Computer-aided development of native mobile application code

• US 10,127,023 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2014
• Issued: 11/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Shakespeare, Darryl Martin, Nowakowski, David Wayne, Laurent, Nicole Jodie
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhen, Li B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wei, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US14/463,179
• Publication Number:
  US 20150089469A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,547 Days
• Field of Search: 717106
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/36 Software reuse
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44521 Dynamic linking or loading; Link editing at or after load time, e.g. Java class loading

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program product for computer-aided software application development. A synthesizer commences upon receiving a mobile device identifier and additional information such as an application identifier, an object model, and/or a form identifier, then analyzing the additional information to determine what form(s) to implement on the mobile device. Further synthesis processing includes analyzing the forms to determine a set of functions to implement on the identified mobile device. Using the determined set of functions, native application code modules are retrieved from a repository. The retrieved native application code modules correspond to the set of functions. The code modules are integrated together to generate a native mobile application, which can be deployed to a mobile device. Messages from the mobile device are intercepted so as to emulate form processing of a back-end application. Any back-end applications that use the form can be accessed by the native mobile application.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying an existing application on a server, the existing application including at least an existing form with a set of fields; and

generating a mobile application that both includes a new form generated from the existing application, and accesses the same existing application to perform form processing for the new form;

the mobile application generated based on at least the existing form of the existing application on the server, the mobile application implementing at least a portion of the existing form of the existing application on the server as a new form when installed on a mobile device, the new form comprising a set of fields in the new form that correspond to the set of fields of the existing form mapped to a set of operations identified from a library, the set of operations identified from a library corresponding to one or more messages between the mobile application and the existing application on the server, and the set of fields in the new form to be processed at the existing application on the server using at least some of the one or more messages between the mobile application and the existing application, by;

receiving a mobile device identifier and information comprising at least one of, an application identifier, an object model, or a form identifier;

analyzing at least one of the application identifier, the object model, or the form identifier to identify an existing form of the existing application on the server to implement as the new form of the mobile application, the existing application on the server performing at least form processing on the existing form;

analyzing the existing form of the existing application on the server to determine a set of functions to implement, the set of functions corresponding to a set of fields in the existing form;

mapping the set of fields to a set of operations identified from a library;

retrieving, from a repository of native application code modules, a plurality of selected native application code modules corresponding to at least a portion of the set of functions, the plurality of selected native application code modules are executable at the mobile device without reliance on a browser; and

generating the mobile application at least by assembling at least a portion of the existing form and at least some of the plurality of selected native application code modules and by binding one or more objects to one or more fields of the set of fields in the portion of the existing form to generate the new form; and

the mobile application accessing the same existing application to perform form processing for the new form, the mobile application implementing at least some of the set of functions corresponding to the existing form of the existing application by accessing the existing application to perform form processing on the new form using at least some of the one or more messages exchanged between the mobile application and the existing application on the server, the server including a database engine for accessing a database to support at least the set of operations.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the object model comprises at least one of, a field, a function, and a message, and the set of fields corresponding to only

a subset of fields of the set of fields in the existing form, the subset of fields are to be handled by the mobile application, and a remaining set of fields are not to be handled by the mobile application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile application is deployed onto a mobile device corresponding to the mobile device identifier, the plurality of selected native application code modules serve to initiate at least one message of the one or more messages, the at least one message comprising a create operation, a replace operation, an update operation, or a delete operation.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

parameterizing the set of functions and creating relationships between the set of functions at a synthesize engine;

generating and adding additional native code to the mobile application; and

generating partitioning for assembling at least the portion of the existing form and the at least some of the plurality of selected native application code modules.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the mobile device has a user interface layer configured to generate a user interface that accesses an instance of the mobile application on the mobile device, the mobile application generating a presentation layer and a data control layer on the mobile device and facilitating asynchronous communication or data exchange between the presentation layer and the data control layer using at least a set of rules and one or more commonly-accessible data structures.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein a service framework exposes a set of functions of the server to the mobile application, the service framework provides one or more first software services that do not require direct interface with the existing application on the server to the mobile device, the one or more first software services including at least one of a token service request, a media object request, or a form service request, and the service framework provides one or more second software services that interface with the existing application on the server to the mobile device, the one or more second software services including at least one of a message exchange service for exchanging one or more messages between the mobile application and the existing application on the server.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the service framework further comprises:

a first abstraction layer between the existing application and the mobile application, the first abstraction layer allowing for multiple external interfaces implementing different standards;

a second abstraction layer to the mobile application, the second abstraction layer configured to perform change, read, update, or delete operations based in part or in whole upon a data model of the existing application on the server; and

wherein the service framework provides session management, caching, batch processing, and security.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of selected native application code modules implement forming request messages of the one or more messages, wherein the request message comprises a representational state transfer abstraction (REST) request or the request message comprises a simple object access protocol (SOAP) request.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the request message comprises a password.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the request message comprises an image capture file.

21. The method of claim 1,

further comprising:

parameterizing the set of functions and creating relationships between the set of functions at a synthesize engine;

generating and adding additional native code to the mobile application;

generating partitioning for assembling at least the portion of the existing form and the at least some of the plurality of selected native application code modules; and

wherein;

the object model comprises at least one of, a field, a function, and a message, and the set of fields corresponding to only a subset of fields of the set of fields in the existing form, the subset of fields are to be handled by the mobile application, and a remaining set of fields are not to be handled by the mobile application,

the mobile application is deployed onto a mobile device corresponding to the mobile device identifier, the plurality of selected native application code modules serve to initiate at least one message of the one or more messages, the at least one message comprising a create operation, a replace operation, an update operation, or a delete operation,

the mobile device has a user interface layer configured to generate a user interface that accesses an instance of the mobile application on the mobile device, the mobile application generating a presentation layer and a data control layer on the mobile device and facilitating asynchronous communication or data exchange between the presentation layer and the data control layer using at least a set of rules and one or more commonly- accessible data structures,

a service framework exposes a set of functions of the server to the mobile application, provides session management, caching, batch processing, and security, the service framework provides one or more first software services that do not require direct interface with the existing application on the server to the mobile device, the one or more first software services including at least one of a token service request, a media object request, or a form service request, and the service framework provides one or more second software services that interface with the existing application on the server to the mobile device, the one or more second software services including at least one of a message exchange service for exchanging one or more messages between the mobile application and the existing application on the server, the service framework further comprises;

a first abstraction layer between the existing application and the mobile application, the first abstraction layer allowing for multiple external interfaces implementing different standards, and

a second abstraction layer to the mobile application, the second abstraction layer configured to perform change, read, update, or delete operations based in part or in whole upon a data model of the existing application on the server,

at least one of the plurality of selected native application code modules implement forming request messages of the one or more messages, wherein the request message comprises a representational state transfer abstraction (REST) request or the request message comprises a simple object access protocol (SOAP) request.

11. A computer program product, embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer readable medium having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which, when executed by a processor causes the processor to execute a set of acts, the set of acts comprising:

identifying an existing application on a server, the existing application including at least an existing form with a set of fields; and

generating a mobile application that both includes a new form generated from the existing application, and accesses the same existing application to perform form processing for the new form;

the mobile application generated based on at least the existing form of the existing application on the server, the mobile application implementing at least a portion of the existing form of the existing application on the server as a new form when installed on a mobile device, the new form comprising a set of fields in the new form that correspond to the set of fields of the existing form mapped to a set of operations identified from a library, the set of operations identified from a library corresponding to one or more messages between the mobile application and the existing application on the server, and the set of fields in the new form to be processed at the existing application on the server using at least some of the one or more messages between the mobile application and the existing application, by;

receiving a mobile device identifier and information comprising at least one of, an application identifier, an object model, or a form identifier;

analyzing at least one of the application identifier, the object model, or the form identifier to identify an existing form of the existing application on the server to implement as the new form of the mobile application, the existing application on the server performing at least form processing on the existing form;

analyzing the existing form of the existing application on the server to determine a set of functions to implement, the set of functions corresponding to a set of fields in the existing form;

mapping the set of fields to a set of operations identified from a library;

retrieving, from a repository of native application code modules, a plurality of selected native application code modules corresponding to at least a portion of the set of functions, the plurality of selected native application code modules are executable at the mobile device without reliance on a browser; and

generating the mobile application at least by assembling at least a portion of the existing form and at least some of the plurality of selected native application code modules and by binding one or more objects to one or more fields of the set of fields in the portion of the existing form to generate the new form; and

the mobile application accessing the same existing application to perform form processing for the new form, the mobile application implementing at least some of the set of functions corresponding to the existing form of the existing application by accessing the existing application to perform form processing on the new form using at least some of the one or more messages exchanged between the mobile application and the existing application on the server, the server including a database engine for accessing a database to support at least the set of operations.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the object model comprises at least one of, a field, a function, and a message, and the set of fields corresponding to only a subset of fields of the set of fields in the existing form, the subset of fields are to be handled by the mobile application, and a remaining set of fields are not to be handled by the mobile application.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the mobile application is deployed onto a mobile device corresponding to the mobile device identifier, the plurality of selected native application code modules serve to initiate at least one message of the one or more messages, the at least one message comprising a create operation, a replace operation, an update operation, or a delete operation.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising:

parameterizing the set of functions and creating relationships between the set of functions at a synthesize engine;

generating and adding additional native code to the mobile application; and

generating partitioning for assembling at least the portion of the existing form and the at least some of the plurality of selected native application code modules.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the mobile device has a user interface layer configured to generate a user interface that accesses an instance of the mobile application on the mobile device, the mobile application generating a presentation layer and a data control layer on the mobile device and facilitating asynchronous communication or data exchange between the presentation layer and the data control layer using at least a set of rules and one or more commonly-accessible data structures.

16. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein at least one of the plurality of selected native application code modules implement forming request messages of the one or more messages, wherein the request message comprises a representational state transfer abstraction (REST) request or the request message comprises a simple object access protocol (SOAP) request.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein a service framework exposes a set of functions of the server to the mobile application, the service framework provides one or more first software services that do not require direct interface with the existing application on the server to the mobile device, the one or more first software services including at least one of a token service request, a media object request, or a form service request, and the service framework provides one or more second software services that interface with the existing application on the server to the mobile device, the one or more second software services including at least one of a message exchange service for exchanging one or more messages between the mobile application and the existing application on the server.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the service framework further comprises:

a first abstraction layer between the existing application and the mobile application, the first abstraction layer allowing for multiple external interfaces implementing different standards;

a second abstraction layer to the mobile application, the second abstraction layer configured to perform change, read, update, or delete operations based in part or in whole upon a data model of the existing application on the server; and

wherein the service framework provides session management, caching, batch processing, and security.

22. The computer program product of claim 11,

further comprising:

parameterizing the set of functions and creating relationships between the set of functions at a synthesize engine;

generating and adding additional native code to the mobile application;

generating partitioning for assembling at least the portion of the existing form and the at least some of the plurality of selected native application code modules; and

wherein;

the object model comprises at least one of, a field, a function, and a message, and the set of fields corresponding to only a subset of fields of the set of fields in the existing form, the subset of fields are to be handled by the mobile application, and a remaining set of fields are not to be handled by the mobile application,

the mobile application is deployed onto a mobile device corresponding to the mobile device identifier, the plurality of selected native application code modules serve to initiate at least one message of the one or more messages, the at least one message comprising a create operation, a replace operation, an update operation, or a delete operation,

the mobile device has a user interface layer configured to generate a user interface that accesses an instance of the mobile application on the mobile device, the mobile application generating a presentation layer and a data control layer on the mobile device and facilitating asynchronous communication or data exchange between the presentation layer and the data control layer using at least a set of rules and one or more commonly-accessible data structures,

a service framework exposes a set of functions of the server to the mobile application, provides session management, caching, batch processing, and security, the service framework provides one or more first software services that do not require direct interface with the existing application on the server to the mobile device, the one or more first software services including at least one of a token service request, a media object request, or a form service request, and the service framework provides one or more second software services that interface with the existing application on the server to the mobile device, the one or more second software services including at least one of a message exchange service for exchanging one or more messages between the mobile application and the existing application on the server, the service framework further comprises;

a first abstraction layer between the existing application and the mobile application, the first abstraction layer allowing for multiple external interfaces implementing different standards, and

a second abstraction layer to the mobile application, the second abstraction layer configured to perform change, read, update, or delete operations based in part or in whole upon a data model of the existing application on the server,

at least one of the plurality of selected native application code modules implement forming request messages of the one or more messages, wherein the request message comprises a representational state transfer abstraction (REST) request or the request message comprises a simple object access protocol (SOAP) request.

19. A system comprising:

a computer processor to execute program code instructions; and

a memory to hold the program code instructions, in which the program code instructions when executed by a processor performs acts comprising;

identifying an existing application on a server, the existing application including at least an existing form with a set of fields; and

generating a mobile application that both includes a new form generated from the existing application, and accesses the same existing application to perform form processing for the new form;

the mobile application generated based on at least the existing form of the existing application on the server, the mobile application implementing at least a portion of the existing form of the existing application on the server as a new form when installed on a mobile device, the new form comprising a set of fields in the new form that correspond to the set of fields of the existing form mapped to a set of operations identified from a library, the set of operations identified from a library corresponding to one or more messages between the mobile application and the existing application on the server, and the set of fields in the new form to be processed at the existing application on the server using at least some of the one or more messages between the mobile application and the existing application, by;

receiving a mobile device identifier and information comprising at least one of, an application identifier, an object model, or a form identifier;

analyzing at least one of the application identifier, the object model, or the form identifier to identify an existing form of the existing application on the server to implement as the new form of the mobile application, the existing application on the server performing at least form processing on the existing form;

analyzing the existing form of the existing application on the server to determine a set of functions to implement, the set of functions corresponding to a set of fields in the existing form;

mapping the set of fields to a set of operations identified from a library;

retrieving, from a repository of native application code modules, a plurality of selected native application code modules corresponding to at least a portion of the set of functions, the plurality of selected native application code modules are executable at the mobile device without reliance on a browser; and

generating the mobile application at least by assembling at least a portion of the existing form and at least some of the plurality of selected native application code modules and by binding one or more objects to one or more fields of the set of fields in the portion of the existing form to generate the new form; and

the mobile application accessing the same existing application to perform form processing for the new form, the mobile application implementing at least some of the set of functions corresponding to the existing form of the existing application by accessing the existing application to perform form processing on the new form using at least some of the one or more messages exchanged between the mobile application and the existing application on the server, the server including a database engine for accessing a database to support at least the set of operations.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the object model comprises at least one of, a field, a function, and a message, and the set of fields corresponding to only a subset of fields of the set of fields in the existing form, the subset of fields are to be handled by the mobile application, and a remaining set of fields are not to be handled by the mobile application.

23. The system of claim 19,

the acts further comprising:

parameterizing the set of functions and creating relationships between the set of functions at a synthesize engine;

generating and adding additional native code to the mobile application;

generating partitioning for assembling at least the portion of the existing form and the at least some of the plurality of selected native application code modules; and

wherein;

the object model comprises at least one of, a field, a function, and a message, and the set of fields corresponding to only a subset of fields of the set of fields in the existing form, the subset of fields are to be handled by the mobile application, and a remaining set of fields are not to be handled by the mobile application,

the mobile application is deployed onto a mobile device corresponding to the mobile device identifier, the plurality of selected native application code modules serve to initiate at least one message of the one or more messages, the at least one message comprising a create operation, a replace operation, an update operation, or a delete operation,

the mobile device has a user interface layer configured to generate a user interface that accesses an instance of the mobile application on the mobile device, the mobile application generating a presentation layer and a data control layer on the mobile device and facilitating asynchronous communication or data exchange between the presentation layer and the data control layer using at least a set of rules and one or more commonly-accessible data structures,

a service framework exposes a set of functions of the server to the mobile application, provides session management, caching, batch processing, and security, the service framework provides one or more first software services that do not require direct interface with the existing application on the server to the mobile device, the one or more first software services including at least one of a token service request, a media object request, or a form service request, and the service framework provides one or more second software services that interface with the existing application on the server to the mobile device, the one or more second software services including at least one of a message exchange service for exchanging one or more messages between the mobile application and the existing application on the server, the service framework further comprises;

a first abstraction layer between the existing application and the mobile application, the first abstraction layer allowing for multiple external interfaces implementing different standards, and

a second abstraction layer to the mobile application, the second abstraction layer configured to perform change, read, update, or delete operations based in part or in whole upon a data model of the existing application on the server,

at least one of the plurality of selected native application code modules implement forming request messages of the one or more messages, wherein the request message comprises a representational state transfer abstraction (REST) request or the request message comprises a simple object access protocol (SOAP) request.