Efficient high-interactivity user interface for client-server applications

• US 20040015981A1
• Filed: 06/27/2002
• Published: 01/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siebel Systems Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Mukundan, Anil, Rothwein, Thomas M., Coker, John L., Mihovilovic, Domingo, Rashid, Fuad
• Granted Patent: US 7,437,720 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/320
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A facility for improving for performance of an initial user interface for a client-server application is described. The facility selects a proper subset of the user interface elements of the initial user interface. For each selected element, the facility generates a more efficient replacement for the selected element. The facility then generates a revised user interface that includes the unselected elements of the initial user interface, together with the generated replacements for the selected elements of the initial user interface.

Claims

1. One or more generated data signals collectively conveying a data structure specifying a display presented by a remote application, the data structure comprising:

inter-node references to compiled code implementing one or more user interface controls, the implemented user interface controls providing user interaction elements for the remote application; and

information specifying a visual context for the implemented user interface controls,

such that, if the data signal is received at a client, the client may use the references to copy the referenced compiled code to the client.

2. The generated data signals of claim 1 wherein the client may further display the implemented user interface controls within the context specified by the information using the copied referenced compiled code to receive user interactions intended for the remote application.

3. The generated data signals of claim 1 wherein the implemented user interface controls are ActiveX controls.

4. The generated data signals of claim 1 wherein the implemented user interface controls are Java controls.

5. A method in a computing system for improving the performance of an initial user interface for a client-server application, the user interface comprising a plurality of user interface elements, the method comprising:

selecting a proper subset of the user interface elements of the initial user interface;

for each of the selected user interface elements of the initial user interface, generating a more efficient replacement for the selected user interface element; and

generating a revised user interface comprising;

the unselected user interface elements of the initial user interface, and

the generated replacements for the selected user interface elements of the initial user interface.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein user interface elements whose performance is determined to negatively impact the usability of the initial user interface are selected.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein user interface elements are selected based upon automatic performance analysis techniques.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein user interface elements are selected based upon determinations of human agents.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising enabling a user of the client-server application to select between the initial user interface and the revised user interface.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein the user interface is intended for display in a display area, and wherein at least a portion of the substitute user interface elements are each a programmatic entity that assumes responsibility for maintaining the currency of a particular subregion of the display area.

11. The method of claim 5 and wherein at least a portion of the substitute user interface elements are ActiveX objects.

12. A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computing system to improve the performance of an initial user interface for a client-server application, the user interface comprising a plurality of user interface elements, by:

selecting a proper subset of the user interface elements of the initial user interface;

for each of the selected user interface elements of the initial user interface, generating a more efficient replacement for the selected user interface element; and

generating a revised user interface comprising;

the unselected user interface elements of the initial user interface, and

the replacements for the selected user interface elements of the initial user interface.

13. One or more computer memories collectively storing a data structure specifying a display presented by a remotely-used application, the data structure comprising:

information specifying a first user interface element implemented using a first client-implementation technology; and

information specifying a second user interface element implemented using a second client-implementation technology that is distinct from the first client-implementation technology.

14. The computer memories of claim 13 wherein the specified first user interface element is implemented using DHTML content maintained by a JavaScript script, and wherein the specified second user interface element is implemented using an ActiveX control maintained by compiled code.

15. One or more generated data signals collectively conveying a data structure specifying a display presented by a remotely-used application, the data structure comprising:

information specifying a first user interface element implemented using a first client-implementation technology; and

information specifying a second user interface element implemented using a second client-implementation technology that is distinct from the first client-implementation technology.

16. A method in a computing system for serving pages of a remote application'"'"'s user interface, comprising:

receiving a request for a specified page of the user interface sent on behalf of a user;

from a plurality of different versions of the page specified by the received request, selecting one version; and

responding to the received request with the selected version of the specified page.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the plurality of different versions of the specified page include a high-interactivity version and a low-interactivity version.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the plurality of different versions of the specified page include a first version of the specified page and a second version of the specified page that is performance-optimized relative to the first version.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the plurality of different versions of the specified page include a first version implemented using a first client-implementation technology and a second version implemented using a second client-implementation technology that is distinct from the first client-implementation technology.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein a version of the specified page is selected based upon contents of the received request.

21. The method of claim 16 wherein a version of the specified page is selected based upon a route via which the request is received.

22. The method of claim 16 wherein a version of the specified page is selected based upon a state maintained for the user.

23. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

issuing a query in response to receiving the request; and

receiving a response to the issued query, and wherein a version of the specified page is selected based upon the contents of the received response.

24. The method of claim 16 selected based upon an automatic determination.

25. The method of claim 16 selected based upon an automatic determination of the user'"'"'s connection type.

26. The method of claim 16 selected based upon an automatic determination of the user'"'"'s connection speed.

27. A computing system for serving units of a remote application'"'"'s user interface, comprising:

a request receiver that receives a request for a specified unit of the user interface sent on behalf of a user;

a version selector that selects one version of the user interface unit specified by the received request from a plurality of different versions; and

a response subsystem that responds to the received request with the selected version of the specified user interface unit.

28. The computing system of claim 27 wherein each unit of the user interface is a page.

29. The computing system of claim 27 wherein each unit of the user interface is a user interface element that is a constituent part of a page.