Internet interface & integration language system and method

• US 7,478,329 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2002
• Issued: 01/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CoKinetic Systems Corporation
• Original Assignee: CoKinetic Systems Corporation
• Inventors: Lennon, Kevin J., Stevens, Kris, Baresich, Michael, Shulman, David J.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CAO H
• Application Number:
  US10/482,543
• Publication Number:
  US 20040243931A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,388 Days
• Field of Search: 715763-765, 715740-744, 715851-854, 715734-738, 715/733
• US Class Current: 715/734
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A system for generating, on a users terminal, a graphical user interface comprising at least one interface item. A user creates a graphical user interface for an application by using a designer module to drag and drop interface items on a window and by associating properties, events and actions to the interface items. The designer module then generates a set of data corresponding to the interface item using I3ML, a programming language that employs the syntax of XML. The set of data is stored in a file, such as in a server, and then is transmitted to and processed by a player module. The player module receives the set of data and uses it to display the graphical user interface. Each interface item of the user interface has a corresponding set of I3ML data which the player module employs to display it. Upon a user interacting with the interface item, the system is configured to perform an action associated with the interface item, without performing any other action corresponding to the user interface.

Claims

1. A system for generating, on a user terminal, a user interface having at least two interface items, wherein:

said system is configured to store at least two sets of data each corresponding to said interface items, wherein a first said set of data includes data for generating and controlling the performance of an operation associated with a first of said interface items, and a second said set of data includes data for generating and controlling the performance of an operation associated with a second of said interface items such that when a user interacts with said first interface item, said system is configured to perform said action associated with said first interface item, independent of said second interface item and without performing any other action corresponding to said user interface.

2. The system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said set of data comprises:

object data for displaying at least one interface item;

action data associating an action with said interface item; and

event data for associating said action data with an event, wherein upon a user performing said event, said system is configured to perform said action associated with said event for said at least one interface item.

3. The system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said set of data is stored and transmitted in an XML syntax.

4. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said system further comprises a player module, said player module configured to receive said set of data corresponding to said at least one interface item and to generate said at least one interface item on said user interface.

5. The system in accordance with claim 4, wherein said system further comprises a server, said server configured to transmit a first part of said set of data to display at least one of said interface items on said user interface, and to transmit a second part of said set of data in order to control said operation of said at least one of said interface items upon a user interacting with said interface item.

6. The system in accordance with claim 5, wherein said set of data comprises a name of a server, said server storing data to be employed by said player module to modify at least one of said interface item when said user interacts with said interface item.

7. The system in accordance with claim 6, wherein said stream of data comprises a name of a file, said file storing data to be employed by said player module to modify at least on of said interface item when said user interacts with said interface item.

8. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein said player module wherein said set of data corresponding to each one of said plurality of interface items is transmitted in XML syntax.

9. The system in accordance with claim 4, wherein said server further comprises an XSL transform module coupled to said player to receive data corresponding to a user interaction with at least one of said interface item.

10. The system in accordance with claim 9, wherein said XSL transform module is configured to transform said user interaction data into XML syntax.

11. The system in accordance with claim 10, wherein said XSL transform module is coupled to at least one connector.

12. The system in accordance with claim 11, wherein at least one of said connectors is coupled to a data source.

13. The system in accordance with claim 12, wherein at least one of said connectors is configured to convert said user interaction data in XML syntax into a data request having a format which is employed by said data source.

14. The system as claimed in claim 4 further comprising a designer module for creating said user interface, said designer module having

a plurality of interface item icons selectable by a user;

a first window for receiving at least one selected interface item icon in a position selected by said user;

a second window for enabling said user to associate with said selected interface item icon an action;

a processing module for generating a set of data corresponding to an interface item corresponding to said selected interface item icon and for transmitting said set of data to said server for storage.

15. The system as claimed in claim 14, wherein wherein said designer module enables a user to position interface items on said user interface, wherein said interface items of said user interface are arranged so-as to substantially resemble a typical interface of a commercially available software so that said user interface allows said user to interact with said commercially available software, located on a server, using similar interfaces.

16. The system as claimed in claim 4, further comprising:

a user terminal having a web browser configured to provide, on a user interface, a web page to a user, said web page having a plurality of interface items, said server configured to store for each of said interface items a set of data, said server configured to transmit a first part of said set of data to display said interface item on said user interface, and to transmit a second part of said set of data in order to control said interface item upon a user interacting with said interface item.

17. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said set of data further comprises event data for associating at least one of said interface items with an event.

18. The system in accordance with claim 17,wherein said set of data further comprises action data for associating an event of at least one of said interface items with an action.

19. The system in accordance with claim 18, wherein system performs said action when said event occurs.

20. The system in accordance with claim 19, wherein said event is associated with an action group.

21. The system in accordance with claim 20 wherein said action group is sequential.

22. The system in accordance with claim 21, wherein said system performs each said action of said action group one after another.

23. The system in accordance with claim 22, wherein said action group is parallel.

24. The system in accordance with claim 23, wherein said system performs at least two actions of said action group simultaneously.

25. The system in accordance with claim 19, wherein said action is a local action.

26. The system in accordance with claim 25, wherein said data corresponding to said local action is stored in a local server and is delivered to said player module for processing at least one of said interface items.

27. The system in accordance with claim 26, wherein said local action comprises a math process.

28. The system in accordance with claim 26, wherein said local action comprises a logic process.

29. The system in accordance with claim 19 wherein said action is a remote action.

30. The system in accordance with claim 11, wherein said set of data further comprises attributes of one of said interface items.

31. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said system enables a user to perform a new function with data stored in a database, wherein one of said interface items corresponds to an item of data stored in said database;

and wherein a processing module enables a designer to associate an action to be performed on said item of data when an event occurs, wherein said action provides a function which said database was not previously able to perform.