Layered User Interface

• US 20070288856A1
• Filed: 02/21/2005
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Brook, Nicholas, Butlin, Stefan, Clarey, Nicholas
• Granted Patent: US 8,327,289 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/762
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A user interface for a device comprises a plurality of layers. The content for the user interface is associated with one of the plurality of layers.

Claims

1. A method of generating a user interface for a device, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) generating a plurality of sets of user interface elements, each of the plurality of sets of user interface elements comprising one or more user interface elements, wherein the or each user interface element is associated with a defined region of the user interface;

(b) ordering each of the plurality of sets of user interface elements into an sequence;

(c) querying each of the plurality of sets of user interface elements to select a plurality of user interface elements for use in the user interface, the sets being queried in accordance with the ordering performed in step (b), wherein if more than one user interface element is associated with the same region of the user interface then the selected user interface element is taken from the set of elements which occurs first within the sequence determined in step (b); and

(d) rendering the user interface in accordance with the plurality of user interface elements selected in step (c).

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein a first user interface element selected in step (c) and rendered in step (d) can be removed from the rendered user interface by

i) inserting a further user interface element into a set of user interface elements such that in step (b) the set of user interface elements that comprises the further user interface element is ordered before the set of user interface elements that comprises the first user interface element;

ii) wherein the further user interface element is associated with the same user interface region as the first user interface element.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein a first user interface element selected in step (c) and rendered in step (d) can be removed from the rendered user interface by

i) inserting a further set of user interface elements into the ordered sequence determined in step (b) such that the further set of user interface elements is ordered before the set of user interface elements that comprises the first user interface element;

ii) the further set of user interface elements comprising a further user interface element which is associated with the same user interface region as the first user interface element.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein one or more user interface elements are added to the UI, the method further comprising the step of inserting one or more user interface elements into one or more of the plurality of sets of user interface elements.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein one or more user interface elements are added to the UI, the method further comprising the step of generating one or more further sets of user interface elements, the or each further set comprising one or more user interface elements.

6. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein one or more of the plurality of sets of user interface elements are associated with an application that can be activated through the user interface.

7. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein one or more of the plurality of sets of user interface elements are associated with the manufacturer of the device.

8. A method according to any preceding claim, wherein one or more of the plurality of sets of user interface elements are associated with a user of the device.

18. A data carrier comprising computer executable code for performing the method of any of claims 1 to 8.

9. A device comprising a display means and a user interface being displayed by the display means, the device being configured, in use, to:

(a) generate a plurality of sets of user interface elements, each of the plurality of sets of user interface elements comprising one or more user interface elements, wherein the or each user interface element is associated with a defined region of the user interface;

(b) order each of the plurality of sets of user interface elements into an sequence;

(c) query each of the plurality of sets of user interface elements to select a plurality of user interface elements for use in the user interface, the sets being queried in accordance with the ordering performed in step (b), wherein if more than one user interface element is associated with the same region of the user interface then the selected user interface element is taken from the set of elements which occurs first within the sequence determined in step (b); and

(d) render the user interface in accordance with the plurality of user interface elements selected in step (c)

10. A device according to claim 9 wherein, in use, a first user interface element selected in step (c) and rendered in step (d) is removed from the rendered user interface, the device being further configured to:

i) insert a further user interface element into a set of user interface elements such that in step (b) the set of user interface elements that comprises the further user interface element is ordered before the set of user interface elements that comprises the first user interface element;

ii) wherein the further user interface element is associated with the same user interface region as the first user interface element.

11. A device according to claim 9 wherein, in use, a first user interface element selected in step (c) and rendered in step (d) is removed from the rendered user interface, the device being further configured to:

i) insert a further set of user interface elements into the ordered sequence determined in step (b) such that the further set of user interface elements is ordered before the set of user interface elements that comprises the first user interface element;

ii) the further set of user interface elements comprising a further user interface element which is associated with the same user interface region as the first user interface element.

12. A device according to claim 9, wherein one or more user interface elements are added to the UI, the device being further configured, in use, to insert one or more user interface elements into one or more of the plurality of sets of user interface elements.

13. A device according to claim 9, wherein one or more user interface elements are added to the UI, the device being further configured, in use, to generate one or more further sets of user interface elements, the or each further set comprising one or more user interface elements.

14. A device according to any of claims 9 to 13, wherein one or more of the plurality of sets of user interface elements are associated with an application that can be activated through the user interface.

15. A device according to any of claims 9 to 14, wherein one or more of the plurality of sets of user interface elements are associated with the manufacturer of the device.

16. A device according to any of claims 9 to 15, wherein one or more of the plurality of sets of user interface elements are associated with a user of the device.

17. A device according to any of claims 9 to 16, wherein the device further comprises one or more wireless communication interfaces for communication with a wireless communications network, and one or more of the plurality of sets of user interface elements are associated with an operator of a wireless communications network.