Extensible application platform

• US 20080140671A1
• Filed: 12/08/2006
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hulen, Corey, Lim, Chen-I, Tien, Ian
• Granted Patent: US 7,984,115 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/541 Client-server
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

An extensible client-server application platform. Execution of functions may require interactions between client-side and server-side components. Extensions may be provided as pairs of modules, one for the client and one for the server, that interact when performing an extension function. To ensure that the client-side and server-side interact appropriately, extensions modules may be initially supplied to the server and downloaded as appropriate, to the client. An enterprise business intelligence application is used as an example of the extensible client-server application platform. To enable use of third party extension modules, the server-side components may execute on a virtualized server.

Claims

1. Computer apparatus comprising:

a network interface; and

a computer-readable medium having computer-executable components comprising;

a framework for interacting through the network interface with a server to implement a business intelligence application in an enterprise, the framework adapted to;

perform a plurality of first data processing functions through interaction with the server, the first data processing functions being related to manipulation of data in one or more data stores containing data relating to the operation of the enterprise;

receive a user input specifying a second data processing function, different than data processing functions of the first plurality of data processing functions; and

obtain through the network interface a computer-executable module that, when executed, interacts with the server to perform the second data processing function.

2. The computer apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the framework is further adapted to determine whether the computer apparatus contains the computer-executable module and to selectively obtain the computer executable-module through the network interface when the computer apparatus does not contain the computer-executable module.

3. The computer apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the framework is adapted to obtain the computer-executable module through the network interface from the server.

4. The computer apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first data processing functions comprise:

receiving a report template;

receiving data; and

displaying the data in a format prescribed by the report template.

5. The computer apparatus of claim 4, wherein the computer-executable components further comprise at least one application capable of execution outside the framework, the application adapted to operate under control of the framework to present the data in accordance with the report template.

6. The computer apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

the at least one application is adapted to store metadata relating to inputs to the application that specify an operation performed by the application; and

the framework is adapted to control the at least one application to store a mapping between the data and the report template in conjunction with the metadata.

7. The computer apparatus of claim 1, wherein the framework is further adapted to determine, upon start-up, that the framework application previously experienced an error condition after the computer-executable module was obtained and to disable operation of the computer-executable module.

8. Computer apparatus comprising:

a network interface; and

a computer-readable medium comprising;

at least one computer-executable component defining a virtual machine;

a plurality of computer-executable components executing on the virtual machine, the plurality of components comprising;

a framework for interacting through the network interface with a client and a plurality of first data sources, the framework adapted to perform first functions in response to input received from the client, the first functions comprising;

obtaining data from the plurality of first data sources;

performing a plurality of first data processing functions to produce first processed data;

preparing first formatted data from the first processed data, the first formatted data in a first format for display to a user; and

providing the first formatted data to the client;

a module to perform a second function, different than the first functions, in response to user input, the second function comprising at least one of;

obtaining data from a second data source different than the plurality of first data sources;

performing a second data processing function, different than the plurality of first data processing functions, to produce second processed data;

or

preparing second formatted data from the first processed data or second processed data in a second format, different than the first format, for display to a user.

9. The computer apparatus of claim 8, wherein the module to perform the second function comprises a plug-in to the framework.

10. The computer apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first functions further comprise providing a client-side plug-in, when executed, adapted to interact with the plug-in.

11. The computer apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

the computer-readable medium further has at least one manifest;

the first functions comprise, in response to input received from a client identifying the second function;

interacting with the client to determine whether the client contains client software modules identified on the manifest; and

when the client does not contain a client software module identified on the manifest, providing the client software module to the client.

12. The computer apparatus of claim 8, wherein the second function comprises obtaining data from the second data source and combining the data with data obtained from at least one of the plurality of first data sources to generate business intelligence.

13. The computer apparatus of claim 8, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises computer-executable components implementing an application executing outside of the virtual machine.

14. A method of operating a computer system comprising a client coupled to a server, the method comprising:

initiating a function from the client, the initiating comprising communicating an indication of the function to the server, the function being executed with a client-type computer-readable module on the client interacting with a server-type computer-readable module on the server; and

based on a manifest of computer-readable modules on the server, downloading a client-type computer-readable module from the server to the client, the manifest defining client-type computer-readable modules that interact with server-type computer-readable modules operational on the server.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the computer system further comprises a data source; and

the method further comprises loading on the server the server-type computer-readable module and the client-type computer-readable module, the server-type computer-readable module and the client-type computer-readable module being associated with the data source.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the function is a business intelligence function; and

the method further comprises;

executing the server-type computer-readable module to obtain data from the data source; and

using the client-type computer-readable module to display processed data based, at least in part, on data obtained from the data source.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the client comprises at least one application that produces output for a user based, at least in part, on a template; and

using the client-type computer-readable module to display processed data comprises providing data obtained from the data source to the application for output to user based on the template.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

executing the client-type computer-readable module to obtain a command to modify data in the data source; and

executing the server-type computer-readable module to interact the data source to modify the data in accordance with the command.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the server comprises a virtual server; and

the method further comprises executing the server-type computer-readable module on the virtual server.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

determining whether the client-type computer-readable module previously caused an error when executed on the client; and

disabling execution of the client-type computer-readable module if the client-type computer-readable module previously caused an error.