Widget authoring and editing environment
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A computer-implemented method of creating a widget from a template, the widget to be used in a computer system, the method executed by a computer and comprising:
- with the computer system in a normal state of user interaction with software applications and an operating system of the computer system, displaying one or more templates for the widget;
receiving first author input selecting a template from the one or more templates as a basis for the widget;
displaying a set of predetermined attributes for the widget;
receiving second author input selecting one or more predetermined attributes from the set of predetermined attributes;
activating a layer state that allows user interaction with a unified interest layer and the widget, the activation of the layer state thereby temporarily inactivating the normal state of user interaction with the software applications and the operating system of the computer system; and
displaying, within the unified interest layer, the widget incorporating the one or more predetermined attributes.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An authoring environment for creating and/or editing user interface elements such as widgets used in a unified interest layer. The authoring environment facilitates creation of widgets that have a consistent appearance and mechanism, and allows third-party developers to easily create widgets that have a look and feel that is consistent with a predefined set of widgets.
513 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A computer-implemented method of creating a widget from a template, the widget to be used in a computer system, the method executed by a computer and comprising:
-
with the computer system in a normal state of user interaction with software applications and an operating system of the computer system, displaying one or more templates for the widget; receiving first author input selecting a template from the one or more templates as a basis for the widget; displaying a set of predetermined attributes for the widget; receiving second author input selecting one or more predetermined attributes from the set of predetermined attributes; activating a layer state that allows user interaction with a unified interest layer and the widget, the activation of the layer state thereby temporarily inactivating the normal state of user interaction with the software applications and the operating system of the computer system; and displaying, within the unified interest layer, the widget incorporating the one or more predetermined attributes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A non-transitory computer readable storage memory storing a computer program executable by a processor, the computer program producing a user interface of a widget authorship application in a computer system, the user interface comprising:
-
a template selection area displaying, as part of a normal state of user interaction with the software applications and an operating system of the computer system, one or more templates for at least one widget for use within a unified interest layer; an attribute area displaying a set of predetermined attributes for the widget; and a preview area visually distinguished from and concurrently displayed with the attribute area for displaying the widget in the unified interest layer, wherein the use of the at least one widget within the unified interest layer is during an activated layer state that allows user interaction with the unified interest layer and the at least one widget, the activation of the layer state thereby temporarily inactivating the normal state of user interaction with the software applications and an operating system of the computer system.
-
-
10. A computer-implemented method of editing a widget to be used in a computer system, the method executed by a computer and comprising:
-
with the computer system in a normal state of user interaction with software applications and an operating system of the computer system, displaying a set of objects included in the widget; receiving author input editing at least one of the set of objects, wherein the author input comprises dragging and dropping the at least one of the set of objects within the widget; activating a layer state that allows user interaction with a dashboard layer and the widget, the activation of the layer state temporarily inactivating the normal state of user interaction with the software applications and the operating system of the computer system; and displaying, within the dashboard layer, the widget incorporating the author input. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
-
-
13. A non-transitory computer readable storage memory storing a computer program executable by a processor, the computer program producing a user interface of a widget authorship application in a computer system, the user interface comprising:
-
a widget display area for displaying, as part of a normal state of user interaction with the software applications and an operating system of the computer system, a widget for use within a dashboard layer; a contents area, visually distinguished from and concurrently displayed with the widget display area, for editing at least one object included in the widget; and a library area, visually distinguished from and concurrently displayed with the widget area and the contents area, for adding at least one additional object to the widget for use within the dashboard layer, wherein the use of the widget within the dashboard layer is during an activated layer state that allows user interaction with the dashboard layer and the widget, the activation of the layer state thereby temporarily inactivating the normal state of user interaction with the software applications and an operating system of the computer system.
-
-
14. A system for creating a widget from a template, the widget to be used in a computer system, the system comprising:
-
an operating system configured to provide a normal state of user interaction with processes of the operating system and software applications executed by the operating system; a display device, configured to display one or more templates for the widget and for displaying a set of predetermined attributes for the widget; an input device, coupled to the display device, configured to receive first author input selecting a template from the one or more templates as a basis for the widget and for receiving second author input selecting one or more predetermined attributes from the set of predetermined attributes; and a dashboard server separate from the operating system configured to, activate a layer state that allows user interaction with a unified interest layer and the widget, the activation of the layer state thereby temporarily inactivating the normal state of user interaction with the software applications and the operating system of the computer system; wherein the display device is further configured to display, within the unified interest layer, the widget incorporating the one or more predetermined attributes. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A system for producing a user interface of a widget authorship application in a computer system, the system comprising:
-
an operating system configured to provide a normal state of user interaction with processes of the operating system and software applications executed by the operating system; a dashboard server separate from the operating system configured to, responsive to the operating system receiving a trigger event, render a unified interest layer and activate a layer state that allows user interaction with the unified interest layer, the activation of the layer state thereby inactivating the normal state of user interaction with processes of the operating system and software applications; and a computer-readable memory having computer program instructions tangibly embodied therein, the computer program instructions producing the user interface of the widget authorship application, the user interface comprising; a template selection area displaying one or more templates for at least one widget for use within the unified interest layer; an attribute area displaying a set of predetermined attributes for the widget; and a preview area displaying the widget in the unified interest layer, the preview area visually distinguished from and concurrently displayed with the attribute area.
-
-
19. A system of editing a widget to be used in a computer, the system comprising:
-
an operating system configured to provide a normal state of user interaction with processes of the operating system and software applications executed by the operating system; a display device, for displaying a set of objects included in the widget during the normal state; an input device, coupled to the display device, for receiving author input editing at least one of the set of objects, wherein the author input comprises dragging and dropping the at least one of the set of objects within the widget; and a dashboard server separate from the operating system configured to, activate a layer state that allows user interaction with the dashboard layer, the activation of the layer state thereby inactivating the normal state; wherein the display device displays, within the dashboard layer, the widget incorporating the author input.
-
-
20. A system for producing a user interface of a widget authorship application in a computer system, the system comprising:
-
an operating system configured to provide a normal state of user interaction with processes of the operating system and software applications executed by the operating system; a dashboard server separate from the operating system configured to, responsive to the operating system receiving a trigger event, render a dashboard layer and activate a layer state that allows user interaction with the dashboard layer, the activation of the layer state thereby inactivating the normal state of user interaction with processes of the operating system and software applications; and a computer-readable memory having computer program instructions tangibly embodied therein, the computer program instructions producing the user interface of the widget authorship application, the user interface comprising; a widget display area for displaying a widget for use within the dashboard layer; a contents area, visually distinguished from and concurrently displayed with the widget display area, for editing at least one object included in the widget; and a library area, visually distinguished from and concurrently displayed with the widget area and the contents area, for adding at least one additional object to the widget.
-
Specification