UI Model Architecture for Cross-Platform Rendering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current systems for creating and managing user interfaces (UIs) are complex and require significant development resources, making it difficult for businesses to provide customized UIs efficiently across different technologies and platforms.
Innovation Solution
A computer system architecture that includes a UI designer client on the client side for creating UI models, a client engine for rendering these models, and a UI runtime server client on the server side, along with a repository for storing and managing UI models, allowing for customer-specific content and technology-independent rendering.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If traditional systems are used for creating and managing user interfaces, then UI functionality can be achieved, but development complexity and resource requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses XML-based UI models as copyable templates that can be reused across different platforms and technologies. These models define UI structure, behavior, and appearance in a technology-independent format, allowing the same UI design to be instantiated multiple times without recreating from scratch, thereby reducing development complexity while maintaining ease of UI creation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal UI modeling system that works across multiple platforms (web, desktop, mobile) and technologies (Java, .NET, etc.) through a common XML-based model format. The UI models are platform-agnostic and can be rendered by different client engines, making the system universally applicable and reducing the need for platform-specific development efforts
2Adaptability or versatility
If customized UIs are created for different customers, then customer-specific functionality is achieved, but development time and resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments UI customization into modular components within the XML models, allowing customers to selectively customize specific UI elements (such as navigation, data display, or interaction patterns) while reusing standard components. This modular approach enables customer-specific functionality to be achieved by configuring individual model elements rather than developing entire custom UIs, thereby maintaining adaptability while improving development efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements pre-configured UI models with standard functionality that can be deployed immediately. Customer-specific customizations are achieved by modifying these pre-built models rather than creating UIs from scratch, allowing rapid deployment of customized solutions and significantly reducing development time and resources
3Adaptability or versatility
If platform-specific UIs are developed, then platform optimization is achieved, but portability across technologies decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer consisting of XML-based UI models that sit between the platform-independent design and platform-specific rendering. These models serve as a neutral intermediary that preserves the original UI design intent while allowing different client engines to render them in platform-appropriate ways, thereby achieving both platform compatibility and rendering consistency through the mediating model definition
Data Source
AI summary
A computer system includes a UI designer client that runs on a client device and is configured to enable creation of UI models. A client engine runs on a client device and is configured to initiate requests for the UI models, receive the UI models in response to the requests and interpret and render the UI models at runtime. A UI runtime server client is located on a server and is configured to interface with the client engine to receive and process the requests for the UI models from the client engine. A repository is located on the server and is configured to interface with the UI designer client and store the UI models as created using the UI designer client and interface with the UI runtime server client to deliver requested UI models to the UI runtime server client for interpretation and rendering by the client engine.