System and method for providing a web-based operating system

• US 8,069,220 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Issued: 11/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Webs Incorporated (Cimpress Plc)
• Inventors: Arvidsson, Erik Viktor, Malmer, Fredrik, Pishevar, Shervin, Morris, Drew E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mesfin; Yemane
• Application Number:
  US11/644,709
• Publication Number:
  US 20070106757A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,803 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/219, 709/250, 717162-164, 717/174, 717176-178, 719228-230
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• 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

A system and method for providing a web-based operating system is disclosed. A web-based operating system is downloaded from a server to a network-enabled device. The web-based operating system provides a platform from which to run web-based computer applications. Web-based computer applications are downloaded from the server onto the network-enabled device, and executed in conjunction with the web-based operating system. Those portions of the web-based operating system software and web-based computer application software are downloaded to the network-enabled device as needed. A component-based environment for the development and deployment of a web-based operating system and web-based computer applications is also provided. Components are deployed within library files as part of a component-based development model. The web-based operating system downloads those library files needed to execute the web-based computer applications.

Claims

1. A method for executing a web-based application using a browser of a client computer from components loaded from a remote server, comprising the steps of:

loading a top-level page into the browser of the client computer, said top-level page referencing a web-based operating system component library file;

loading said web-based operating system component library file into a predetermined context in said top-level page;

mapping the identity of the predetermined context to the identity of the web-based operating system component library file;

loading a web-based application library file in response to a request for the web-based application from the browser to the remote server, the web-based application referencing web-based operating system components by a component library file name and component name; and

executing said web-based application library file to execute the web-based application including executing the web-based operating system component library file by referencing said web-based operating system component library file by the context name and component name provided in the mapping step,

whereby the web-based operating system components and the web-based application library file provide functions of the web-based application within the browser.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said top-level page provides an execution context for said web-based operating system component library file and for said web-based application library file.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said top-level page includes a library manager for loading additional library files referenced by said web-based application library file.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said loading said web-based operating system component library file into a predetermined context in said top-level page comprises loading said web-based operating system component library file into a new context within said top-level page.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said new context is an iframe.

6. The method of claim 4. wherein said new context is a layer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said loading said web-based application library file further comprises loading said web-based application library file into a new context within said top-level page.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said new context is a new iframe.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said new context is a new layer.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising loading a sub-library file in response to a reference to said sub-library file in said web-based operating system component library file.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising loading a sub-library file in response to a reference to said sub-library file in said web-based application library file.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said web-based application library file is loaded in response to user interaction with the browser.

13. A method for executing a web-based application using a browser of a client computer from components loaded from a remote server, comprising the steps of:

loading a top-level page into a web-browser of the client computer, said top level page referencing a web-based operating system component library file;

providing a request from the browser to the remote server to load a first library file, said first library file including at least one web-based operating system component of the web-based operating system component library file;

determining if said first library file has been loaded;

loading said first library file into a new context in said top-level page if said first library file has not been loaded;

mapping the identity of the new context to the identity of the first library file;

loading a web-based application library file in response to a request for the browser to the remote server, the web-based application referencing web-based operating system components by a component library file name and component name;

determining if said web-based application library file references said first library file;

determining if said first library file has been loaded;

loading said first library file into said new context in said top-level page if said first library file has not been loaded; and

executing said web-based application library file to execute the web-based application including executing said first library file by referencing said web-based operating system component library file by the context name and component name provided in the mapping step.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said top-level page includes a library manager for loading library files.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said request is included in said top-level page.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said request is generated by user interaction with the web-browser.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein said request is generated by a web-based application executing in the web-browser.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein said new context is an iframe.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein said new context is a layer.

20. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions that, when executed by a processor in a computer system, cause the processor to execute a method for executing a web-based application using a browser of a client computer from components loaded from a remote server, the method comprising:

loading a top-level page into the browser of the client computer, said top-level page referencing a web-based operating system component library file;

loading said web-based operating system component library file into a predetermined context in said top-level page;

mapping the identity of the predetermined context to the identity of the web-based operating system component library file;

loading a web-based application library file in response to a request for the web-based application from the browser to the remote server, the web-based application referencing web-based operating system components by a component library file name and component name; and

executing said web-based application library file including executing the web-based operating system component library file by referencing said web-based operating system component library file by the context name and component name provided in the mapping step,

whereby the web-based operating system components and the web-based application library file provide functions of the web-based application with the browser.

21. A system for executing a web-based application using a browser of a client computer from components loaded from a remote server, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory in operative communication with the processor, the memory for executing a plurality of processing instructions for causing the processor to;

load a top-level page into the browser of the client computer, said top-level page referencing a web-based operating system component library file;

load said web-based operating system component library file into a predetermined context in said top-level page;

map the identity of the predetermined context to the identity of the web-based operating system component library file;

load a web-based application library file in response to a request for the web-based application from the browser to the remote server, the web-based application referencing web-based operating system components by a component library file name and component name; and

execute said web-based application library file to execute the web-based application including executing the web-based operating system component library file by referencing said web-based operating system component library file by the context name and component name provided in the mapping step,

whereby the web-based operating system components and the web-based application library file provide functions of the web-based application within the browser.