Enabling rapid and de-coupled ui development for a cellular telephone

Abstract

In an embodiment, a method is presented. The method includes receiving specifications for a cellular telephone. The method further includes developing a platform independent user interface implemented by a media player for a cellular telephone separately from an operating system for the cellular telephone. The method also includes integrating the user interface with the operating system.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is illustrated in an exemplary manner by the accompanying drawings. The drawings should be understood as exemplary rather than limiting, as the scope of the invention is defined by the claims.

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a personal device such as a cellular telephone.

FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a process of operating a user interface on a personal device.

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of a process of handling software on a personal device.

FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of a process of handling software on a personal device.

FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of a machine-readable medium.

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of a user interface as illustrated in hierarchical form.

FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment of a network.

FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment of a personal device.

FIG. 9 illustrates an embodiment of a process of designing a graphical user interface.

FIG. 10 illustrates an alternate embodiment of a process of designing a graphical user interface.

FIG. 11 illustrates an alternate embodiment of a process of operating a user interface on a personal device.

FIG. 12A illustrates an embodiment of a user interface which may be used with a variety of embodiments of cellular telephones.

FIG. 12B illustrates an embodiment of a cellular telephone and software running on the device.

FIG. 13 illustrates an embodiment of a process of updating a user interface based on a content file.

FIG. 14 illustrates an embodiment of a process of interrupting a media player on a cellular telephone.

FIG. 15 illustrates an embodiment of a process of retrieving data and setting data on a cellular telephone.

FIG. 16 illustrates an embodiment of a process of programming a function key on a cellular telephone.

Claims

1. A method, comprising: receiving specifications for a cellular telephone;developing a platform independent user interface implemented by a media player for a cellular telephone separately from an operating system for the cellular telephone;andintegrating the user interface with the operating system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: shipping the cellular telephone.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: providing the cellular telephone to a user.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising: updating the user interface separately from the operating system.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein: the updating includes providing the user interface in updated form through over-the-air-programming.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein: the updating includes providing the user interface in updated form through a wired network connection to the cellular telephone.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising: providing a customized version of the user interface separately from the operating system to a selected set of users.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein: the selected set of users includes users associated with an enterprise.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein: the selected set of users includes users within a subscriber base.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein: the subscriber base includes users paying for a subscription.

11. The method of claim 4, further comprising: operating the user interface in updated form with the operating system.

12. The method of claim 4, further comprising: updating the operating system separately from the user interface.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising: operating the user interface in updated form with the operating system in updated form.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein: the method is executed by a processor responsive to instructions embodied in a machine-readable medium.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein: the user interface is a specialized user interface for a subset of users of the cellular telephone.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein: the users of the subset of users are selected based on one or more of criteria of the group consisting of:associates of an enterprise,users of a specified brand,users opting for premium service,andusers selected by a provider of the user interface.

17. A system, comprising: a cellular telephone including:a processor;a display coupled to the processor;a network interface coupled to the processor;a local storage medium coupled to the processor;a media player embodied in the local storage medium;an operating system embodied in the local storage medium;anda user interface embodied as a content file for the media player in the local storage medium.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising: a user input module coupled to the processor.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising: means for providing user input to the user interface.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein: the user interface is a specialized user interface for a subset of users of the cellular telephone.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein: the user interface is suitable for update independently from the operating system through over-the-air-programming.

22. A method, comprising: developing an operating system for a cellular telephone;separately developing a platform independent user interface implemented by a media player for a cellular telephone;andintegrating the user interface with the operating system.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising: updating the user interface separately from the operating system.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising: operating the user interface in updated form with the operating system.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising: providing a customized version of the user interface separately from the operating system to a selected subset of users.