Patent ID: 7447993
Filing Date: 2008-11-04
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A computer system, including at least a processor, memory and a display, for displaying one or more user interface objects according to a user-designed style, each user interface object being part of the user interface of a corresponding software application, the computer system comprising: one or more user interface objects including user interface controls, buttons, title bars, scroll bars, tool bars, list boxes, combination boxes, menus, dialog boxes, frames and windows; a locating mechanism configured to locate one or more style resources associated with the one or more user interface objects, the style resources having a plurality of sets of user-defined property values to be selectively applied to one or more of the user interface objects based on a state of one or more visual triggers, the user-defined property values being configured to override any default values corresponding to the interface objects, the visual triggers including one or more user inputs indicating an interaction with the software application's user interface; a first detecting mechanism configured to detect that a first visual trigger indicating a first interaction with the software application's user interface corresponding to a first set of user-defined property values has been triggered; a first styling engine operably coupled to the one or more style resources and the one or more user interface objects for applying the first set of user-defined property values of the one or more style resources to the one or more user interface objects such that corresponding default property values for the style resources are overridden; a second detecting mechanism configured to detect that a second visual trigger indicating a second, different interaction with the software application's user interface corresponding to a second set of user-defined property values has been triggered and further configured to detect, during operation of the software application, that that at least one of the user inputs indicating an interaction with the software application's user interface that triggered the second visual trigger corresponding to the second set of user-defined property values is no longer triggering the second visual trigger; a second styling engine operably coupled to the one or more style resources and the one or more user interface objects for applying the second set of user-defined property values of the one or more style resources to the one or more user interface objects such that the first set of user-defined property values for the style resources is overridden; a restoring mechanism configured to automatically restore the first set of user-defined property values during operation of the software application such that the second set of user-defined property values for the style resources is overridden by the restored first set of user-defined property values; a tree assembler operably coupled to the styling engine for generating a visual representation of the one or more user interface objects with the applied first set of user-defined property values of the one or more style resources for rendering; and a rendering engine operably coupled to the tree assembler for rendering a display representation of the visual representation for presentation on a user interface display.