Method and system for selecting skinnable interfaces for an application

• US 7,430,722 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2004
• Issued: 09/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Sailor, Janet, Martin, Geoffrey, Reyes, Anthony, Lim, Ruth
• Primary Examiner(s): Chow; Dennis-Doon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ulrich; Nicholas S
• Application Number:
  US10/804,989
• Publication Number:
  US 20050076306A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,657 Days
• Field of Search: 715/866, 715/962, 715/764, 715/745, 715/746, 715/747, 715/744, 715/762, 715/735, 715/789, 715/762, 715/735
• US Class Current: 715/762
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A method for selecting skinnable interfaces and a system for implementing the same. The method discloses accessing user specific information upon installation of an application on a computing resource. The computing resource is associated with a user that is associated with the user specific information. The method continues by associating the user with a selected selected skin from a plurality of user interface (UI) skins. The association between the user and the selected UI skin is based on the user specific information. Thereafter, the method continues by configuring the application to display the selected UI skin as a default UI skin for the application.

Claims

1. A method for selecting skinnable interfaces comprising:

accessing user specific information upon installation of an application on a computing resource that is associated with a user, said user associated with said user specific information;

determining a selected user interface (UI) skin from a plurality of UI skins based on said user specific information;

configuring said application to incorporate said selected UI skin as a default UI skin for said application;

wherein said user specific information comprises behavioral logic available on said computing resource, said behavioral logic associating said user to said selected UI skin;

wherein said selected UI skin is associated with a selected business partner chosen from a plurality of business partners based on said user specific behavioral logic, and wherein said plurality of UI skins is associated with said plurality of business partners;

wherein said user specific behavioral logic associates a user as a customer of said selected business partner; and

wherein said user purchased said computing resource from said selected business partner.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing revenue sharing from said selected business partner.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said determining a selected UI skin further comprises:

associating said user with a selected type from a plurality of types based on said user specific information, wherein said plurality of types is associated with said plurality of skins; and

determining said selected UI skin based on said selected type.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying said selected UI skin as a user interface for said application when running said application.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said application comprises a local portal for accessing local resources on said computing resource and web based resources.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said configuring said application further comprises:

selecting a background presentation associated with said UI skin; and

adding at least one category that is dynamically defined based on said user specific information over said background presentation, wherein said category comprises related links to local resources on said computing resource and web based resources.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said accessing user specific information further comprises:

accessing product registration information to access said user specific information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said accessing user specific information further comprises:

querying said user for said user specific information upon installation of said application.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

loading only said selected UI skin when installing said application onto said computing resource.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

dynamically updating said selected UI skin.

11. A business partner specific user interface on a computer, comprising:

a background presentation comprised of a bitmap image formed within a window on said computer as background to a user interface application, wherein said background presentation is associated with a selected skin chosen from a plurality of skins based on user specific behavioral logic, wherein said user specific behavioral logic is obtained during installation of an application on a computing resource; and

at least one category that is dynamically defined based on said user specific behavioral logic and that is added to said background presentation in said selected skin for said user interface application, wherein said category comprises related links to local resources on said computing resource and web based resources;

wherein said selected UI skin is associated with a selected business partner chosen from a plurality of business partners based on said user specific behavioral logic, and wherein said plurality of UI skins is associated with said plurality of business partners;

wherein said user specific behavioral logic associates a user as a customer of said selected business partner; and

wherein said user purchased said computing resource from said selected business partner.

12. The business partner specific user interface of claim 11, wherein said category comprises an XML file for adding said category in said background presentation.

13. The business partner specific user interface of claim 11, wherein said selected skin is displayed upon starting said application.

14. The business partner specific user interface of claim 11, wherein said user interface application is started upon boot up of said computing resource.

15. A computer system comprising:

a processor;

a computer readable memory coupled to said processor and containing program instructions that, when executed, implement a method for selecting skinnable interfaces comprising;

accessing user specific information upon installation of an application on a computing resource that is associated with a user, said user associated with said user specific information;

determining a selected user interface (UI) skin from a plurality of UI skins based on said user specific information; and

configuring said application to incorporate said selected UI skin as a default UI skin for said application;

wherein said user specific information comprises behavioral logic available on said computing resource, said behavioral logic associating said user to said selected UI skin;

wherein said selected UI skin is associated with a selected business partner chosen from a plurality of business partners based on said user specific behavioral logic, and wherein said plurality of UI skins is associated with said plurality of business partners;

wherein said user specific behavioral logic associates a user as a customer of said selected business partner; and

wherein said user purchased said computing resource from said selected business partner.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein said method further comprises:

providing revenue sharing from said selected business partner.

17. The computer system of claim 15, wherein said determining a selected UI skin in said method further comprises:

associating said user with a selected type from a plurality of types based on said user specific information, wherein said plurality of types is associated with said plurality of skins; and

determining said selected UI skin based on said selected type.

18. The computer system of claim 15, wherein said method further comprises:

displaying said selected UI skin as a user interface for said application when running said application.

19. The computer system of claim 15, wherein said application comprises a local portal for accessing local resources on said computing resource and web based resources.

20. The computer system of claim 15, wherein said configuring said application in said method further comprises:

selecting a background presentation associated with said UI skin; and

adding at least one category that is dynamically defined based on said user specific information over said background presentation, wherein said category comprises related links to local resources on said computing resource and web based resources.

21. The computer system of claim 15, wherein said accessing user specific information in said method further comprises:

accessing product registration information to access said user specific information.

22. The computer system of claim 15, wherein said accessing user specific information in said method further comprises:

querying said user for said user specific information upon installation of said application.

23. The computer system of claim 15, wherein said method further comprises:

loading only said selected UI skin when installing said application onto said computing resource.

24. The computer system of claim 15, wherein said method further comprises:

dynamically updating said selected UI skin.