Methods and systems for creating skins

• US 7,480,868 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2005
• Issued: 01/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sanborn, Frank G., Novak, Michael J., Olson, Kipley J., Larkin, Kevin P., Nadalin, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong; Stephen S
• Assistant Examiner(s): ABDUL-ALI, OMAR R
• Application Number:
  US11/128,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20050210446A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,348 Days
• Field of Search: 715/763, 715/761, 715/866, 715/746
• US Class Current: 715/746
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces

Abstract

Methods and systems for creating and rendering skins are described. In one described embodiment, a skin-organizing method comprises providing one or more file types that define different aspects of a skin; and organizing the files types using a hierarchical tag-based structure.

Claims

1. A skin-organizing method comprising:

providing one or more file types that define different aspects of a skin, wherein at least one of the file types is associated with at least one image that defines aspects of a skin'"'"'s appearance, wherein the at least one image is selected from a group comprising;

a primary image that can be viewed by a user when the skin is installed, the primary image containing one or more user viewable elements associated with the skin; and

a mapping image to specify skin regions that respond to user input; and

organizing the files types using a hierarchical tag-based structure, wherein the hierarchical tag-based structure comprises;

at least one tag pair containing information that identifies a mapping image, the mapping image having one or more colors, each color defining a region of the mapping image; and

at least one tag pair containing information that establishes a color mapping relationship between one or more user-viewable elements and associated colors in the mapping image,

wherein when the skin is rendered, each color region of the mapping image defines an area of the skin that is dedicated to its associated user-viewable element.

2. The skin-organizing method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the file types is associated with script that provides a skin'"'"'s interactivity.

3. The skin-organizing method of claim 1, wherein the file types permit the skin'"'"'s layout and look to be modified.

4. The skin-organizing method of claim 1, wherein the file types permit the skin'"'"'s functionality and look to be modified.

5. The skin-organizing method of claim 1, wherein the file types permit the skin'"'"'s layout and functionality to be modified.

6. The skin-organizing method of claim 1, wherein the file types permit the skin'"'"'s layout, look, and functionality to be modified.

7. The skin-organizing method of claim 1, wherein said organizing comprises doing so using an XML data structure.