User interface pattern mapping

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10386985-B2
Application number	US-201514798501-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 14, 2015
Priority date	Jul 14, 2015
Publication date	Aug 20, 2019
Grant date	Aug 20, 2019

Abstract

A method for a mapping of user interfaces includes providing a mapping description between first data elements of a first user interface and second data elements of a second user interface, receiving input events via the first user interface, and intercepting a communication between the first user interface and an application by an interface mapper. The method also includes aggregating a series of the received input events to a first user interface pattern, transforming the first user interface pattern to a second user interface pattern based on the mapping description, and rendering the second user interface pattern in a second user interface in parallel to rendering the first user interface pattern in the first user such that both user interfaces are visible at the same time.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for a mapping of user interfaces, the method comprising:
providing, by a computer, a mapping description between first user interactions required to access a functionality of a software program running in the computer via a first user interface and second user interactions required to access the same functionality of the software program via a second user interface, the mapping description is stored in a file comprising XML instructions associated with mapping actions between the first user interactions and the second user interactions, the XML instructions make the mapping description transferable between different programming environments, the first user interface comprises a first version of a user interface of the software program and the second user interface comprises a modified version of the user interface,
wherein the first user interactions required to access the functionality using the first user interface are different from the second user interactions required to access the functionality using the second user interface;
receiving the first user interactions via the first user interface, the first user interactions comprising a sequence of input events from the user;
recording the first user interactions;
capturing a communication between the first user interface and the software program;
generating a first user interface pattern based on the recorded first user interactions, the first user interface pattern comprising one or more of the first user interactions;
converting, in real-time, the first user interface pattern to a second user interface pattern based on the mapping description, wherein the second user interface pattern comprises the second user interactions corresponding to the first user interactions required to access the functionality of the software program using the second user interface;
simultaneously displaying the second user interface pattern in the second user interface and the first user interface pattern in the first user interface such that both the first user interface and the second user interface are visible to the user, wherein the simultaneous display provides the user with real-time information as to the functionality of the software program on the second user interface by interacting with the first user interface;
recording, by the computer, the second user interface pattern on the second user interface; and
automatically running the recorded second user interface pattern on the second user interface such that information about accessing the functionality of the software program using the second user interface is available to the user while interacting with the first user interface.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first user interface is associated with a first version of the software program and the second user interface is associated with a second version of the software program.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein simultaneously displaying the first user interface and the second user interface is performed side-by-side on the same device.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein simultaneously displaying the first user interface and the second user interface is performed on different devices.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the second user interface is displayed on a device with a different form factor.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein a message is generated if displaying of a data element on the device having the different form factor is not possible.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first user interactions and the second user interactions comprise an event, an input, a click of a pointing device, or a character.

8. A mapping system for a mapping of user interfaces, the system comprising:
one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories, one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices, and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, wherein the mapping system is capable of performing a method comprising:
providing, by a computer, a mapping description between first user interactions required to access a functionality of a software program running in the computer via a first user interface and second user interactions required to access the same functionality of the software program via a second user interface, the mapping description is stored in a file comprising XML instructions associated with mapping actions between the first user interactions and the second user interactions, the XML instructions make the mapping description transferable between different programming environments, the first user interface comprises a first version of a user interface of the software program and the second user interface comprises a modified version of the user interface,
wherein the first user interactions required to access the functionality using the first user interface are different from the second user interactions required to access the functionality using the second user interface;
receiving the first user interactions via the first user interface, the first user interactions comprising a sequence of input events from the user;
recording the first user interactions;
capturing a communication between the first user interface and the software program;
generating a first user interface pattern based on the recorded first user interactions, the first user interface pattern comprising one or more of the first user interactions;
converting, in real-time, the first user interface pattern to a second user interface pattern based on the mapping description, wherein the second user interface pattern comprises the second user interactions corresponding to the first user interactions required to access the functionality of the software program using the second user interface;
simultaneously displaying the second user interface pattern in the second user interface and the first user interface pattern in the first user interface such that both the first user interface and the second user interface are visible to the user, wherein the simultaneous display provides the user with real-time information as to the functionality of the software program on the second user interface by interacting with the first user interface;
recording, by the computer, the second user interface pattern on the second user interface; and
automatically running the recorded second user interface pattern on the second user interface such that information about accessing the functionality of the software program using the second user interface is available to the user while interacting with the first user interface.

9. The mapping system according to claim 8 , wherein the first user interface is associated with a first version of the software program and the second user interface is associated with a second version of the software program.

10. The mapping system according to claim 8 , wherein simultaneously displaying the first user interface and the second user interface is performed side-by-side on the same device.

11. The mapping system according to claim 8 , wherein simultaneously displaying the first user interface and the second user interface is performed on different devices.

12. The mapping system according to claim 11 , wherein the second user interface is displayed on a device with a different form factor.

13. The mapping system according to claim 12 , wherein a message is generated if displaying of a data element on the device having the different form factor is not possible

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Ciano Giuseppe
• Della Corte Gianluca
• Gianfagna Leonida
• Massa Luigi
• Sgro Antonio M

Classifications

• G06F3/0481 Primary

  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 title

• G06F3/14

  Digital output to display device {; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units} · CPC title

• G06F9/455

  Emulation; Interpretation; Software simulation, e.g. virtualisation or emulation of application or operating system execution engines · CPC title

• G06F9/451

  Execution arrangements for user interfaces · CPC title

• G06F11/3438

  monitoring of user actions (tracking the activity of the user H04L67/535) · CPC title