Prototyping graphical user interfaces
First Claim
1. A method in a computing system, the method comprising:
- displaying a visual representation of a prototype GUI;
generating the prototype GUI by,receiving first information about a visual appearance of a first prototype GUI element;
creating a first proxy GUI object to represent the first prototype GUI element, the created first proxy GUI object comprising the first visual appearance information;
receiving second information about a visual appearance of a second prototype GUI element;
creating a second proxy GUI object to represent the second prototype GUI element, the created second proxy GUI object comprising the second visual appearance information;
updating the displayed visual representation of the prototype GUI to include;
a visual representation of the first prototype GUI element that is based on the first visual appearance information from the created first proxy GUI object and that includes one or more placeholders for data from a first of a plurality of data sources;
a visual representation of the second prototype GUI element that is based on the second visual appearance information from the created second proxy GUI object and that includes one or more placeholders for data from a second of the plurality of data sources, wherein the first and second data sources are distinct from each other;
generating first and second actual GUI objects that correspond to the first and second proxy GUI objects, respectively, wherein the first and second actual GUI objects comprise the first and second visual appearance information from the first and second proxy GUI objects, respectively;
modifying the first and second actual GUI objects to include first and second specifications, respectively, of the first and second data sources, respectively; and
displaying an actual GUI in such a manner as to include first and second actual GUI elements corresponding to the first and second actual GUI objects, respectively, wherein the first and second actual GUI elements are displayed based on the first and second visual appearance information, respectively, from the first and second actual GUI objects, respectively, and wherein the first and second actual GUI elements comprise first and second visual representations, respectively, of data from the first and second data sources, respectively, so that the displayed actual GUI has a visual appearance similar to the updated displayed visual representation of the prototype GUI in addition to visual representation of data from the first and second data sources.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method, system, and computer-readable medium is described for creating a prototype GUI for conversion into an actual GUI whose appearance when displayed matches the appearance of the prototype GUI. In some situations, multiple personnel may participate in the process, such as a non-technical GUI designer that specifies the prototype GUI appearance information and a technical GUI developer that specifies various non-appearance information for a corresponding actual GUI. A prototype GUI is first created based on layout and other appearance information specified for various GUI elements, and corresponding proxy GUI objects are generated that store appearance information but not various non-appearance information used as part of an actual GUI. Proxy GUI objects for a prototype GUI can then be converted into actual GUI objects for use with an actual GUI, and various non-appearance information can be specified for the actual GUI objects in various ways.
40 Citations
12 Claims
-
1. A method in a computing system, the method comprising:
-
displaying a visual representation of a prototype GUI; generating the prototype GUI by, receiving first information about a visual appearance of a first prototype GUI element; creating a first proxy GUI object to represent the first prototype GUI element, the created first proxy GUI object comprising the first visual appearance information;
receiving second information about a visual appearance of a second prototype GUI element;creating a second proxy GUI object to represent the second prototype GUI element, the created second proxy GUI object comprising the second visual appearance information; updating the displayed visual representation of the prototype GUI to include; a visual representation of the first prototype GUI element that is based on the first visual appearance information from the created first proxy GUI object and that includes one or more placeholders for data from a first of a plurality of data sources; a visual representation of the second prototype GUI element that is based on the second visual appearance information from the created second proxy GUI object and that includes one or more placeholders for data from a second of the plurality of data sources, wherein the first and second data sources are distinct from each other; generating first and second actual GUI objects that correspond to the first and second proxy GUI objects, respectively, wherein the first and second actual GUI objects comprise the first and second visual appearance information from the first and second proxy GUI objects, respectively; modifying the first and second actual GUI objects to include first and second specifications, respectively, of the first and second data sources, respectively; and displaying an actual GUI in such a manner as to include first and second actual GUI elements corresponding to the first and second actual GUI objects, respectively, wherein the first and second actual GUI elements are displayed based on the first and second visual appearance information, respectively, from the first and second actual GUI objects, respectively, and wherein the first and second actual GUI elements comprise first and second visual representations, respectively, of data from the first and second data sources, respectively, so that the displayed actual GUI has a visual appearance similar to the updated displayed visual representation of the prototype GUI in addition to visual representation of data from the first and second data sources. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. A computer readable memory that stores instructions executable by a computer system, wherein the computer system implements a method in response to executing the instructions, the method comprising:
-
displaying a visual representation of a prototype GUI; generating the prototype GUI by, receiving first information about a visual appearance of a first prototype GUI element; creating a first proxy GUI object to represent the first prototype GUI element, the created first proxy GUI object comprising the first visual appearance information;
receiving second information about a visual appearance of a second prototype GUI element;creating a second proxy GUI object to represent the second prototype GUI element, the created second proxy GUI object comprising the second visual appearance information; updating the displayed visual representation of the prototype GUI to include; a visual representation of the first prototype GUI element that is based on the first visual appearance information from the created first proxy GUI object and that includes one or more placeholders for data from a first of a plurality of data sources; a visual representation of the second prototype GUI element that is based on the second visual appearance information from the created second proxy GUI object and that includes one or more placeholders for data from a second of the plurality of data sources, wherein the first and second data sources are distinct from each other; generating first and second actual GUI objects that correspond to the first and second proxy GUI objects, respectively, wherein the first and second actual GUI objects comprise the first and second visual appearance information from the first and second proxy GUI objects, respectively; modifying the first and second actual GUI objects to include first and second specifications, respectively, of the first and second data sources, respectively; and displaying an actual GUI in such a manner as to include first and second actual GUI elements corresponding to the first and second actual GUI objects, respectively, wherein the first and second actual GUI elements are displayed based on the first and second visual appearance information, respectively, from the first and second actual GUI objects, respectively, and wherein the first and second actual GUI elements comprise first and second visual representations, respectively, of data from the first and second data sources, respectively, so that the displayed actual GUI has a visual appearance similar to the updated displayed visual representation of the prototype GUI in addition to visual representation of data from the first and second data sources. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
Specification