user interface further executing the operations of,determining which user interface devices are currently available based on the request from the application program, such that if the application is aware of the context, the processing is performed by the direct context and if the context is not known, the processing is performed by the abstract context that links through the direct context;
selecting a particular user interface device to service the request from the application program;
providing abstract controls for the selected user interface device to the application program;
presenting the data to the user using the selected user interface device.
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Abstract
An invention is provided for abstracting a user interface. A request is received from an application program to present data to a user. A determination is made as to which user interface devices are currently available, and a particular user interface device is selected to present the data. Abstract controls for the selected user interface device are provided to the application program, which are then used to present the data to the user using the selected user interface device.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method for abstracting a user interface, comprising the operations of:
receiving a request from an application program to present data to a user, the request being communicated through an abstract user interface manager that will handle the request through one or both of an abstract context and a direct context, the abstract user interface further executing the operations of, determining which user interface devices are currently available based on the request from the application program, such that if the application is aware of the context, the processing is performed by the direct context and if the context is not known, the processing is performed by the abstract context that links through the direct context; selecting a particular user interface device to service the request from the application program; providing abstract controls for the selected user interface device to the application program; presenting the data to the user using the selected user interface device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An abstract user interface manager for abstracting a user interface, comprising:
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an abstract context that allows an application program communicating through the abstract user interface manager to abstractly interact with user interface devices that are currently available using abstract controls; a direct context that allows the application program communicating through the abstract user interface manager to interact directly with the user interface devices that are currently available using direct controls; and an interface object that is provided to the application program, wherein the abstract context is capable of determining which user interface devices are currently available, and wherein the processing is performed by the direct context if the context is known and if the context is not known processing is performed by the abstract context that links through the direct context to present data to the user, and wherein the interface object provides access to the abstract context and access to the direct context through the abstract user interface manager. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification