Authoring tool for the authoring of wrap packages of cards

Abstract

An authoring tool for authoring wrap packages of cards. The authoring tool includes a set of tools that enable an author to create a new card of a wrap selected from a variety of card templates. In various embodiments, the card templates include textual, video, image/photo, document, gallery, chat, widgets, global components, location/GPS, transact, appointment, and end-of-wrap card templates. When a particular card template is selected, the template is then duplicated to create the new card. Thereafter, the author may author the card to include various components, content, attributes, layouts, styles triggers and/or behaviors. As the cards of the wrap are created, the authoring tool provides the author with the ability to order the sequence of the cards. The authoring tool thus enables authors to selectively create wrap packages that include media that conveys a narrative story and application functionality.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An authoring tool, embedded in a tangible computer readable medium, the authoring tool configured to:
 enable authoring of a gallery card among a plurality of cards of a wrap package by enabling an author to:   (a) select a gallery card for authoring;   (b) select a gallery item frame template;   (c) create a new gallery item frame by copying the selected gallery item frame template;   (d) author the new gallery item frame;   (e) author a plurality of gallery item frames for the gallery card; and   (f) define a sequence order for rendering the plurality of gallery item frames of the gallery card;   the authoring tool further configured to:
 (1) generate a plurality of gallery item frame descriptors for the plurality of gallery item frames respectively, each of the gallery card frame descriptors defining content, a structure and a layout of an associated one of the gallery item frames respectively; and 
 (2) generate a gallery card descriptor including the plurality of gallery item frame descriptors. 
   
     
     
         2 . The authoring tool of  claim 1 , further configured to generate the plurality of gallery item frame descriptors from one or more data objects generated for each of the plurality of gallery item frames respectively. 
     
     
         3 . The authoring tool of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more data objects are generated for any of the following contained in each gallery item frame:
 (i) component(s);   (ii) content of the component(s);   (iii) attribute(s) of the component(s);   (iv) style(s) of the component(s);   (v) trigger(s) associated with the component(s); and/or   (vi) behavior(s) associated with the component(s).   
     
     
         4 . The authoring tool of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of gallery item frame templates. 
     
     
         5 . The authoring tool of  claim 1 , wherein creating the new gallery item frame further comprises copying components and/or attributes of the gallery item frame template. 
     
     
         6 . The authoring tool of  claim 1 , further comprising a tool for enabling the author to associate an asset to a component of the new gallery item frame. 
     
     
         7 . The authoring tool of  claim 1 , further comprising a tool to enable the author to add a new component to the new gallery item frame. 
     
     
         8 . The authoring tool of  claim 7 , wherein the new component is selected from the group of:
 (i) a text component;   (ii) an image/photo component;   (iii) an action component.   
     
     
         9 . The authoring tool of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more tools to enable the author to perform one or more of the following:
 (i) modify an existing attribute or add a new attribute to the new gallery item frame;   (ii) add or modify a trigger to the new gallery item frame for triggering an action;   (iii) enter text into the new gallery item frame;   (iv) specify a font type, size, justification and/or color for text;   (v) associate an image/photo with the new gallery item frame;   (vi) associate a video for presentation within the new gallery item frame; or   (vii) position and size how an asset appears in the new gallery item.   
     
     
         10 . The authoring tool of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more tools for performing one or more of the following:
 (i) associating a document with the new gallery item frame;   (ii) associating a chat function with the new gallery item frame;   (iii) associating an appointment, reservation and/or booking function with the new gallery item frame;   (iv) associating a transaction function with the new gallery item frame; and/or   (v) associating GPS/location functionality with the new gallery item frame.   
     
     
         11 . The authoring tool of  claim 1 , further configured to generate one or more data objects for the following contained in the plurality of gallery item frames of the gallery card:
 (a) component(s);   (b) content(s);   (c) attribute(s);   (d) styles(s);   (e) trigger(s) and/or   (f) behavior(s).   
     
     
         12 . The authoring tool of  claim 1 , further configured to enable the author to:
 (i) author the plurality of cards of the wrap package including the gallery card;   (ii) define one or more linear sequences for rendering the cards including the gallery card.   
     
     
         13 . The authoring tool of  claim 12 , further configured to enable an author to:
 (iii) define a horizontal sequence for rendering the cards, including the gallery card, of the wrap package; and   (iv) define a vertical sequence for rendering the plurality of gallery item frames of the gallery card.   
     
     
         14 . The authoring tool of  claim 1 , further configured to generate a plurality of card descriptors for the plurality of cards of the wrap package including the gallery card. 
     
     
         15 . The authoring tool of  claim 14 , further configured to generate a wrap descriptor including the plurality of card descriptors. 
     
     
         16 . The authoring tool of  claim 15 , wherein the wrap descriptor is either:
 (i) a JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) wrap descriptor; or   (ii) a BSON (Binary JavaScript Object Notation) wrap descriptor.   
     
     
         17 . The authoring tool of  claim 1 , further comprising a behavior tool for assigning a transitional behavior to the gallery item frames when the gallery card is navigated. 
     
     
         18 . The authoring tool of  claim 17 , wherein the assigned transitional behavior comprises one of the following:
 (i) “snap” to a next gallery item frame;   (ii) scroll to the next gallery item frame.   
     
     
         19 . The authoring tool of  claim 1 , wherein the gallery card descriptor is either:
 (i) a JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) descriptor; or   (ii) a BSON (Binary JavaScript Object Notation) descriptor.   
     
     
         20 . An authoring tool, embedded in a tangible computer readable medium, the authoring tool configured to enable authoring of a widget into a wrap package of cards by:
 selecting a card in the wrap package of cards;   defining a widget, the widget specifying a remote widget server that serves content and/or provides functionality associated with the widget; and   associating the widget with the selected card so that the served content and/or functionality associated with the widget is rendered and/or is provided through the selected card when the selected card is rendered; and   generating a wrap descriptor that specifies the cards of the wrap package, the wrap descriptor including a plurality of card descriptors, each card descriptor arranged to define the content, structure and layout of an associated one of the cards, wherein the card descriptor associated with the select card describes the associated widget.