Componentized Remote User Interface

Abstract

Systems and methods for providing a componentized remote user interface are disclosed. Such user interfaces are particularly suitable for use in remote configuration of a device, such as a headless device, that is in network communication with a computer. The user interface may be a web page rendered from an HTML file that defines the web page and a separate file that includes script for associating a value with a variable parameter. The HTML file may include a reference to the variable parameter and incorporate the other file therein by reference. When the web page is rendered, the device parses the HTML file to identify the file incorporated therein by reference and substitutes the parameter value provided in the file for the variable included in the HTML file. Thus, the rendered web page may include the actual value of the parameter, and the HTML file need not have the actual value hard-coded therein.

1 . A system for providing a componentized remote user interface, the system comprising:
 a remote device having stored thereon:
 a first file comprising a value associated with a variable parameter, the variable parameter associated with updating a configuration state of the remote device; and 
 a second file comprising a reference to the variable parameter and incorporating the first file therein by reference, the second file associated with rendering the user interface on the host computer; and 
   a host computer configured to be coupled to the remote device via a network, the host computer comprising:
 a communications component configured to:
 retrieve from the remote device, via the network, the first file and the second file; and 
 transmit, via the network, a user-provided value associated with reconfiguring the configuration state of the remote device, the reconfiguring comprising:
 modifying the first file by associating the user-provided value with the variable parameter; 
 storing the modified first file on the remote device; 
 retrieving the user-provided value from within the modified first file; and 
 utilizing the retrieved user-provided value to establish an updated configuration state of the remote device; and 
 
 
 a display configured to render the user interface in accordance with information extracted from the second file. 
   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the reconfiguring comprises storing the modified first file on the host computer. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the reconfiguring further comprises:
 modifying the modified first file by associating a second user-provided value with the variable parameter;   storing the twice-modified first file on the host computer;   retrieving the second user-provided value from within the twice-modified first file; and   employing the retrieved second user-provided value to establish an updated configuration state of the remote device.   
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the communications component is further configured to retrieve, via the network, the modified first file from the remote device, and the reconfiguring further comprises:
 retrieving the user-provided value from within the modified first file;   modifying the twice-modified first file by re-associating the user-provided value with the variable parameter;   storing the thrice-modified first file on the host computer;   retrieving the user-provided value from within the thrice-modified first file; and   employing the retrieved user-provided value to establish an updated configuration state of the remote device.   
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the host computer further comprises a browser. 
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the second file enables the browser to render a web page on the display. 
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second file includes HTML code associated with the layout of a web page. 
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second file incorporates the first file by reference via an include directive. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the remote device further comprises control routines for parsing the second file to identify and load the first file. 
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first file further comprises script adapted to be rendered to include in the second file the value associated with the variable parameter. 
   
   
       11 . A system for providing a componentized remote user interface, the system comprising a remote device configured to be coupled to a host computer via a network, the remote device comprising:
 a memory, the memory having stored thereon:
 a first file comprising a value associated with a variable parameter, the variable parameter associated with updating a configuration state of the remote device; and 
 a second file comprising a reference to the variable parameter and incorporating the first file therein by reference, the second file associated with rendering the user interface on the host computer; and 
   a communications component operatively coupled to the remote device and configured to receive configuration signals representative of signals from the host computer via the network, wherein the configuration state of the remote device is reconfigurable via the configuration signals, reconfiguration of the configuration state of the remote device comprising:
 modifying the first file by associating a user-provided value with the variable parameter; 
 storing the modified first file in the memory; 
 retrieving the user-provided value from within the modified first file; and 
 utilizing the retrieved user-provided value to establish an updated configuration state of the remote device. 
   
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the remote device further comprises control routines for parsing the second file to identify and load the first file. 
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the first file further comprises script adapted to be rendered to include in the second file the value associated with the variable parameter. 
   
   
       14 . A system for providing a componentized remote user interface, the system comprising a host computer configured to be coupled to a remote device via a network, the host computer comprising:
 a communications component configured to:
 retrieve, via the network, a first file comprising a value associated with a variable parameter, the variable parameter associated with updating a configuration state of the remote device; 
 retrieve, via the network, a second file comprising a reference to the variable parameter and incorporating the first file therein by reference, the second file associated with rendering the user interface; 
 transmit, via the network, a signal indicative of a user-provided value associated with reconfiguring the configuration state of the remote device, reconfiguration of the configuration state of the remote device comprising:
 modifying the first file by associating the user-provided value with the variable parameter; 
 storing the modified first file in the memory; 
 retrieving the user-provided value from within the modified first file; and 
 utilizing the retrieved user-provided value to establish an updated configuration state of the remote device; and 
 
   a display configured to render the user interface.   
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the reconfiguring comprises storing the modified first file on the host computer. 
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the reconfiguring further comprises:
 modifying the modified first file by associating a second user-provided value with the variable parameter;   storing the twice-modified first file on the host computer;   retrieving the second user-provided value from within the twice-modified first file; and   employing the retrieved second user-provided value to establish an updated configuration state of the remote device.   
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the communications component is further configured to retrieve, via the network, the modified first file from the remote device, and the reconfiguring further comprises:
 retrieving the user-provided value from within the modified first file;   modifying the twice-modified first file by re-associating the user-provided value with the variable parameter;   storing the thrice-modified first file on the host computer;   retrieving the user-provided value from within the thrice-modified first file; and   employing the retrieved user-provided value to establish an updated configuration state of the remote device.   
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the host computer further comprises a browser. 
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the user interface is rendered by the browser, via the display, in accordance with information extracted from the second file. 
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the user interface is rendered as a web page.