Mark-up language implementation of graphical or non-graphical user interfaces

An apparatus for implementing a user interface to an application, comprising:

• a memory for storing (a) a description document conforming to a user interface object model, defining a user interface and comprising one or more definition elements, (b) a description document conforming to the user interface object model, defining interaction of the user interface with the application and comprising one or more interaction elements, (c) a plurality of layout objects each comprising a renderer for rendering a different definition element, and (d) a plurality of connector objects each comprising a renderer for rendering a different interaction element;
• and
• processor for connecting to the memory and for (a) reflecting the description documents into the object model to generate an instance of the object model defining the user interface and comprising the definition elements and the interaction elements of the description documents, (b) forming a layout engine for the user interface by downloading from the memory layout objects corresponding to the definition elements in the instance of the object model, (c) forming a connector engine for the user interface by downloading from the memory connector objects corresponding to the interaction elements in the instance of the object model, (d) making interfaces of the downloaded layout objects accessible to the corresponding definition elements, (e) making interfaces of the downloaded connector objects accessible to the corresponding interaction elements, and (f) rendering the user interface via the layout engine and the connector engine by invoking execution of said each downloaded object with its corresponding element from the object model to cause the object to render the element.

A method of implementing a user interface comprising:

• storing one or more description documents defining at least one user interface and comprising definitions of elements of the at least one user interface;
• storing a plurality of objects each comprising a renderer for rendering a different one of the elements;
• forming a renderer of a selected user interface from objects of the plurality of objects that correspond to the elements of at least one description document of the stored description documents that defines the selected user interface;
• and
• rendering the selected user interface by executing the renderer;
• wherein:
• storing one or more description documents comprises
• storing one or more description documents defining the at least one user interface and comprising one or more definition elements, and
• storing one or more description documents defining interactions of the at least one user interface with at least one application and comprising one or more interaction elements;
• storing a plurality of objects comprises
• storing a plurality of layout objects each comprising a renderer for rendering a different one of the definition elements, and
• storing a plurality of connector objects each comprising a renderer for rendering a different one of the interaction elements;
• forming a renderer comprises
• forming a layout engine for the selected user interface from layout objects that correspond to the definition elements of at least one description document that defines the selected user interface, and
• forming a connector engine for the selected user interface from layout objects that correspond to the interaction elements of at least one description document that defines interaction of the selected user interface with a selected application;
• and
• rendering the selected user interface comprises
• rendering the selected interface to the selected application by executing the layout engine and the connector engine.

An apparatus for implementing a user interface, comprising:

• storage for storing (a) one or more description documents defining at least one user interface and comprising definitions of elements of at least one user interface, and (b) a plurality of objects each comprising a renderer for rendering a different one of the elements;
• and
• a processor for connecting to the storage and (c) forming a renderer of a selected user interface from objects of the plurality of objects that correspond to the elements of at least one description document of the stored description documents that defines the selected user interface, and (d) rendering the selected user interface by executing the renderer;
• wherein:
• the storage stores (a)(i) one or more description documents defining at least one user interface and comprising one or more definition elements, (a)(ii) one or more description documents defining interactions of the at least one user interface with at least one application and comprising one or more interaction elements, (b)(i) a plurality of layout objects each comprising a renderer for rendering a different one of the definition elements, and (b)(ii) a plurality of connector objects each comprising a renderer for rendering a different one of the interaction elements;
• and
• the processor forms (c)(i) a layout engine for the selected user interface from layout objects that correspond to the definition elements of at least one description document that defines the selected user interface and (c)(ii) a connector engine for the selected user interface from layout objects that correspond to the interaction elements of at least one description document that defines interaction of the selected user interface with a selected application, and (d) renders the selected interface to the selected application by executing the layout engine and the connector engine.

An apparatus for implementing a user interface to an application, comprising:

• means for storing at least one description document conforming to a user interface object model, defining a user interface and comprising one or more definition elements;
• means for storing at least one description document conforming to the user interface object model, defining interaction of the user interface with the application and comprising one or more interaction elements;
• means for storing a plurality of layout objects each comprising a control renderer for rendering a different definition element;
• means for storing a plurality of connector objects each comprising a control renderer for rendering a different interaction element;
• means for reflecting the description documents into the object model to generate an instance of the object model defining the user interface and comprising the definition elements and the interaction elements of the description documents;
• means for forming a layout engine for the user interface by downloading from storage layout objects corresponding to definition elements in the instance of the object model;
• means for making interfaces of the downloaded layout objects accessible to the corresponding definition elements;
• means for forming a connector engine for the user interface by downloading from storage connector objects corresponding to interaction elements in the instance of the object model;
• means for making interfaces of the downloaded connector objects accessible to the corresponding interaction elements;
• and
• means for rendering the user interface via the layout engine and the connector engine by passing each element in the instance of the object model to the corresponding downloaded object and executing said object to cause the object to render the element.