Service for generation of customizable display widgets

Abstract

A system for presenting dynamically generated images in a computing environment is provided. The system generates visual elements, such as widgets, for example, by combining image data, user-defined data which may include alphanumeric data, and real-time data indicative of current conditions. The widgets may be implemented in a purely server-side application environment which alleviates the need for any installation of client software on the client computing device.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A computer process for providing a user-customizable widget display on a web page, the process comprising:
 receiving, over a network, a widget request from a user computing device, the widget request specifying widget parameters selected by a user of the user computing device, the widget parameters including at least a widget type and data source; and   generating a personalized web page for the user, the personalized web page comprising a widget display generated according to the user-selected widget parameters, the widget display including a widget container that displays data retrieved from the data source, the widget display further including a plurality of container controls that provide functionality for interactively manipulating the widget display on the personalized web page;   said process implemented by a server system that implements a web service.   
     
     
         22 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the user-selected data source is a user-selected RSS feed. 
     
     
         23 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the container controls include a control that provides functionality for dragging and dropping the widget container and associated widget content to a new location on the personalized web page. 
     
     
         24 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the container controls include a resizing control that provides functionality for resizing the widget display. 
     
     
         25 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the container controls include a minimize control that provides functionality for minimizing the widget container on the personalized page. 
     
     
         26 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the widget request additionally specifies a user-selected base image, and wherein generating the personalized web page comprises incorporating the base image into the widget display. 
     
     
         27 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the user-selected widget parameters specify a condition to be checked by application code associated with widget display, and specify an action to be taken when the condition is met. 
     
     
         28 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the user-selected widget parameters specify visual characteristics of the widget display. 
     
     
         29 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the data source comprises a heart rate sensor, and the widget display is configured to display a heart rate sensed by the heart rate sensor. 
     
     
         30 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the data source comprises a biometric sensor, and the widget display is configured to display biometric data sensed by the biometric sensor. 
     
     
         31 . The process of  claim 21 , further comprising, automatically updating the widget display of the personalized web page in response to changes in data values associated with the data source. 
     
     
         32 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the widget display is controlled by an applet that runs within a browser on the user computing device. 
     
     
         33 . The process of  claim 31 , wherein the applet sends data requests to the web service via the browser, and updates the widget display based on data received from the web service. 
     
     
         34 . The process of  claim 31 , wherein the applet implements a data dependent widget that (1) monitors data for a condition, and (2) performs an action when the condition is met. 
     
     
         35 . The process of  claim 31 , wherein the applet is configured to periodically retrieve information from an external data source other the server system and to update the widget display with the retrieved information. 
     
     
         36 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the data source is external to the server system, and the process further comprises, by the server system, retrieving data from the external data source. 
     
     
         37 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the data source is a household appliance. 
     
     
         38 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the data source is a protected data source for which the user has log-in credentials, and the process further comprises automatically providing the log-in credentials of the user to the data source. 
     
     
         39 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein generating the personalized web page comprises generating a plurality of widget displays, each of which comprises a respective widget container in which widget content is displayed. 
     
     
         40 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the widget request specifies at least one of the following types of data to be included in the widget display: image data, user-defined data, and real-time data. 
     
     
         41 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the widget display is independent of an operating system of the user computing device. 
     
     
         42 . The process of  claim 21 , wherein the widget display provides interactive widget functionality without installation of a widget application on the user computing device.