System and method for automatic generation of HTML based interfaces including alternative layout modes

• US 7,216,298 B1
• Filed: 06/07/2002
• Issued: 05/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Akel, Laura Steward, Ballard, Alan, Schroeder, John, Haavisto, Matthew, Shafer, Peggy
• Primary Examiner(s): Bautista; Lucila X.
• Application Number:
  US10/165,623
• Time in Patent Office: 1,796 Days
• Field of Search: 715/733, 715/738, 715/744, 715/760, 715/762, 715/764, 715/765, 715/777, 715/810, 715/501.1, 715/513, 715/517, 715/908, 707/1, 707/104.1
• US Class Current: 715/760
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents

Abstract

The present invention includes systems and methods for customization of internet applications and HTML based interfaces. Multiple levels of customization are applied to both static and functional aspects of user interface elements including, for example, user interface element order, alternative layout modes, tab-order, tab-over, immediate access keys, and hotkeys. The alternative layout modes included layout modes configured for presentation of an HTML based interface as streaming text and as an audio output. Customization is also achieved with respect to searching over multiple user interfaces, presentation of information on a user interface, the interaction model used by the internet application and user interface element order. Customization is enabled on any client supporting standard browser functionality.

Claims

1. A system for generating an HTML based interface, the system comprising:

a data repository configured to store data defining the HTML based interface, the stored data being modifiable by a user of the interface; and

a user interface generator configured to generate the HTML based interface in a selected mode of a first layout mode and a second layout mode and in response to a request from a user, the user interface generator configured to use the stored data to determine the selected mode at substantially the time of the request and generate markup language for the interface in response to the determination, the first layout mode configured for presentation of the HTML based interface as streaming text with elements of the interface being arranged in a first order, the second layout mode configured for presentation of the HTML based interface as a graphical user interface with elements of the interface being arranged in a second order, the ordering of elements in the first and second layout modes being selected for ease of identifying relationships between the elements in the respective layout mode.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first order of user interface elements is configured according to a tab-order.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first order of user interface elements is configured according to an HTML tag specifying a grouping of user interface elements.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface generator is further configured to, responsive to the first layout mode, automatically add text to the HTML based interface, the added text to indicate relationships between user interface elements.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the user interface generator is further configured to, responsive to the first layout mode, automatically add text to the HTML based interface, the added text to indicate a row associated with a user interface element.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the user interface generator is further configured to add the text based on the position of the user interface element in an HTML table.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the HTML based interface generated responsive to the first layout mode is input to a text reader configured to convert the generated HTML based interface to an audio output.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the data repository includes a user customizable value configured to specify the first layout mode or the second layout mode.

9. The system of claim 1, further including a programmable device configured to present the generated HTML based interface to a user.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the programmable device is a handheld device.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the programmable device configured to present the generated HTML based interface to a user is a text reader configured to convert the streaming text to audio output.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the programmable device configured to present the generated HTML based interface to a user is a Braille reader configured to convert the streaming text to Braille.

13. The system of claim 1, further including an application server configured to support the user interface generator.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the HTML based interface generated responsive to the first layout mode includes first ALT text and the HTML based interface generated responsive to the second layout mode includes second ALT text, the first ALT text being different than the second ALT text.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the data defining the HTML based interface includes ALT text and the user interface generator is further configured to modify the ALT text to indicate a row associated with a user interface element in the generated HTML based interface.

16. The system of claim 1, further including means for generating the HTML based interface responsive to the first layout mode by converting the generated HTML based interface responsive to the second layout mode.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the HTML based interface is an application user interface configured to access an internet application.

18. A system for developing an application user interface, the system comprising:

an integrated development environment configured for a developer to specify a first layout mode and a second layout mode for the application user interface, the application user interface being an interface between a user and an internet application generated in response to a request from the user, the first layout mode configured for presentation of the user interface as streaming text with elements of the user interface being arranged in a first order, the second layout mode configured for presentation of the user interface as a graphical user interface with elements of the interface being arranged in a second order, the ordering of elements in the first and second layout modes being selected for ease of identifying relationships between the user interface elements in the respective layout mode;

a data repository including a data record configured to store a value used to determine, at substantially the time of the request, which of the first layout mode or the second layout mode to use when the application user interface is generated in response to the user request, the value being user modifiable; and

an application designer configured to produce metadata for accessing the data record.

19. The system of claim 18, further including an internet application system configured to support the internet application.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the integrated development environment is further configured for a developer to specify generation of the user interface responsive to the first layout mode or generation of the user interface responsive to the second layout mode, dependant on an identity of the user.

21. A computer program product stored on a computer readable medium for generating a customized user interface in response to an internet request, the computer program product comprising:

computer program code configured to run on an internet application system and operable to provide for generation of an application user interface for presentation in an accessible layout mode or a standard layout mode in response to a request from a user, the accessible layout mode configured for presentation of the user interface as streaming text with elements of the interface being arranged in a first order, the standard layout mode configured for presentation of the user interface as a graphical user interface with elements of the interface being arranged in a second order, the ordering of elements in the first and second layout modes being selected for ease of identifying relationships between the user interface elements in the respective layout mode; and

data defining the application user interface, the data for use by a user interface generator to, at substantially the time of the request, access a user modifiable data record to determine which of the accessible layout mode and the standard layout mode to use for presentation of the application user interface and then generate markup language for the interface using the determined layout mode.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the data further defines a data record to specify presentation of the application user interface in the accessible layout mode or the standard layout mode responsive to an identity of a client.

23. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the computer program code defines a configuration interface for modifying the user modifiable data record.

24. The computer program product of claim 21, further including means for generating the application user interface.

25. A method of developing data defining an HTML based interface, the method comprising the steps of:

specifying data defining a user interface element for inclusion in the HTML based interface;

specifying data characterizing an accessible layout mode and a standard layout mode for presentation of the HTML based interface, each of the accessible layout and standard layout modes including an order of user interface elements selected for ease of identifying relationships between the user interface elements in the respective layout mode;

specifying data for accessing a user modifiable data record, the user modifiable data record for determining, at substantially the time of a request from the user for the interface, which of the accessible layout mode and standard layout mode to use for presentation of the HTML based interface; and

specifying the data defining the HTML based interface such that the markup language for the HTML based interface is generated and the interface is presented using the accessible layout mode or the standard layout mode dependant on the user modifiable data record.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the accessible layout mode is for presentation of the HTML based interface as streaming text.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein an order of user interface elements in the streaming text is responsive to a tab-order.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the standard layout mode is for presentation of the HTML based interface as a graphical user interface.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of specifying the data defining the HTML based interface includes specifying ALT text for inclusion in the HTML based interface based on the accessible layout mode or the standard layout mode.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein the HTML based interface is for presentation to a user.

31. A method for generating an HTML-based interface, the method comprising:

accessing a page definition stored in a data repository in response to a request from a user;

determining a layout mode for the HTML based interface, the layout mode being one of an accessible layout mode or a standard layout mode and including an order of user interface elements selected for ease of identifying relationships between the user interface elements in the respective layout mode;

generating, at substantially the time of the request, HTML responsive to the determined layout mode and the page definition; and

including the HTML in the HTML based interface.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the accessible layout mode is for presentation of the HTML based interface as streaming text and the standard layout mode is for presentation of the HTML based interface as a graphical user interface.

33. The method of claim 32, further including determining an order of user interface elements within the HTML based interface, when generated responsive to the accessible layout mode, using an HTML tag which specifies a grouping of user interface elements.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the HTML based interface, when generated responsive to the accessible layout mode, includes an order of user interface elements, the order being responsive to a position of a user interface element within an HTML table.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the HTML based interface for presenting as streaming text is presented to a text reader for conversion to audio output.

36. The method of claim 31 further including determining the order of user interface elements using a tab-order.

37. The method of claim 36, further including user customization of the tab-order.

38. The method of claim 31, further including automatically adding text to the HTML responsive to the accessible layout mode, the added text to indicate relationships between user interface elements.

39. The method of claim 31, further including automatically adding text to the HTML responsive to the accessible layout mode, the added text to indicate a row associated with a user interface element.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein automatically adding text to the HTML is further responsive to the position of the user interface element in an HTML table.

41. The method of claim 31, further including customizing data within the data repository, the customized data for use in determining a layout mode for the HTML based interface.

42. The method of claim 31, further including presenting the HTML based interface to a programmable device for displaying the HTML based interface to a user.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the accessible layout mode is for presentation of the HTML based interface as streaming text and the programmable device is a handheld device.

44. The method of claim 42, wherein the programmable device includes a text reader for converting streaming text to an audio output.

45. The method of claim 42, wherein the programmable device includes a Braille reader for converting streaming text to Braille.

46. The method of claim 31, wherein accessing the page definition includes reading ALT text for addition to the HTML, and modifying the ALT text to indicate an association of a user interface element with a row.

47. The method of claim 31, further including converting the HTML based interface from the standard layout mode to the accessible layout mode.

48. The method of claim 31, wherein the HTML based interface is an application user interface for accessing an internet application.

49. A method of customizing the presentation of an HTML based interface, the method comprising the steps of:

accessing a configuration system;

selecting, using the configuration system, a layout mode from a plurality of layout modes, the plurality of layout modes including an accessible layout mode and a standard layout mode, the selected layout mode being used to present the HTML based interface using an order of user interface elements selected for ease of identifying relationships between the user interface elements in the selected layout mode; and

specifying configuration data using the configuration system, the configuration data characterizing the selected layout mode,

wherein the selected layout mode is operable to be determined in response to a request from a user, and the selected layout mode and configuration data are operable to be used to generate markup language for the interface in response to the request.

50. The method of claim 49, further including a step of presenting the HTML based interface responsive to the selected layout mode, wherein the selected layout mode is the accessible layout mode for presentation of the HTML based interfaces as streaming text.

51. The method of claim 50, further including a step of converting the streaming text to an audio output.

52. The method of claim 49, further including a step of presenting the HTML based interface responsive to the selected layout mode, wherein the selected layout mode is the standard layout mode for presentation of the HTML based interface as a graphical user interface.

53. The method of claim 49, wherein the HTML based interface is an application user interface.

54. A computer readable medium including an internet application, the internet application comprising:

data defining an application user interface including a plurality of layout modes, the application user interface configured for delivery to a client and configured to operate as an interface between a user and the internet application, the plurality of layout modes including layout modes resulting in different orders of user interface elements when the application user interface is generated, the different orders selected for ease of identifying relationships between the user interface elements in the respective layout modes; and

a user interface generator configured to generate, in response to a user request for the interface, markup language for the application user interface using one of the plurality of layout modes, the user interface generator being further configured to select the one of the plurality of layout modes at substantially the time of the request using a user modifiable data record.

55. An application execution system comprising:

means for supporting an internet application;

means for generating markup language for an application user interface in response to a request from a user using a user modifiable data record configured to store data characterizing a layout mode, the layout mode being one of a plurality of layout modes resulting in different orders of user interface elements when used to generate the application user interface, the orders of user interface elements for each layout mode being selected for ease of interpretation of the user interface elements in the respective layout mode; and

means for presenting the application user interface to a user.

56. A method for generating an HTML based interface, the method comprising:

defining a standard layout mode and an accessible layout mode for presentation of the HTML based interface, the standard layout mode for presentation of the HTML based interface as a graphical user interface and including an HTML table of user interface elements, the accessible layout mode being for presentation of the HTML based interface as streaming text or audio and including means for identifying, to a user, relationships between the user interface elements;

generating metadata characterizing the HTML based interface;

storing the metadata in a data repository;

associating the standard layout mode and the accessible layout mode with a user modifiable data record;

receiving a request for the HTML based interface from a user;

reading the metadata from the data repository in response to the user request;

using the metadata to read a value from the data record, the value specifying presentation of the HTML based interface in the standard layout mode or the accessible layout mode;

generating, at substantially the time of the request, HTML responsive to the specified layout mode and the metadata; and

including the HTML in the HTML based interface.