U.S. patent application number 12/413905 was filed with the patent office on 2009-07-16 for componentized remote user interface.
This patent application is currently assigned to Microsoft Corporation. Invention is credited to James Christopher Gray, Sergey Solyanik.
Application Number | 20090183086 12/413905 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36575613 |
Filed Date | 2009-07-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090183086 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Solyanik; Sergey ; et
al. |
July 16, 2009 |
Componentized Remote User Interface
Abstract
Systems and methods for providing a componentized remote user
interface are disclosed. Such user interfaces are particularly
suitable for use in remote configuration of a device, such as a
headless device, that is in network communication with a computer.
The user interface may be a web page rendered from an HTML file
that defines the web page and a separate file that includes script
for associating a value with a variable parameter. The HTML file
may include a reference to the variable parameter and incorporate
the other file therein by reference. When the web page is rendered,
the device parses the HTML file to identify the file incorporated
therein by reference and substitutes the parameter value provided
in the file for the variable included in the HTML file. Thus, the
rendered web page may include the actual value of the parameter,
and the HTML file need not have the actual value hard-coded
therein.
Inventors: |
Solyanik; Sergey; (Seatle,
WA) ; Gray; James Christopher; (Bellevue,
WA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WOODCOCK WASHBURN LLP (MICROSOFT CORPORATION)
CIRA CENTRE, 12TH FLOOR, 2929 ARCH STREET
PHILADELPHIA
PA
19104-2891
US
|
Assignee: |
Microsoft Corporation
Redmond
WA
|
Family ID: |
36575613 |
Appl. No.: |
12/413905 |
Filed: |
March 30, 2009 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11002173 |
Dec 2, 2004 |
7533099 |
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12413905 |
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10185275 |
Jun 27, 2002 |
6734827 |
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11002173 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
715/744 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y10S 707/99931 20130101;
G06F 16/9577 20190101; G06F 16/958 20190101 |
Class at
Publication: |
715/744 |
International
Class: |
G06F 3/048 20060101
G06F003/048; G06F 15/16 20060101 G06F015/16 |
Claims
1. A system for providing a componentized remote user interface,
the system comprising: a remote device having stored thereon: a
first file comprising a value associated with a variable parameter,
the variable parameter associated with updating a configuration
state of the remote device; and a second file comprising a
reference to the variable parameter and incorporating the first
file therein by reference, the second file associated with
rendering the user interface on the host computer; and a host
computer configured to be coupled to the remote device via a
network, the host computer comprising: a communications component
configured to: retrieve from the remote device, via the network,
the first file and the second file; and transmit, via the network,
a user-provided value associated with reconfiguring the
configuration state of the remote device, the reconfiguring
comprising: modifying the first file by associating the
user-provided value with the variable parameter; storing the
modified first file on the remote device; retrieving the
user-provided value from within the modified first file; and
utilizing the retrieved user-provided value to establish an updated
configuration state of the remote device; and a display configured
to render the user interface in accordance with information
extracted from the second file.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the reconfiguring comprises
storing the modified first file on the host computer.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the reconfiguring further
comprises: modifying the modified first file by associating a
second user-provided value with the variable parameter; storing the
twice-modified first file on the host computer; retrieving the
second user-provided value from within the twice-modified first
file; and employing the retrieved second user-provided value to
establish an updated configuration state of the remote device.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the communications component is
further configured to retrieve, via the network, the modified first
file from the remote device, and the reconfiguring further
comprises: retrieving the user-provided value from within the
modified first file; modifying the twice-modified first file by
re-associating the user-provided value with the variable parameter;
storing the thrice-modified first file on the host computer;
retrieving the user-provided value from within the thrice-modified
first file; and employing the retrieved user-provided value to
establish an updated configuration state of the remote device.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the host computer further
comprises a browser.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein the second file enables the
browser to render a web page on the display.
7. The system of claim 1, wherein the second file includes HTML
code associated with the layout of a web page.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the second file incorporates the
first file by reference via an include directive.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote device further
comprises control routines for parsing the second file to identify
and load the first file.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first file further comprises
script adapted to be rendered to include in the second file the
value associated with the variable parameter.
11. A system for providing a componentized remote user interface,
the system comprising a remote device configured to be coupled to a
host computer via a network, the remote device comprising: a
memory, the memory having stored thereon: a first file comprising a
value associated with a variable parameter, the variable parameter
associated with updating a configuration state of the remote
device; and a second file comprising a reference to the variable
parameter and incorporating the first file therein by reference,
the second file associated with rendering the user interface on the
host computer; and a communications component operatively coupled
to the remote device and configured to receive configuration
signals representative of signals from the host computer via the
network, wherein the configuration state of the remote device is
reconfigurable via the configuration signals, reconfiguration of
the configuration state of the remote device comprising: modifying
the first file by associating a user-provided value with the
variable parameter; storing the modified first file in the memory;
retrieving the user-provided value from within the modified first
file; and utilizing the retrieved user-provided value to establish
an updated configuration state of the remote device.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein the remote device further
comprises control routines for parsing the second file to identify
and load the first file.
13. The system of claim 11, wherein the first file further
comprises script adapted to be rendered to include in the second
file the value associated with the variable parameter.
14. A system for providing a componentized remote user interface,
the system comprising a host computer configured to be coupled to a
remote device via a network, the host computer comprising: a
communications component configured to: retrieve, via the network,
a first file comprising a value associated with a variable
parameter, the variable parameter associated with updating a
configuration state of the remote device; retrieve, via the
network, a second file comprising a reference to the variable
parameter and incorporating the first file therein by reference,
the second file associated with rendering the user interface;
transmit, via the network, a signal indicative of a user-provided
value associated with reconfiguring the configuration state of the
remote device, reconfiguration of the configuration state of the
remote device comprising: modifying the first file by associating
the user-provided value with the variable parameter; storing the
modified first file in the memory; retrieving the user-provided
value from within the modified first file; and utilizing the
retrieved user-provided value to establish an updated configuration
state of the remote device; and a display configured to render the
user interface.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein the reconfiguring comprises
storing the modified first file on the host computer.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein the reconfiguring further
comprises: modifying the modified first file by associating a
second user-provided value with the variable parameter; storing the
twice-modified first file on the host computer; retrieving the
second user-provided value from within the twice-modified first
file; and employing the retrieved second user-provided value to
establish an updated configuration state of the remote device.
17. The system of claim 16, wherein the communications component is
further configured to retrieve, via the network, the modified first
file from the remote device, and the reconfiguring further
comprises: retrieving the user-provided value from within the
modified first file; modifying the twice-modified first file by
re-associating the user-provided value with the variable parameter;
storing the thrice-modified first file on the host computer;
retrieving the user-provided value from within the thrice-modified
first file; and employing the retrieved user-provided value to
establish an updated configuration state of the remote device.
18. The system of claim 14, wherein the host computer further
comprises a browser.
19. The system of claim 18, wherein the user interface is rendered
by the browser, via the display, in accordance with information
extracted from the second file.
20. The system of claim 19, wherein the user interface is rendered
as a web page.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 10/185,278, filed Jun. 28, 2002, the subject matter of
which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all
purposes.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates generally to user interfaces to remote
devices. More particularly, the invention relates to componentized
user interfaces to remote devices via which such devices may be
remotely configured.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] A computer may communicate with remote devices such as
residential gateways, network attached storage devices, routers,
print servers, media servers, etc. Such devices typically require
configuration, but they typically do not have a physical interface
(e.g., monitor, keyboard, mouse) to facilitate such configuration.
Accordingly, such devices may be referred to as "headless" devices.
To configure such a headless device, the computer may be
communicatively coupled to the device, typically via a local-area
network (LAN), so that the user is enabled to communicate with the
device. Thus, from a user interface presented at the computer, the
user can typically access and modify configuration information on
the remote device. Such configuration information may include the
name of the device or parameter information such as an Internet
Protocol (IP) address associated with the device, for example.
[0004] Typically, configuration information is sent to the computer
in the form of an HTML file. A browser on the computer renders the
web page from the HTML file, and thereby presents the information
to the user in a desired format (e.g., layout and appearance) and
in a language that the user is expected to understand (e.g.,
English). The web page serves as a remote user interface, i.e., an
interface to the remote device, via which the user may, for
example, remotely change the configuration information associated
with the device.
[0005] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example embodiment of a
prior art system 200 for providing a remote user interface. The
system 200 may include one or more computers 210, which may be
desktop computers, laptop computers, etc., and one or more network
devices 230, which may be headless devices such as described
above.
[0006] The device(s) 230 may be communicatively coupled to the
computer 210 via a network 220, which may be a LAN or a wide-area
network (WAN) such as the Internet, for example. The device(s) 230
may be in communication with the computer 210 through a direct
connection with the computer 210, with or without being
communicatively coupled to the computer 210 via the network.
[0007] The computer 210 may be used to provide the user with a user
interface via which, for example, the user can remotely configure
the device 230. The computer 210 may include a physical user
interface, such as a display and mouse or keyboard, for example,
and browser software that may be executed on the computer 210.
[0008] The device 230 may have stored thereon a file 232 that
enables a browser to render a web page. The file 232 may be in a
mark-up language, such as HTML, for example. The web page may, for
example, enable a user of the computer 210 to access and modify
configuration information on the remote device 230. To configure
the device 230, the user of the computer 210 launches the browser
on the computer 210 and connects, via the network 220, to the
device 230. The computer retrieves the HTML file from the device
230 and renders the web page defined by the HTML file.
[0009] The HTML file 232 includes one or more predefined or
"hard-coded" parameter values 234. The HTML file 232 also includes
HTML code, scripts, images, objects, and the like (not shown), that
define the layout and appearance or "skin" 236 of the web page. The
HTML file 232 may include such code, scripts, images, objects,
etc., explicitly, or it may include references to other files that
include such code, scripts, images, objects, etc. When the web page
is rendered, the hard-coded parameter values 234 appear within the
web page in accordance with the skin 236.
[0010] An example of such an HTML file 310 is depicted in FIG. 2.
As shown, a first parameter 311 may be defined as having a value of
"IP address: 217.160.219.11." Similarly, a second parameter 312 may
be defined as having a value of "subnet: 255.255.255.0." A third
parameter 313 may be defined as having a value of "gateway:
217.160.219.1." A fourth parameter 314 may be defined as having a
value of "name: device1." When the web page is rendered, these
values appear within the web page in accordance with the skin.
[0011] Such an HTML file may be generated by the device's web
browser, either by running an ISAPI plug-in, CGI script, or an ASP
page. Usually, the code that generates such an HTML file is
produced by one or more developers or programmers of the device. To
produce the HTML file, the developers must access configuration
data on the device such as, for example, values associated with
certain parameters, such as an IP address, for example.
[0012] The developers also need to know the desired layout and
appearance, or "skin," of the web page presented to the user via a
display on the remote computer. In some instances, the device
manufacturer or distributor may want the rendered web page to have
different skins under different circumstances. Further, the
configuration software may be sold to different vendors, each of
which may want the ability to reskin so that the software takes on
the specific look and feel they want.
[0013] Additionally, the developers need to know the geographic
location of intended users so that any displays will be in a
language understood by the users. For example, if the device is
intended for use in a certain country, then the rendered
configuration page should be in a language understood in that
country. Typically, all of these factors will be accounted for in
the logic or coding provided in the application or service
responsible for generating the HTML file before the device is
shipped to the end-user. Therefore, all of the information related
to these factors typically must be known by the developers when
developing the default HTML file.
[0014] None of the developers, however, may have all of the
information because, for example, there may be one developer
involved with developing the skin for the configuration page and a
separate developer involved with the parameter data for the device
itself. There may be a third developer involved in localizing the
web page. It would be desirable, therefore, if methodologies were
available to provide remote user interfaces without the need for
hard-coding parameter values.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0015] The invention is directed to systems and methods for
providing a componentized remote user interface that is
particularly suitable for remote configuration of a headless
device. The invention provides flexibility in the development of
such user interfaces, which may be rendered as web pages on
computers associated with such remote devices. The invention
enables a developer to focus on web page skinning, for example,
without requiring any knowledge by the developer of ways to
retrieve parametric data associated with the device, or
localization information associated with the intended user of the
device. Rather, the skin developer can develop an HTML file that
references certain variables and incorporates by reference certain
files that associate values with the variables. Such variables may
be associated with configuration and localization of the
device.
[0016] A second developer focused on the device's parametric data
but uninterested in the appearance and layout of the web page may
develop one or more files that are separate from the HTML file and
associated specific values with the variable parameters (e.g., a
device name, an IP address, etc.). A third developer focused on
localization but uninterested in skinning or the specific parameter
values to be associated with the device may develop one or more
files that include localization information to be included in the
rendered web page.
[0017] When the web page is rendered, the values provided in the
referenced files are pulled into the HTML file and substituted for
the variables. In this way, the web page may be rendered with all
the desired data, localization information, and skinning, without
requiring all the desired data, localization information, and
skinning to be hard-coded into a single HTML file.
[0018] A user of a computer in communication with the device may
change the configuration data on the device by providing such
configuration data via the web page. When the configuration data is
changed, the device will update the configuration state. This state
will be used in rendering the web page the next time the user does
so. Because the configuration data in the form of name/value pairs
may be abstracted from the user interface, such pairs can be
retrieved by an application running on a client PC, for example,
and stored as a backup of the configuration state of the
device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed
description of illustrative embodiments, is better understood when
read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of
illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings example
embodiments of the invention. It should be understood, however,
that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments
disclosed.
[0020] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an example embodiment of a
typical prior art system for providing a remote user interface.
[0021] FIG. 2 is an example of an excerpt from a prior art HTML
file for defining a web page.
[0022] FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an example computing
environment in which aspects of the invention may be
implemented.
[0023] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an example embodiment of a
system for providing a remote user interface in accordance with the
invention.
[0024] FIGS. 5 and 6 provide examples of modules that may be used
to provide a componentized user interface in accordance with the
invention.
[0025] FIGS. 7 and 8 are functional block diagrams of example
embodiments of system according to the invention for providing
componentized remote user interfaces.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS
Example Computing Environment
[0026] FIG. 3 and the following discussion are intended to provide
a brief general description of a suitable computing environment in
which an example embodiment of the invention may be implemented. It
should be understood, however, that handheld, portable, and other
computing devices of all kinds are contemplated for use in
connection with the present invention. While a general purpose
computer is described below, this is but one example. The present
invention also may be operable on a thin client having network
server interoperability and interaction. Thus, an example
embodiment of the invention may be implemented in an environment of
networked hosted services in which very little or minimal client
resources are implicated, e.g., a networked environment in which
the client device serves merely as a browser or interface to the
World Wide Web.
[0027] Although not required, the invention can be implemented via
an application programming interface (API), for use by a developer
or tester, and/or included within the network browsing software
which will be described in the general context of
computer-executable instructions, such as program modules, being
executed by one or more computers (e.g., client workstations,
servers, or other devices). Generally, program modules include
routines, programs, objects, components, data structures and the
like that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract
data types. Typically, the functionality of the program modules may
be combined or distributed as desired in various embodiments.
Moreover, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the
invention may be practiced with other computer system
configurations. Other well known computing systems, environments,
and/or configurations that may be suitable for use with the
invention include, but are not limited to, personal computers
(PCs), automated teller machines, server computers, hand-held or
laptop devices, multi-processor systems, microprocessor-based
systems, programmable consumer electronics, network PCs,
minicomputers, mainframe computers, and the like. An embodiment of
the invention may also be practiced in distributed computing
environments where tasks are performed by remote processing devices
that are linked through a communications network or other data
transmission medium. In a distributed computing environment,
program modules may be located in both local and remote computer
storage media including memory storage devices.
[0028] FIG. 3 thus illustrates an example of a suitable computing
system environment 100 in which the invention may be implemented,
although as made clear above, the computing system environment 100
is only one example of a suitable computing environment and is not
intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or
functionality of the invention. Neither should the computing
environment 100 be interpreted as having any dependency or
requirement relating to any one or combination of components
illustrated in the exemplary operating environment 100.
[0029] With reference to FIG. 3, an example system for implementing
the invention includes a general purpose computing device in the
form of a computer 110. Components of computer 110 may include, but
are not limited to, a processing unit 120, a system memory 130, and
a system bus 121 that couples various system components including
the system memory to the processing unit 120. The system bus 121
may be any of several types of bus structures including a memory
bus or memory controller, a peripheral bus, and a local bus using
any of a variety of bus architectures. By way of example, and not
limitation, such architectures include Industry Standard
Architecture (ISA) bus, Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) bus,
Enhanced ISA (EISA) bus, Video Electronics Standards Association
(VESA) local bus, and Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus
(also known as Mezzanine bus).
[0030] Computer 110 typically includes a variety of computer
readable media. Computer readable media can be any available media
that can be accessed by computer 110 and includes both volatile and
nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media. By way of example,
and not limitation, computer readable media may comprise computer
storage media and communication media. Computer storage media
includes both volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable
media implemented in any method or technology for storage of
information such as computer readable instructions, data
structures, program modules or other data. Computer storage media
includes, but is not limited to, random access memory (RAM),
read-only memory (ROM), Electrically-Erasable Programmable
Read-Only Memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technology,
compact disc read-only memory (CDROM), digital versatile disks
(DVD) or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic
tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or
any other medium which can be used to store the desired information
and which can be accessed by computer 110. Communication media
typically embodies computer readable instructions, data structures,
program modules or other data in a modulated data signal such as a
carrier wave or other transport mechanism and includes any
information delivery media. The term "modulated data signal" means
a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed
in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of
example, and not limitation, communication media includes wired
media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and
wireless media such as acoustic, radio frequency (RF), infrared,
and other wireless media. Combinations of any of the above should
also be included within the scope of computer readable media.
[0031] The system memory 130 includes computer storage media in the
form of volatile and/or nonvolatile memory such as ROM 131 and RAM
132. A basic input/output system 133 (BIOS), containing the basic
routines that help to transfer information between elements within
computer 110, such as during start-up, is typically stored in ROM
131. RAM 132 typically contains data and/or program modules that
are immediately accessible to and/or presently being operated on by
processing unit 120. By way of example, and not limitation, FIG. 3
illustrates operating system 134, application programs 135, other
program modules 136, and program data 137. RAM 132 may contain
other data and/or program modules.
[0032] The computer 110 may also include other
removable/non-removable, volatile/nonvolatile computer storage
media. By way of example only, FIG. 3 illustrates a hard disk drive
141 that reads from or writes to non-removable, nonvolatile
magnetic media, a magnetic disk drive 151 that reads from or writes
to a removable, nonvolatile magnetic disk 152, and an optical disk
drive 155 that reads from or writes to a removable, nonvolatile
optical disk 156, such as a CD ROM or other optical media. Other
removable/non-removable, volatile/nonvolatile computer storage
media that can be used in the example operating environment
include, but are not limited to, magnetic tape cassettes, flash
memory cards, digital versatile disks, digital video tape, solid
state RAM, solid state ROM, and the like. The hard disk drive 141
is typically connected to the system bus 121 through a
non-removable memory interface such as interface 140, and magnetic
disk drive 151 and optical disk drive 155 are typically connected
to the system bus 121 by a removable memory interface, such as
interface 150.
[0033] The drives and their associated computer storage media
discussed above and illustrated in FIG. 3 provide storage of
computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules
and other data for the computer 110. In FIG. 3, for example, hard
disk drive 141 is illustrated as storing operating system 144,
application programs 145, other program modules 146, and program
data 147. Note that these components can either be the same as or
different from operating system 134, application programs 135,
other program modules 136, and program data 137. Operating system
144, application programs 145, other program modules 146, and
program data 147 are given different numbers here to illustrate
that, at a minimum, they are different copies. A user may enter
commands and information into the computer 110 through input
devices such as a keyboard 162 and pointing device 161, commonly
referred to as a mouse, trackball or touch pad. Other input devices
(not shown) may include a microphone, joystick, game pad, satellite
dish, scanner, or the like. These and other input devices are often
connected to the processing unit 120a-f through a user input
interface 160 that is coupled to the system bus 121, but may be
connected by other interface and bus structures, such as a parallel
port, game port or a universal serial bus (USB).
[0034] A monitor 191 or other type of display device is also
connected to the system bus 121 via an interface, such as a video
interface 190. In addition to monitor 191, computers may also
include other peripheral output devices such as speakers 197 and
printer 196, which may be connected through an output peripheral
interface 195.
[0035] The computer 110 may operate in a networked environment
using logical connections to one or more remote computers, such as
a remote computer 180. The remote computer 180 may be a personal
computer, a server, a router, a network PC, a peer device or other
common network node, and typically includes many or all of the
elements described above relative to the computer 110, although
only a memory storage device 181 has been illustrated in FIG. 3.
The logical connections depicted in FIG. 3 include a local area
network (LAN) 171 and a wide area network (WAN) 173, but may also
include other networks. Such networking environments are
commonplace in offices, enterprise-wide computer networks,
intranets and the Internet.
[0036] When used in a LAN networking environment, the computer 110
is connected to the LAN 171 through a network interface or adapter
170. When used in a WAN networking environment, the computer 110
typically includes a modem 172 or other means for establishing
communications over the WAN 173, such as the Internet. The modem
172, which may be internal or external, may be connected to the
system bus 121 via the user input interface 160, or other
appropriate mechanism. In a networked environment, program modules
depicted relative to the computer 110, or portions thereof, may be
stored in the remote memory storage device. By way of example, and
not limitation, FIG. 3 illustrates remote application programs 185
as residing on memory device 181. It will be appreciated that the
network connections shown are exemplary and other means of
establishing a communications link between the computers may be
used.
[0037] One of ordinary skill in the art can appreciate that a
computer 110 or other client devices can be deployed as part of a
computer network. In this regard, the present invention pertains to
any computer system having any number of memory or storage units,
and any number of applications and processes occurring across any
number of storage units or volumes. An embodiment of the present
invention may apply to an environment with server computers and
client computers deployed in a network environment, having remote
or local storage. The present invention may also apply to a
standalone computing device, having programming language
functionality, interpretation and execution capabilities.
Componentized Remote User Interface
[0038] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an example embodiment of a
system for providing a componentized remote user interface in
accordance with the invention. The system 400 may include one or
more computers 410, which may be desktop computers, laptop
computers, etc., and one or more remote network devices 430.
[0039] The remote device(s) 430 may be communicatively coupled to
the computer 410 via a network 420, which may be a LAN or a
wide-area network (WAN) such as the Internet, for example. The
device(s) 430 may be in communication with the computer 410 through
a direct connection with the computer 410, with or without being
communicatively coupled to the computer 410 via the network.
[0040] The computer 410 may be used to provide the user with a user
interface via which, for example, the user can remotely configure
the device 430. The computer 410 may include a physical user
interface, such as a display and mouse or keyboard, for example,
and browser software that may be executed on the computer 410.
[0041] The remote device 430 may be a headless device such as a
residential gateway, network attached storage device, router, print
server, media server, etc. To configure the remote device 430, the
user of the computer 410 may launch the browser on the computer 410
and connect, via the network 420, to the remote device 430. The
computer 410 may retrieve one or more HTML files, for example, from
the device 430 and render a web page via which the user of the
computer 410 may configure the remote device.
[0042] The remote device 430 may include an HTTP server 434, which
may be a software process that handles low level protocol
negotiation with the browser on the computer 410, an internet
server application programming interface ("ISAPI") 436, which may
be an interface used to program to the HTTP server, and an
HTML/Javascript data store 438, which may contain files used to
generate a desired experience, such as files for localization and
presentation.
[0043] The remote device 430 may also include one or more
configuration modules 432A-C. Examples of such configuration
modules are depicted in FIGS. 5 and 6. A first such module, which
may be a default HTML file, may include a reference to one or more
other modules. An example of such a default HTML file is depicted
in FIG. 5. As shown, the default HTML file may include script for
including the referenced modules NETWORK and LANG.
[0044] As shown in FIG. 6, the referenced modules may include one
or more name/value pairs. For example, the module NETWORK may
include values associated with parameters named Name, IPAddr,
Subnet, and Gateway. Similarly, the module LANG may include values
associated with parameters named Config, TextIPAddr, TextSubnet,
TextGateway, and TextName. It should be understood that, in
general, the parameters could be any parameters, with any names,
and that the values associated with the parameters could be any
values. It should also be understood that the referenced modules
(e.g., NETWORK and LANG) need not exist on the remote device. The
referenced modules could be generated by software running on the
device when the default HTML file is requested by the browser
running on the client computer.
[0045] When the web page is rendered on the client computer, the
result from the instruction
"document.write(g_LANG_Config+"<BR>")" would be
"Configuration Page." By altering the text in LANG module, the text
"Configuration Page" could appear in any desired language.
Similarly, the result from the instruction
"document.write("<P>"+g_LANG_TextIPAddr+":"+g
NETWORK_IPAddr+"</P>") would be "IP Address: 217.160.219.11."
The result from the instruction
"document.write("<P>"+g_LANG_TextSubnet+":"+g
NETWORK_Subnet+"</P>") would be "Subnet: 255.255.255.0." The
result from the instruction
"document.write("<P>"+g_LANG_TextGateway+":"+g_NETWORK_Gateway+"<-
;/P>") would be "Gateway: 217.160.219.1." The result from the
instruction
"document.write("<P>"+g_LANG_TextName+":"+g_NETWORK_Name+"</P>-
;") would be "Name: device1." By changing the values in the
referenced modules, the appearance of the web page may be changed
as desired.
[0046] Thus, the web page rendered from the files depicted in FIGS.
5 and 6 may be identical to the web page rendered from the file
depicted in FIG. 2. The use of variable parameters and references
to external files that include specific data associated with the
variable parameters, however, provides additional flexibility
during development of the web page.
[0047] A user of the computer 410 can use such a componentized
remote user interface to set or change one or more aspects of the
configuration of the device 430. For example, if the user wants to
change the IP address of the device (e.g., from the default value
to a user-supplied value, or from a previously-supplied value to a
new value), then the user can overwrite the IP address presented
via the web page. Preferably, the web page also includes an
"update" button that the user can select (e.g., by clicking with
the mouse). Upon selection of the update button, the configuration
state of the device is modified to reflect the updated IP
address.
[0048] It should be understood from the foregoing description that
a componentized user interface enables a developer writing the HTML
code that defines the web page to focus only on the "skin" of the
web page. Specific parametric data, such as IP addresses, for
example, may be included as variable parameters. Similarly,
"localization" information, such as the language in which certain
terms should be presented, may also be included as one or more
variables. The language itself may be included as a variable
parameter. Thus, a skin developer may develop the HTML file
irrespective of the specific parameters or localization
information, a localization developer can develop the localization
information independently of the skin developer, and a developer
with knowledge of the specific data values may produce files to
provide those values independently of the skin developer and the
localization developer.
[0049] FIG. 7 is a functional block diagram of an example
embodiment of a system for providing a componentized remote user
interface in accordance with the invention. At step 1, the browser
on the computer may request a default HTML file, which is depicted
in FIG. 7 as "default.htm." This request may be communicated to the
device via a local area network, for example.
[0050] At step 2, a control routine on the device may parse the
request, and locate and load default.htm. Alternatively,
default.htm may be loaded from an insertable storage medium, such
as a compact disc, for example. The use of an insertable storage
medium may aide in configuration page development by allowing for
dynamic swapping of pages as they are constructed.
[0051] At step 3, a control routine on the device may parse
default.htm and determine that default.htm includes an include
directive that references an external module "name." At step 4, the
name module may render appropriate script to be incorporated into
the appropriate line in default.htm. The computer receives the name
module at step 5 and renders the information through use of a
script.
[0052] As in the example shown in FIG. 7, the script language may
be "javascript" containing a variable called "name." It should be
understood, however, that any script language may be used. The
script language results in a display on the computer such as "Your
Name is" followed by the name for the device stored in the include
file "name."
[0053] Because simple script is returned from the name module, no
server-side rendering or ordering of the configuration page is
performed or necessary. This may allow for quicker development as
compilation and linking may not be required steps.
[0054] FIG. 8 is a functional block diagram of an example
embodiment of a client-based implementation for providing a
componentized remote user interface in accordance with the
invention. At step 11, the computer requests "default.htm" from the
device. At step 12, the device retrieves default.htm from a local
store, and sends it to the computer. As described above in
connection with FIG. 5, default.htm may use Javascript variables,
for example, instead of values for text strings and parameters. At
step 13, the computer runs the Javascript on the page, which causes
any included files to be requested from the device. At step 14, for
each request for an include file, code runs on the device that
retrieves configuration from the system and presents it in the form
of a Javascript segment that assigns values to the variables. At
step 15, the browser on the client substitutes variables for values
and presents the page to the user.
[0055] A componentized remote user interface according to the
invention may also be used to restore a previous configuration on a
remote device. Typically, a user backs-up one or more files that
represent a current configuration state of the device before
implementing a change to the configuration. If, for any reason, the
user wishes to return to the previous configuration, the user
uploads the backed-up data, which is consumed by a process on the
device that parses this data to restore the previous configuration.
It is well-known, however, that when an aspect of a system's
configuration is changed, the change may cause a "ripple effect,"
wherein changes to other configuration states occur as a result of
the requested configuration change. The user, however, might not
know which files have been affected by the change as it propagates
through the system.
[0056] Rather than trying to back up all files connected with the
configuration change, a componentized remote user interface
according to the invention allows the developer of the device to
create a simpler backup application that comes in two stages.
First, to backup data, the user goes to the page that includes all
configuration parameters (all .h files) in the system. It then
records the data in the form of post commands that can be used to
write configuration back to the device as if user were to press the
"Update" button. This page could then be stored locally on the
computer, and executed when the restore action is desired.
[0057] The various techniques described herein may be implemented
in connection with hardware or software or, where appropriate, with
a combination of both. Thus, the methods and apparatus of the
present invention, or certain aspects or portions thereof, may take
the form of program code (i.e., instructions) embodied in tangible
media, such as floppy diskettes, CD-ROMs, hard drives, or any other
machine-readable storage medium, wherein, when the program code is
loaded into and executed by a machine, such as a computer, the
machine becomes an apparatus for practicing the invention. In the
case of program code execution on programmable computers, the
computing device will generally include a processor, a storage
medium readable by the processor (including volatile and
non-volatile memory and/or storage elements), at least one input
device, and at least one output device. One or more programs that
may utilize the creation and/or implementation of domain-specific
programming models aspects of the present invention, e.g., through
the use of a data processing API or the like, are preferably
implemented in a high level procedural or object oriented
programming language to communicate with a computer system.
However, the program(s) can be implemented in assembly or machine
language, if desired. In any case, the language may be a compiled
or interpreted language, and combined with hardware
implementations.
[0058] Though the present invention has been described in
connection with the preferred embodiments of the various figures,
it is to be understood that other embodiments may be used or
modifications and additions may be made to the described
embodiments for performing the same function of the present
invention without deviating therefrom. In no way is the present
invention limited to the examples provided herein. Therefore, the
present invention should not be limited to any single embodiment,
but rather should be construed in breadth and scope in accordance
with the appended claims.
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