UI Framework API Tree Structure Animation Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current frameworks for developing graphical user interfaces (GUIs) on electronic devices face challenges in efficiently handling complex animations and gesture events, leading to increased code complexity and potential UI exceptions.
Innovation Solution
A framework that provides a unified application programming interface (API) for designing and managing graphical user interfaces, including animations, by using a tree structure to represent view hierarchies and supporting gesture events, reducing code complexity and improving UI consistency through a preference system and animation module that handles timing curves and interpolation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional framework is used for developing graphical user interfaces with animations, then the framework can provide basic UI functionality, but the code complexity increases and UI exceptions occur more frequently
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges animation management and gesture event handling into the view hierarchy system itself. Animations are attached to views as properties, and gesture events are routed through the same view tree structure, eliminating the need for separate management systems and reducing code complexity while improving reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The view hierarchy system is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it manages UI element structure, handles animation timing and interpolation, routes gesture events, and manages preference propagation. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized systems, simplifying the overall codebase while maintaining robust error handling
2Ease of operation
If complex animations are implemented in the UI framework, then the user interactions become smoother, but the code complexity and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The animation system is segmented into discrete timing curves and interpolation functions that can be independently selected and configured. Each view can have its own animation properties attached, allowing complex animations to be built from simple, reusable components rather than monolithic animation code
Solution Approach 2:
The framework implements dynamic animation timing curves that can be adjusted during runtime, and gesture-driven animations that adapt to user input speed and pattern. This dynamic approach allows smooth user interactions while keeping the animation engine flexible and manageable through configuration rather than hard-coded complexity
3Stability of the object's composition
If a unified API is provided for UI and animation management, then UI consistency is improved, but the system requires more sophisticated handling of preferences and events
Solution Approach 1:
The preference system establishes default values and inheritance rules in advance during view creation. Parent views pre-configure preference values that automatically propagate to child views, eliminating the need for complex runtime preference management while ensuring UI consistency across the entire interface hierarchy
Solution Approach 2:
The unified API implements automatic feedback loops where changes in parent view preferences automatically trigger updates in child views, and gesture events flowing up the view hierarchy automatically trigger corresponding animation responses. This feedback mechanism maintains UI consistency through the preference system while keeping event handling straightforward through the unified view-based API
Data Source
AI summary
The subject technology receives a command to initiate an application. The subject technology, in response to the command, generates a root node related to a root view of a first hierarchy of views representing a user interface (UI). The subject technology generates a child node of the root node for including in the first hierarchy of views, the child node corresponding to a first type of view. The subject technology generates a first child node of the child node for including in the first hierarchy of views, the first child node corresponding to a second type of view. The subject technology generates a graph including nodes, each node corresponding to a different attribute of the UI, wherein the root node, the child node, and the first child node have relationships with respective nodes from the graph.