System and method for generating a graphical user interface (GUI) element

• US 7,761,842 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2004
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Computer Associates Think Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Udler, Arthur
• Primary Examiner(s): Yigdall; Michael J
• Application Number:
  US10/887,764
• Publication Number:
  US 20050010901A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,202 Days
• Field of Search: 717/109
• US Class Current: 717/106
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

In certain embodiments, a method for generating a graphical user interface (GUI) element comprises storing code for each of one or more types of GUI elements and receiving a request to generate a particular type of GUI element, the request comprising one or more parameters. The method further comprises accessing the code for the requested particular type of GUI element and automatically generating a GUI element package based on the code for the requested particular type of GUI element and the one or more parameters of the request.

Claims

1. A system for developing a new graphical user interface (GUI) for use with a software application, comprising:

a memory operable to pre-store;

code for each of one or more types of GUI elements, wherein the pre-stored code includes code for generating a generic GUI element of each of the one or more types of GUI elements, and

one or more scripts associated with at least one of the one or more types of GUI elements; and

one or more processors configured by a GUI generating module to;

receive a request from a GUI developer to generate a new customized GUI element package, the request comprising one or more parameters specified by the GUI developer, wherein the one or more parameters include a GUI element identifier for at least one type of GUI element, at least one display characteristic, and scripting information identifying at least one of the one or more scripts,

access, from the memory, the pre-stored code for each type of GUI element of the one or more parameters and the at least one of the one or more scripts identified by the scripting information,

automatically generate the new customized GUI element package comprising modified code, the modified code comprising the accessed pre-stored code modified based on the at least one display characteristic of the request and the at least one accessed script, and

provide the new customized GUI element package for use with the software application, wherein when compiled and displayed, the GUI element package displays a customized GUI according to the at least one display characteristic and the at least one accessed script.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more parameters of the request further include a data source identifier and a data item identifier, the one or more processors further configured by the GUI generating module to:

initiate a connection to a data source identified by the data source identifier to retrieve data associated with the data item identifier; and

generate the new customized GUI element package based at least in part on the retrieved data, wherein when compiled and displayed, the GUI element package further displays a customized GUI according to the data associated with the data item identifier.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more scripts includes code for performing one or more functions related to the display of the customized GUI, and wherein

display of the customized GUI according to the at least one accessed script includes executing the one or more functions of the code associated with the at least one accessed script.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the request is received from a GUI developer system including a browser for displaying the customized GUI.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein:

the GUI generating module is further operable to initiate communication of the new customized GUI element package to the GUI developer system for display on the browser.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the generated new customized GUI element package is communicated to the GUI developer system in HyperText Markup Language (HTML) format.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the GUI generating module is further operable to initiate the addition of the new customized GUI element package to code for an existing GUI to be displayed on the browser.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the GUI generating module is further operable to communicate the new customized GUI element package the GUI developer system for compiling and display on the browser.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the GUI generating module is further operable to dynamically generate particular types of customized GUI elements in response to a plurality of GUI developer requests to generate particular types of customized GUI elements.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the GUI generating module is further operable to store the generated new customized GUI element package for reuse in response to a request from the same or a different GUI developer, the request comprising the same one or more parameters.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the GUI generating module is operable to:

receive code for generating a customized type of GUI element; and

store the code for the customized type of GUI element in the memory, the code being accessible to the GUI generating module.

12. A computer-implemented method for developing a new graphical user interface (GUI) for use by an end user with a software application, the method operating on one or more computing devices having one or more processors configured to perform operations comprising:

pre-storing code for each of one or more types of GUI elements in a memory, wherein the pre-stored code includes code for generating a generic GUI element of each of the one or more types of GUI elements;

pre-storing one or more scripts associated with at least one of the one or more types of GUI elements;

receiving a request from a GUI developer to generate a new customized GUI element package, the request comprising one or more parameters specified by the GUI developer, the one or more parameters including an identifier for at least one type of GUI element, at least one display characteristic, and scripting information identifying at least one of the one or more scripts;

accessing, from the memory, the pre-stored code for each type of GUI element of the one or more parameters and the at least one of the one or more scripts identified by the scripting information;

automatically generating the new customized GUI element package comprising modified code, the modified code comprising the accessed pre-stored code modified based on the at least one display characteristic of the request and the at least one accessed script; and

provide the new customized GUI element package for use with the software application, wherein when compiled and displayed, the GUI element package displays a customized GUI according to the at least one display characteristic and the at least one accessed script.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the one or more parameters of the request further include a data source identifier and a data item identified and the operations further comprising:

initiating a connection to a data source identified by the data source identifier to retrieve data associated with the data item identifier; and

generating the new customized GUI element package based at least in part on the retrieved data, wherein when compiled and displayed, the GUI element package further displays a customized GUI according to the data associated with the data item identifier.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein each of the one or more scripts includes code for performing one or more functions related to the display of the customized GUI, and wherein display of the customized GUI according to the at least one accessed script includes executing the one or more functions of the code associated with the at least one accessed script.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving the request from a GUI developer system including a browser for displaying the customized GUI.

16. The method of claim 15, the operations further comprising initiating communication of the new customized GUI element package to the user system for display on the browser.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising communicating the generated new customized GUI element package to the GUI developer system in HyperText Markup Language (HTML) format.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising initiating the addition of the new customized GUI element package to code for an existing GUI to be displayed on the browser.

19. The method of claim 12, the operations further comprising initiating communication of the new customized GUI element package the GUI developer system for compiling and display on the browser.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising dynamically generating particular types of customized GUI elements in response to a plurality of GUI developer requests to generate particular types of customized GUI elements.

21. The method of claim 12, further comprising storing the generated new customized GUI element package for reuse in response to a request from the same or a different GUI developer, the request comprising the same one or more parameters.

22. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving code for generating a customized type of GUI element; and

storing the code for the customized type of GUI element in the memory.

23. Software for developing a new graphical user interface (GUI) for use by an end user with a software application, the software being embodied in computer-readable media and when executed operable to:

pre-store code for each of one or more types of GUI elements in a memory, wherein the pre-stored code includes code for generating a generic GUI element of each of the one or more types of GUI elements;

pre-storing one or more scripts associated with at least one of the one or more types of GUI elements;

receive a request from a GUI developer to generate a new customized GUI element package, the request comprising one or more parameters specified by the GUI developer, wherein the one or more parameters include a GUI element identifier for at least one type of GUI element, at least one display characteristic, and scripting information identifying at least one of the one or more scripts;

access, from the memory, the pre-stored code for each type of GUI element of the one or more parameters and the at least one of the one or more scripts identified by the scripting information;

automatically generate the new customized GUI element package comprising modified code, the modified code comprising the accessed pre-stored code modified based on the at least one display characteristic of the request and the at least one accessed script; and

provide the new customized GUI element package for use with the software application, wherein when compiled and displayed, the GUI element package displays a customized GUI according to the at least one display characteristic and the at least one accessed script.

24. The software of claim 23, the one or more parameters of the request further include a data source identifier and a data item identifier and wherein the software is further operable to:

initiate a connection to a data source identified by the data source identifier to retrieve data associated with the data item identifier; and

generate the new customized GUI element package based at least in part on the retrieved data, wherein when compiled and displayed, the GUI element package further displays a customized GUI according to the data associated with the data item identifier.

25. The software of claim 23, wherein each of the one or more scripts includes code for performing one or more functions related to the display of the customized GUI, and wherein display of the customized GUI according to the at least one accessed script includes executing the one or more functions of the code associated with the at least one accessed script.

26. The software of claim 23, wherein the software is further operable to receive the request from a GUI developer system including a browser for displaying the customized GUI.

27. The software of claim 26, wherein the software is further operable to initiate communication of the new customized GUI element package to the GUI developer system for display on the browser.

28. The software of claim 27, wherein the software is further operable to communicate the generated new customized GUI element package to the GUI developer system in HyperText Markup Language (HTML) format.

29. The software of claim 26, wherein the software is further operable to initiate the addition of the new customized GUI element package to code for an existing GUI to be displayed on the browser.

30. The software of claim 23, wherein the software is further operable to initiate communication of the new customized GUI element package the GUI developer system for compiling and display on the browser.

31. The software of claim 23, wherein the software is further operable to dynamically generate particular types of new customized GUI elements in response to a plurality of GUI developer requests to generate particular types of customized GUI elements.

32. The software of claim 23, wherein the software is further operable to store the generated new customized GUI element package for reuse in response to a request from the same or a different GUI developer system, the request comprising the same one or more parameters.

33. The software of claim 23, wherein the software is further operable to:

receive code for generating a customized type of GUI element; and

store the code for the customized type of GUI element in the memory.

34. A system for developing a new graphical user interface (GUI) for use by an end user with a software application, comprising:

a memory that stores;

code for each of one or more types of GUI elements, wherein the stored code includes code for generating a generic GUI element of each of the one or more types of GUI elements; and

one or more processing devices configured to;

receive a request from a GUI developer to generate a new customized GUI element package, the request comprising one or more parameters specified by the GUI developer, wherein the one or more parameters include a GUI element identifier for at least one type of GUI element, at least one display characteristic, and one or more of;

scripting information identifying at least one of the one or more scripts, or

data item information including a data item identifier accompanied by a data source identifier, and

access, from the memory, the pre-stored code for each type of GUI element of the one or more parameters,

access the at least one of the one or more scripts identified by the scripting information when the one or more parameters include scripting information,

initiate a connection to a data source identified by the data source identifier to retrieve data associated with the data item identifier when the one or more parameters include data item information,

generate the new customized GUI element package comprising modified code, the modified code comprising accessed the pre-stored code modified according to the at least one display characteristic of the request, any script identified by scripting information, and any retrieved data, and

provide the new customized GUI element package for use with the software application, wherein when compiled and displayed, the GUI element package displays a customized GUI according to the at least one display characteristic, any script identified by scripting information, and any retrieved data.