DYNAMIC GUI RENDERING BY AGGREGATION OF DEVICE CAPABILITIES

• US 20080282172A1
• Filed: 05/09/2007
• Published: 11/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Holdaway, Kevan D., Hourselt, Andrew Gary, Garcia, Melissa Jorgette, Bayang, Josephine Faith
• Granted Patent: US 8,756,512 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/744
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Provided are techniques for rendering a Graphical User Interface (GUI). A device capabilities set is obtained from a device. A rendering package that corresponds to the device capabilities set for the device is selected. The GUI is generated using the rendering package and the device capabilities set. The GUI is displayed to a user on a user interface to enable the user to manage the device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for rendering a Graphical User Interface (GUI), comprising:

obtaining a device capabilities set from a device;

selecting a rendering package that corresponds to the device capabilities set for the device;

generating the GUI using the rendering package and the device capabilities set; and

displaying the GUI to a user on a user interface to enable the user to manage the device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the device capabilities set identifies one of a logical subcomponent and a physical subcomponent and a rendering class.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining whether a rendering package identified in the device capabilities set matches any stored rendering package by comparing the rendering class and a version identified by the device capabilities set with each stored rendering package.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the device capabilities set identifies the rendering package that is capable of rendering capabilities specified in the device capabilities set, zero or more actions that may be performed, zero or more roles and associated actions that correspond to each role, and a list of zero or more properties that are used for the actions.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a rendering package identified in the device capabilities set matches any stored rendering package;

in response to determining that the rendering package identified in the device capabilities set does not match,

requesting the rendering package from the device; and

generating the GUI using the requested rendering package; and

in response to determining that the rendering package identified in the device capabilities set does match, generating the GUI using a stored rendering package.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

requesting the device capabilities set from the device; and

receiving the device capabilities set from the device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the device queries each subcomponent for capabilities and aggregates the capabilities to form the device capabilities set.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating the GUI using the rendering package and the device capabilities set based on one of a system state and a user requesting the GUI.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

determine whether a rendering package identified in the device capabilities set matches any stored rendering package;

in response to determining that the rendering package identified in the device capabilities set does not match,

request the rendering package from the device; and

generate the GUI using the requested rendering package; and

in response to determining that the rendering package identified in the device capabilities set does match, generate the GUI using a stored rendering package.

16. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

request the device capabilities set from the device; and

receive the device capabilities set from the device.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the device queries each subcomponent for capabilities and aggregates the capabilities to form the device capabilities set.

9. A computer-implemented method for rendering a Graphical User Interface (GUI), comprising:

obtaining device capabilities from each of multiple devices, wherein each of the multiple devices aggregates capabilities of each subcomponent to form the device capabilities;

obtaining a rendering package that corresponds to the device capabilities of each of the multiple devices;

in response to a user requesting a GUI for a specific device from the multiple devices, generating the GUI for the specific device using the rendering package and the device capabilities for the specific device; and

displaying the GUI to a user on a user interface.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the GUI is generated based system state specific and user specific.

11. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

obtain a device capabilities set from a device;

select a rendering package that corresponds to the device capabilities set for the device;

generate the GUI using the rendering package and the device capabilities set; and

display the GUI to a user on a user interface to enable the user to manage the device.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the device capabilities set identifies one of a logical subcomponent and a physical subcomponent and a rendering class.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

determine whether a rendering package identified in the device capabilities set matches any stored rendering package by comparing the rendering class and a version identified by the device capabilities set with each stored rendering package.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the device capabilities set identifies the rendering package that is capable of rendering capabilities specified in the device capabilities set, zero or more actions that may be performed, zero or more roles and associated actions that correspond to each role, and a list of zero or more properties that are used for the actions.

18. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

generate the GUI using the rendering package and the device capabilities set based on one of a system state and a user requesting the GUI.

19. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

obtain device capabilities from each of multiple devices, wherein each of the multiple devices aggregates capabilities of each subcomponent to form the device capabilities;

obtain a rendering package that corresponds to the device capabilities of each of the multiple devices;

in response to a user requesting a GUI for a specific device from the multiple devices, generate the GUI for the specific device using the rendering package and the device capabilities for the specific device; and

display the GUI to a user on a user interface.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the GUI is generated based system state specific and user specific.

21. A system for rendering a Graphical User Interface (GUI), comprising:

logic capable of performing operations, the operations comprising;

obtaining a device capabilities set from a device;

selecting a rendering package that corresponds to the device capabilities set for the device;

generating the GUI using the rendering package and the device capabilities set; and

displaying the GUI to a user on a user interface to enable the user to manage the device.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the device capabilities set identifies one of a logical subcomponent and a physical subcomponent and a rendering class version.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising:

determining whether a rendering package identified in the device capabilities set matches any stored rendering package by comparing the rendering class and a version identified by the device capabilities set with each stored rendering package.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the device capabilities set identifies the rendering package that is capable of rendering capabilities specified in the device capabilities set, zero or more actions that may be performed, zero or more roles and associated actions that correspond to each role, and a list of zero or more properties that are used for the actions.

25. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

determining whether a rendering package identified in the device capabilities set matches any stored rendering package;

in response to determining that the rendering package identified in the device capabilities set does not match,

requesting the rendering package from the device; and

generating the GUI using the requested rendering package; and

in response to determining that the rendering package identified in the device capabilities set does match, generating the GUI using a stored rendering package.

26. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

requesting the device capabilities set from the device; and

receiving the device capabilities set from the device.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the device queries each subcomponent for capabilities and aggregates the capabilities to form the device capabilities set.

28. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

generating the GUI using the rendering package and the device capabilities set based on one of a system state and a user requesting the GUI.

29. A system for rendering a Graphical User Interface (GUI), comprising:

logic capable of performing operations, the operations comprising;

obtaining device capabilities from each of multiple devices, wherein each of the multiple devices aggregates capabilities of each subcomponent to form the device capabilities;

obtaining a rendering package that corresponds to the device capabilities of each of the multiple devices;

in response to a user requesting a GUI for a specific device from the multiple devices, generating the GUI for the specific device using the rendering package and the device capabilities for the specific device; and

displaying the GUI to a user on a user interface.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the GUI is generated based system state specific and user specific.