Multi-environment widget assembly, generation, and operation

• US 8,972,873 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2010
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gerken, John Kenyon III, Hsu, Jimmy Ming-Der
• Primary Examiner(s): SHIAU, SHEN C
• Application Number:
  US12/957,002
• Publication Number:
  US 20120137227A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,554 Days
• Field of Search: 715/747, 715/762
• US Class Current: 715/762
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces

Abstract

Widget creation, editing, augmentation, tracking and deployment is provided. Embodiments may include a Widget Assembly Application (“WAA”). The WAA may employ generalized widget templates selected by a user for customizing or assembling widgets. A generator may render previously assembled widgets when requested. The generator may use a skeleton specific to the target server type and widget, and code supporting the generator and the WAA may employ recursive eye-catcher syntax. Widgets may be deployed from any discovered instance to additional remote widget containers of the same or different type.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a computer readable storage medium storing instructions; and

a processor in communication with the computer readable medium,

wherein the instructions, which when executed by the processor, configure the processor to assemble widget content, the content assembly including;

selecting a widget skeleton from a plurality of different widget skeletons, skeletons of the plurality representing a different type of target widget environment, and

skeletons of the plurality for use in generating a widget by adapting a selected widget to work in a specific widget environment, the specific widget environment being an environment targeted by the selected widget skeleton, and

returning the selected widget environmental skeleton to a widget assembly application for use in generating a widget in the selected widget environment,

and

integrating widget template embedded elements from the widget assembly application into widget content being created,

wherein the instructions, which when executed by the processor, further configure the processor to return widget content to a requesting servlet, in response to a request for the widget content from the requesting servlet.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the instructions further instruct the processor to instantiate a widget assembly application, the widget assembly application having drop down menu displays identifying widget content or widget template type for selection by a user of the widget assembly application.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the widget assembly application includes a widget preview display or wherein the widget environment is specific to one or more of the following:

an operating system, a browser platform, a client-based application, a server-based application, a mash-up canvas, or a device.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the content assembly further includes:

receiving a network location of widget content and sending a retrieval query to the received network location of the widget content.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the content assembly further includes:

introspecting the retrieved widget content and associating the retrieved widget content with a wrapper, the wrapper serving to provide compatibility of the widget content with one or more specific platforms.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the instructions further instruct the processor to generate eventing constructs for the widget.

7. The device of claim 2 wherein the widget assembly application includes a plurality of widget templates, the widget templates serving as a basis for template types in one or more drop down menus of the widget assembly application.

8. A method for instantiating a widget comprising:

receiving a query to generate a widget;

in response to the query,

retrieving a widget environmental skeleton from a plurality of different widget skeletons,

skeletons of the plurality each representing a different type of target widget environment before being retrieved and

skeletons of the plurality for use in generating a widget by adapting a selected widget to work in a specific widget environment, the specific widget environment being an environment targeted by the selected widget skeleton, and returning the selected widget environmental skeleton to a generator for use in generating the widget,

retrieving instance metadata specific to the widget to be generated, the instance metadata saved from a widget assembly application,

generating the widget using the generator, where generating the widget includes using the retrieved widget skeleton as framework for generating a widget;

providing widget content in the form requested in the query to generate the widget using the generator.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

instantiating a widget assembly application, the widget assembly application having menu displays identifying widget content or widget types for selection by a user of the widget assembly application.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the widget assembly application includes a widget preview display.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the content assembly further includes:

receiving a network location of widget content and sending a retrieval query to the received network location of the widget content.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

introspecting widget content and associating the widget content with a wrapper, the wrapper serving to provide compatibility of the widget content with one or more specific platforms.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

generating eventing constructs for the widget.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the widget assembly application includes a plurality of widget templates, the widget templates serving as a basis for template types in one or more menus of the widget assembly application.

15. A device comprising:

a computer readable storage medium storing instructions; and

a processor in communication with the computer readable medium,

wherein the instructions, which when executed by the processor, configure the processor to;

instantiate a widget assembly application,

provide instructions for providing reusable widget components within the widget assembly application,

retrieve a widget environmental skeleton from a plurality of different widget skeletons, skeletons of the plurality representing different types of target widget environments and, skeletons of the plurality for use in generating a widget by adapting the widget to work in a specific widget environment, the specific widget environment being an environment targeted by the selected widget skeleton,

returning the retrieved widget environmental skeleton to a generator for use in generating the widget,

provide instructions for providing customizable widget properties within the widget assembly application,

provide instructions for editing the provided customizable widget properties,

saving received widget customization, including customized widget properties and selected reusable widget components, as a widget template, and

deploying the saved widget template over a network to a remote requestor, the deployed widget template having target sensitive architecture or eventing constructs, and the widget template usable by a generator of the widget to generate the widget.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein the widget assembly application has drop down menu displays identifying widget content or widget types for selection by a user of the widget assembly application.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein the widget assembly application includes a widget preview display.

18. The device of claim 15 wherein the processor is further configured to:

upon receipt of a network location of widget content, send a retrieval query to the received network location of the widget content.

19. The device of claim 15 wherein the processor is further configured to:

introspect retrieved widget content and associate the retrieved widget content with a wrapper, the wrapper serving to provide compatibility of the widget content with one or more specific platforms.

20. The device of claim 16 wherein the widget assembly application includes a plurality of widget templates, the widget templates serving as a basis for template types in one or more drop down menus of the widget assembly application.

21. An article of manufacture comprising:

a nontransitory computer readable storage medium, the storage medium containing instructions therein, the instructions, when executed by a processor, serve to configure the processor to instantiate a widget assembly application, provide instructions for providing reusable widget components within the widget assembly application, retrieve a widget environmental skeleton from a plurality of different widget skeletons, skeletons of the plurality each representing a different type of target widget environment before being selected for use in conjunction with a selected widget, and skeletons of the plurality for use in generating a widget by adapting the widget to work in a specific widget environment, returning the selected widget environmental skeleton to a generator for use in generating the widget, and deploy a saved widget template over a network to a remote requestor, the deployed widget template having target sensitive architecture or eventing constructs, and the widget template usable by a generator of the widget to generate the widget.