Integrated deployment of software projects

• US 7,577,911 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2005
• Issued: 08/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MobileFrame LLC
• Original Assignee: MobileFrame LLC
• Inventors: Oswalt, Lonny Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Theriault; Steven B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Augustine; Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US11/056,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20050210099A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,650 Days
• Field of Search: 715/744, 715/735, 715/736, 715/740, 715/762, 715/765
• US Class Current: 715/744
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/273 Asynchronous replication or reconciliation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users

Abstract

A single integrated software project deployment platform is provided that allows administrators to easily and effectively deploy software projects to remote computers. This allows business users with no Information Technology background or capabilities to develop and deploy sophisticated applications for execution on remote systems, such as mobile computers. Mobile workers can connect to backend enterprise systems in real-time to capture rich data types such as digital signatures, photos, speech recognition, bar code scans, etc. while in the field.

Claims

1. A method for deploying projects to one or more client computing devices from a server, each of said projects including one or more tasks, each of the tasks having one or more steps, wherein each step contains information regarding an onscreen prompt for data, a type of the data, and a type of physical input device to capture the data, the method comprising:

creating a project by;

creating a current page based on a default size;

for each of the one or more steps;

placing said step on said current page below any previous steps;

increasing a height allocated for said step on said current page if said step has multiple lines;

determining if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

erasing said step from said current page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

creating a new page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

repeating said placing and increasing for said step on said new page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page; and

calling said new page said current page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

deploying said project to one or more client computing devices, said one or more client computing devices selected based on said project information;

providing, to the one or more client computing devices, access to a central database such that the server provides data from the central database to the one or more client computing devices while the one or more computing devices are executing one or more tasks of said project;

receiving results from execution of one or more tasks of said project from said one or more client computing devices; and

displaying a portion of said results to said business administrator.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

continuously monitoring changes to enterprise data in a database and changes related to workflow functions related to a task of the project assigned to one of said mobile computing devices and to database software used by the task of the project assigned to said one of said mobile computing devices;

upon discovery of a change to a workflow function related to a task of the project assigned to said one of said mobile computing devices, noting said change to the workflow function in a synchronization system table corresponding to said one of said mobile computing devices, said synchronization system table containing all items that need to be synchronized for said one of said mobile computing devices;

upon discovery of a change to a database software used by the task of the project assigned to said one of said mobile computing devices, noting said change to the database software in the synchronization system table corresponding to said one of said mobile computing devices;

creating a manifest of all items to synchronize with said one of said mobile computing devices, said creating based upon information in said synchronization system table, wherein the manifest includes database schema for the database as well as data relating to only projects assigned to the mobile computing device that are currently active; and

transmitting said items in said manifest to said one of said mobile computing devices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said creating includes excluding an item from said manifest if said item corresponds to a user who is not a current valid user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said creating includes excluding an item from said manifest if said item corresponds to a mobile computing device that is not a current valid mobile computing device.

5. A method for deploying projects to one or more client computing devices from a server, each of the tasks having one or more steps, wherein each step contains information regarding an onscreen prompt for data, a type of the data, and a type of physical input device to capture the data, each of said projects including one or more tasks, the method comprising:

creating a project by;

creating a current page based on a default size;

for each of the one or more steps;

placing said step on said current page below any previous steps;

increasing a height allocated for said step on said current page if said step has multiple lines;

determining if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

erasing said step from said current page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

creating a new page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

repeating said placing and increasing for said step on said new page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page; and

calling said new page said current page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

deploying said project to one or more client computing devices for execution, said one or more client computing devices selected based on said project information;

receiving a modification to said project information from a business administrator;

automatically updating said one or more client computing devices having been deployed said project with said modification, said modification to be implemented at said one or more client computing devices while one or more tasks of said project are executing;

receiving results from execution of said one or more tasks of said project from said one or more client computing devices; and

displaying a portion of said results to said business administrator.

6. A method for deploying projects to one or more client computing devices from a server, each of the tasks having one or more steps, wherein each step contains information regarding an onscreen prompt for data, a type of the data, and a type of physical input device to capture the data, each of said projects including one or more tasks, the method comprising:

creating a project by;

creating a current page based on a default size;

for each of the one or more steps;

placing said step on said current page below any previous steps;

increasing a height allocated for said step on said current page if said step has multiple lines;

determining if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

erasing said step from said current page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

creating a new page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

repeating said placing and increasing for said step on said new page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page; and

calling said new page said current page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

deploying said project to one or more client computing devices, said one or more client computing devices selected based on said project information such that, in response to execution of one or more tasks of said project on one or more of said client computing devices, wherein the one or more tasks request that data be sent to a central database, data is sent from the client computing device to the central database;

receiving results from execution of one or more tasks of said project from said one or more client computing devices; and

displaying a portion of said results to said business administrator.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said receiving project information further includes:

presenting said business administrator with a screen allowing said business administrator to add workflow to said step; and

receiving workflow to be added to said step from said business administrator.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said receiving project information further includes:

presenting said business administrator with a screen allowing said business administrator to set options for said step, said options selected from the set comprising;

name, default value, range of numeric values or string lengths allowed, lists, and format; and

receiving options for said step from said business administrator.

9. An apparatus for deploying projects to one or more client computing devices from a server, each of said projects including one or more tasks, each of the tasks having one or more steps, wherein each step contains information regarding an onscreen prompt for data, a type of the data, and a type of physical input device to capture the data, the apparatus comprising:

a default size current page creator;

a current page step placer coupled to said default size current page creator;

an allocated step height increaser coupled to said current page step placer;

an end-of-current-page determiner coupled to said current page step placer and to said allocated step height increaser;

a current page step eraser coupled to said end-of-current page determiner;

a new page creator coupled to said end-of-current page determiner;

a new page step placer coupled to said new page creator; and

a new page allocated step height increaser coupled to said new page step placer;

a project client computing device deployer;

a central database client computing device access provider configured to provide to one or more client computing devices, access to a central database such that the one or more client computing devices may retrieve data from the central database when executing one or more tasks of a project;

a client computing device task execution results receiver; and

a results portion business administrator displayer coupled to said client computing device task execution results receiver.

10. An apparatus for deploying projects to one or more client computing devices from a server, each of said projects including one or more tasks, each of the tasks having one or more steps, wherein each step contains information regarding an onscreen prompt for data, a type of the data, and a type of physical input device to capture the data, the apparatus comprising:

a default size current page creator;

a current pagestep placer coupled to said default size current page creator;

an allocated step height increaser coupled to said current pagestep placer;

an end-of-current-page determiner coupled to said current pagestep placer and to said allocated step height increaser;

a current pagestep eraser coupled to said end-of-current page determiner;

a new page creator coupled to said end-of-current page determiner;

a new page step placer coupled to said new page creator; and

a new page allocated step height increaser coupled to said new page step placer;

a project client computing device deployer;

a business administrator project information modification receiver;

a project modification client computing device automatic updater coupled to said business administrator project information modification receiver;

a client computing device task execution results receiver; and

a results portion business administrator displayer coupled to said client computing device task execution results receiver.

11. An apparatus for deploying projects to one or more client computing devices from a server, each of said projects including one or more tasks, each of the tasks having one or more steps, wherein each step contains information regarding an onscreen prompt for data, a type of the data, and a type of physical input device to capture the data, the apparatus comprising:

a business administrator project information receiver, wherein said business administrator project information receiver includes;

a default size current page creator;

a current pagestep placer coupled to said default size current page creator;

an allocated step height increaser coupled to said current page step placer;

an end-of-current-page determiner coupled to said current pagestep placer and to said allocated step height increaser;

a current page step eraser coupled to said end-of-current page determiner;

a new page creator coupled to said end-of-current page determiner;

a new page step placer coupled to said new page creator; and

a new page allocated step height increaser coupled to said new page step placer;

a project client computing device deployer coupled to said business administrator project information receiver and configured to deploy a project to one or more client computing devices, said one or more client computing devices selected based on project information such that, in response to execution of one or more tasks of said project on one or more of said client computing devices, wherein the one or more tasks request that data be sent to a central database, data is sent from the client computing device to the central database;

a client computing device task execution results receiver; and

a results portion business administrator displayer coupled to said client computing device task execution results receiver.

12. An apparatus for deploying projects to one or more client computing devices from a server, each of said projects including one or more tasks, each of the tasks having one or more steps, wherein each step contains information regarding an onscreen prompt for data, a type of the data, and a type of physical input device to capture the data, the apparatus comprising:

means for creating a project by;

creating a current page based on a default size;

for each of the one or more steps;

placing said step on said current page below any previous steps;

increasing a height allocated for said step on said current page if said step has multiple lines;

determining if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

erasing said step from said current page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

creating a new page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

repeating said placing and increasing for said step on said new page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page; and

calling said new page said current page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

means for deploying said project to one or more client computing devices, said one or more client computing devices selected based on said project information;

means for providing, to the one or more client computing devices, access to a central database such that the one or more client computing devices may retrieve data from the central database when executing one or more tasks of said project;

means for receiving results from execution of one or more tasks of said project from said one or more client computing devices; and

means for displaying a portion of said results to said business administrator.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein each of said tasks includes one or more data gathering steps.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein each of said data gathering steps includes information regarding an onscreen prompt for data, type of data expected, and type of input mechanism to capture the data.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said projects include one or more workflows to be fired upon validation of a step or after a value has been accepted into a step.

16. An apparatus for deploying projects to one or more client computing devices from a server, each of said projects including one or more tasks, each of the tasks having one or more steps, wherein each step contains information regarding an onscreen prompt for data, a type of the data, and a type of physical input device to capture the data, the apparatus comprising:

means for creating a project by;

creating a current page based on a default size;

for each of the one or more steps;

placing said step on said current page below any previous steps;

increasing a height allocated for said step on said current page if said step has multiple lines;

determining if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

erasing said step from said current page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

creating a new page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

repeating said placing and increasing for said step on said new page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page; and

calling said new page said current page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

means for deploying said project to one or more client computing devices for execution, said one or more client computing devices selected based on said project information;

means for receiving a modification to said project information from a business administrator;

means for automatically updating said one or more client computing devices having been deployed said project with said modification, said modification to be implemented at said one or more client computing devices while one or more tasks of said project are executing;

means for receiving results from execution of said one or more tasks of said project from said one or more client computing devices; and

means for displaying a portion of said results to said business administrator.

17. An apparatus for deploying projects to one or more client computing devices from a server, each of said projects including one or more tasks, each of the tasks having one or more steps, wherein each step contains information regarding an onscreen prompt for data, a type of the data, and a type of physical input device to capture the data, the apparatus comprising:

means for creating a project by;

creating a current page based on a default size;

for each of the one or more steps;

placing said step on said current page below any previous steps;

increasing a height allocated for said step on said current page if said step has multiple lines;

determining if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

erasing said step from said current page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

creating a new page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

repeating said placing and increasing for said step on said new page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page; and

calling said new page said current page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

means for deploying said project to one or more client computing devices, said one or more client computing devices selected based on said project information such that, in response to execution of one or more tasks of said project on one or more of said client computing devices, wherein the one or more tasks request that data be sent to a central database, data is sent from the client computing device to the central database;

means for receiving results from execution of one or more tasks of said project from said one or more client computing devices; and

means for displaying a portion of said results to said business administrator.

18. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for deploying projects to one or more client computing devices from a server, each of said projects including one or more tasks, each of the tasks having one or more steps, wherein each step contains information regarding an onscreen prompt for data, a type of the data, and a type of physical input device to capture the data, the method comprising:

creating a project by;

creating a current page based on a default size;

for each of the one or more steps;

placing said step on said current page below any previous steps;

increasing a height allocated for said step on said current page if said step has multiple lines;

determining if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

erasing said step from said current page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

creating a new page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

repeating said placing and increasing for said step on said new page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page; and

calling said new page said current page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

deploying said project to one or more client computing devices, said one or more client computing devices selected based on said project information;

providing, to the one or more client computing devices, access to a central database such that the server provides data from the central database to the one or more client computing devices while the one or more computing devices are executing one or more tasks of said project;

receiving results from execution of one or more tasks of said project from said one or more client computing devices; and

displaying a portion of said results to said business administrator.

19. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for deploying projects to one or more client computing devices from a server, each of said projects including one or more tasks, each of the tasks having one or more steps, wherein each step contains information regarding an onscreen prompt for data, a type of the data, and a type of physical input device to capture the data, the method comprising:

creating a project by;

creating a current page based on a default size;

for each of the one or more steps;

placing said step on said current page below any previous steps;

increasing a height allocated for said step on said current page if said step has multiple lines;

determining if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

erasing said step from said current page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

creating a new page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

repeating said placing and increasing for said step on said new page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page; and

calling said new page said current page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

deploying said project to one or more client computing devices for execution, said one or more client computing devices selected based on said project information;

receiving a modification to said project information from a business administrator;

automatically updating said one or more client computing devices having been deployed said project with said modification, said modification to be implemented at said one or more client computing devices while one or more tasks of said project are executing;

receiving results from execution of said one or more tasks of said project from said one or more client computing devices; and

displaying a portion of said results to said business administrator.

20. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method for deploying projects to one or more client computing devices from a server, each of said projects including one or more tasks, each of the tasks having one or more steps, wherein each step contains information regarding an onscreen prompt for data, a type of the data, and a type of physical input device to capture the data, the method comprising:

creating a project by;

creating a current page based on a default size;

for each of the one or more steps;

placing said step on said current page below any previous steps;

increasing a height allocated for said step on said current page if said step has multiple lines;

determining if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

erasing said step from said current page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

creating a new page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

repeating said placing and increasing for said step on said new page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page; and

calling said new page said current page if said placing and/or increasing causes said step to run past an end of said current page;

deploying said project to one or more client computing devices, said one or more client computing devices selected based on said project information such that, in response to execution of one or more tasks of said project on one or more of said client computing devices, wherein the one or more tasks request that data be sent to a central database, data is sent from the client computing device to the central database;

receiving results from execution of one or more tasks of said project from said one or more client computing devices; and

displaying a portion of said results to said business administrator.