XGL and dynamic accessibility system and method

• US 20030225828A1
• Filed: 06/03/2002
• Published: 12/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Evans, Christopher A., Bybee, Andrew G., Obla, Pritvinath, Yeh, Leslie S., Neff, Chad C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,240,295 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method for providing dynamic wizard interfaces to end users. In one embodiment, a client device retrieves a container encapsulating a number of packages utilizing a self-describing data format from a remote server. A wizard engine on the client device interprets the container and packages to produce a wizard interface. Preferably, the present invention utilizes a compatible data structure for receiving, saving, and transmitting captured information regarding the wizard interface.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for responding to events from a wizard, comprising:

detecting an event from the wizard;

determining that the wizard has an action object associated with said event;

extracting a script corresponding to said action object; and

executing instructions of said script.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said wizard comprises a wizard interface encapsulated in a wizard container.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said wizard container comprises a package.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said package comprises a page.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein an event may be triggered by the loading of any part of a wizard interface.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein an event may be triggered by the unloading of any part of a wizard interface.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said action is performed before a part of said wizard interface is loaded.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said part is selected from the group consisting of a wizard container, a package, a page and an object.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said action is performed after a part of said wizard interface is loaded.

10. The method of claim 12 wherein said part is selected from the group consisting of a wizard container, a package, a page and an object.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein an event is detected and said action object is a validation action object for validating any fields with validation indicators.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said validation is performed by a wizard engine.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein said validation is performed by an associated script.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein said validation is performed on a remote computing device.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein an event is detected and said action object is an instrumentation action object.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein said wizard engine performs event-based instrumentation separately from said actions.

17. A computer readable medium containing computer executable code for responding to events from a wizard, comprising:

detecting an event from the wizard;

determining that the wizard has an action object associated with said event;

extracting a script corresponding to said action object; and

executing instructions of said script.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein said wizard comprises a wizard interface encapsulated in a wizard container.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein an event may be triggered by the loading of any part of a wizard interface.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein an event may be triggered by the unloading of any part of a wizard interface.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein said action is performed before a part of said wizard interface is loaded.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein said action is performed after a part of said wizard interface is loaded.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein an event is detected and said action object is a validation action object for validating any fields with validation indicators.

24. A computing apparatus comprising a processor and a memory, and operable to respond to events from a wizard by:

detecting an event from the wizard;

determining that the wizard has an action object associated with said event;

extracting a script corresponding to said action object; and

executing instructions of said script.

25. The computing apparatus of claim 24 wherein said wizard comprises a wizard interface encapsulated in a wizard container.

26. The computing apparatus of claim 24 wherein an event may be triggered by the loading of any part of a wizard interface.

27. The computing apparatus of claim 24 wherein an event may be triggered by the unloading of any part of a wizard interface.

28. The computing apparatus of claim 24 wherein said action is performed before a part of said wizard interface is loaded.

29. The computing apparatus of claim 24 wherein said action is performed after a part of said wizard interface is loaded.

30. The computing apparatus of claim 24 wherein an event is detected and said action object is a validation action object for validating any fields with validation indicators.

31. A computer-implemented method for providing an accessible wizard, comprising:

providing an indication that an accessible wizard is desired;

extracting one or more packages from a wizard container, each package containing one or more self-described objects corresponding to components of an accessible wizard;

transforming said self-described objects into said corresponding components of the accessible wizard according to an accessible object template;

laying out said components in the accessible wizard according to an accessible layout template and depicting a first page of said accessible wizard.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein at least one of said self-described objects is an action object.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein an accessible enhancement to the accessible wizard is to enhance in contrast the accessible wizard.

34. The method of claim 31 wherein an accessible enhancement to the accessible wizard is audio feedback of the content of the accessible wizard.

35. The method of claim 31 wherein an accessible enhancement to the accessible wizard is the localization of said components into a particular language.

36. The method of claim 31 wherein an accessible enhancement to the accessible wizard is the localization of said components into a regional representation of the contents of said components.

37. The method of claim 31 wherein each component responsive to user interaction is associated with a keyboard shortcut.

38. The method of claim 31 wherein each component responsive to user interaction is accessible through interactive user inputs.

39. The method of claim 31 wherein an accessible enhancement to the accessible wizard is the adoption of the accessible wizard into a tactile user interface.

40. A computing apparatus comprising a processor and a memory, and operable to provide an accessible wizard by:

providing an indication that an accessible wizard is desired;

extracting one or more packages from a wizard container, each package containing one or more self-described objects corresponding to components of an accessible wizard;

transforming said self-described objects into said corresponding components of the accessible wizard according to an accessible object template;

laying out said components in the accessible wizard according to an accessible layout template and depicting a first page of said accessible wizard.

41. The computing apparatus of claim 40 wherein at least one of said self-described objects is an action object.

42. The computing apparatus of claim 40 wherein an accessible enhancement to the accessible wizard is the localization of said components into a regional representation of the contents of said components.

43. A computer-readable medium comprising computer executable instructions for providing an accessible wizard, comprising:

providing an indication that an accessible wizard is desired;

extracting one or more packages from a wizard container, each package containing one or more self-described objects corresponding to components of an accessible wizard;

transforming said self-described objects into said corresponding components of the accessible wizard according to an accessible object template;

laying out said components in the accessible wizard according to an accessible layout template and depicting a first page of said accessible wizard.

44. The computer-readable medium of claim 43 wherein at least one of said self-described objects is an action object.

45. The computer-readable medium of claim 43 wherein an accessible enhancement to the accessible wizard is the localization of said components into a regional representation of the contents of said components.