GUI Model Generation from Images for Automated Code
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manual effort and time required to design and develop graphical user interfaces (GUIs) for applications are significant, especially due to the need for different GUIs across various computing devices, making the process time-consuming and expensive.
Innovation Solution
An automated technique generates a GUI model from input images, extracting information about GUI components, their layout, and functions, which can be used to generate code for implementing the GUI, reducing manual effort and increasing efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual design and development of GUIs is performed, then customization and quality can be achieved, but time consumption and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a reusable GUI model from an image that can be copied and applied across multiple platforms and devices. This model captures the structural and visual information from the image, allowing automated generation of platform-specific GUIs without manual redesign, thus maintaining quality while reducing time and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The system automatically adapts the GUI model to different platforms by changing parameters such as platform type, device characteristics, and technical specifications. This allows the same design to be deployed across multiple platforms with minimal manual intervention, reducing development time while maintaining customization through parameter-based adaptation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple GUIs are developed for different computing devices, then platform compatibility is improved, but the number of GUIs to develop increases dramatically
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a universal GUI model that can serve multiple platforms and devices simultaneously. This single model captures the essential design information and can be automatically adapted to generate platform-specific GUIs, eliminating the need to manually develop separate GUIs for each platform and reducing the overall complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the GUI development process into model creation and platform-specific generation phases. The core design is extracted into a reusable model from the image, while platform-specific adaptations are generated automatically through parameter changes, separating the complex manual work from the automated adaptation process.
3Productivity
If automated GUI generation from images is implemented, then development time and cost are reduced, but the complexity of the generation system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces a GUI model as an intermediary between the input image and the final platform-specific GUIs. This model serves as a middle layer that captures essential information from the image and provides a standardized structure for automated generation across different platforms, managing complexity by creating a clear separation between input processing and output generation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual mechanical design processes with automated image processing and model generation. Computer vision techniques and automated algorithms substitute for manual GUI design work, reducing the need for human intervention while systematically handling the complexity of multi-platform adaptation through automated parameter changes.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are disclosed for generating a GUI model for an application based upon requirements information for an application. The requirements information may include an image of a GUI screen (or multiple images of multiple screens) included in the GUI for the application. The GUI model generated based upon the input image may include information about the type and placement (layout) of GUI components in the GUI screen, and may also include information indicative of one or more functions to be assigned to one or more of the GUI components in the GUI screen. The GUI model may then be used to generate an implementation of the application GUI, including generating executable code that implements the GUI screen.