GENERATING PREVIEWS FOR THEMES THAT PERSONALIZE AN OPERATING ENVIRONMENT

• US 20090319928A1
• Filed: 06/20/2008
• Published: 12/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: ALPHIN, THOMAS HENRY III, WALDBAUM, BRETT ALAN, WINJUM, RANDALL KNIGHT
• Application Number:
  US12/143,376
• Publication Number:
  US 20090319928A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/765
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A computer media and method for generating visual previews for themes of an operating environment are provided. The visual previews are generated by a theme engine that retrieves files associated with each theme. The theme engine sizes and positions visual and non-visual elements corresponding to each theme. In turn, a gallery of visual previews are displayed to a user via a graphical user interface. The graphical user interface includes theme customization controls that allow the user to create personalized themes for the operating environment.

Claims

1. A method to generate a gallery of visual previews for themes associated with an operating environment of a computing device, the method comprising:

finding files associated with each theme to create the gallery of visual previews;

retrieving visual elements from the files associated with each theme;

loading preview generation rules to organize layouts that include the visual elements that correspond with each theme;

incorporating non-visual elements into the layouts for each theme; and

generating visual previews for each theme based on the visual elements, non-visual elements, and the preview generation rules.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the themes include manufacturer installed themes, operating environment installed themes, Internet installed themes, and user customized themes.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-visual elements include at least sounds, brand, and Real Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds associated with one or more themes.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual elements include at least background images, window colors, and screen savers.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising combining multiple visual elements and non-visual elements into a single visual representation.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising scaling the retrieved visual elements and positioning the visual elements within the single visual representation based on the preview generation rules.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein visual elements for a theme currently in focus are displayed individually as theme customization controls.

8. One or more computer readable media storing instructions for performing a method for generating a visual preview of a theme for an operating environment of a computing device, the method comprising:

finding files associated with each theme to create a gallery of visual previews;

retrieving visual elements associated with each theme;

loading preview generation rules to organize layouts that include the visual elements that correspond with each theme;

incorporating non-visual elements into the layouts for each theme; and

generating visual previews for each theme based on the layouts and the preview generation rules.

9. The media of claim 8, wherein visual elements for a theme currently in focus are displayed individually as theme customization controls.

10. The media of claim 9, wherein the theme customization controls allows a user to replace the generated visual previews with an alternate visual preview.

11. The media of claim 9, wherein the individual visual elements that represent the theme customization controls are updated when the user browses the gallery of visual previews and changes focus from a previous visual preview to a subsequent visual preview contained in the gallery.

12. The media of claim 8, wherein the themes include manufacturer installed themes, operating environment installed themes, Internet installed themes, and user customized themes.

13. The media of claim 8, wherein the non-visual elements include at least sounds, brand, and Real Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds associated with one or more themes.

14. The media of claim 8, wherein the visual elements include at least background images, window colors, and screen savers.

15. A method for personalizing an operating environment of a computing device, the method comprising:

receiving a user selection of one theme from a group of themes displayed in graphical user interface;

applying system-wide changes to the operating environment based on the user selection of one or more visual elements and non-visual elements associated with the theme;

accessing prior customization selections of the user to create custom theme group; and

generating visual previews to display the changes to the visual elements and non-visual elements selected by the user in the custom theme group.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the system-wide change affects all visual elements and non-visual elements selected by the user.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the visual elements include at least two of the following:

window colors, backgrounds, and screen savers.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the non-visual elements include at least one of the following:

sounds, brands, and Really Simple Syndication feeds.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the user selects theme customization controls that represent the visual elements of one or more themes to create a custom theme.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the user selections include an override visual preview selection that allows the user to provide an alternate preview for one or more themes.