SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR REDUCING STARTUP COST OF A SOFTWARE APPLICATION

• US 20100257229A1
• Filed: 04/03/2009
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: BOLOHAN, MATTHEW J., Kroeger, Robert J., Kennberg, Aleksandr V.
• Granted Patent: US 8,260,876 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4843 by program, e.g. task dispatcher, supervisor, operating system

Abstract

A computing device has one or more processors and memory storing programs executed by the one or more processors. The computing device initializes a main application on a first thread. The main application has a first synchronous connection with a target application. After the main application performs one or more operations at the target application through the first synchronous connection, the computing device initializes an assistant process on a second thread. The assistant process has a second synchronous connection with the target application and an asynchronous connection with the main application. After receiving a request from the main application through the asynchronous connection, the assistant process performs one or more operations at the target application through the second synchronous connection.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

at a computing device having one or more processors and memory storing programs executed by the one or more processors;

initializing a main application on a first thread, wherein the main application has a first synchronous connection with a target application;

after the main application performs one or more operations at the target application through the first synchronous connection, initializing an assistant process on a second thread, wherein the assistant process has a second synchronous connection with the target application and an asynchronous connection with the main application; and

receiving, at the assistant process, a request from the main application through the asynchronous connection; and

in response to the request, performing one or more operations at the target application through the second synchronous connection.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the target application is a database application at the computing device.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the one or more operations at the target application through the first synchronous connection further includes:

the main application displaying a user interface at the computing device;

the main application retrieving data from the database application; and

the main application populating the user interface with the retrieved data.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the one or more operations at the target application through the second synchronous connection further includes:

the assistant process receiving a data request from the main application;

in response to receiving the data request,

the assistant process synchronously executing the data request at the database application; and

the assistant process synchronously receiving a response to the data request from the database application; and

the assistant process asynchronously returning the response to the data request to the main application.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising:

if the response includes the requested data, the main application updating the user interface with the requested data.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, further comprising:

if the response does not include the requested data,

the main application asynchronously submitting a request for the requested data to a remote server system; and

the main application asynchronously receiving the requested data from the remote server system;

after receiving the requested data from the remote server system,

the main application asynchronously forwarding the requested data to the assistant process; and

the assistant process synchronously updating the database application with the requested data.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the target application is an application for rendering images at the computing device.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the target application is an application for accessing, transferring, or downloading a file.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the target application is an application for performing numerical computations.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising the main application receiving a readiness notification from the assistant process after the assistant process is initialized.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first synchronous connection is terminated after the assistant process is initialized and a unit of communication between the main application and the target application is completed.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the computing device is a mobile, portable device.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the main application is single-threaded.

14. A computer system, comprising:

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including;

instructions for initializing a main application on a first thread, wherein the main application has a first synchronous connection with a target application;

instructions for initializing an assistant process on a second thread after the main application performs one or more operations at the target application through the first synchronous connection, wherein the assistant process has a second synchronous connection with the target application and an asynchronous connection with the main application; and

instructions for receiving, at the assistant process, a request from the main application through the asynchronous connection; and

instructions for performing one or more operations at the target application through the second synchronous connection in response to the request.

15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the target application is a database application at the computing device.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the instructions for performing one or more operations at the target application through the first synchronous connection further include:

instructions for displaying a user interface at the computing device;

instructions for retrieving data from the database application; and

instructions for populating the user interface with the retrieved data.

17. The computer system of claim 16, wherein the instructions for performing one or more operations at the target application through the second synchronous connection further include:

instructions for receiving a data request from the main application;

instructions for synchronously executing the data request at the database application in response to receiving the data request; and

instructions for synchronously receiving a response to the data request from the database application; and

instructions for asynchronously returning the response to the data request to the main application.

18. The computer system of claim 17, further comprising:

instructions for updating the user interface with the requested data if the response includes the requested data.

19. The computer system of claim 17, further comprising:

if the response does not include the requested data,

instructions for asynchronously submitting a request for the requested data to a remote server system; and

instructions for asynchronously receiving the requested data from the remote server system;

after receiving the requested data from the remote server system,

instructions for asynchronously forwarding the requested data to the assistant process; and

instructions for synchronously updating the database application with the requested data.

20. The computer system of claim 14, further comprising the main application receiving a readiness notification from the assistant process after the assistant process is initialized.

21. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the first synchronous connection is terminated after the assistant process is initialized and a unit of communication between the main application and the target application is completed.

22. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the computing device is a mobile, portable device.

23. A computer readable storage medium and one or more computer programs embedded therein, the one or more computer programs comprising instructions, which when executed by a computer system, cause the computer system to:

initialize a main application on a first thread, wherein the main application has a first synchronous connection with a target application;

initialize an assistant process on a second thread after the main application performs one or more operations at the target application through the first synchronous connection, wherein the assistant process has a second synchronous connection with the target application and an asynchronous connection with the main application; and

receive, at the assistant process, a request from the main application through the asynchronous connection; and

perform one or more operations at the target application through the second synchronous connection in response to the request.

24. The computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein the target application is a database application at the computing device.

25. The computer readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein the one or more operations at the target application through the first synchronous connection further include:

displaying a user interface at the computing device;

retrieving data from the database application; and

populating the user interface with the retrieved data.

26. The computer readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the one or more operations at the target application through the second synchronous connection further include:

receiving a data request from the main application;

synchronously executing the data request at the database application in response to receiving the data request; and

synchronously receiving a response to the data request from the database application; and

asynchronously returning the response to the data request to the main application.

27. The computer readable storage medium of claim 26, further comprising:

instructions for updating the user interface with the requested data if the response includes the requested data.

28. The computer readable storage medium of claim 26, further comprising:

if the response does not include the requested data,

instructions for asynchronously submitting a request for the requested data to a remote server system; and

instructions for asynchronously receiving the requested data from the remote server system;

after receiving the requested data from the remote server system,

instructions for asynchronously forwarding the requested data to the assistant process; and

instructions for synchronously updating the database application with the requested data.