Enterprise tools enhancements

• US 10,210,026 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2012
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Guo-Boynton, Vivien
• Primary Examiner(s): Srivastava, Vivek
• Assistant Examiner(s): Raza, Muhammad
• Application Number:
  US13/531,692
• Publication Number:
  US 20130086151A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,430 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/545 Gui
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for managing an interface of an enterprise application to support unlimited modal and modeless elements thereof. More specifically, embodiments of the present invention can include an Application Program Interface (API) for invoking and interacting with a set of modal and/or modeless functions and which can be browser independent. Such an API can be implemented, for example, in JavaScript or other language supported by the browser. Generally speaking, this script or application can provide features such as normally associated with the browser'"'"'s modal support but without relying on that support and without many of the constraints and other limitations normally imposed or encountered with the browser'"'"'s modal support.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a server system comprising an application server communicatively coupled with a web server, wherein;

the application server comprises a first processor and a first memory;

the web server comprises a second processor and a second memory;

the application server, using the first processor, executes an application to retrieve a set of application data from a data repository and transfer the set of application data to the web server;

the web server, using the second processor, generates at least one user interface page based on the set of application data, and transmits the at least one user interface page to a client device via a network; and

the server system, using the second processor, defines window elements for one or more modal windows corresponding to the at least one user interface page, wherein;

the defining the window elements comprises defining a respective container for each window element of the window elements, and

the one or more modal windows comprise a first modal window that is related to the at least one user interface page with a first parent-child relationship, so that i) the first modal window is related as a child of the at least one user interface page, ii) the first modal window is presented in front of the at least one user interface page, and iii) workflow is controlled so that user interaction with the first modal window occurs before the workflow is controlled to return to the at least one user interface page;

the server system stores, in one or both of the first memory and the second memory, count identifiers of the one or more modal windows; and

the client device is communicatively coupled with the web server and executing i) a browser application to render the at least one user interface page and ii) a modal controller application separate from the browser application, the modal controller application providing;

modal control functions including generating the first modal window, assigning a count identifier to the first modal window, generating a second modal window, and maintaining a relationship between the first modal window and the second modal window; and

an application program interface to the modal control functions, the client device receiving the at least one user interface page from the web server and performing the modal control functions of the modal controller application, the modal control functions invoked through the application program interface to the modal control functions of the first modal window which corresponds to a first container, wherein the application program interface is implemented with a script.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more modal windows comprise the second modal window, and the relationship between the first modal window and the second modal window corresponds to a second parent-child relationship, so that i) the second modal window is related as a child of the first modal window, ii) the second modal window is presented in front of the first modal window, and iii) workflow is controlled so that user interaction with the second modal window occurs before the workflow is controlled to return to the first modal window; and

the modal control functions further include one or more of generating the second modal window, assigning a second identifier to the second modal window, maintaining relationships between the second modal window and the first modal window, or controlling refresh of contents of a second container of the second modal window.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the web server further assigns to each element of the at least one user interface page a pair of tags, the pair of tags together comprising a unique identifier for a respective container of information content for the element.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the modal controller application refreshes contents of the one or more modal windows based on the tags.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the modal controller application refreshes only the information content of an identified container of at least one modal window of the one or more modal windows based on the tags and without affecting a position of layout of the at least one modal window or content of other elements.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the web server further dynamically generates a unique uniform resource locator for the first modal window, the unique uniform resource locator comprising a unique uniform resource identifier indicating a sequential window count for the first modal window.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the web server maintains a linked list, the linked list listing unique uniform resource locators for modal windows of each of one or more browser sessions of the client device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein each entry of the linked list is associated with one or more timestamps, and wherein the web server expires the linked list based on at least one of the one or more timestamps.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the web server and the application server each track states of the one or more modal windows and application data associated therewith based on the unique uniform resource locator and the tags identifying each element.

10. A method for managing an interface of an application, the method comprising:

executing, by an application server of a server system using a first processor, an application to retrieve a set of application data from a data repository and transfer the set of application data to a web server of the server system that is communicatively coupled with the application server, where;

the application server comprises the first processor and a first memory; and

the web server comprises a second processor and a second memory;

generating, by the web server using the second processor, at least one user interface page based on the set of application data, and transmitting the at least one user interface page to a client device via a network;

defining window elements, by the server system using the second processor, for one or more modal windows corresponding to the at least one user interface page, wherein the defining the window elements comprises defining a respective container for each window element of the window elements, and

the one or more modal windows comprise a first modal window that is related to the at least one user interface page with a first parent-child relationship, so that i) the first modal window is related as a child of the at least one user interface page, ii) the first modal window is presented in front of the at least one user interface page, and iii) workflow is controlled so that user interaction with the first modal window occurs before the workflow is controlled to return to the at least one user interface page; and

storing, in one or both of the first memory and the second memory, count identifiers of the one or more modal windows;

wherein the client device is communicatively coupled with the web server and executes i) a browser application to render the at least one user interface page and ii) a modal controller application separate from the browser application, the modal controller application providing;

modal control functions including generating the first modal window, assigning a count identifier to the first modal window, generating a second modal window, and maintaining a relationship between the first modal window and the second modal window; and

an application program interface to the modal control functions, the client device receiving the at least one user interface page from the web server and performing the modal control functions of the modal controller application, the modal control functions invoked through the application program interface to the modal control functions of the first modal window which corresponds to a first container, wherein the application program interface is implemented with a script.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the one or more modal windows comprise the second modal window, and the relationship between the first modal window and the second modal window corresponds to a second parent-child relationship, so that i) the second modal window is related as a child of the first modal window, ii) the second modal window is presented in front of the first modal window, and iii) workflow is controlled so that user interaction with the second modal window occurs before the workflow is controlled to return to the first modal window; and

the modal control functions further include one or more of generating second modal window, assigning a second identifier to the second modal window, maintaining relationships between the second modal window and the first modal window, or controlling refresh of contents of a second container of the second modal window.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising assigning to each element of the at least one user interface page a pair of tags, the pair of tags together comprising a unique identifier for a respective container of information content for the element.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising dynamically generating, by the one or more servers, a unique uniform resource locator for the first modal window, the unique uniform resource locator comprising a unique uniform resource identifier indicating a sequential window count for the first modal window.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising maintaining, by the one or more servers, a linked list, the linked list listing unique uniform resource locators for modal windows of each of one or more browser sessions of the client device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein each entry of the linked list is associated with one or more timestamps, and wherein the one or more servers expire the linked list based on at least one of the one or more timestamps.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising tracking, by the one or more servers, states of the one or more modal windows and application data associated therewith based on the unique uniform resource locator and the tags identifying each element.

17. A method for managing an interface of an application, the method comprising:

receiving, by a client device comprising a first processor and a first memory, at least one user interface page of an application from a web server of a server system, wherein;

the client device is communicatively coupled with the web server;

the server system comprises the web server communicatively coupled with an application server;

the application server comprises a second processor and a second memory, and uses the second processor to execute an application to retrieve a set of application data from a data repository and transfer the set of application data to the web server; and

the web server comprises a third processor and a third memory, and uses the third processor to generate the at least one user interface page based on the set of application data, and transmits the at least one user interface page to the client device via a network;

executing, by the client device using the first processor, a browser application and a modal controller application separate from the browser application, the modal controller application providing;

modal control functions including generating a first modal window, assigning a count identifier to the first modal window, generating a second modal window, and maintaining a relationship between the first modal window and the second modal window; and

an application program interface to the modal control functions;

rendering, by the client device using the browser application, the at least one user interface page through the browser application and one or more modal windows corresponding to the at least one user interface page, wherein;

window elements for the one or more modal windows are defined by the server system, using the third processor, at least partially by defining a respective container for each window element of the window elements;

the server system stores, in one or both of the second memory and the third memory, count identifiers of the one or more modal windows; and

the one or more modal windows comprise the first modal window that is related to the at least one user interface page with a first parent-child relationship, so that i) the first modal window is related as a child of the at least one user interface page, ii) the first modal window is presented in front of the at least one user interface page, and iii) workflow is controlled so that user interaction with the first modal window occurs before the workflow is controlled to return to the at least one user interface page; and

performing, by the client device using the first processor, the modal control functions of the modal controller application, the modal control functions invoked through the application program interface to the modal control functions of the first modal window which corresponds to a first container, wherein the application program interface is implemented with a script.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein each element of the at least one user interface page comprises a pair of tags, the pair of tags together comprising a unique identifier for a respective container of information content for the element.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising refreshing contents of the one or more modal windows, by the modal controller application, based on the tags.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the modal controller application refreshes only the information content of an identified container of at least one modal window of the one or more modal windows based on the tags and without affecting a position of layout of the at least one modal window or content of other elements.

21. One or more non-transitory, computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon, which computer-readable instructions, when executed by a server system, cause the server system to perform actions comprising:

executing, by an application server of the server system using a first processor, an application to retrieve a set of application data from a data repository and transfer the set of application data to a web server of the server system that is communicatively coupled with the application server, where;

the application server comprises the first processor and a first memory; and

the web server comprises a second processor and a second memory;

generating, by the web server using the second processor, at least one user interface page based on the set of application data, and transmitting the at least one user interface page to a client device via a network;

defining window elements, by the server system using the second processor, for one or more modal windows corresponding to the at least one user interface page, wherein;

the defining the window elements comprises defining a respective container for each window element of the window elements, and the one or more modal windows comprise a first modal window that is related to the at least one user interface page with a first parent-child relationship, so that i) the first modal window is related as a child of the at least one user interface page, ii) the first modal window is presented in front of the at least one user interface page, and iii) workflow is controlled so that user interaction with the first modal window occurs before the workflow is controlled to return to the at least one user interface page; and

storing, in one or both of the first memory and the second memory, count identifiers of the one or more modal windows;

wherein the client device is communicatively coupled with the web server and executes i) a browser application to render the at least one user interface page and ii) a modal controller application separate from the browser application, the modal controller application providing;

modal control functions including generating the first modal window, assigning a count identifier to the first modal window, generating a second modal window, and maintaining a relationship between the first modal window and the second modal window; and

an application program interface to the modal control functions, the client device receiving the at least one user interface page from the web server and performing the modal control functions of the modal controller application, the modal control functions invoked through the application program interface to the modal control functions of the first modal window which corresponds to a first container, wherein the application program interface is implemented with a script.

22. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 21, wherein:

the one or more modal windows comprise the second modal window, and the relationship between the first modal window and the second modal window corresponds to a second parent-child relationship, so that i) the second modal window is related as a child of the first modal window, ii) the second modal window is presented in front of the first modal window, and iii) workflow is controlled so that user interaction with the second modal window occurs before the workflow is controlled to return to the first modal window; and

the modal control functions further include one or more of generating second modal window, assigning a second identifier to the second modal window, maintaining relationships between the second modal window and the first modal window, or controlling refresh of contents of a second container of the second modal window.

23. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 21, the actions further comprising assigning to each element of the at least one user interface page a pair of tags, the pair of tags together comprising a unique identifier for a respective container of information content for the element.

24. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 23, the actions further comprising dynamically generating, by the one or more servers, a unique uniform resource locator for the first modal window, the unique uniform resource locator comprising a unique uniform resource identifier indicating a sequential window count for the first modal window.

25. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 24, the actions further comprising maintaining, by the one or more servers, a linked list, the linked list listing unique uniform resource locators for modal windows of each of one or more browser sessions of the client device.

26. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 25, wherein each entry of the linked list is associated with one or more timestamps, and wherein the one or more servers expire the linked list based on at least one of the one or more timestamps.

27. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 25, the actions further comprising tracking, by the one or more servers, states of the one or more modal windows and application data associated therewith based on the unique uniform resource locator and the tags identifying each element.

28. One or more non-transitory, computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon, which computer-readable instructions, when executed by a client device, cause the client device to perform actions comprising:

receiving at least one user interface page of an application from a web server of a server system, wherein;

the client device comprises a first processor and a first memory, and is communicatively coupled with the web server;

the server system comprises the web server communicatively coupled with an application server;

the application server comprises a second processor and a second memory, and uses the second processor to execute an application to retrieve a set of application data from a data repository and transfer the set of application data to the web server; and

the web server comprises a third processor and a third memory, and uses the third processor to generate the at least one user interface page based on the set of application data, and transmits the at least one user interface page to the client device via a network;

executing, by the client device using the first processor, a browser application and a modal controller application separate from the browser application, the modal controller application providing;

modal control functions including generating a first modal window, assigning a count identifier to the first modal window, generating a second modal window, and maintaining a relationship between the first modal window and the second modal window; and

an application program interface to the modal control functions;

rendering, by the client device using the browser application, the at least one user interface page through the browser application and one or more modal windows corresponding to the at least one user interface page, wherein;

window elements for the one or more modal windows are defined by the server system, using the third processor, at least partially by defining a respective container for each window element of the window elements;

the server system stores, in one or both of the second memory and the third memory, count identifiers of the one or more modal windows; and

the one or more modal windows comprise the first modal window that is related to the at least one user interface page with a first parent-child relationship, so that i) the first modal window is related as a child of the at least one user interface page, ii) the first modal window is presented in front of the at least one user interface page, and iii) workflow is controlled so that user interaction with the first modal window occurs before the workflow is controlled to return to the at least one user interface page; and

performing, by the client device using the first processor, the modal control functions of the modal controller application, the modal control functions invoked through the application program interface to the modal control functions of the first modal window which corresponds to a first container, wherein the application program interface is implemented with a script.

29. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 28, wherein each element of the at least one user interface page comprises a pair of tags, the pair of tags together comprising a unique identifier for a respective container of information content for the element.

30. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 29, the actions further comprising refreshing contents of the one or more modal windows, by the modal controller application, based on the tags.

31. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 30, wherein the modal controller application refreshes only the information content of an identified container of at least one modal window of the one or more modal windows based on the tags and without affecting a position of layout of the at least one modal window or content of other elements.