Workflow widgets

• US 9,513,930 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2010
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Forstall, Scott, Chaudhri, Imran A., Louch, John O., Peyton, Eric Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAPANESE, WILLIAM C
• Application Number:
  US12/784,438
• Publication Number:
  US 20100229095A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,392 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Systems, methods, computer-readable mediums, user interfaces and other implementations are disclosed for workflow widgets. In some implementations, a widget workflow method includes: launching a widget at a first device; and updating the widget with content created at a second device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

executing a first widget on a first device, the first widget including information and an executable application, executing the first widget including presenting the information of the first widget on the first device;

sending the first widget to a second device;

updating the first widget with content created using a second widget on the second device, wherein the second widget is launched on the second device using the information in the first widget sent by the first device, the updating including updating the information of the first widget;

pushing the updated information from the first device or the second device to a publishing device or a server system; and

presenting the updated information within the first widget.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein executing the first widget comprises:

determining if the first widget is installed; and

if the widget is not installed, installing the widget in a display environment.

3. The method of claim 2, where the display environment is a layer that is drawn on top of a user interface using an effect or animation.

4. The method of claim 2, where installing the widget includes:

previewing the widget in the display environment.

5. The method of claim 2, where installing the widget includes authenticating the widget.

6. The method of claim 5, where a state of the first widget is preserved when the display environment is inactive.

7. The method of claim 1, where the information is referenced by a uniform resource identifier (URI).

8. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

memory coupled to the one or more processors and configured to store instructions, which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

executing a first widget on a first device, the first widget including information and an executable application, executing the first widget including presenting the information of the first widget;

sending the first widget to a second device;

updating the first widget with content created using a second widget on the second device, wherein the second widget is launched on the second device using the information in the first widget sent by the first device, the updating including updating the information of the first widget; and

pushing the updated information from the first device to a publishing device or a server system.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein executing the first widget comprises:

determining if the widget is installed; and

if the widget is not installed, installing the widget in a display environment.

10. The system of claim 9, where the display environment is a layer that is drawn on top of a user interface using an effect or animation.

11. The system of claim 9, where installing the widget includes:

previewing the widget in the display environment.

12. The system of claim 9, where installing the widget includes authenticating the widget.

13. The system of claim 12, where a state of the first widget is preserved when the display environment is inactive.

14. The system of claim 8, where the information is referenced by a uniform resource identifier (URI).

15. The system of claim 8, wherein each of the publishing device and the one or more subscribing devices is a computing device, and the publishing device communicates with the one or more subscribing devices through a peer-to-peer network.

16. The system of claim 8, wherein each of the publishing device and the one or more subscribing devices is a computing device, and the publishing device communicates with the one or more subscribing devices through the server system.

17. The system of claim 8, wherein each of the one or more subscribing devices is configured to present the information to a respective user.

18. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions, which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

executing a first widget on a first device, the first widget including information and an executable application, executing the first widget including presenting information referenced by the first widget;

sending the first widget to a second device;

updating the first widget with content created using a second widget on the second device, wherein the second widget is launched on the second device using the information in the first widget sent by the first device, the updating including updating the information of the first widget; and

pushing the updated information from the first device to a publishing device or a server system.