Device user interface XML string table manager

• US 7,797,349 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2007
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kyocera MITA Corporation (Kyocera Corporation), Kyocera Technology Development
• Original Assignee: Kyocera MITA Corporation (Kyocera Corporation), Kyocera Technology Development
• Inventors: Kosaka, Naohiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali; Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUI, THUY T
• Application Number:
  US11/714,469
• Publication Number:
  US 20080222190A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,288 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/100, 707/790, 707/802, 707/805, 707/791, 707/781, 707/783, 707/803
• US Class Current: 707/802
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/454 Multi-language systems; Localisation; Internationalisation

Abstract

A method for managing a user interface (UI) string table, comprising placing a UI string table at a string table management unit; administrator(s) editing the UI string table through an administrator interface of a UI string table manager; and read-only users (ROUs) accessing the UI string table through a ROU interface of the UI string table manager.

The XML-formatted string table manager tool for printers and other devices is used by administrators to maintain the string table and by software and QA engineers to access it, possibly remotely. The result is a more efficient localization process, by eliminating the manual sharing and merging of multiple string tables by the localization team.

Methods also include hierarchical organization into top, language, tab, dialog, and string levels; optional string ID number; add, edit, remove, search features; automatic selection and insertion of hotkey character for a new English and Asian language string; and a string table server to which local copies are synchronized.

Claims

1. A method for providing a user interface (UI) string table management computer system for developing a UI string table for device user interface by a localization team comprising at least one administrator and at least one read-only user (ROU), comprising computer-executed method steps of:

providing a user interface (UI) string table management computer system for developing a UI string table by a localization team comprising at least one administrator and at least one read-only user (ROU), which UI string table management computer system allows each member of the localization team to access a UI string table;

placing the UI string table at a string table management unit, which UI string table comprises a plurality of a string identification number paired with a string;

the at least one administrator editing the UI string table through an administrator interface of the UI string table management computer system; and

the at least one read-only user (ROU) accessing the UI string table through a ROU interface of the UI string table management computer system, wherein the at least one read-only user (ROU)'"'"'s access to the UI string table is controlled by an Access Control unit, which access is restricted to reading and searching the UI string table,

the Access Control unit ensures shared access by both the at least one administrator and the at least one read-only user (ROU), and

the UI string table management computer system presents to the localization team a UI based on the current UI string table for the purpose of localization development process; and

after localization process, a device user interface is presented to an end-user by displaying a string in the device user interface by using the string identification number,

wherein the editing of the UI string table through the UI string table management computer system further comprises enabling the at least one administrator to insert a hotkey associated with a new UI string if necessary, where a hotkey is necessary for new UI strings corresponding to checkboxes, radio buttons, and push buttons, and wherein the inserting a hotkey associated with the new UI string comprises;

for the language of the new UI string, traversing the current UI strings used in the dialog where new UI string will be inserted and saving the hotkeys used in those strings;

comparing, using a microprocessor, the list of saved hotkeys and each of the characters in the new UI string;

picking a character from the new UI string that is not in the list of saved hotkeys; and

adding the chosen character as a hotkey.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the UI string table is hierarchically formatted to enable organization into at least one top level, having at least one tab child level, optionally having at least one dialog child level, containing at least one UI string, and wherein the at least one top level comprises at least one language level that specifies the language of the at least one UI string.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the UI string table is XML formatted optionally with an identification number for each node.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the editing of the UI string table through a UI string table management computer system comprises:

adding a new string to the UI string table;

editing an existing string in the UI string table;

removing an existing string from the UI string table; and

searching within the UI string table.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the inserting a hotkey associated with the new UI string comprises:

for the new UI string in an Asian language, going to the English string table within the UI string table and searching the string by string ID to find the English UI string corresponding to the new UI string in the Asian language; and

if a hotkey is available in English UI string, then saving that hotkey character, and then copying the saved hotkey character to be associated with the new UI string in the Asian language.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the string table management unit is a remote server, and upon editing of a local copy of the UI string table at a client, the changes are copied and synchronized to the UI string table at the remote server.

7. A computing system for providing a user interface (UI) string table management computer system for developing a UI string table for device user interface by a localization team comprising at least one administrator and at least one read-only user (ROU), comprising:

providing a user interface (UI) string table management computer system for developing a UI string table by a localization team comprising at least one administrator and at least one read-only user (ROU), which UI string table management computer system allows each member of the localization team to access a UI string table;

placing the UI string table at a string table management unit, which UI string table comprises a plurality of a string identification number paired with a string;

the at least one administrator editing the UI string table through an administrator interface of the UI string table management computer system; and

the at least one read-only user (ROU) accessing the UI string table through a ROU interface of the UI string table management computer system, wherein the at least one read-only user (ROU)'"'"'s access to the UI string table is controlled by an Access Control unit, which access is restricted to reading and searching the UI string table,

the Access Control unit ensures shared access by both the at least one administrator and the at least one read-only user (ROU), and

the UI string table management computer system presents to the localization team a UI based on the current UI string table for the purpose of localization development process; and

after localization process, a device user interface is presented to an end-user by displaying a string in the device user interface by using the string identification number,

wherein the editing of the UI string table through the UI string table management computer system further comprises enabling the at least one administrator to insert a hotkey associated with a new UI string if necessary, where a hotkey is necessary for new UI strings corresponding to checkboxes, radio buttons, and push buttons, and wherein the inserting a hotkey associated with the new UI string comprises;

for the language of the new UI string, traversing the current UI strings used in the dialog where new UI string will be inserted and saving the hotkeys used in those strings;

comparing, using a microprocessor, the list of saved hotkeys and each of the characters in the new UI string;

picking a character from the new UI string that is not in the list of saved hotkeys; and

adding the chosen character as a hotkey.

8. The computing system of claim 7, wherein the UI string table is XML formatted optionally with an identification number for each node, wherein the UI string table is hierarchically formatted to enable organization into at least one top level, having at least one tab child level, optionally having at least one dialog child level, containing at least one UI string, and wherein the at least one top level comprises at least one language level that specifies the language of the at least one UI string.

9. The computing system of claim 7, wherein the editing of the UI string table through a UI string table management computer system comprises:

adding a new string to the UI string table;

editing an existing string in the UI string table;

removing an existing string from the UI string table; and

searching within the UI string table.

10. The computing system of claim 7, wherein the inserting a hotkey associated with the new UI string comprises:

for the new UI string in an Asian language, going to the English string table within the UI string table and searching the string by string ID to find the English UI string corresponding to the new UI string in the Asian language; and

if a hotkey is available in English UI string, then saving that hotkey character, and then copying the saved hotkey character to be associated with the new UI string in the Asian language.

11. The computing system of claim 7, wherein the string table management unit is a remote server, and upon editing of a local copy of the UI string table at a client, the changes are copied and synchronized to the UI string table at the remote server.

12. A computer program product in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for providing a user interface (UI) string table management system for developing a UI string table for device user interface by a localization team comprising at least one administrator and the at least one read-only user (ROU), comprising machine-readable code for causing a machine to perform the method steps of:

providing a user interface (UI) string table management computer system for developing a UI string table by a localization team comprising at least one administrator and at least one read-only user (ROU), which UI string table management computer system allows each member of the localization team to access a UI string table;

placing the UI string table at a string table management unit, which UI string table comprises a plurality of a string identification number paired with a string;

the at least one administrator editing the UI string table through an administrator interface of the UI string table management computer system; and

the at least one read-only user (ROU) accessing the UI string table through a ROU interface of the UI string table management computer system, wherein the at least one read-only user (ROU)'"'"'s access to the UI string table is controlled by an Access Control unit, which access is restricted to reading and searching the UI string table,

the Access Control unit ensures shared access by both the at least one administrator and the at least one read-only user (ROU), and

the UI string table management computer system presents to the localization team a UI based on the current UI string table for the purpose of localization development process; and

after localization process, a device user interface is presented to an end-user by displaying a string in the device user interface by using the string identification number,

wherein the editing of the UI string table through the UI string table management computer system further comprises enabling the at least one administrator to insert a hotkey associated with a new UI string if necessary, where a hotkey is necessary for new UI strings corresponding to checkboxes, radio buttons, and push buttons, and wherein the inserting a hotkey associated with the new UI string comprises;

for the language of the new UI string, traversing the current UI strings used in the dialog where new UI string will be inserted and saving the hotkeys used in those strings;

comparing, using a microprocessor, the list of saved hotkeys and each of the characters in the new UI string;

picking a character from the new UI string that is not in the list of saved hotkeys; and

adding the chosen character as a hotkey.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the UI string table is XML formatted optionally with an identification number for each node, wherein the UI string table is hierarchically formatted to enable organization into at least one top level, having at least one tab child level, optionally having at least one dialog child level, containing at least one UI string, and wherein the at least one top level comprises at least one language level that specifies the language of the at least one UI string.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the editing of the UI string table through a UI string table management computer system comprises:

adding a new string to the UI string table;

editing an existing string in the UI string table;

removing an existing string from the UI string table; and

searching within the UI string table.

15. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the inserting a hotkey associated with the new UI string comprises:

for the new UI string in an Asian language, going to the English string table within the UI string table and searching the string by string ID to find the English UI string corresponding to the new UI string in the Asian language; and

if a hotkey is available in English UI string, then saving that hotkey character, and then copying the saved hotkey character to be associated with the new UI string in the Asian language.

16. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the string table management unit is a remote server, and upon editing of a local copy of the UI string table at a client, the changes are copied and synchronized to the UI string table at the remote server.