METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PROVIDING A USER INTERFACE IN A MULTI-TENANT DATABASE ENVIRONMENT

• US 20110289140A1
• Filed: 12/16/2010
• Published: 11/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Pletter, Daniel L., Waite, Andrew, Chasman, Doug, Mooney, James K., Troup, James
• Application Number:
  US12/970,652
• Publication Number:
  US 20110289140A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

Methods, devices and systems for providing a user interface in an on-demand software service environment are described. Some implementations involve receiving a component request from a first client device and building or retrieving component definitions corresponding to the component request. The implementations may also involve instantiating the component definitions and obtaining data and metadata for the component instances. Such implementations may also involve serializing the component definitions, component instances, the data and the metadata, and returning a response to the first client device. The response may include serialized instantiated component definitions, serialized data for the instantiated component definitions and serialized metadata for the instantiated component definitions.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing a user interface in an on-demand software service environment, the apparatus comprising:

a network interface; and

a processor system comprising at least one processor, the processor system configured for;

receiving, via the network interface, a component request from a first client device;

building or retrieving component definitions corresponding to the component request;

instantiating the component definitions;

obtaining data and metadata for the component instances;

serializing the component definitions, component instances, the data and the metadata; and

returning a response to the first client device, the response comprising serialized instantiated component definitions, serialized data for the instantiated component definitions and serialized metadata for the instantiated component definitions.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the instantiated component definitions are represented as an instance tree graph.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the on-demand software service environment comprises a multi-tenant database accessible to a plurality of tenants, and wherein the first client device is associated with one of the plurality of tenants.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor system is configured to begin the returning process prior to the conclusion of the serializing process.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, the processor system is configured to begin the returning process immediately following the start of the serializing process.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a memory system, wherein the apparatus does not retain the serialized instantiated component definitions in the memory system after returning the serialized instantiated component definitions to the first client device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the response comprises an initial page response from the apparatus, and wherein the initial page response comprises a JavaScript engine for the first client device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the response comprises JavaScript Object Notation (“

JSON”

) structures.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus comprises at least one server.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least some of the component instances comprise instantiated abstract components.

11. A method for providing a user interface in an on-demand software service environment, the method comprising:

receiving a component request from a first client device;

building or retrieving component definitions corresponding to the component request;

instantiating the component definitions;

obtaining data and metadata for the component instances;

serializing the component definitions, component instances, the data and the metadata; and

returning a response to the first client device, the response comprising serialized instantiated component definitions, serialized data for the instantiated component definitions and serialized metadata for the instantiated component definitions.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the instantiated component definitions are represented as an instance tree graph.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the on-demand software service environment comprises a multi-tenant database accessible to a plurality of tenants, and wherein the first client device is associated with one of the plurality of tenants.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the response comprises an initial page response from the apparatus, and wherein the initial page response comprises a JavaScript engine for the first client device.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the response comprises JavaScript Object Notation (“

JSON”

) structures.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the returning process begins prior to the conclusion of the serializing process.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the returning process begins immediately following the start of the serializing process.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein at least some of the component instances comprise instantiated abstract components.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the returning process is performed without saving the serialized instantiated component definitions in a memory.

20. A machine-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for providing a user interface in an on-demand software service environment, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the processes of:

receiving a component request from a first client device;

building or retrieving component definitions corresponding to the component request;

instantiating the component definitions;

obtaining data and metadata for the component instances;

serializing the component definitions, component instances, the data and the metadata; and

returning a response to the first client device, the response comprising serialized instantiated component definitions, serialized data for the instantiated component definitions and serialized metadata for the instantiated component definitions.

21. The machine-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the on-demand software service environment comprises a multi-tenant database accessible to a plurality of tenants, and wherein the first client device is associated with one of the plurality of tenants.

22. The machine-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the response comprises an initial page response from the apparatus, and wherein the initial page response comprises a JavaScript engine for the first client device.

23. The machine-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the response comprises JavaScript Object Notation (“

JSON”

) structures.

24. The machine-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the returning process begins prior to the conclusion of the serializing process.

25. The machine-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the returning process begins immediately following the start of the serializing process.

26. The machine-readable medium of claim 20, wherein at least some of the component instances comprise instantiated abstract components.

27. The machine-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the returning process is performed without saving the serialized instantiated component definitions in a memory.