Synchronization of widgets and dashboards

• US 8,566,732 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2006
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Louch, John O., Peyton, Eric Steven, Hynes, Christoper, Forstall, Scott, Christie, Gregory N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Theriault, Steven B
• Application Number:
  US11/499,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20070130541A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,636 Days
• Field of Search: 715/802, 715/804, 715/805, 715/767, 715/768, 715/808, 715/810, 715/866, 707/200, 707/201, 707/202, 707/203
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Systems, methods, computer-readable mediums, user interfaces and other implementations are disclosed for synchronizing widgets and dashboards.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying, at a first device, first dashboard information associated with a first dashboard of the first device, the first dashboard information including settings of one or more widgets; and

synchronizing the first dashboard information with second dashboard information associated with a second device, the synchronizing including synchronizing the settings of the one or more widgets of the first dashboard with one or more widgets of the second dashboard.

2. The method of claim 1, where the settings include configuration information.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

evaluating the configuration information for consistency with master configuration information; and

updating the configuration information based on the results of the evaluation.

4. The method of claim 1, where synchronizing the settings of the one or more widgets of the first dashboard with one or more widgets of the second dashboard includes synchronizing different versions of a same widget or disparate widgets.

5. The method of claim 1, where synchronizing is based on synchronization preferences.

6. The method of claim 1, where the second device includes a removable storage medium.

7. The method of claim 6, where the synchronizing is initiated by the removable storage medium.

8. The method of claim 1, where the synchronizing is initiated by the first device.

9. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a least one processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising:

identifying, at a first device, first dashboard information associated with a first dashboard of the first device, the first dashboard information including settings of one or more widgets; and

synchronizing the first dashboard information with second dashboard information associated with a second device, the synchronizing including synchronizing the settings of the one or more widgets of the first dashboard with one or more widgets of the second dashboard.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising:

determining that a first widget of the first dashboard is not yet installed on the second device at time of the synchronizing; and

causing the settings of the first widget to be stored on the second device, such that a second widget is configured using the settings of the first widget when the second widget is later installed on the second device.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein causing the settings of the first widget to be stored on the second device comprises:

creating a dummy widget on the second device;

configuring the dummy widget on the second device using the settings of the first widget; and

providing instructions on how to obtain the second widget on the second device.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, where the later-installed second widget is configured using the settings of the first widget upon invocation of the second widget.

13. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

memory coupled to the one or more processors and configured to store instructions, which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

identifying, at a first device, first dashboard information associated with a first dashboard of the first device, the first dashboard information including settings of one or more widgets; and

synchronizing the first dashboard information with second dashboard information associated with a second device, the synchronizing including synchronizing the settings of the one or more widgets of the first dashboard with one or more widgets of the second dashboard.

14. The system of claim 13, where the settings include configuration information.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

evaluating the configuration information for consistency with master configuration information; and

updating the configuration information based on the results of the evaluation.

16. The system of claim 13, where synchronizing the settings of the one or more widgets of the first dashboard with one or more widgets of the second dashboard includes synchronizing disparate widgets.

17. The system of claim 13, where synchronizing is based on synchronization preferences.

18. The system of claim 13, where the second device is a removable storage medium.

19. The system of claim 18, where the synchronizing is initiated by the removable storage medium.