Adaptive user interface for multi-source systems

A computer-readable storage medium storing program code for causing an electronic device:

• to transfer look & feel parameters from a host device to a client device;
• to set parameters of a configuration program for the client device, according to the look & feel parameters that were transferred;
• to generate, by the configuration program, a graphic image of a screen, the graphic image conforming to the look & feel parameters;
• and
• to display the graphic image on a display screen of the host device.

A multi-source client-host system that maintains a uniform look & feel user interface, comprising:

• a host device comprising:
• a central processing unit;
• a storage memory for storing look & feel parameters for a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface employing a plurality of graphic images for user interaction;
• a display for displaying the graphic images employed by the graphical user interface;
• and
• a connector for transmitting the look & feel parameters to a client device, and for receiving at least one of the graphic images from said client device, when said client device is attached to said host device;
• a client device that can be attached to and detached from said host device, comprising:
• a central processing unit;
• a configuration program for generating at least one of the graphic images employed by the graphical user interface, the at least one of the graphic images conforming to the look & feel parameters;
• and
• a connector, for transmitting the at least one of the graphical images to said host device, and for receiving the look & feel parameters from said host device, when said client device is attached to said host device;
• and
• a communication channel between said host transceiver and said client transceiver, for data transmission.

A method for controlling configuration display screens within a client-host multi-source system, comprising:

• transferring look & feel parameters from a host device to a client device;
• setting parameters of a configuration program for the client device, according to the look & feel parameters transferred by said transferring;
• generating, by the configuration program, a web page located at a designated URL, the web page conforming to the look & feel parameters;
• and
• browsing the designated URL, by a web browser in the host device.

A computer-readable storage medium storing program code for causing an electronic device:

• to transfer look & feel parameters from a host device to a client device;
• to set parameters of a configuration program for the client device, according to the look & feel parameters that were transferred;
• to generate, by the configuration program, a web page located at a designated URL, the web page conforming to the look & feel parameters;
• and
• to browse the designated URL, by a web browser in the host device.

A multi-source client-host system that maintains a uniform look & feel user interface, comprising:

• a host device comprising:
• a central processing unit;
• a storage memory for storing look & feel parameters for a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface employing a plurality of web pages for user interaction;
• a web browser for browsing and rendering the web pages employed by the graphical user interface;
• and
• a connector for transmitting the look & feel parameters to a client device, when said client device is attached to said host device;
• a client device that can be attached to and detached from said host device, comprising:
• a central processing unit;
• a configuration program for generating at least one of the web pages employed by the graphical user interface, the at least one of the web pages conforming to the look & feel parameters;
• and
• a connector for receiving the look & feel parameters from said host device, when said client device is attached to said host device;
• and
• a communication channel between said host transmitter and said client receiver, for data transmission.

A method for controlling configuration display screens within a client-host multi-source system, comprising:

• transferring a client configuration program from a client device to a host device;
• setting parameters of the transferred client configuration program according to look & feel parameters of the host device;
• generating, by the host device via the client configuration program, a graphic image of a client configuration screen, the graphic image conforming to the host look & feel parameters;
• and
• displaying the graphic image on a display screen of the host device.

A computer-readable storage medium storing program code for causing an electronic device:

• to transfer a client configuration program from a client device to a host device;
• to set parameters of the transferred client configuration program according to look & feel parameters of the host device;
• to generate, by the host device via the client configuration program, a graphic image of a client configuration screen, the graphic image conforming to the host look & feel parameters;
• and
• to display the graphic image on a display screen of the host device.

An electronic device with extended application functionality, comprising:

• circuitry for device hardware, for accessing and controlling hardware functions;
• circuitry for at least one application;
• a connector for coupling with another hardware device, the other device having circuitry for device hardware, for accessing and controlling hardware functions;
• and
• a coupled device control module for enabling the at least one application to identify, access and control the hardware functions on the other device, when the other device is connected to said connector.

A bridge system for auxiliary display devices connected to a computer, comprising:

• a computer running a plurality of mini-programs, each mini-program sending information of a specific nature from the computer to a corresponding auxiliary display device, for presentation to a user;
• a plurality of auxiliary display devices, each auxiliary display device comprising an auxiliary screen and each auxiliary display device having look & feel display parameters, for receiving information from the corresponding plurality of mini-programs, and for displaying the received information on said auxiliary screens according to the corresponding look & feel parameters;
• and
• at least one bridge device coupled to said computer, each bridge device coupled to at least one of said auxiliary display devices, each bridge device comprising a bridge screen, and each bridge device receiving information from a corresponding at least one of the mini-programs, forwarding the received information to the at least one of said auxiliary display devices, and displaying the received information on said bridge screen according to the look & feel display parameters of the at least one of said auxiliary display devices.

A method for managing auxiliary display devices connected to a computer, comprising:

• receiving XML information of a specific nature from a mini-program running on a computer, and receiving look & feel parameters from an auxiliary display device that displays information in a display format conforming to the look & feel parameters, for presentation to a user;
• transforming the XML information to a BMP image conforming to the look & feel parameters of the auxiliary display device;
• transmitting the BMP image to the auxiliary display device for presentation to the user;
• receiving an indication of an action performed by the user on the auxiliary display device in response to viewing the BMP image;
• generating a second BMP image based on the received indication, conforming to the look & feel parameters of the auxiliary display device;
• and
• further transmitting the second BMP image to the auxiliary display device for further presentation to the user.

A method for managing auxiliary display devices connected to a computer, comprising:

• receiving XML information of a specific nature from a mini-program running on a computer, and receiving look & feel parameters from an auxiliary display device that displays information in a display format conforming to the look & feel parameters, for presentation to a user;
• transforming the XML information to a BMP image conforming to the look & feel parameters of the auxiliary display device;
• transmitting the BMP image to the auxiliary display device for presentation to the user;
• receiving additional XML information from the mini-program;
• generating a second BMP image based on the additional XML information, conforming to the look & feel parameters of the auxiliary display device;
• and
• further transmitting the second BMP image to the auxiliary display device for further presentation to the user.