System and method for providing a web-based operating system

• US 8,255,483 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2009
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Inventors: Malmer, Fredrik, Arvidsson, Erik Viktor, Pishevar, Shervin, Morris, Drew E.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAW, PELING ANDREW
• Application Number:
  US12/421,917
• Publication Number:
  US 20090204954A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709/250, 717/162, 717/163, 717/164, 717/174, 717176-178, 719/228, 719/229, 719/230
• 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, the method comprising:

loading a top-level page into the browser of the client computer, said top-level page referencing a first library file;

loading said first library file, wherein said first library file includes one or more core functionality components;

loading a second library file, wherein said second library file references one or more application library components and includes one or more import statements;

accessing at least one import statement in the second library file to determine to load a third library file, wherein said third library file references one or more other components;

loading the third library file; and

executing said web-based application by executing said one or more core functionality components, said one or more application library components, and said one or more other components.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said top-level page provides an execution context for said first library file and for said second library file.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein one of said core functionality components comprises a library manager for loading library files.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said loading said first library file further comprises:

loading said first 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 second library file further comprises:

loading said second 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 first 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 second library file.

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

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more core functionality components comprise event handlers, core system objects, and a library manager.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of loading a third library file, wherein a referencing component in the third library file references an application programming interface (API) component, and

executing said API component referenced by said third library file upon execution of the referencing component in the third library file.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of loading a fourth library file, wherein a referencing component in the fourth library file references an additional component library, and

executing said additional component library referenced by said fourth library file upon execution of the referencing component in the fourth library file.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein said third library file includes one or more export statements, and wherein said second library file incorporates the functionality of said one or more other components identified by said one or more export statements in said third library file.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said one or more export statements identify particular components that are made available to library files that import the library file that contains the export statements.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said one or more core functionality components, said one or more application library components, and said one or more other components comprise programmatic elements.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said programmatic elements are selected from the group comprising Javascript program elements, objects, constructors, prototypes, methods, properties, events.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein said application library component comprises an application object.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said application object identifies said second library file as an application library file.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein said application library file comprises program logic that executes an application within a new context.

23. A method for executing a web-based application program interface (API), the method comprising:

loading a top-level page into a web-browser of a client computer, said top-level page adapted to be processed by the web-browser;

receiving a request to load a first library file, said first library file including one or more core functionality components;

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;

determining if said first library file references a second library file, said second library file including one or more API library components;

determining if said second library file has been loaded;

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

determining whether said second library file includes one or more import statements;

accessing at least one import statement in the second library file to determine if to load a third library file;

loading the third library file, wherein said third library file references one or more other components; and

executing said web-based application program interface by executing said one or more core functionality components, said one or more API library components, and said one or more other components.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said core functionality components includes a library manager for loading library files.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein said request is included in said top-level page.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein said request is generated by user interaction with the web-browser.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein said request is generated by a web-based application executing in the web-browser.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein said new context is an iframe.

29. The method of claim 23, wherein said new context is a layer.

30. 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 first library file;

loading said first library file, wherein said first library file includes one or more core functionality components;

loading a second library file, wherein said second library file references one or more application library components and includes one or more import statements;

accessing at least one import statement in the second library file to determine to load a third library file, wherein said third library file references one or more third library components;

loading the third library file; and

executing said web-based application by executing said one or more core functionality components, said one or more application library components, and said one or more other components.