Method and system for hosting an application with a facade server

• US 7,472,398 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2003
• Issued: 12/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Valtrus Innovations Limited (f/k/a Dolya Holdco 9 Limited) (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Corell, Brian J., Kinnan, Keith R., Natrajan, Balaji
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Van H
• Application Number:
  US10/715,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20050108731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,870 Days
• Field of Search: 719/312, 719/328, 719/310, 719/311, 709/203, 709/229, 709/230
• US Class Current: 719/328
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/547 Remote procedure calls [RPC]; Web services

Abstract

One exemplary embodiment may be a system that comprises a central processing unit (CPU), an application, and a facade server. The facade server may host the application without utilizing network protocols. A program executing on the CPU may create an interface between the facade server and a browser for exchanging data associated with the application.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU);

a memory unit coupled to the CPU;

an application stored in the memory unit and executable by the CPU;

a facade server stored in the memory unit and executable by the CPU; and

a program stored in the memory unit and executable by the CPU, wherein the program creates an interface between the facade server and a web-browser for exchanging data associated with the application,

wherein the facade server hosts the application without utilizing network protocols and without opening network ports.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the program interacts with the facade server through a local protocol registered on the system.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the application comprises one of a plurality of applications hosted by the facade server without utilizing network protocols.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the application, the facade server, and a web-server interface by which the application exchanges data with the facade server all utilize a common address space.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a web-server, wherein the web-server handles connections to the application when operating in a network mode, and the facade server handles connections to the application when operating in a local-only mode.

6. A computer-implemented method comprising:

generating application data from a web-based application hosted on an executable facade server via a web-server interface;

providing said application data from the executable facade server to a web-browser using a local protocol; and

using said web-browser to display said application data on a display,

wherein the executable facade server hosts the web-based application without utilizing network protocols and without opening network ports.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the local protocol uses a data transfer mechanism selected from the group consisting of software component models, named data pipes, memory mapped I/O streams, data files, and a combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the web-based application generates the application data by utilizing a web-based technology selected from the group consisting of Perl, Java®

, JavaScript®

, active server pages (ASP), hypertext preprocessing (PHP), hypertext markup language (HTML), and a combination thereof.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the web-based application, the facade server and the web-server interface all share a common address space.

10. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

providing an executable web server for hosting data on a network;

if operating in a network mode, using the executable web server to provide connections to the web based application; and

if operating in a local-only mode, using the executable facade server to provide connections to the web based application.

11. A computer readable media storing instructions executable by a computer system, and when executed the instructions implement a method comprising:

generating application data from a web-based application hosted on an executable facade server via a web-server interface;

providing said application data from the executable facade server to a web-browser using a local protocol;

using said web-browser to display said application data on a display,

wherein the executable facade server hosts the web-based application without utilizing network protocols and without opening network ports.

12. The computer readable media of claim 11 wherein the local protocol uses a data transfer mechanism selected from the group consisting of software component models, named data pipes, memory mapped I/O streams, data files, and a combination thereof.

13. The computer readable media of claim 11 wherein the web- based application generates the applications using a web-based technology selected from the group consisting of Perl, Java, JavaScript, active server pages (ASP), hypertext preprocessing (PHP), and hypertext markup language (HTML), and a combination thereof.

14. The computer readable media of claim 11, wherein the web-based application, the executable facade server and the web server interface all share a common address space.

15. A computer system comprising:

means for executing programs;

means for storing data coupled to the means for executing programs;

means for generating application data from a web-based application,

wherein the web-based application is stored in the means for storing data and executable by the means for executing programs; and

means for hosting the web-based application, wherein the means for hosting the web-based application is stored in the means for storing data and executable by the means for executing programs; and

wherein a program executed by the means for executing programs interfaces the means for generating application data with means for viewing the application data; and

wherein the means for hosting the web-based application does not utilize network protocols and does not open network ports.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the means for hosting the web- based application is capable of mimicking a plurality of web-servers.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the web-based application comprises a plurality of web-based applications.

18. The system of claim 15 further comprising means for hosting data on a network, wherein the means for hosting data on a network is stored in the means for storing data and is executable by the means for executing programs;

and wherein the means for hosting data on the network handles connections to the web-based application when the system is operating in a network mode, and the means for hosting the web-based application without utilizing network protocols handles connections to the web-based application when operating in a local-only mode.