Method and apparatus for automatically generating a device user interface

• US 7,111,242 B1
• Filed: 01/27/1999
• Issued: 09/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Spotware Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Grooters, Brandon A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Sy D.
• Application Number:
  US09/238,375
• Time in Patent Office: 2,792 Days
• Field of Search: 345/327, 345/326, 345/339, 345/700, 345/733, 345716-722, 345/740, 345/764, 715/700, 715716-722, 715733-747, 715/760, 715/764, 715/961, 715/968, 715/969
• US Class Current: 715/744
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces

Abstract

A system and a method generate a device user interface executable by an information handling system. A device database includes a list of devices for which user interface components are available to implement functions for controlling the devices, and a resource database includes the user interface components. The device to be controlled by the user interface is identified and compared to a database of devices for which user interface resource components are available. A user interface generator determines whether the device is included in the device database and retrieves the user interface components from the resource database. A layout manager assembles the user interface components into a user interface. If the device is not listed, generic device user interface components are retrieved, otherwise device specific user interface components are retrieved, and assembled into a layout matrix. The user interface is created from the layout matrix.

Claims

1. A system for generating a customized device user interface executable by an information handling system, comprising:

a processor for executing instructions on the information handling system and a memory coupled to said processor for storing instructions for execution by said processor;

a device database including listing available modular user interface components for implementing control functions of a device coupled to the information handling system;

a resource database including the modular user interface components, wherein at least two of the modular user interface components are objects, wherein said objects include common denominator functions for controlling a device, said resource database being stored separately from the device database, the resource database being updated from at least one of a single information storage medium or a network;

a user interface generator for determining whether the device is included in said device database and for retrieving the modular user interface components for that device from said resource database without requiring user intervention, wherein the user interface generator also combines the objects to form a complete user interface for all functions of the device; and

a layout manager for automatically assembling the modular user interface components retrieved by said user interface generator into a user interface executable by the information handling system to control the device without intervention by the user.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device is a multimedia device controlled by the information handling system.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device database is created without requiring user intervention.

4. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said resource database is created without requiring user intervention.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user interface components of said resource database comprise a plurality of objects.

6. A system for generating a customized device user interface executable by an information handling system, comprising:

means for executing instructions on the information handling system and means, coupled to said executing means, for storing instructions for execution by said processor;

means for listing available means for implementing control functions of a device coupled to the information handling system, the implementing means being modular;

means for storing the modular implementing means, wherein at least two of the modular implementing means are objects, wherein said objects include common denominator functions for controlling a device, said storing means being separate from the listing means and said storing means being updated from at least one of a single information storage medium or a network;

means for combining the objects to form a complete user interface for all functions of the device;

means for determining whether the device is included in said listing means, and for retrieving the implementing means from said implementing means storage means, said determining means being capable of operating without user intervention; and

means for automatically assembling the implementing means retrieved by said determining means into a user interface executable by the information handling system to control the device without user intervention.

7. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the device is a multimedia device controlled by the information handling system.

8. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said device list storing means is created without requiring user intervention.

9. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said implementing means storing means is created without requiring user intervention.

10. A system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the implementing means comprises a plurality of objects.

11. A computer implemented method for generating a customized device user interface for an information handling system, comprising:

identifying a device coupled to the information handling system to be controlled by the user interface;

comparing the identified device to a database of devices which includes a listing of modular user interface resource components available for implementing the functions of the device and determining whether the device is listed in the database of devices without user intervention, wherein at least two of the modular user interface resource components are objects, wherein said objects include common denominator functions for controlling a device;

combining the objects to form a complete user interface for all functions of the device;

retrieving the modular user interface components from a database of modular user interface components stored separately from the database of devices and updated from at least one of a single information storage medium or a network, the modular user interface components for implementing functions of the device; and

creating the user interface from the modular user interface components automatically without user intervention.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising the steps of, in the event the device is not listed in the database of devices, determining whether a similar device similar to the device is listed in the database of devices;

in the event a similar device is not listed in the database of devices, executing a generic device user interface component retrieving step;

otherwise, executing said device specific user interface components retrieving step.

13. A method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising the step of displaying the user interface on a display coupled to the information handling system such that a user may control the device with the user interface.

14. A method as claimed in claim 11, said creating step being implemented automatically.

15. A method as claimed in claim 11, the user interface resource components comprising a plurality of objects.

16. A computer implemented program of instructions stored on a computer readable medium and executable by an information handling system, the contents of the program of instructions causing an information handling system to execute steps for generating a customized device user interface for the information handling system, the steps comprising:

identifying the device coupled to the information handling system to be controlled by the user interface;

comparing the identified device to a database of devices which includes a listing of modular user interface resource components available for implementing the functions of the device and determining whether the device is listed in the database of devices without user intervention, wherein at least two of the modular user interface resource components are objects, wherein said objects includes common denominator functions for controlling a device;

combining the objects to form a complete user interface for all functions of the device;

retrieving the modular user interface components from a database of modular interface components stored separately from the database of devices and updated from at least one of a single information storage medium or a network, the modular user interface components for implementing functions of the device; and

creating the user interface from the assembled user interface components without user intervention.

17. A program of instructions as claimed in claim 16, further comprising the steps of, in the event the device is not listed in the database of devices, determining whether a similar device similar to the device is listed in the database of devices;

in the event a similar device is not listed in the database of devices, executing a generic device user interface component retrieving step;

otherwise, executing said device specific user interface components retrieving step.

18. A program of instructions as claimed in claim 16, the steps further comprising the step of displaying the user interface on a display coupled to the information handling system such that a user may control the device with the user interface.

19. A program of instructions as claimed in claim 16, said assembling step being implemented automatically.

20. A program of instructions as claimed in claim 16, the user interface components comprising a plurality of discrete objects.