Widget authoring and editing environment

• US 8,302,020 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2009
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Louch, John O., Grignon, Andrew M., Bumgarner, Timothy Wayne, Peyton, Eric Steven, Drukman, Maxwell O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Theriault, Steven B
• Application Number:
  US12/464,094
• Publication Number:
  US 20090260022A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,268 Days
• Field of Search: 715/765, 715/802, 715/767, 715/768, 715/808, 715/810
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/11 Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

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.

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.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined attributes are selected from the group comprising theme, color, shape, sidedness, and expandability.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving second author input comprises receiving author input selecting a theme, and wherein the widget incorporates at least one attribute associated with the selected theme.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting a first event for activating the layer state, and, responsive to the first event, temporarily inactivating a user interface and displaying the unified interest layer comprising a plurality of widgets.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the widget comprises displaying the widget concurrently with displaying at least a subset of the attributes.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising installing the widget in the unified interest layer.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising distributing the widget for installation in a second unified interest layer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the widget comprises one selected from the group consisting of:

a calendar widget;

a calculator widget;

a music player widget;

an address book widget;

a notes widget;

a stock quote widget;

a weather widget;

a traffic widget;

a package tracking widget;

a contact manager widget; and

a clock widget.

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.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the set of editable objects include at least one selected from the group consisting of buttons and controls.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

displaying a set of additional objects that can be added to the widget;

receiving author input adding at least one of the set of additional objects; and

displaying within the dashboard layer, the widget incorporating the author input.

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.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the input device receives author input selecting a theme, and wherein the widget incorporates at least one attribute associated with the selected theme.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the input device receives a first event for activating the layer state, and, responsive to the first event, the display device displays an inactivated user interface and displays the unified interest layer comprising a plurality of widgets.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the widget comprises one selected from the group consisting of:

a calendar widget;

a calculator widget;

a music player widget;

an address book widget;

a notes widget;

a stock quote widget;

a weather widget;

a traffic widget;

a package tracking widget;

a contact manager widget; and

a clock widget.

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.