Methods and systems for extending existing user interfaces

• US 7,823,070 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2003
• Issued: 10/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Business Innovation Corp. (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Carter, Scott, Murphy, Paul, Helfman, Jonathan, Denoue, Laurent, Churchill, Elizabeth F., Nelson, Lester D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore; William L
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zahr; Ashraf
• Application Number:
  US10/739,186
• Publication Number:
  US 20050138614A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,503 Days
• Field of Search: 715744-747, 715/825, 715/861
• US Class Current: 715/747
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Methods and systems that can be used to dynamically restructure user interfaces into a set of communicating processes. The methods and systems update new and wrapped legacy user interface components for repurposing of user interfaces. The methods and systems provide for changing one or more of at least an appearance, a behavior, and a state or condition of the user interfaces.

Claims

1. A method of restructuring a user interface component of a first computer application, the method comprising:

providing a second computer application;

the second computer application dynamically injecting a functionality into a first layer in the user interface component of the first computer application;

the second computer application communicating an event to a controlling process used in at least the first layer; and

performing an action in the first layer based on the communicated event,

wherein the second computer application uses the injecting and communicating to control operation of the first computer application, and

wherein multi-directionally communicating processes are created by the second computer application by inserting application level repurposing communication protocols into the user interface component of the first computer application;

wherein the repurposing communication protocols override communication protocols of the user interface component of a first computer application, thereby enabling the second computer application to perform an action in the first layer based on the communicated event through the repurposing communication protocols.

2. The method according to claim 1, the controlling process restructuring at least one of an appearance, a functionality and a condition of at least the first layer.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising indicating to a second layer, a change of the condition of the at least the first layer.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said indicating is performed in an automated manner.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the second layer comprises a branding layer.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein an action is performed in the second layer in response to the change of the condition of the at least the first layer.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the action performed in the second layer is the same as the action performed in the first layer.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first layer comprises a content layer.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said communicating is performed in an automated manner.

10. A system for displaying information including a plurality of layers on a display, comprising:

a display for displaying information;

a first layer application receiving first document data and rendering a first layer of the plurality of layers based on first information, the first layer data comprising at least one user interface component codes, the first layer application rendering the first layer including a user interface component corresponding to the at least one user interface component codes and a first user action data being generated by the user'"'"'s action to the user interface component;

a second layer application receiving second layer data, the second layer application rendering a second layer of the plurality of layers based on second information;

a controller communicating with the first layer application and the second layer application;

the controller dynamically generating the first layer by expanding or augmenting original layer data using a first protocol, the first layer application rendering an original layer including one or more existing user interface components of the original layer data using a first protocol, the first protocol differing from a second protocol by which the second layer application renders the second layer,

wherein the controller sending the first layer data to the first layer application;

wherein the controller receives the first user action data;

wherein the controller performs an action based on the user data; and

wherein the controller transmits the second layer data to the second layer application, the second layer data being generated based on the action;

wherein the expanding or the augmenting of the original layer data further comprises;

at least one of adding, removing, or modifying the code of the at least one user interface component codes;

at least one of adding, removing, or modifying components of a content displayed in the one or more existing user interface components,

manipulating within the one or more existing user interface components of one or more of at least a scripting language, a macro, a parameter and a configuration information,

at least one of;

adding or modifying communication of events occurring within a first layer of the one or more existing user interface components to the second layer,

redefinition of existing data structures within the first layer,

incorporation of new data structures within the first layer,

removal of data structures within the first layer,

redefinition of existing functionality within the first layer,

incorporation of new functionality within the first layer, and

removal of functionality within the first layer,

wherein the first and second layer applications are document browsers and the first and second layers are overlapped on the display.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the second layer data further comprises at least one of second user interface component codes, the second layer application further comprises a user interface component corresponding to the at least one of the second user interface component codes and a second user action data being generated by the user'"'"'s action to the second user interface component, and the controller generates the first layer data based on the second user action data, and wherein the controller facilitates multi-directionally communication between the first and the second layer application.

12. A method for displaying information by utilizing a plurality of layers on a display, comprising:

receiving first layer data;

utilizing a first layer application to render a first layer of the plurality of layers based on first information, the first layer data comprising at least one user interface component codes, the first layer application rendering the first layer including a user interface component corresponding to the at least one user interface component codes and a first user action data being generated by the user'"'"'s action to the user interface component;

receiving second layer data;

utilizing a second layer application to render a second layer of the plurality of layers based on second information;

communicating with the first layer application and the second layer application through a controller;

dynamically generating the first layer by expanding or augmenting original layer data using a first protocol,

utilizing the first layer application to render an original layer including one or more existing user interface components of the original layer data using a first protocol, the first protocol differing from a second protocol by which the second layer application renders the second layer,

sending the first layer data to the first layer application via the controller;

receiving the first user action data via the controller;

performing an action based on the user data via the controller; and

transmitting the second layer data to the second layer application via the controller, the second layer data being generated based on the action

wherein the expanding or the augmenting of the original layer data further comprises;

at least one of adding, removing, or modifying the code of the at least one user interface component codes;

at least one of adding, removing, or modifying components of a content displayed in the one or more existing user interface components,

manipulating within the one or more existing user interface components of one or more of at least a scripting language, a macro, a parameter and a configuration information,

at least one of;

adding or modifying communication of events occurring within a first layer of the one or more existing user interface components to the second layer,

redefinition of existing data structures within the first layer,

incorporation of new data structures within the first layer,

removal of data structures within the first layer,

redefinition of existing functionality within the first layer,

incorporation of new functionality within the first layer, and

removal of functionality within the first layer;

wherein the first and second layer applications are document browsers and the first and second layers are overlapped on the display.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the second layer data further comprises at least one of second user interface component codes, the second layer application further comprises a user interface component corresponding to the at least one of the second user interface component codes and a second user action data being generated by the user'"'"'s action to the second user interface component, and further comprising:

generating the first layer data based on the second user action data;

facilitating multi-directionally communication between the first and the second layer application.