Systems and methods for defining a simulated interactive web page

Abstract

The system includes a novel software application interactive representation modeling language, a software application ( 82 ) operative to use the modeling language to create, read and modify interactive representation models of the proposed applications, a memory ( 86 ) to store requirement data and interactive representation model data, a software application ( 92 ) operative to read and update the interactive representation model data across a computer network, a software application ( 76 ) operative to maintain a record of the requirements and to administer operation of the system, a software application ( 78 ) operative to render interactive representations of the proposed applications in browser readable format, a software application ( 82 ) operative to allow multiple instances of other applications to access interactive representation data and requirement data residing in the memory and a software application ( 84 ) operative to allow an individual user's interactions with the system to be broadcast across a networked system to other users.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An interactive model development system comprising:
 at least one computing device; and   a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, if executed by the at least one computing device, cause the at least one computing device to perform operations comprising:   presenting to a user a listing of interactive representation models of one or more proposed applications for viewing or modification;   enabling the user to select an interactive representation model from the listing of interactive representation models of one or more proposed applications, the selected interactive representation model comprising a plurality of primitives;   generating and providing for display a listing of pages of the selected interactive representation model;   enabling the user to add primitives to the selected interactive representation model;   enabling the user to modify attributes associated with one or more primitives in the selected interactive representation model;   enabling the user to define relationships between primitives in the selected interactive representation model;   enabling the user to specify a conditional display of at least one primitive in the selected interactive representation model, wherein the conditional display is related to a receipt of a first user input received when a generated HTML version of the selected interactive representation model is rendered in a browser;   enabling the user to select multiple primitives of the interactive model as a group and move the group of selected multiple primitives within a design area;   enabling the user to make global changes to multiple instances of at least one primitive by modifying a single instance of the at least one primitive of the selected interactive representation model;   enabling the user to cause at least one primitive to be hidden;   modifying the selected interactive representation model at least partly in response to the user:
 adding a first primitive to the selected interactive representation model, or 
 modifying attributes associated with a second primitive in the selected interactive representation model, or 
 instructing that a third primitive be hidden; 
   generating an HTML version of the modified interactive representation model in response to a user action;   enabling the HTML version of the modified interactive representation model to be rendered in a browser.   
     
     
         2 . The interactive representation modeling apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the selected interactive representation model was composed using a language different than HTML. 
     
     
         3 . The interactive representation modeling apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein enabling the user to modify attributes associated with one or more primitives in the selected interactive representation model further comprises enabling the user to modify at least a name and size of at least one primitive. 
     
     
         4 . The interactive representation modeling apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the interactive representation modeling apparatus is configured to provide an interface that enables the user to define a user interface flow, wherein the user interface flow is definable prior to user interfaces referred by the user interface flow being created. 
     
     
         5 . The interactive representation modeling apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the interactive representation modeling apparatus is configured to provide an interface that enables the user to define a user interface flow. 
     
     
         6 . The interactive representation modeling apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of primitives further comprises a decision primitive, wherein the decision primitive is configurable to make a decision based on at least one of a radio button input, a text input, or a check box input. 
     
     
         7 . The interactive representation modeling apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of primitives further comprises a decision primitive, wherein the decision primitive is used to process decisions using a logical operation. 
     
     
         8 . The interactive representation modeling apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the interactive representation modeling apparatus is configured to enable the user to define a filter based on a set of conditions. 
     
     
         9 . The interactive representation modeling apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , wherein the interactive representation modeling apparatus is configured to provide a property editor pane configured to enable the user to edit primitive properties. 
     
     
         10 . The interactive representation modeling apparatus as defined in  claim 1 , the operations further comprising enabling the user to import an image and to associate the imported image with a button primitive. 
     
     
         11 . An interactive model development system comprising:
 at least one computing device; and   a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, if executed by the at least one computing device, cause the at least one computing device to perform operations comprising:   presenting to a user a listing of one or more interactive representation models for viewing or modification;   enabling the user to select an interactive representation model from the listing of interactive representation models, the selected interactive representation model comprising a plurality of primitives;   providing for display a listing of pages of the selected interactive representation model;   enabling the user to add primitives to the selected interactive representation model;   enabling the user to modify attributes associated with one or more primitives in the selected interactive representation model;   enabling the user to specify a conditional display of at least one primitive in the selected interactive representation model;   enabling the user to make global changes to multiple instances of at least one primitive by modifying a single instance of the at least one primitive of the interactive representation model;   enabling the user to cause at least one primitive to be hidden;   modifying the selected interactive representation model at least partly in response to the user:
 adding a first primitive to the selected interactive representation model, or 
 modifying attributes associated with a second primitive in the selected interactive representation model, or 
 instructing that a third primitive be hidden; 
   enabling the modified selected interactive representation model to be rendered in a browser.   
     
     
         12 . The interactive representation modeling apparatus as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the selected interactive representation model was composed using a language different than HTML and the interactive representation modeling apparatus generates an HTML version of the modified selected interactive representation model to be rendered in the browser. 
     
     
         13 . The interactive representation modeling apparatus as defined in  claim 11 , wherein enabling the user to modify attributes associated with one or more primitives in the selected interactive representation model further comprises enabling the user to modify at least a name and a size of at least one primitive. 
     
     
         14 . The interactive representation modeling apparatus as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the interactive representation modeling apparatus is configured to provide an interface that enables the user to define a user interface flow, wherein the user interface flow is definable prior to user interfaces referred by the user interface flow being created. 
     
     
         15 . The interactive representation modeling apparatus as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the interactive representation modeling apparatus is configured to provide an interface that enables the user to define a user interface flow. 
     
     
         16 . The interactive representation modeling apparatus as defined in  claim 11 , the operations further comprising enabling the user to associate a conditional execution with at least one primitive. 
     
     
         17 . The interactive representation modeling apparatus as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of primitives further comprises a decision primitive, wherein the decision primitive is used to process decisions using a logical operation. 
     
     
         18 . The interactive representation modeling apparatus as defined in  claim 11 , wherein the interactive representation modeling apparatus is configured to enable the user to define a filter based on a set of conditions. 
     
     
         19 . The interactive representation modeling apparatus as defined in  claim 11 , the operations further comprising enabling the user to select multiple primitives of the interactive model as a group and move the group of selected multiple primitives within a design area. 
     
     
         20 . The interactive representation modeling apparatus as defined in  claim 11 , the operations further comprising enabling the user to import an image and to associate the imported image with a button primitive. 
     
     
         21 . A method of modifying an interactive representation model, the method comprising:
 presenting by a computer system, the computer system comprising hardware, to a user a listing of one or more interactive representation models for viewing or modification;   enabling, by the computer system, the user to select an interactive representation model from the listing of interactive representation models, the selected interactive representation model comprising a plurality of primitives;   providing for display, by the computer system, a listing of pages of the selected interactive representation model;   enabling, by the computer system, the user to add primitives to the selected interactive representation model;   enabling, by the computer system, the user to modify attributes associated with one or more primitives in the selected interactive representation model;   enabling, by the computer system, the user to specify a conditional display of at least one primitive in the selected interactive representation model;   enabling, by the computer system, the user to make global changes to multiple instances of at least one primitive by modifying a single instance of the at least one primitive of the interactive representation model;   enabling, by the computer system, the user to cause at least one primitive to be hidden;   modifying, by the computer system, the selected interactive representation model at least partly in response to the user:
 adding a first primitive to the selected interactive representation model, or 
 modifying attributes associated with a second primitive in the selected interactive representation model, or 
 instructing that a third primitive be hidden; 
   enabling, by the computer system, the modified selected interactive representation model to be rendered in a browser.   
     
     
         22 . The method as defined in  claim 21 , wherein the selected interactive representation model was composed using a language different than HTML and the interactive representation modeling apparatus generates an HTML version of the modified selected interactive representation model to be rendered in the browser. 
     
     
         23 . The method as defined in  claim 21 , wherein enabling the user to modify attributes associated with one or more primitives in the selected interactive representation model further comprises enabling the user to modify at least a name and a size of at least one primitive. 
     
     
         24 . The method as defined in  claim 21 , wherein the interactive representation modeling apparatus is configured to provide an interface that enables the user to define a user interface flow, wherein the user interface flow is definable prior to user interfaces referred by the user interface flow being created. 
     
     
         25 . The method as defined in  claim 21 , wherein the interactive representation modeling apparatus is configured to provide an interface that enables the user to define a user interface flow. 
     
     
         26 . The method as defined in  claim 21 , the operations further comprising enabling the user to associate a conditional execution with at least one primitive. 
     
     
         27 . The method as defined in  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of primitives further comprises a decision primitive, wherein the decision primitive is used to process decisions using a logical operation. 
     
     
         28 . The method as defined in  claim 21 , wherein the interactive representation modeling apparatus is configured to enable the user to define a filter based on a set of conditions. 
     
     
         29 . The method as defined in  claim 21 , the operations further comprising enabling the user to select multiple primitives of the interactive model as a group and move the group of selected multiple primitives within a design area. 
     
     
         30 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that when executed by a computer comprising hardware, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:
 presenting to a user a listing of one or more interactive representation models for viewing or modification;   enabling the user to select an interactive representation model from the listing of interactive representation models, the selected interactive representation model comprising a plurality of primitives;   generating and providing for display a listing of pages of the selected interactive representation model;   enabling the user to add primitives to the selected interactive representation model;   enabling the user to modify attributes associated with one or more primitives in the selected interactive representation model;   enabling the user to specify a conditional display of at least one primitive in the selected interactive representation model;   enabling the user to make global changes to multiple instances of at least one primitive by modifying a single instance of the at least one primitive of the interactive representation model;   enabling the user to cause at least one primitive to be hidden;   modifying the selected interactive representation model at least partly in response to the user:
 adding a first primitive to the selected interactive representation model, or 
 modifying attributes associated with a second primitive in the selected interactive representation model, or 
 instructing that a third primitive be hidden; 
   enabling the modified selected interactive representation model to be rendered in a browser.