Method and system for modifying deployed applications

• US 10,255,044 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2014
• Issued: 04/09/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Peter Nash
• Original Assignee: Make Apps Better, Ltd.
• Inventors: Nash, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Tuan A
• Application Number:
  US14/567,549
• Publication Number:
  US 20150169318A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,580 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/541 Client-server
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/41 Compilation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/656 while running

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of dynamically modifying a deployed application including an embedded library, including: during execution of the application, the library transmitting a model about the visual appearance of the application to an editing component; receiving input from a user at the editing component to generate instructions utilizing the model; and transmitting the instructions to the application which, in turn, modify the application. A system for dynamically modifying a deployment application is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of dynamically modifying a deployed native application including an embedded library, including:

executing, by a processing system of a first user apparatus, the native application stored in memory of the first user apparatus and comprising the embedded library, wherein the native application is configured to display, on a display associated with the first user apparatus, a user interface;

during execution of the application, the library generating and transmitting, to a second user apparatus, a model about the visual appearance of the user interface provided by the application executed on the first user apparatus;

receiving, by the second user apparatus, the model generated by the library;

displaying, on a display associated with the second user apparatus, an editing user interface for editing the application executed by the first user apparatus, wherein the editing user interface is configured to generate, based on the received model, a simulation of the application executed by the first user apparatus;

receiving input from a user at the editing user interface to modify visual appearance of the simulated application;

in response to the received input, modifying at the second user apparatus, the simulation of the application and generating instructions, utilizing the model, to change visual appearance and functionality of the user interface provided by the application executed by the first user apparatus;

transmitting by the second user apparatus, the generated instructions to the application executed on first user apparatus for dynamically modifying the application executed on the first user apparatus;

receiving, by the application executed on the first user apparatus, the generated instructions from the second user apparatus; and

the application modifying itself, based on the received instructions, to change visual appearance and functionality of the user interface provided by the application.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first user apparatus and the second user apparatus are directly connected.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the library transmits, to the second user apparatus, a screenshot of, at least part, of the visual display of the user interface provided by the executing application.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the editing user interface utilises the screenshot to generate the simulation.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the instructions are transmitted to a plurality of applications deployed on a plurality of devices.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the instructions are transmitted to each application of a plurality of applications upon request by that application.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the editing user interface provides for the user to select components within the simulated application and, in response to a selection of a component, display options for modifying the component.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the editing user interface displays the simulation of the application and programmatically editable format of the application for the user to modify the visual appearance and functionality of the user interface provided by the application.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least a part of the instructions are encoded within Cascading Style Sheets (CSS).

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the instructions are received by the library.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the model is encoded within JavaScript Object Notation (JSON).

12. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the input is provided by the user within a graphical user interface such that visual components within the visual appearance are directly edited by the user.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein editing of the visual components includes one or more of repositioning, deletion, resizing, changing the colour or font, changing an image, and changing text content.

14. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the library transmits the model when changes to the visual appearance of the user interface provided by the executed application are detected by the library.

15. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the same library is embedded within a plurality of different applications.

16. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, after the application receives the instructions and is modified, the library generates and transmits, to the second user apparatus, another model about the visual appearance of the user interface provided by the application.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored therein a library configured for use with the method of claim 1.

18. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored therein an application configured for use with the method of claim 1.

19. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored therein an editing component configured for use with the method of claim 1.

20. A system for dynamically modifying deployed native applications, including a first user apparatus and a second user apparatus:

the first user apparatus comprising;

a first display;

a first processor; and

a first memory;

wherein the first user apparatus is configured to;

execute a native application stored in the first memory and comprising an embedded library, the native application is configured to display, on the first display, a user interface;

during execution of the application, execute the library to generate and transmit, to the second user apparatus, a model about visual appearance of the user interface provided by the application; and

in response to transmitting the generated model, receive instructions from the second user apparatus for the library to, based on the received instructions, modify the application to change visual appearance and functionality of the user interface provided by the application; and

the second user apparatus comprising;

a second display;

an input device;

a second processor; and

a second memory;

wherein the second user apparatus is configured to;

receive the model generated by the library from the first user apparatus;

display, on the second display, an editing user interface for editing the application executed by the first user apparatus, the editing user interface is configured to generate, based on the received model, a simulation of the application executed by the first user apparatus;

receive input from a user at the editing user interface to modify visual appearance of the simulated application;

in response to the received input, modify the simulation of the application and generate instructions, utilising the model, to change visual appearance and functionality of the user interface provided application executed by the first user apparatus; and

transmit the generated instructions to the first user apparatus for dynamically modifying the application executed on the first user apparatus.

21. A system as claimed in claim 20, wherein the first and second apparatus communicate via a server and the server is configured to distribute the generated instruction for modifying applications executed on a plurality of other apparatuses.

22. A method of dynamically modifying a deployed native application including an embedded library, including:

executing, by a processing system of a first user apparatus, the native application stored in memory of the first user apparatus and comprising the embedded library, wherein the native application is configured to display, on a display associated with the first user apparatus, a user interface;

during execution of the application, the library generating and transmitting, to a second user apparatus, a model about visual appearance of the user interface provided by the application executed on the first user apparatus;

receiving, by the second user apparatus, the model generated by the library;

displaying, on a display associated with the second user apparatus, an editing user interface for editing the application executed by the first user apparatus, wherein the editing user interface is configured to generate, based on the received model, a simulation of the application executed by the first user apparatus;

receiving input from a user at the editing user interface to modify visual appearance of the simulated application;

in response to the received input, modifying at the second user apparatus, the simulation of the application and generating instructions, utilizing the model, to change visual appearance and functionality of the user interface provided application executed by the first user apparatus;

transmitting, by the second user apparatus, the generated instructions to the application executed on first user apparatus for dynamically modifying the application executed on the first user apparatus;

receiving, by the application executed on the first user apparatus, the generated instructions from the second user apparatus; and

the application modifying itself, based on the received instructions, to change visual appearance and functionality of the user interface provided by the application,

wherein the library transmits the model when changes to the visual appearance to the user interface provided by the application are detected.

23. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored therein a library configured for use with the method of claim 22.

24. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored therein an application configured for use with the method of claim 22.

25. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored therein an editing component configured for use with the method of claim 22.

26. A system for dynamically modifying deployed native applications, including a first user apparatus and a second user apparatus:

the first user apparatus comprising;

a first display;

a first processor; and

a first memory;

wherein the first user apparatus is configured to;

execute a native application stored in the first memory and comprising an embedded library, the native application is configured to display, on the first display, a user interface;

during execution of the application and when changes to visual appearance of the user interface are detected, execute the library to generate and transmit, to the second user apparatus, a model about visual appearance of the user interface provided by the application; and

user apparatus

in response to transmitting the generated model, receive instructions from the second user apparatus for the library to, based on the received instructions, modify the application to change visual appearance and functionality of the user interface provided by the application; and

a second user apparatus comprising;

a second display;

an input device;

a second processor; and

a second memory;

wherein the second user apparatus is configured to;

receive the model generated by the library from the first user apparatus;

display, on the second display, an editing user interface for editing the application executed by the first user apparatus, the editing user interface is configured to generate, based on the received model, a simulation of the application executed by the first user apparatus;

receive input from a user at the editing user interface to modify visual appearance of the simulated application;

in response to the received input, modify the simulation of the application and generate instructions, utilising the model, to change visual appearance and functionality of the user interface provided application executed by the first user apparatus; and

transmit the generated instructions to the first user apparatus for dynamically modifying the application executed on the first user apparatus.

27. A system as claimed in claim 26, wherein the first and second user apparatus communicate via a server and the server is configured to distribute the generated instruction for modifying applications executed on a plurality of other user apparatuses.

28. A system as claimed in claim 26, wherein the application executed on the first user apparatus includes a preview mode and a non-preview mode, and the library generates and transmits, to the second user apparatus, the model about the visual appearance of the user interface provided by the application only when the application is in the preview mode.