Sidebar engine, object model and schema

• US 7,644,391 B2
• Filed: 08/18/2005
• Issued: 01/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Erickson, Paul, Amadio, Louis, Teutsch, Brian, Fisher, Oliver
• Primary Examiner(s): Bullock, Jr.; Lewis A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yun; Carina
• Application Number:
  US11/206,095
• Publication Number:
  US 20070044029A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,601 Days
• Field of Search: 717104-105, 717/115, 715762-763, 715/779
• US Class Current: 717/109
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45512 Command shells

Abstract

An engine is provided for displaying an application for hosting a second application. The hosting application can be a sidebar on a display. The engine can contain a part or program which can include a manifest file, a definition file and/or a script file. The manifest file may contain a pointer to at least one of the definition file and the script file. The engine may also contain a loader that can locate the definition file and/or script file (e.g., via pointers in the manifest file) and load the definition file and/or script files of the part for processing. The engine may also execute script associated with the part and convert an object model into a user interface which can be displayed at a predetermined location on a display or docked onto a sidebar. The user interface can further be manipulated or relocated within the sidebar or removed (i.e., undocked) from the sidebar. The sidebar may be exploded or imploded with the corresponding parts on the sidebar displayed on the desktop or another application (exploded) or returned to the sidebar (imploded).

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a memory storing computer readable instructions and data for use with a host user interface associated with a host application, said memory comprising;

a definition data file defining an object model corresponding to a secondary user interface associated with a stand-alone gadget, said gadget providing real-time information via the secondary user interface, said secondary user interface being rendered within the host user interface;

a script data file containing executable computer code defining actions corresponding to the secondary user interface;

a loader component module passing the definition data file to a program parser module and passing the script data file to a script engine;

the program parser module performing the steps of;

a) creating the object model of the secondary user interface based on the definition data file;

b) converting the object model to the secondary user interface for display; and

c) passing the object model to the script engine module;

a settings module, accessible to the script engine module, for customization of the secondary user interface;

the script engine module performing the stops of;

a) parsing the script data file;

b) creating and executing a script based on the parsing of the script data file, accessible configuration settings, and received object model; and

c) configuring the display of the secondary user interface based on the execution of the script.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a system object model containing procedures corresponding to the object model and information on characteristics of the object model.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein a plurality of instances of the gadget are rendered within the host user interface, said system further comprising a settings object model for storing, for each instance of the gadget rendered within the host user interface, the definition data file, the script file, and a manifest file of the gadget, said manifest file comprising gadget metadata and further comprising pointers to the definition data file and the script file of the gadget.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the program parser module injects the system object model and the object model into the script engine.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the script file is hooked up to the object model.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the object model fires an event and execution of the script file accomplishes the event.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising a user display comprising:

the host user interface; and

the secondary user interface rendered within the host user interface.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the user display further comprises a third user interface corresponding to a part picker, the secondary user interface of the gadget being rendered within the third user interface.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein selection of the gadget via the third user interface causes the gadget to be rendered within the host user interface.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the host user interface comprises a sidebar.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the gadget is docked onto the sidebar.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the computer-readable instructions further comprise a pointer file containing a pointer to the definition data file and to the script file.

13. A method for providing real-time information via a secondary user interface of a stand-alone gadget application within a host user interface of a host application, said host user interface being rendered on a display, said method comprising:

providing a first pointer, the first pointer indicating a file path to a location of one of a file or a directory;

searching the location indicated by the first pointer for a pointer file containing at least a second pointer indicating the location of at least one of a definition file and a script file, the definition file containing computer code defining an object model corresponding to the secondary user interface associated with the stand-alone gadget application, said gadget application providing real-time information via the secondary user interface, said secondary user interface being rendered within the host user interface, and the script file containing computer code defining actions corresponding to the secondary user interface;

creating a representation of an object model corresponding to the definition file if the second pointer indicates the location of the definition file;

providing real-time display of information via the secondary user interface, wherein providing the display comprises;

providing a loader component module passing the definition file to a program parser module and passing the script data file to a script engine;

the program parser module performing the steps of;

a) creating the object model of the secondary user interface based on the definition file;

b) converting the object model into the secondary user interface for display; and

c) passing the object model to the script engine module;

providing a settings module, accessible to the script engine module, for customization of the secondary user interface; and

the script engine module performing the steps of;

a) parsing the script data file;

b) creating and executing a script based on the parsing of the script data file, accessible configuration settings, and received object model; and

c) configuring the display of the secondary user interface based on the execution of the script.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the second pointer indicates the location of the definition file.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the pointer file further contains a third pointer indicating the location of the script file.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising executing the script file to create an event corresponding to the secondary user interface.

17. The method of claim 13 further comprising hooking up the script file to the representation of the object model.