System and method for describing application extensions in XML

• US 20050240902A1
• Filed: 02/25/2004
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: BEA Systems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Bunker, Ross, MacLean, Brendan, Piehler, Britton W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,636,722 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/114
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44526 Plug-ins; Add-ons

Abstract

A system and method for an extendable application framework, comprising a user interface, at least one service, at least one extension, wherein one of the at least one extensions can provide access to functionality in the user interface, and wherein one of the at least one services can provide access to functionality in one of the at least one extensions.

Claims

1. An extendable application framework, comprising:

a user interface;

at least one service;

at least one extension;

wherein one of the at least one extensions can provide access to functionality in the user interface; and

wherein one of the at least one services can provide access to functionality in one of the at least one extensions.

2. The framework of claim 1 wherein:

one of the at least one extensions can utilize one of the at least one services.

3. The framework of claim 1 wherein:

an extension is an interchangeable application building block.

4. The framework of claim 1 wherein:

an extension can include at least one of;

     1) XML (Extensible Markup Language) description;

     2) a set of classes; and

     3) a set of resources.

5. The framework of claim 1 wherein:

a service can include a public interface that can provide access to functionality in an extension.

6. The framework of claim 1 wherein:

an extension can define handlers.

7. The framework of claim 1 wherein:

an extension can provide functionality to support at least one of;

     1) a document type;

     2) a user interface action;

     3) a file encoding;

     4) property settings; and

     5) debugging information.

8. A method for configuring an application, comprising the steps of:

providing a user interface to allow user interaction with the application;

providing at least one extension wherein the providing permits one of the at least one extensions to access functionality in the user interface; and

providing at least one service wherein the providing permits one of the at least one services to access functionality in one of the at least one extensions.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein:

one of the at least one extensions can utilize one of the at least one services.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein:

an extension is an interchangeable application building block.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein:

an extension can include at least one of;

     2) XML (Extensible Markup Language) description;

     2) a set of classes; and

     3) a set of resources.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein:

a service can include a public interface that can provide access to functionality in an extension.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein:

an extension can define handlers.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein:

an extension can provide functionality to support at least one of;

     2) a document type;

     2) a user interface action;

     3) a file encoding;

     4) property settings; and

     5) debugging information.

15. A machine readable medium having instructions stored thereon that when executed by a processor cause a system to:

provide a user interface to allow user interaction with the application;

provide at least one extension wherein the providing permits one of the at least one extensions to access functionality in the user interface; and

provide at least one service wherein the providing permits one of the at least one services to access functionality in one of the at least one extensions.

16. The machine readable medium of claim 15 wherein:

one of the at least one extensions can utilize one of the at least one services.

17. The machine readable medium of claim 15 wherein:

an extension is an interchangeable application building block.

18. The machine readable medium of claim 15 wherein:

an extension can include at least one of;

     3) XML (Extensible Markup Language) description;

     3) a set of classes; and

     3) a set of resources.

19. The machine readable medium of claim 15 wherein:

a service can include a public interface that can provide access to functionality in an extension.

20. The machine readable medium of claim 15 wherein:

an extension can define handlers.

21. The machine readable medium of claim 15 wherein:

an extension can provide functionality to support at least one of;

     3) a document type;

     3) a user interface action;

     3) a file encoding;

     4) property settings; and

     5) debugging information.

22. A computer data signal embodied in a transmission medium, comprising:

a code segment including instructions to provide a user interface to allow user interaction with the application;

a code segment including instructions to provide at least one extension wherein the providing permits one of the at least one extensions to access functionality in the user interface; and

a code segment including instructions to provide at least one service wherein the providing permits one of the at least one services to access functionality in one of the at least one extensions.

23. The computer data signal of claim 22 wherein:

one of the at least one extensions can utilize one of the at least one services.

24. The computer data signal of claim 22 wherein:

an extension is an interchangeable application building block.

25. The computer data signal of claim 22 wherein:

an extension can include at least one of;

     4) XML (Extensible Markup Language) description;

     4) a set of classes; and

     4) a set of resources.

26. The computer data signal of claim 22 wherein:

a service can include a public interface that can provide access to functionality in an extension.

27. The computer data signal of claim 22 wherein:

an extension can define handlers.

28. The computer data signal of claim 22 wherein:

an extension can provide functionality to support at least one of;

     4) a document type;

     4) a user interface action;

     4) a file encoding;

     4) property settings; and

     5) debugging information.