Linked widgets

• US 9,104,294 B2
• Filed: 04/12/2006
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Forstall, Scott, Chaudhri, Imran A., Louch, John O., Peyton, Eric Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Pan, Yongjia
• Application Number:
  US11/403,644
• Publication Number:
  US 20070101291A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,408 Days
• Field of Search: 715/769
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

Systems, methods, computer-readable mediums, user interfaces and other implementations are disclosed for manually or automatically linking widgets. The automatic linking of widgets includes detecting a trigger event associated with a first widget, and providing access to a second widget in response to the trigger event. The trigger event can be the downloading, previewing, installation, launching, updating, operating or any other interaction with one or more widgets. The trigger event can also be the exercise of a function or feature of a widget. In some implementations, a communication path or channel is established between widgets for sharing information. In other implementations, linked widgets are provided access to shared information. A widget link manager can be used to manually establish links between widgets and to designate shared information, restrictions, etc.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of linking widgets, comprising:

generating a dashboard layer, where the dashboard layer is at least partially overlaid on an existing user interface;

installing, in the dashboard layer, a first widget;

installing, in the dashboard layer, a second widget, wherein the first widget and the second widget are separate applications; and

determining the first widget and the second widget are associated based on predefined criteria;

in response to the determination, automatically linking the first and second widgets, the linking including

changing a visual appearance or positions of the first and second widgets in the dashboard layer to indicate the widgets are linked and the strength of the link,

wherein the method is performed by one or more hardware processors.

2. The method of claim 1, where installing the second widget in the dashboard layer, comprises:

detecting a trigger event associated with the first widget;

responsive to the trigger event,

searching a list of contextually relevant widgets;

selecting the second widget from the list; and

installing the second widget in the dashboard layer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the list is a data structure of link information, including a field for indicating shared information.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising:

displaying the second widget in the dashboard layer; and

allowing interaction with the second widget.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined criteria includes a type of data or information the widgets use or share.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined criteria includes an origin of the widgets.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined criteria includes a time of day.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein linking-comprises:

determining if the second widget is available for linking; and

automatically linking the second widget to the first widget.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined criteria includes participation in a process or workflow.

10. A tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising:

generating a dashboard layer, where the dashboard layer is at least partially overlaid on an existing user interface, such that when the dashboard is active, the existing user interface is faded to emphasize that the user interface is temporarily inactive;

installing, in the dashboard layer, a first widget;

installing, in the dashboard layer, a second widget; and

during the installing of the first or second widget, automatically linking the first and second widgets based on predefined criteria, the automatic linking including changing a visual appearance or positions of the first and second widgets in the dashboard layer to indicate the widgets are linked and the strength of the link.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, comprising:

detecting a trigger event associated with the first widget;

responsive to the trigger event,

searching a list of contextually relevant widgets;

selecting the second widget from the list; and

installing the second widget in the dashboard layer.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the list is a data structure of link information, including a field for indicating shared information.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, comprising:

displaying the second widget in a dashboard layer; and

allowing interaction with the second widget.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, where the predefined criteria includes a type of data or information the widgets use or share.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, where the predefined criteria includes an origin of the widgets.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, where the predefined criteria includes a time of day.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein linking comprises:

determining if the second widget is available for linking; and

automatically linking the second widget to the first widget.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, where the predefined criteria includes participation in a process or workflow.

19. A system for linking widgets, comprising:

one or more processors;

memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing instructions that when executed by the one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

generating a dashboard layer, where the dashboard layer is at least partially overlaid on an existing user interface;

installing, in the dashboard layer, a first widget;

installing, in the dashboard layer, a second widget,

wherein the first widget and the second widget are separate applications;

determining the first widget and the second widget are associated based on predefined criteria; and

in response to the determination,

automatically linking the first and second widgets, the linking including changing a visual appearance or positions of the first and second widgets in the dashboard layer to indicate the widgets are linked and the strength of the link.

20. The system of claim 19, where installing the second widget in the dashboard layer, comprises:

detecting a trigger event associated with the first widget;

responsive to the trigger event,

searching a list of contextually relevant widgets;

selecting the second widget from the list; and

installing the second widget in the dashboard layer.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the list is a data structure of link information, including a field for indicating shared information.

22. The system of claim 19, comprising:

displaying the second widget in a dashboard layer; and

allowing interaction with the second widget.

23. The system of claim 19, where the predefined criteria includes a type of data or information the widgets use or share.

24. The system of claim 19, where the predefined criteria includes an origin of the widgets.

25. The system of claim 19, where the predefined criteria includes a time of day.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein linking-comprises:

determining if the second widget is available for linking; and

automatically linking the second widget to the first widget.

27. The system of claim 19, where the predefined criteria includes participation in a process or workflow.