RSS Branding Extensions for Dynamic Application Skin Customization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional RSS technologies lack the ability to include embedded modification information for graphical or branding extensions, resulting in a uniform look and feel across different RSS feeds and content items, failing to allow content owners to brand the application's appearance based on selected channels or content.
Innovation Solution
A rendering application that detects and interprets branding extensions within RSS data feeds to dynamically modify the application's graphical user interface, including display regions such as background, window, and controls, by referencing URLs for branding content, allowing for a customized look and feel for each channel or content item.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional RSS technologies are used without branding extensions, then the application maintains a uniform look and feel across different feeds, but the ability to allow content owners to brand the application's appearance is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds branding extension elements within the existing RSS feed data structure. The branding information is nested inside the standard RSS XML format, allowing the application to interpret and apply branding modifications without requiring a separate data structure or external configuration files.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the RSS feed data into standard content elements and branding extension elements. The branding extensions are segmented as separate, identifiable tags within the XML structure, allowing the application to process only the branding portions when appearance modification is needed, while leaving the core RSS functionality unchanged.
2Adaptability or versatility
If branding extensions are added to RSS feeds, then content owners can customize the application's appearance, but the data format complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic appearance modification where the application can adapt its interface based on the branding information present in the feed. The branding extensions enable the application to dynamically change colors, backgrounds, and other visual elements without requiring a complete redesign of the application architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces branding extension tags as an intermediary layer between the RSS feed content and the application's graphical user interface. These tags act as a mediator that carries appearance instructions from the content provider to the application, allowing customization without direct modification of the application's core code.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a standardized RSS format is maintained without extensions, then compatibility with existing feed readers is preserved, but the ability to provide customized interfaces for different channels is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the RSS parser multi-functional by enabling it to handle both standard RSS feeds and feeds with branding extensions. The application can universally process any RSS feed while selectively applying branding modifications when the appropriate extension tags are present, maintaining backward compatibility while adding new capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial action by applying branding modifications only to the portions of the interface where branding information is provided in the feed. The application processes standard RSS feeds normally without any modifications, and only applies customization when branding extensions are detected, avoiding unnecessary processing overhead.
Data Source
AI summary
A data format provides a mechanism to dynamically change the appearance of an application. During operation, the application obtains streaming feed data for presentation to a user. The feed data may be formatted according to a Really Simple Syndication (RSS) data format. The application detects, within the feed data, branding extensions that identify branding content to be displayed concurrently with channel data and content items when a user selects a channel defined by the feed data. The application detects a user selection of the channel defined by the feed data, and in response, references the branding extensions to obtain and display the branding content within a display region of the application that is separate from the content presentation region of the application for display of content items defined within the feed data.