Cross-platform Module for Loading Across a Plurality of Device Types

• US 20160308953A1
• Filed: 04/15/2016
• Published: 10/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyland Switzerland, Sarl
• Original Assignee: Lexmark International Technology Sarl (Ninestar Corporation)
• Inventors: Anschutz, Cynthia Diane, Elton, David Mark, Blazek, Shane Evan, Haney, Kristopher John Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 11,159,603 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/36 Software reuse
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44521 Dynamic linking or loading; Link editing at or after load time, e.g. Java class loading
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• 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
• 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

Methods for loading a module on a plurality of device types without modification includes initializing an application native to the client device, the application including a web browser; determining a module to be loaded on the application, the module written in a web-based format and having a set of dependencies indicated within a code thereof; and loading the determined module on the web browser for recognition by the application native to the client device. The loading the determined module on the web browser includes loading the set of dependencies of the module.

Claims

1. A method for loading a module on the client device, comprising:

initializing an application native to the client device, the application including a web browser;

determining a module to be loaded on the application, the module written in a web-based format and having a set of dependencies; and

loading the determined module on the web browser for recognition by the application native to the client device,

wherein the loading the determined module on the web browser includes loading the set of dependencies.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the module is coded in a format directly recognizable by a web browser.

The method of claim 1, further comprising checking the set of dependencies of the module, the set of dependencies indicating one or more other modules upon which the module is dependent.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of dependencies are indicated within at least one of an identifier of the module, a source code of the module, and a metadata file attached to the module.

The method of claim 1, wherein the application facilitates communications between the client device and the web browser.

3. The method of claim 3, wherein the checking the set of dependencies of the module is performed in at least one of before, during, and after the loading the determined module on the web browser of the application.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the set of dependencies of the module indicates a version identifier of each of the one or more other modules.

5. The method of claim 5, wherein the version identifier of each of the one or more modules is indicated within at least one of an identifier of the module, a source code of the module, and a metadata file attached to the module.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the checking the set of dependencies of the module includes determining whether or not a version identifier specified in the set of dependencies for each of the at least one of the base module and the dependent module exists and loading each of the at least one of the base and the dependent module having the version specified with the module on the web browser of the application.

8. A method for loading an application using a module runnable in multiple device types, the method comprising:

running a first application native to a first device type, the first application including an embedded web browser;

determining a module to be loaded on the first application, the module coded in a format directly recognizable by the embedded web browser;

loading the determined module on the embedded web browser for recognition by the first application; and

creating an item on the first application based on the loaded module,

wherein the module is loadable in a second application native to a second device type using an embedded web browser of the second application, the module being loaded in the second application without modification.

11. The method of claim 11, further comprising checking the set of dependencies in at least one of before, during, and after the loading the determined module on the embedded web browser.

9. The method of claim 10, wherein the module has a set of dependencies indicative of one or more other modules associated with the module and a specified version for each of the one or more other modules associated with loading the module.

10. The method of claim 11, wherein each of the one or more other modules indicated in the set of dependencies are the same in format with the module and directly recognizable by the embedded web browser.

The method of claim 11, wherein the set of dependencies further includes one or more resources associated with execution of the module on the embedded web browser, the one or more resources each written in a format directly recognizable by a web browser, the format being at least one of a Javascript, HTML, and CSS format.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the set of dependencies are indicated in at least one of an identifier of the module, within a source code of the module, and a metadata file attached to the module.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the one or more files are each written in a format directly recognizable by the web browser.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the plurality of device types includes at least one of a mobile device, a desktop, and an imaging device.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing executable instructions for:

determining an initial set of modules to be loaded on an application native to a device type, the initial set of modules each including a web-based package;

initializing the web-based package on a web browser embedded on the application; and

facilitating communications between the device type and the web browser,

wherein the web-based package is deployable on a plurality of device types without modification.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, further comprising creating an item on an interface of the application based on the initialized web-based package.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions for determining the initial set of modules further includes instructions for identifying whether one or more files are dependent on each module of the initial set of modules and upon a positive determination, initializing the one or more files together with each module.