Method and system for providing cross-platform, interoperable, rule-based software system

• US 20030055944A1
• Filed: 09/19/2002
• Published: 03/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steven G. Belovich
• Original Assignee: Steven G. Belovich
• Inventors: Belovich, Steven G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,322,028 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/56 Computer malware detection or handling, e.g. anti-virus arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6281 at program execution time, where the protection is within the operating system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/47 Retargetable compilers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/656 while running
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/546 Message passing systems or structures, e.g. queues
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A method and system for providing a virus-immune, rule-base, cross-platform software system is disclosed. The system can be configured provide industry-specific and user-specific functionality to end-users without writing custom code. The system can be also be configured act as an industry-specific software product merely by changing the configuration information. The software system deploys in a client-server environment and delivers functionality independent of the client platform or operating system.

Claims

1. A virus immune, rule-based software system comprising:

a software image disposed on a secure platform sharable over an non-secure computer network among a plurality of clients, the software image containing a plurality of objects having determined attributes; and

a plurality of replicated software images, at least one of the replicated software images corresponding to each client, the plurality of replicated software images executing rules contained in configuration information and the plurality of objects.

2. The software system as set forth in claim 1, where the plurality of replicated software images further comprise a database interface configured to provide data communication between the software image disposed on the secure platform and an external database.

3. The software system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a translator configured to provide data communication between a selected one of the replicated software images and each client.

4. The software system as set forth in claim 3, where the translator provides data communication with each client at the interface level.

5. The software system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising software in data communication with the software image, the software configured to modify attributes of the objects.

6. The software system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising software in data communication with the software image, the software configured to write the configuration information.

7. In a network having a server including a static executable application connected to at least one client, the static executable application comprising:

a single software image sharable among each client and containing a plurality of objects having determined attributes; and

a plurality of replicated software images, at least one of the replicated software images corresponding to each client, the plurality of replicated software images responding to configuration information providing a virtual new software application defined by the configuration information.

8. The static executable application as set forth in claim 7, where the plurality of replicated software images further comprise a database interface configured to provide data communication between the static executable application and an external database.

9. The static executable application as set forth in claim 7, further comprising a translator configured to provide data communication between the static executable application and each client.

10. The static executable application as set forth in claim 9, where the translator communicates with each client at or above the interface level.

11. The static executable application as set forth in claim 10, where the interface level is selected from the set of X-Windows, ReGIS, tek, HTML/XML, Palm, and personal digital assistants.

12. The static executable application as set forth in claim 7, further comprising software in data communication with the software image, the software configured to write the configuration information.

13. In a computer system having a first node and a second node, a development system to build at least one custom application package, the development system comprising:

a storage device, coupled with the first node, for storing a plurality of configuration information;

a single system application, coupled with the first node having functionality determined by the configuration information;

an object library, coupled with the storage device and the single system application, the object library maintaining an inventory of objects, and indicating the location of each object; and

a build system coupled with the configuration information and object library, the build subsystem modifying the configuration information or object library, altering the functionality without re-linking.

14. The development system as set forth in claim 13, further comprising:

a second node; and

a replicatable software image corresponding to the second node, the replicatable software image responding to rules contained in configuration information and selected objects.

15. The development system as set forth in claim 13, where the single system application comprises a database interface configured to provide a communication path to an external storage device.

16. The development system as set forth in claim 13, further comprising a translator configured to provide a node specific communication path to the second node at or above the interface level.

17. The development system as set forth in claim 13, where the first node comprises a secure server and the second node comprises an non-secure system.

18. The development system as set forth in claim 13, where the build system modifies the configuration information online while the replicatable software image runs.