Method and apparatus for extensibility of user interface binding definitions

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8943481-B2
Application number	US-201213457285-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 26, 2012
Priority date	Jun 29, 2001
Publication date	Jan 27, 2015
Grant date	Jan 27, 2015

Abstract

Embodiments create a binding specifications file that is compatible with a user interface application from a grammar rich XML file. The grammar rich XML file uses a complex DTD for transformation. The complex DTD may be prone to error if created by the user, therefore, the complex DTD file is automatically created from a schema definition provided by the user or user's agent. The user or user's agent defines a schema for the desired grammar level. Through a series of XSL transformations, the complex DTD file is created. Also, a stylesheet used for transforming the grammar rich XML file is automatically created. The grammar rich XML file provided by the user conforms to the automatically created complex DTD file. Thus, the grammar used in defining bindings of a user interface application is extensible without any requirement to enrich and recompile the application anytime an extension of the language is desired.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for extensibility of binding definitions for a user interface application, the method comprising:
performing, by a computer system programmed with code stored in a memory and executing by a processor of the computer system to configure the computer system into a machine:
obtaining a framework having definitions of a first set of rules for a first grammar level used for interpretation of binding specifications to a user interface application, wherein the user interface application is incompatible with the first grammar level;
performing a first transformation of the framework to generate the first set of rules for interpretation of the binding specifications in the first grammar level;
performing a second transformation of the framework to generate a first presentation style for the first grammar level;
obtaining the binding specifications in the first grammar level, the binding specification conforming to the first set of rules; and
applying the first set of rules and the first presentation style to the binding specification to generate output binding specifications in a second grammar level compatible with the user interface application.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the obtaining a framework comprises:
obtaining at least one file having contents comprising grammar definitions conforming to a second set of rules; and
transforming the contents of the at least one file into the framework using a second presentation style conforming to the framework.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first transformation is in accordance with a third presentation style.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second transformation is in accordance with a fourth presentation style.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first grammar level of the binding specifications is extensible.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second grammar level compatible with the user interface application is fixed.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the binding specifications are defined by a user in extensible markup language (XML).

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
performing, by the programmed computer system:
passing the output binding specifications as input to the user interface application.

9. A non-transistory, computer readable medium that includes code stored therein and executable by one or more data processors to configure a computer system into a machine for generating a computer readable document utilized for input into a user interface application by:
obtaining a framework having definitions of a first set of rules for a first grammar level used for interpretation of binding specifications to a user interface application, wherein the user interface application is incompatible with the first grammar level;
performing a first transformation of the framework to generate the first set of rules for interpretation of the binding specifications in the first grammar level;
performing a second transformation of the framework to generate a first presentation style for the first grammar level;
obtaining the binding specifications in the first grammar level, the binding specification conforming to the first set of rules; and
applying the first set of rules and the first presentation style to the binding specification to generate output binding specifications in a second grammar level compatible with the user interface application.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the obtaining a framework comprises:
obtaining at least one file having contents comprising grammar definitions conforming to a second set of rules; and
transforming the contents of the at least one file into the framework using a second presentation style conforming to the framework.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the first transformation is in accordance with a third presentation style.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the second transformation is in accordance with a fourth presentation style.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the first grammar level of the binding specifications is extensible.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the second grammar level compatible with the user interface application is fixed.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the binding specifications are user defined in extensible markup language (XML).

16. An apparatus comprising:
one or more data processors; and
a memory, coupled to the processor that includes code stored therein and executable by the one or more first data processors to configure a computer system into a machine to:
obtain a framework having definitions of a first set of rules for a first grammar level used for interpretation of binding specifications to a user interface application, wherein the user interface application is incompatible with the first grammar level;
perform a first transformation of the framework to generate the first set of rules for interpretation of the binding specifications in the first grammar level;
perform a second transformation of the framework to generate a first presentation style for the first grammar level;
obtain the binding specifications in the first grammar level, the binding specification conforming to the first set of rules; and
apply the first set of rules and the first presentation style to the binding specification to generate output binding specifications in a second grammar level compatible with the user interface application.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein to obtain a framework comprises:
obtaining at least one file having contents comprising grammar definitions conforming to a second set of rules; and
transforming the contents of the at least one file into the framework using a second presentation style conforming to the framework.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the first transformation is in accordance with a third presentation style.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the second transformation is in accordance with a fourth presentation style.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the first grammar level of the binding specifications is extensible.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the second grammar level compatible with the user interface application is fixed.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the binding specifications are user defined in extensible markup language (XML).

23. The computer readable medium of claim 16 , further comprising computer program code configured to cause the computer system to:
pass the output binding specifications as input to the user interface application.

24. An apparatus for simplifying user interface binding specifications provided to a computer program comprising:
means for obtaining a framework having definitions of a first set of rules for a first grammar level used for interpretation of binding specifications to a user interface application, wherein the user interface application is incompatible with the first grammar level;
means for performing a first transformation of the schema to generate the first set of rules for interpretation of the binding specifications in the first grammar level;
means for performing a second transformation of the framework to generate a first presentation style for the first grammar level;
means for obtaining binding specification

Assignees

• Gharavy Shari
• Blount Brian L
• Versata Dev Group Inc

Inventors

• Gharavy Shari
• Blount Brian L

Classifications

• G06F40/166

  Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting · CPC title

• G06F40/154 Primary

  Tree transformation for tree-structured or markup documents, e.g. XSLT, XSL-FO or stylesheets · CPC title

• G06F8/51

  Source to source · CPC title

• G06F40/253

  Grammatical analysis; Style critique · CPC title

• G06F40/143

  Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD] · CPC title