Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display driving control circuitry – Controlling the condition of display elements
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-06
2001-09-18
Bayerl, Raymond J. (Department: 2773)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display driving control circuitry
Controlling the condition of display elements
C345S215000, C345S215000, C345S215000, C709S201000, C709S241000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06292186
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to pervasive computing devices, and more particularly to information appliances that can be networked with a variety of other information appliances.
2. Description of the Related Art
Information appliances, that is, devices that incorporate digital processors to collect, store, and disseminate information, including information appliances known as personal digital assistants (PDAs), are becoming ubiquitous. Many information appliances can be networked locally. For example, the televisions, computer-controlled kitchen appliances, and security system of a house might all be networked to a central computer, and furthermore the information appliances of the local network might be remotely controllable by means of a PDA that communicates with the local network via the Internet or other system, such as the network referred to as “TSpaces” disclosed in IBM's co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/013,768, filed Jan. 27, 1998 and Ser. No. 09/013,505, also filed Jan. 27, 1998, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.
As recognized by the present invention, if a wide variety of information appliances are to share data, the data must be rendered in a form that all appliances can recognize. Furthermore, the present invention recognizes that a “window” into such an electronic world can be conveniently provided by a PDA, owing to the compactness, easy portability, data storage, and program execution capability of PDAs. Indeed, the use of hand held information appliances such as PDAs can be expected to continue to grow as the operating systems for the devices, e.g., Palm Operating System, Windows CE, etc., continue to improve, extending the capabilities of the appliances. Thus, it will be appreciated that information appliances such as PDAs can execute many useful software application programs to control or otherwise interact with other information devices.
As but one example of how a PDA might be useful as a “window” into the electronic world, a PDA can potentially replace a television-specific remote control and other appliance-specific remote controls with a single, universal control, i.e., the PDA. As understood by the present invention, however, a central impediment to providing such a universal information appliance is the inability to establish and change graphic user interfaces (GUI) on the fly. Using the above example to illustrate, the GUI required to execute the application of controlling a television set is very different from the GUI required to execute the application of controlling a garage door opener, which in turn requires a different GUI than transmitting data to a network, and so on. Thus, a universal information appliance must be capable of presenting application-specific GUIs if it is to function effectively as an all-purpose “window” to the electronic world.
Moreover, for a universal information appliance to optimize its user-friendliness, the present invention recognizes the desirability that a GUI be tailored to a particular user who might have a physical impediment or other special need. Unfortunately, present GUIs are static. Consequently, they cannot be dynamically changed or tailored for particular users. Accordingly, the present invention recognizes the desirability of easily and quickly tailoring the GUI of an application.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is a general purpose computer such as an information appliance programmed according to the inventive steps herein to dynamically render a graphics user interface (GUI) on a universal information application (UIA) and to communicate with a globally shared, associatively addressed memory space such as the above-referenced “TSpaces”. The invention can also be embodied as an article of manufacture—a machine component—that is used by a digital processing apparatus and which tangibly embodies a program of instructions that are executable by the digital processing apparatus to undertake the present logic. This invention is realized in a critical machine component that causes a digital processing apparatus to perform the inventive method steps herein. In other aspects, a computer program product is disclosed which is readable by a digital processing apparatus and which tangibly embodies a computer program. The computer program product combines a computer readable medium with program code elements that undertake the logic disclosed below. And, a computer-implemented method is disclosed for executing the logic herein.
Accordingly, in one aspect an information appliance including a display and at least one input device includes an application source, and a parser communicating with the application source. The input device can be manipulated to cause an application from the source to be sent to the parser. Then, the parser transforms the application into at least a list of graphical user interface (GUI) elements that are associated with the application and a list of elements that are also associated with the application, such that the list of GUI elements is made dynamically. A universal information appliance (UIA) engine accesses the lists to execute the application.
In a preferred embodiment, the UIA engine includes a UIA processor for executing the application and a UIA communication manager communicating data between the UIA processor and TSpaces. Preferably, a local data cache is provided on the UIA, and the UIA communication manager communicates with the local data cache when the information appliance is not communicating with TSpaces. On the other hand, when the UIA is connected to the TSpaces network, the communication manager communicates with a proxy for converting data from the UIA processor to tuples for use of the tuples by TSpaces. The proxy also converts tuples from the TSpaces to data that is usable by the UIA processor.
In the preferred embodiment, the application is written in the novel MoDAL language disclosed herein, and the parser converts the MoDAL application to binary language. The MoDAL language includes plural language elements for establishing: GUI elements, and action elements, at least some of which action elements can be associated with respective GUI elements. Also, MoDAL elements can be associated with respective action elements and respective GUI elements. The GUI elements are selected from the group of elements including one or more of forms, buttons, fields, lists, pop up triggers, menus, help strings, and tables, whereas the action elements are selected from the group of elements including one or more of database read, database write, database delete, tuple send, tuple query, formgoto, appstop, set, get, condition, and date.
In another aspect, a computer-implemented method is disclosed for executing an application. The method includes receiving the application and processing the application to identify graphical user interface (GUI) establishing instructions therein. Then, a graphical user interface (GUI) is dynamically rendered based on the GUI establishing instructions.
In still another aspect, a computer program product includes a computer program storage device that is readable by an information appliance, and a program means on the program storage device. The program means includes program code elements that embody instructions which are executable by the information appliance for performing method steps for dynamically rendering a graphical user interface (GUI) on a display associated with the information appliance. The method steps undertaken by the appliance include converting at least one application written in a plain text language to a binary format for executing the application. Also, the method steps include rendering the GUI on the display based on the binary format.
The details of the present invention, both as to its structure and operation, can best be understood in reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts, and in which:
REFERENCES:
patent: 5867153 (1999-02-01), Grandcolas et al.
patent: 59059
Eustice Kevin Francis
Lehman Tobin J.
Morales Armando Gil
Bautista X. L.
Bayerl Raymond J.
International Business Machines - Corporation
Rogitz John L.
LandOfFree
Universal information appliance with parser does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Universal information appliance with parser, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Universal information appliance with parser will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2437197