Resource application program interface utility for changing user interface elements on wireless devices

Abstract

Embodiments of a mobile device incorporating a resource application program interface for downloading user interface components for a resident application are described. Resource profiles are defined by device manufacturers for each model of mobile device. The resource profiles specify the composition, format, and appearance of one or more user interface elements displayed or executed by the mobile device. A content provider maintains a common database of resources for each mobile device model. The resources comprise files, links to files, and/or data or program objects associated with the configurable aspect of the user interface for each mobile device and are provided in the form of a downloadable UI content package consisting of the description file and resource files. The mobile device handset includes a resource API to download UI content package data from a UI content server or UI content that is locally stored. The resource API contains a number of different plug-in content engines and an engine selector component to allow an application program executed on the mobile handset to access the resources without requiring modification of the application.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of a user interface modification system in a wireless network are illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a communications network system that implements embodiments of a user interface authoring tool, under an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a functional diagram of a user interface authoring tool, under an embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an example of a resource profiles for mobile devices, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart that illustrates a method providing a user interface authoring tool, according to an embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a mobile device including a resource application program interface for downloading resources for a UI content package, under an embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a more detailed illustration of the resource references for the mobile device of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart that illustrates a method downloading resources to a mobile device through a resource application program interface on the mobile device, according to an embodiment.

Claims

1. A method of obtaining a resource for use by an application on a mobile device, comprising: referencing a resource through the application by a resource identifier;locating the referenced resource in a user interface content package, the user interface content package comprising a description file containing a path specifying a location of the referenced resource;inputting the referenced resource in a processing engine to convert one or more resource data objects to a format compatible with the application.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the resource comprises one or more data objects that comprise user interface elements of the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the resource comprises one of an image, a video clip, and a sound clip.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the processing engine comprises at least one of a Flash engine, a PNG engine, and a JPEG engine.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the resource identifier comprises an alphanumeric reference that does not directly indicate a location of the resource.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the resource is contained in the user interface content package containing the description file.

7. The method of claim 3 the resource is contained in a user interface content package on a server computer coupled to the mobile device over a network.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein the description file contains descriptors containing the resource identifier, the location of the resource specified by the resource identifier, and a file type of the resource specified by the resource identifier.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile device comprises at least one of a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant device, a notebook computer, and a game console.

10. An apparatus for obtaining a resource for use by an application on a mobile device, comprising: a data store storing a one or more user interface content packages, each containing a description file and one or more resources; anda resource application programming interface configured to: locate a resource specified by the application, the resource containing one or more data objects;convert the resource data objects to a format compatible with the application; andupload the resource to the application on the mobile device.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the resource comprises one or more data objects that comprise user interface elements of the mobile device.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the resource comprises one of an image, a video clip, and a sound clip.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein resource application programming interface includes a processing engine component that comprises at least one of a Flash engine, a PNG engine, and a JPEG engine.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein application specified the resource through an alphanumeric reference that does not directly indicate a location of the resource.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the referenced resource is contained one of the user interface content package containing the description file, and in a user interface content package on a server computer coupled to the mobile device over a network.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the description file contains descriptors containing the resource identifier, the location of the resource specified by the resource identifier, and a file type of the resource specified by the resource identifier.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the mobile device comprises at least one of a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant device, a notebook computer, and a game console.

18. A computer-readable medium including executable instructions, which when executed in a processing system, obtain a resource for use by an application on a mobile device by: referencing a resource through the application by a resource identifier;locating the referenced resource in a user interface content package, the user interface content package comprising a description file containing a path specifying a location of the referenced resource;inputting the referenced resource in a processing engine to convert one or more resource data objects to a format compatible with the application.

19. The medium of claim 18 wherein the resource comprises one of an image, a video clip, and a sound clip.

20. The medium of claim 19 wherein the referenced resource is contained one of the user interface content package containing the description file, and in a user interface content package on a server computer coupled to the mobile device over a network.