Methods and systems for creating skins

• US 7,451,399 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2005
• Issued: 11/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Novak, Michael J., Olson, Kipley J., Larkin, Kevin P., Nadalin, David M., Sanborn, Frank G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo; Weilun
• Assistant Examiner(s): ENGLAND, SARA M
• Application Number:
  US11/129,151
• Publication Number:
  US 20050229105A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,278 Days
• Field of Search: 715/727, 715/744, 715/746, 715/513, 715/514, 715/768
• US Class Current: 715/727
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces

Abstract

Methods and systems for creating and rendering skins are described. In one described embodiment, a skin is defined using at least one skin definition that defines the skin in a hierarchical tag-based language.

Claims

1. One or more computer-readable media comprising computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by a computer, perform a method comprising:

processing at least one skin definition file resident on the one or more computer-readable media, the skin definition file defining a skin and being defined in a hierarchical tag-based language;

accessing one or more art files resident on the one or more computer-readable media, the art files containing images associated with the skin,

wherein at least one art file defines a primary image that can be viewed by a user when the skin is installed, the primary image containing one or more user viewable elements associated with the skin;

accessing at least one art file that defines a secondary image that is viewable in response to a user action;

accessing at least one art file that defines a mapping image to specify skin regions that respond to user input; and

processing the hierarchical tag-based language to facilitate the rendering of the skin,

wherein the hierarchical tag-based language comprises;

at least one tag pair that contains information that identifies the primary image containing the one or more user-viewable elements associated with the skin;

at least one tag pair that contains information that identifies the mapping image, the mapping image having one or more colors, each color defining a region of the mapping image; and

at least one tag pair that contains information that establishes a color mapping relationship between at least one secondary image and associated colors in the mapping image,

wherein when the skin is rendered, each color region of the mapping image defines an area of the skin that is dedicated to its associated secondary image.

2. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1 further comprising one or more script files resident on the computer-readable media, the script files defining responses to various events to give the skin a degree of interactivity.

3. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 2, wherein at least one event comprises an internal event that is associated with an application with which the skin is associated.

4. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 2, wherein at least one event comprises an external event that is associated with a user of an application with which the skin is associated.

5. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the skin definition file comprises an XML file.

6. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by a computer, perform a method comprising:

processing at least one skin definition file resident on the one or more computer-readable media, the skin definition file defining a skin and being defined in a hierarchical tag-based language;

accessing one or more art files resident on the one or more computer-readable media, the art files containing images associated with the skin, at least one art file defining;

a primary image that can be viewed by a user when the skin is installed;

a subview image that represents a subsection of the skin;

an interface control image associated with a subview image;

a user viewable element image that facilitates user interaction with the skin;

a secondary image that is viewable in response to a user action;

or

a mapping image to specify skin regions that respond to user input;

accessing one or more script files resident on the computer-readable media, the script files defining responses to various events to give the skin a degree of interactivity; and

processing the hierarchical tag-based language to facilitate rendering of the skin,

wherein the hierarchical tag-based language comprises;

at least one tag pair containing information associated with at least one subview that defines a subsection within the skin that can be moved or hidden based on a user'"'"'s interaction with at least one or more user-viewable elements;

at least one tag pair containing information associated with at least one interface control associated with the at least one subview;

at least one tag pair containing information that identifies the mapping image, the mapping image having one or more colors, each color defining a region of the mapping image; and

at least one tag pair containing information that establishes a color mapping relationship between at least one secondary image and associated colors in the mapping image,

wherein when the skin is rendered, each color region of the mapping image defines an area of the skin that is dedicated to its associated secondary image.

7. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 6, wherein at least one event comprises an internal event that is associated with an application with which the skin is associated.

8. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 6, wherein at least one event comprises an external event that is associated with a user of an application with which the skin is associated.

9. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 6, wherein the skin definition file comprises an XML file.