Method and apparatus for customizing presentation of notification lists

• US 8,244,796 B1
• Filed: 05/31/2005
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adobe Inc.
• Original Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated (Adobe Inc.)
• Inventors: James, Barnaby, Petersen, Scott E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Salad, Abdullahi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Jimmy H
• Application Number:
  US11/141,733
• Time in Patent Office: 2,632 Days
• Field of Search: 715/762, 715/764, 715/234, 715/243, 709/203, 709/206, 709/217, 709/219
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display

Abstract

Embodiments for customizing the presentation of a notification list are disclosed. In one example implementation, a method is provided for assembling a notification list including a plurality of tags to specify at least in part how the notification list is to be displayed by a client, and then causing the notification list to be transmitted to the client. In one example implementation, a method is provided including receiving, by a client, a notification list, where the notification list includes a plurality of tags to specify at least in part how the notification list is to be displayed, and causing the notification list to be displayed by the client in a manner specified at least in part by the plurality of tags.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

executing instructions on an electronic device to;

assemble, at an RSS publisher, a notification list including a plurality of tags to specify at least in part how the notification list is to be displayed by an RSS notification list aggregator residing on a client, wherein the plurality of tags includes at least different types of tags including;

a tag to directly specify how at least an associated portion of the notification list is to be displayed as a grouping of elements, a sorting of elements, or as an association with an icon; and

another tag to directly specify a user interface driver file to utilize to perform one or more functions for displaying the notification list,

wherein the user interface driver file comprises executable instructions to cause performing of one or more functions for enabling the notification list to be displayed, and wherein the specified user interface driver file is provided to the client separate from the notification list provided by the RSS publisher; and

initiate transmission of the notification list to the client.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising executing the instructions on the electronic device to assemble a notification list including a plurality of items, wherein one or more of the plurality of tags specifies how to group one or more of the plurality of items if displayed by the client.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising executing the instructions on the electronic device to assemble a notification list including a plurality of items, wherein one or more of the plurality of tags specifies an icon to be displayed by the client in association with one or more of the plurality of items.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the specified user interface driver comprises a JavaScript file.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising executing the instructions on the electronic device to transmit an RSS feed.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising executing the instructions on the electronic device to implement the plurality of tags as extensions to an RSS standard using XML namespace elements.

38. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more functions are performed using the specified user interface driver if the one or more functions can be performed at the client using the specified user interface driver, and wherein the one or more functions are performed using another user interface driver associated with the client if the one or more functions can not be performed at the client using the specified user interface driver.

42. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface driver is updated periodically.

7. A method, comprising:

executing instructions on an electronic device to;

receive a notification list from an RSS publisher, the notification list including a plurality of tags to specify at least in part how the notification list is to be displayed by an RSS notification list aggregator residing on a client, wherein the plurality of tags includes at least different types of tags including;

a tag to directly specify how at least an associated portion of the notification list is to be displayed as a grouping of elements, a sorting of elements, or as an association with an icon; and

another tag to directly specify a user interface driver file to utilize to perform one or more functions for displaying the notification list,

wherein the user interface driver file comprises executable instructions to cause performing of one or more functions for enabling the notification list to be displayed, and wherein the specified user interface driver file is provided to the client separate from the notification list provided by the RSS publisher; and

initiate display the notification list, by the client, in a manner specified at least in part by the plurality of tags.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising executing the instructions on the electronic device to receive a notification list including a plurality of items, and further comprising executing the instructions on the electronic device to group one or more of the plurality of items in a manner specified by one or more of the plurality of tags.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising executing the instructions on the electronic device to receive a notification list including a plurality of items, and further comprising executing the instructions on the electronic device to associate an icon with one or more of the items in a manner specified by one or more of the plurality of tags.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the specified user interface driver comprises a JavaScript file.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising executing the instructions on the electronic device to receive an RSS feed.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising executing the instructions on the electronic device to implement the tags as extensions to an RSS standard using XML namespace elements.

39. The method of claim 7, wherein the one or more functions are performed using the specified user interface driver if the one or more functions can be performed at the client using the specified user interface driver, and wherein the one or more functions are performed using another user interface driver associated with the client if the one or more functions can not be performed at the client using the specified user interface driver.

43. The method of claim 7, receiving an updated user interface driver file periodically.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that in response to being executed by a processor, at least in part direct the processor to:

assemble, at an RSS publisher, a notification list including a plurality of tags to specify at least in part how the notification list is to be displayed by an RSS notification list aggregator residing on a client, wherein the plurality of tags includes at least different types of tags including;

a tag to directly specify how at least an associated portion of the notification list is to be displayed as a grouping of elements, a sorting of elements, or as an association with an icon; and

another tag to directly specify a user interface driver file to utilize to perform one or more functions for displaying the notification list,

wherein the user interface driver file comprises executable instructions to cause performing of one or more functions for enabling the notification list to be displayed, and wherein the specified user interface driver file is provided to the client separate from the notification list provided by the RSS publisher; and

initiate transmission of the notification list to the client.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions, in response to being executed by the processor, at least in part direct the processor to assemble the notification list by assembling a notification list including a plurality of items, and wherein one or more of the plurality of tags specifies how to group one or more of the plurality of items when displayed.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions, in response to being executed by the processor, at least in part direct the processor to assemble the notification list by assembling a notification list including a plurality of items, and wherein one or more of the plurality of tags specifies an icon to be displayed in association with one or more of the plurality of items.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the specified user interface driver comprises a JavaScript file.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions, in response to being executed by the processor, at least in part direct the processor to transmit a notification list by transmitting an RSS feed.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the plurality of tags are implemented as extensions to an RSS standard using XML namespace elements.

40. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the one or more functions are performed using the specified user interface driver if the one or more functions can be performed at the client using the specified user interface driver, and wherein the one or more functions are performed using another user interface driver associated with the client if the one or more functions can not be performed at the client using the specified user interface driver.

44. The method of claim 16, wherein the user interface driver file is received by the client from a code subscription service residing on the same server as the RSS publisher.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising receiving an updated user interface driver file from the code subscription service.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that in response to being executed by a processor, at least in part direct the processor to:

receive a notification list from an RSS publisher, the notification list including a plurality of tags to specify at least in part how the notification list is to be displayed by an RSS notification list aggregator residing on a client, wherein the plurality of tags includes at least different types of tags including;

a tag to directly specify how at least an associated portion of the notification list is to be displayed as a grouping of elements, a sorting of elements, or as an association with an icon; and

another tag to directly specify a user interface driver file to utilize to perform one or more functions for displaying the notification list,

wherein the user interface driver file comprises executable instructions to cause performing of one or more functions for enabling the notification list to be displayed, and wherein the specified user interface driver file is provided to the client separate from the notification list provided by the RSS publisher; and

initiate display of the notification list by the client.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions, in response to being executed by the processor, at least in part direct the processor to receive the notification list by receiving a notification list including a plurality of items, and wherein the instructions, if in response to being executed by the processor, at least in part direct the processor to group one or more of the plurality of items in a manner specified by one or more of the plurality of tags.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions, in response to being executed by the processor, at least in part direct the processor to receive the notification list by receiving a notification list including a plurality of items, and wherein the instructions, in response to being executed by the processor, at least in part direct the processor to associate an icon with one or more of the items in a manner specified by one or more of the plurality of tags.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the specified user interface driver comprises a JavaScript file.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions, in response to being executed by the processor, at least in part direct the processor to receive a notification list by receiving an RSS feed.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the tags are implemented as extensions to an RSS standard using XML namespace elements.

41. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the one or more functions are performed using the specified user interface driver if the one or more functions can be performed at the client using the specified user interface driver, and wherein the one or more functions are performed using another user interface driver associated with the client if the one or more functions can not be performed at the client using the specified user interface driver.

25. A method, comprising:

executing instructions on an electronic device to;

receive, by a client and from a user interface driver provider, a user interface driver file, wherein the user interface driver file comprises executable instructions for performing one or more functions for displaying at least a portion of a notification list by an RSS notification list aggregator;

receive, by a client and from an RSS publisher, a notification list comprising;

a plurality of items; and

at least different types of tags including;

a tag that directly specifies how at least an associated portion of the notification list is to be displayed as a grouping of at least some items of the plurality of items, a sorting of the at least some items, or as an association with an icon, and

a tag that directly specifies a user interface driver file for performing one or more functions for displaying at least a portion of a notification list by an RSS notification list aggregator,

wherein at least a portion of the user interface driver file is provided to the client separate from the notification list provided by the RSS publisher, and wherein the RSS notification list aggregator resides on the client; and

initiate display of the plurality of items by using at least in part the specified user interface driver and the tag that directly specifies how at least the associated portion of the notification list is to be displayed.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the one or more functions are performed using the specified user interface driver if the one or more functions can be performed at the client using the specified user interface driver, and wherein the one or more functions are performed using another user interface driver associated with the client if the one or more functions can not be performed at the client using the specified user interface driver.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising executing the instructions on the electronic device to perform the user interface function using the specified user interface driver.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising executing the instructions on the electronic device to perform the user interface function using a generic user interface software agent to perform the user interface function if the specified user interface driver is not capable of performing the function.

29. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions that in response to being executed by a processor, at least in part direct the processor to:

receive, by a client and from a user interface driver provider, a user interface driver file, wherein the user interface driver file comprises executable instructions for performing one or more functions for displaying at least a portion of a notification list by an RSS notification list aggregator;

receive, by a client and from an RSS publisher, a notification list comprising;

a plurality of items; and

at least different types of tags including;

a tag that directly specifies how at least an associated portion of the notification list is to be displayed as a grouping of at least some items of the plurality of items, a sorting of the at least some items, or as an association with an icon, and

a tag that directly specifies a user interface driver file for performing one or more functions for displaying at least a portion of a notification list by an RSS notification list aggregator,

wherein at least a portion of the user interface driver file is provided to the client separate from the notification list provided by the RSS publisher, and wherein the RSS notification list aggregator resides on the client; and

initiate display of the plurality of items at least in part by using the specified user interface driver and the tag that directly specifies how at least the associated portion of the notification list is to be displayed.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein the one or more functions are performed using the specified user interface driver if the one or more functions can be performed at the client using the specified user interface driver, and wherein the one or more functions are performed using another user interface driver associated with the client if the one or more functions can not be performed at the client using the specified user interface driver.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein the instructions, in response to being executed by the processor, at least in part direct the processor to perform the user interface function using the specified user interface driver.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein the instructions, in response to being executed by the processor, at least in part direct the processor to perform the user interface function using a generic user interface software agent to perform the user interface function if the specified user interface driver is not capable of performing the function.

33. A method, comprising:

executing instructions on an electronic device to;

receive a notification list from an RSS publisher, the notification list comprising at least an RSS syndication feed, the notification list including a plurality of tags to specify, at least in part, an appearance of items of the notification list on a display of an RSS notification list aggregator residing on a client, wherein the plurality of tags includes at least different types of tags including;

a tag to directly specify how at least an associated portion of the notification list is to be displayed as a grouping of elements, a sorting of elements, or as an association with an icon; and

another tag to directly specify a user interface driver file to utilize to perform one or more functions for enabling the notification list to be displayed,

wherein the user interface driver file comprises executable instructions to cause performing of one or more functions for enabling the notification list to be displayed, and wherein the specified user interface driver file is provided to the client separate from the notification list provided by the RSS publisher; and

initiate display of the notification list by the client using the specified user interface driver in a manner specified at least in part by the plurality of tags.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein at least one of the items comprises at least one of a title, a description, or a URL link.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the appearance of items comprises a customized grouping of the items if displayed by the client.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein the appearance of items comprises at least one icon associated with at least one of the items of the notification list if displayed by the client.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein the one or more functions are performed using the specified user interface driver if the one or more functions can be performed at the client using the specified user interface driver, and wherein the one or more functions are performed using another user interface driver associated with the client if the one or more functions can not be performed at the client using the specified user interface driver.