METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR IMPARTING FUNCTIONALITY TO A MOBILE COMPUTING DEVICE

• US 20130332519A1
• Filed: 01/05/2012
• Published: 12/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: APPCityLife, Inc.
• Original Assignee: APPCityLife, Inc.
• Inventors: Walker, Scott Vernon, Bingham, Bryan Lawson, Abeyta, Lawrence Paul
• Granted Patent: US 9,413,815 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44526 Plug-ins; Add-ons
• 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

Embodiments of the present invention comprise a client application (“shell”) that is installed on the mobile device. The shell is developed in such a way as to allow it to read certain configuration files (“configuration files”). As discussed in greater detail below, the configuration files contain all information necessary for the shell to create, present, or display a mobile application “on-the-fly” simply by reading the configuration file. Advantageously, this method allows applications to quickly be updated or reconfigured without recompiling and updating native code. In addition, such applications can easily be shared and interact with other applications developed on this platform. This sharing of configuration files with a shell also allows repurposing of applications and a new delivery mechanism for advertising and promotional content.

Claims

1. A method of imparting functionality to a mobile device, comprising:

(a) loading a shell application into storage on the mobile device;

(b) loading a configuration definition into storage on the mobile device;

(c) initiating operation of the shell application according to the definitions in the configuration definition.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the shell application comprises software configured to access native functionality in the mobile device and to render user interface features according to definitions in a configuration definition.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein the configuration definition comprises information stored in storage on the mobile device, which information specifies user interface style, data sources, resources, and actions.

4. A method as in claim 3, wherein the specification of the user interface style comprises specification of look and feel including one or more of:

layout and grouping of user interface elements, background and foreground display, sorting and organization of data, color of user interface elements, displayed fonts, or a combination thereof.

5. A method as in claim 3, wherein actions specify an operation of the mobile device that initiates one or more of:

(1) a physical occurrence outside the device;

(2) a transfer of information into or away from the mobile device;

(3) creation of data and storage of said data on the device.

6. A method as in claim 3, wherein actions specify an operation that is specific to the native functionality provided by the type of device on which the shell application is operating.

7. A method as in claim 3, wherein the shell is responsive to events, wherein an event can be initiated by the mobile device, by the user of the mobile device, and by a remote system;

and wherein the shell initiates one or more actions in response to an event, wherein the actions initiated are determined from the event, the state of the user interface, and the configuration definition.

8. A method as in claim 1, wherein the configuration definition includes identification of one or more additional configurations, and conditions under which the shell will cause an additional configuration to be loaded and used as the configuration in step (c).

9. A method as in claim 1, wherein the configuration definition includes identification of methods to access one or more additional configurations, and conditions under which the shell will cause an additional configuration to be loaded and used as the configuration in step (c).

10. A method as in claim 1, wherein the configuration definition comprises definition of one or more actions that collect analytics and store them on the device, communicate analytics from the device to a remote system, or a combination thereof.

11. A method as in claim 10, further comprising verifying the authority of the remote system to receive the analytics prior to communicating analytics to the remote system.

12. A method of supplying new functionality to a mobile device having resident in storage one or more configuration definitions configured to impart functionality to the mobile device when operated in combination with a shell application on the mobile device, comprising (a) communicating a command from a remote system to the device, (b) at a time when the shell application is active, and when a configuration determined from the command is active, storing information determined from the command in storage on the mobile device in association with the determined configuration definition.

13. A method as in claim 12, further comprising verifying the command before step (b).

14. A method as in claim 12, wherein the mobile device has resident in storage a second shell application, and further comprising (c) at a time when the second shell application is active, and when a second configuration determined from the command is active, storing information determined from the command in storage on the mobile device in association with the second determined configuration.

15. A method of supplying new functionality to a plurality of mobile devices, each having resident in storage one or more configuration definitions configured to impart functionality to the mobile device when operated in combination with a shell application on the mobile device, comprising selecting the plurality of devices based on characteristics of the mobile device, a user of the mobile device, current conditions of the present device, past or present use of the mobile device, or a combination thereof;

and communicating to each device according to the method of claim 12.

16. A method of supplying new functionality to a mobile device having resident in storage one or more configuration definitions configured to impart functionality to the mobile device when operated in combination with a shell application on the mobile device, comprising:

(a) using the shell application to determine whether an update to a configuration definition is available, (b) using the shell application to receive the update and storing the update in storage on the mobile device in association with the configuration definition.