Componentized remote user interface

• US 7,533,099 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2004
• Issued: 05/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Solyanik, Sergey Solyanik, Gray, James Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene; John E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jami; Hares
• Application Number:
  US11/002,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20060123015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,622 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/10, 707/100, 707/200, 709/220, 709/223
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing a componentized remote user interface are disclosed. Such user interfaces are particularly suitable for use in remote configuration of a device, such as a headless device, that is in network communication with a computer. The user interface may be a web page rendered from an HTML file that defines the web page and a separate file that includes script for associating a value with a variable parameter. The HTML file may include a reference to the variable parameter and incorporate the other file therein by reference. When the web page is rendered, the device parses the HTML file to identify the file incorporated therein by reference and substitutes the parameter value provided in the file for the variable included in the HTML file. Thus, the rendered web page may include the actual value of the parameter, and the HTML file need not have the actual value hard-coded therein.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a remote device, the method comprising:

storing on the remote device to be configured, a first file that includes a variable parameter and a value associated with and corresponding to the variable parameter and a second file that includes a reference to the variable parameter of the first file and that incorporates the first file therein by reference, the first file and the second file implemented to configure the remote device;

coupling the remote device to a host computer via a network;

receiving, by the host computer, the first file and the second file from the remote device;

rendering a web page on the host computer based on the received first file and the received second file by obtaining the value corresponding to the variable parameter from the first file and displaying the value according to the second file;

receiving, by the host computer, a user-provided value associated with the variable parameter via the rendered web page;

modifying, by the host computer, the received first file to include the variable parameter and the user-provided value associated with and corresponding to the variable parameter;

storing the modified first file with the user-provided value on the remote device, the user-provided value comprising a configuration parameter to update the configuration state of the remote device;

retrieving, by the remote device, the user-provided value from within the modified first file stored thereat; and

employing by the remote device, the retrieved user-provided value to establish the updated configuration state of the remote device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

modifying the first file to associate the user-provided value with the variable parameter.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

storing the modified first file on the remote device.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

storing the modified first file on the host computer.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving a second user-provided value associated with the parameter via the web page; and

modifying the modified first file to associate the second user-provided value with the variable parameter.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

downloading the modified first file onto the host computer to replace the twice-modified first file;

rendering the web page on the host computer using the modified first file; and

restoring the first user-provided value on the host computer in place of the second user-provided value.