Layered graphical user interface
First Claim
1. A method for producing a graphical user interface of an application program, the method comprising:
- storing a graphic file created by a multi-layered type computer program, the graphic file containing a list of control objects, wherein each control object is in at least one layer, dictates at least one attribute of a control element, is editable by a user, and is independently editable relative to a different control object, wherein each of a plurality of the control objects is in a different layer, wherein each layer, when presented on a user interface used to create or edit the graphics file, appears as a series of transparent overlays of the layers on the user interface, and wherein each layer contains an image of the user interface of the application program; and
creating an application program other than the multi-layered type computer program to access the graphic file and to display a control element from the graphic file on the graphical user interface of the application program, the control element having at least one attribute dictated by one of the control objects in the at least one layer of the graphic file.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of creating a graphical user interface having control(s) to direct any task through a computer system is provided. One application of the user interface is for manipulating a time based stream of information to create a presentation. The methods use a layered graphic file that is accessed by an application program to generate the user interface. Each layer of the graphic file contains a control object to an element of the user interface. The control objects are capable of being revised in order to make alterations to the user interface. Other aspects of the present invention relating to the graphical user interface are also described.
-
Citations
39 Claims
-
1. A method for producing a graphical user interface of an application program, the method comprising:
-
storing a graphic file created by a multi-layered type computer program, the graphic file containing a list of control objects, wherein each control object is in at least one layer, dictates at least one attribute of a control element, is editable by a user, and is independently editable relative to a different control object, wherein each of a plurality of the control objects is in a different layer, wherein each layer, when presented on a user interface used to create or edit the graphics file, appears as a series of transparent overlays of the layers on the user interface, and wherein each layer contains an image of the user interface of the application program; and creating an application program other than the multi-layered type computer program to access the graphic file and to display a control element from the graphic file on the graphical user interface of the application program, the control element having at least one attribute dictated by one of the control objects in the at least one layer of the graphic file. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A computer system comprising:
-
a storage; a display device; and a processor coupled to the display device and the storage for; storing a graphic file created by a multi-layered type computer program, the graphic file containing a list of control objects, wherein each control object is in at least one layer, dictates at least one attribute of a control element, is editable by a user, and is independently editable relative to a different control object, wherein each of a plurality of the control objects is in a different layer, wherein each layer, when presented on a user interface used to create or edit the graphics file, appears as a series of transparent overlays of the layers on the user interface, and wherein each layer contains an image of the user interface of the application program; and creating an application program other than the multi-layered type computer program to access the graphic file and to display a control element from the graphic file on a graphical user interface of the application program, the control element having at least one attribute dictated by one of the control objects in the at least one layer of the graphic file. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A processing system for producing a graphical user interface of an application program, comprising:
-
means for storing a graphic file created by a multi-layered type computer program, the graphic file containing a list of control objects, wherein each control object is in at least one layer, dictates at least one attribute of a control element, is editable by a user, and is independently editable relative to a different control object, wherein each of a plurality of the control objects is in a different layer, wherein each layer, when presented on a user interface used to create or edit the graphics file, appears as a series of transparent overlays of the layers on the user interface, and wherein each layer contains an image of the user interface of the application program; and means for creating an application program other than the multi-layered type computer program to access the graphic file and to display a control element from the graphic file on the graphical user interface of the application program, the control element having at least one attribute dictated by one of the control objects in the at least one layer of the graphic file. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A machine-readable storage medium having stored executable instructions, which, when executed by a computer system for producing a graphical user interface of an application program, cause the computer system to:
-
store a graphic file created by a multi-layered type computer program, wherein each control object is in at least one layer, dictates at least one attribute of a control element, is editable by a user, and is independently editable relative to a different control object, wherein each of a plurality of the control objects is in a different layer, wherein each layer, when presented on a user interface used to create or edit the graphics file, appears as a series of transparent overlays of the layers on the user interface, and wherein each layer contains an image of the user interface of the application program; and create an application program other than the multi-layered type computer program to access the graphic file and to display a control element from the graphic file on the graphical user interface of the application program, the control element having at least one attribute dictated by one of the control objects in the at least one layer of the graphic file. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. A method for producing a graphical user interface of an application program, the method comprising:
-
creating a graphic file containing a list of layers, wherein each layer dictates at least one attribute of a control element, wherein each layer is editable by a user, and is independently editable relative to a different control object, wherein each of a plurality of the control objects is in a different layer, wherein each layer, when presented on a user interface used to create or edit the graphics file, appears as a series of transparent overlays of the layers on the user interface, and wherein each layer contains an image of the user interface of the application program; creating an application program to access the graphic file and to display a control element from the graphic file on the graphical user interface of the application program, the control element having at least one attribute dictated by one layer of the graphic file; and storing the graphic file and the application program. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
-
-
32. A processing system for producing a graphical user interface of an application program, comprising:
-
means for storing a graphic file containing a list of layers, wherein each layer dictates at least one attribute of a control element, wherein each layer is editable by a user, and is independently editable relative to a different control object, wherein each of a plurality of the control objects is in a different layer, wherein each layer, when presented on a user interface used to create or edit the graphics file, appears as a series of transparent overlays of the layers on the user interface, and wherein each layer contains an image of the user interface of the application program; and means for storing an application program to access the graphic file and to display a control element from the graphic file on the graphical user interface of the application program, the control element having at least one attribute dictated by one layer of the graphic file. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
-
-
36. A machine-readable storage medium having stored executable instructions, which, when executed by a computer system for producing a graphical user interface of an application program, cause the computer system to:
-
store a graphic file containing a list of layers, wherein each layer dictates at least one attribute of a control element, wherein each layer is editable by a user, and is independently editable relative to a different control object, wherein each of a plurality of the control objects is in a different layer, wherein each layer, when presented on a user interface used to create or edit the graphics file, appears as a series of transparent overlays of the layers on the user interface, and wherein each layer contains an image of the user interface of the application program; and store an application program to access the graphic file and to display a control element from the graphic file on the graphical user interface of the application program, the control element having at least one attribute dictated by one layer of the graphic file. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39)
-
Specification