System and Method For Providing A Web-Based Operating System

• US 20090204954A1
• Filed: 04/10/2009
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Freewebs Incorporated (Cimpress Plc)
• Inventors: Arvidsson, Erik Viktor, Malmer, Fredrik, Pishevar, Shervin, Morris, Drew E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,255,483 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/163
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• 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

A system and method for providing a web-based operating system is disclosed. A web-based operating system is downloaded from a server to a network-enabled device. The web-based operating system provides a platform from which to run web-based computer applications. Web-based computer applications are downloaded from the server onto the network-enabled device, and executed in conjunction with the web-based operating system. Those portions of the web-based operating system software and web-based computer application software are downloaded to the network-enabled device as needed. A component-based environment for the development and deployment of a web-based operating system and web-based computer applications is also provided. Components are deployed within library files as part of a component-based development model. The web-based operating system downloads those library files needed to execute the web-based computer applications.

Claims

1. A method for executing a web-based application within a browser, comprising:

loading a top-level page, said top-level page referencing a first library file;

loading said first library file, wherein said first library file includes one or more core functionality components;

loading a second library file, wherein said second library file references one or more application library components; and

executing said application library components referenced by said second library file.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said top-level page provides an execution context for said first library file and for said second library file.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein one of said core functionality components comprises a library manager for loading library files.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said loading said first library file further comprises:

8

loading said first library file into a new context within said top-level page.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said new context is an iframe.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said new context is a layer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said loading said second library file further comprises:

loading said second library file into a new context within said top-level page.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said new context is a new iframe.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said new context is a new layer.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising loading a sub-library file in response to a reference to said sub-library file in said first library file.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising loading a sub-library file in response to a reference to said sub-library file in said second library file.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said second library file is loaded in response to user interaction with the browser.

81. The method of claim 1, wherein the core functionality components comprise event handlers, core system objects, and a library manager.

82. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of loading a third library file, wherein the third library file references an application programming interface (API) component, and

executing said API component referenced by said third library file.

83. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of loading a fourth library file, wherein the fourth library file references an additional component library, and

executing said additional component library referenced by said fourth library file.

13. A method for implementing a web-based application program interface, comprising:

loading a top-level page into a web-browser, said top-level page adapted to be processed by the web-browser;

receiving a request to load a first library file, said first library file including one or more core functionality components;

determining if said first library file has been loaded;

loading said first library file into a new context in said top-level page if said first library file has not been loaded;

determining if said first library file references a second library file;

determining if said second library file has been loaded; and

loading said second library file into a new context in said top-level page if said second library file has not been loaded.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said core functionality components includes a library manager for loading library files.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said request is included in said top-level page.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said request is generated by user interaction with the web-browser.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein said request is generated by a web-based application executing in the web-browser.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein said new context is an iframe.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein said new context is a layer.

20. A computer program product for enabling a processor in a computer system to implement a system for executing a web-based application within a browser, said computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said computer usable medium for causing a program to execute on the computer system, said computer readable program code means comprising;

means for enabling the computer system to load a top-level page, said top-level page referencing a first library file;

means for enabling the computer system to load said first library file, wherein said first library file includes one or more core functionality components;

means for enabling the computer system to load a second library file, wherein said second library file references one or more application library components; and

means for enabling the computer system to execute said application library components referenced by said second library file.

21. A method comprising:

transmitting a top-level page in response to a request from a browser having an existing context, said top-level page referencing library files including,

a component library file, said component library file having web-based operating system components to be executed within the existing context of the browser, and

an application library file being related to said web-based operating system components, the application library file providing functions of a server-side application within the browser.

22. The method of claim 21, further including the step of transmitting one or more library files selected from a group consisting of component library files and application library files, to the browser.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the library files include scripting language program elements.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the scripting language program elements are selected from a group consisting of DHTML, VBScript, JavaScript, and XML program elements.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the component library file is configured to load the application library file into a new context within the top-level page.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the component library is configured to execute a plurality of applications in the top-level page.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the application library file references an application programming interface.

28. A computer readable medium comprising a stored set of instructions which, if executed, cause the computer to:

transmit a top-level page in response to a request from a browser having an existing context, said top-level page to reference library files to include,

a component library file, said component library file including web-based operating system components to be executed within the existing context of the browser, and

an application library file to provide functions of a server-side application within the browser.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 28, further including instructions to cause the computer to transmit one or more library files selected from a group consisting of component library files and application library files, to the browser.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 28, wherein the library files include scripting language program elements.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 30, wherein the scripting language program elements are selected from a group consisting of DHTML, VBScript, JavaScript, and XML program elements.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 28, wherein the component library file loads the application library file into a new context within the top-level page.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 28, wherein the component library executes a plurality of applications in the top-level page.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 28, wherein the application library file references an application programming interface.

35. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory in operative communication with the processor, the memory including a stored set of instructions which, if executed by the processor, cause the apparatus to;

transmit a top-level page in response to a request from a browser having an existing context, said top-level page to reference library files including,

a component library file, said component library file having web-based operating system components to be executed within the existing context of the browser as scripting language program elements, and

an application library file providing functions of a server-side application within the browser.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, further directing the processor to transmit one or more library files selected from a group consisting of component library files and application library files.

37. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the scripting language program elements are selected from a group consisting of DHTML, VBScript, JavaScript, and XML program elements.

38. The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the component library file is to load the application library file into a new context within the top-level page.

39. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the component library executes multiple applications in the top-level page.

40. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the application library file references an application programming interface.

41. A computer-implemented method comprising:

transmitting a component library file in response to a request from a browser having an existing context with a top-level page that references the component library file, said component library file including web-based operating system components to be executed within the existing context of the browser.

42. The method of claim 41, further including transmitting an application library file to the browser.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein the component library file loads the application library file into a new context within the top-level page.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein the component library file includes scripting language program elements.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the scripting language program elements are selected from a group consisting of DHTML, VBScript, JavaScript, and XML program elements.

46. The method of claim 41, wherein the component library executes multiple applications in the top-level page.

47. The method of claim 41, wherein the web-based operating system downloads only component library files needed to execute a particular web-based application.

48. A computer readable medium comprising a stored set of instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

transmit a component library file in response to a request from a browser having an existing context with a top-level page that references the component library file, said component library file including web-based operating system components to be executed within the existing context of the browser.

49. The computer readable medium of claim 48, further causing the computer to transmit an application library file to the browser.

50. The computer readable medium of claim 49, wherein the component library file loads the application library file into a new context within the top-level page.

51. The computer readable medium of claim 48, wherein the component library file includes scripting language program elements.

52. The computer readable medium of claim 51, wherein the scripting language program elements are selected from a group consisting of DHTML, VBScript, JavaScript, and XML program elements.

53. The computer readable medium of claim 48, wherein the component library executes multiple applications in the top-level page.

54. The computer readable medium of claim 48, wherein the web-based operating system downloads only component library files needed to execute a particular web-based application.

55. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory in operative communication with the processor, the memory for executing a plurality of processing instructions for directing the processor to;

transmit a component library file in response to a request from a browser having an existing context with a top-level page that references the component library file, said component library file including web-based operating system components to be executed within the existing context of the browser as scripting language program elements.

56. The apparatus of claim 55, further directing the processor to transmit an application library file to the browser.

57. The apparatus of claim 56, wherein the component library file loads the application library file into a new context within the top-level page.

58. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the scripting language program elements are selected from a group consisting of DHTML, VBScript, JavaScript, and XML program elements.

59. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the component library executes multiple applications in the top-level page.

60. The apparatus of claim 55, wherein the web-based operating system downloads only component library files needed to execute a particular web-based application.

61. A method of providing a server-side application, comprising:

transmitting an application library file in response to a request from a browser having an existing context with a top-level page that references the application library file, said application library file being related to a component library file with web-based operating system components to be executed within the existing context of the browser, the application library file providing functions of a server-side application within the browser.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein the library files include scripting language program elements.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein the scripting language program elements are selected from a group consisting of DHTML, VBScript, JavaScript, and XML program elements.

64. The method of claim 61, wherein the component library file loads the application library file into a new context within the top-level page.

65. The method of claim 61, wherein the component library file executes multiple applications in the top-level page.

66. The method of claim 61, wherein the web-based operating system downloads only component library files needed to execute the server-side application.

67. The method of claim 61, wherein the application library file references an application programming interface.

68. A computer readable medium comprising a stored set of instructions which, if executed, cause the computer to:

transmit an application library file in response to a request from a browser having an existing context with a top-level page that references the application library file, said application library file being related to a component library file with web-based operating system components to be executed within the existing context of the browser, the application library file providing functions of a server-side application within the browser.

69. The computer readable medium of claim 68, wherein the library files include scripting language program elements.

70. The computer readable medium of claim 69, wherein the scripting language program elements are selected from a group consisting of DHTML, VBScript, JavaScript, and XML program elements.

71. The computer readable medium of claim 68, wherein the component library file loads the application library file into a new context within the top-level page.

72. The computer readable medium of claim 68, wherein the component library file executes multiple applications in the top-level page.

73. The computer readable medium of claim 68, wherein the web-based operating system downloads only component library files needed to execute a particular web-based application.

74. The computer readable medium of claim 68, wherein the application library file references an application programming interface.

75. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory in operative communication with the processor, the memory for executing a plurality of processing instructions for directing the processor to;

transmit an application library file in response to a request from a browser having an existing context with a top-level page that references the application library file, said application library file being related to a component library file with web-based operating system components to be executed within the existing context of the browser as scripting language program elements, the application library file providing functions of a server-side application within the browser.

76. The apparatus of claim 75, wherein the scripting language program elements are selected from a group consisting of DHTML, VBScript, JavaScript, and XML program elements.

77. The apparatus of claim 75, wherein the component library file loads the application library file into a new context within the top-level page.

78. The apparatus of claim 75, wherein the component library file executes multiple applications in the top-level page.

79. The apparatus of claim 75, wherein the web-based operating system downloads only component library files needed to execute a particular web-based application.

80. The apparatus of claim 75, wherein the application library file references an application programming interface.