Message passing within a web based application framework

• US 8,335,817 B1
• Filed: 12/29/2006
• Issued: 12/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Dayan, Tal
• Primary Examiner(s): Swearingen, Jeffrey R
• Assistant Examiner(s): ELFERVIG, TAYLOR A
• Application Number:
  US11/647,724
• Time in Patent Office: 2,181 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/223, 715/200
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/543 User-generated data transfer, e.g. clipboards, dynamic data exchange [DDE], object linking and embedding [OLE]

Abstract

A container application is a native application that allows a web based application to access a computer'"'"'s resources such as messaging, also known as interprocess communications. If a container application is associated with a window, then the web based application can alter or control many, or all, aspects of the container application'"'"'s content area and meta user interfaces (UIs). Web based applications are downloaded from application servers and run inside container applications. A web based application can use messaging for drag and drop and other capabilities and thereby more tightly integrate with the user'"'"'s desktop environment.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first computer; and

an application server running on the first computer that serves a web based application configured to run on a container application running on a second computer,

such that the container application maintains a meta user interface (UI) area when displayed on the second computer and comprises at least one messaging module, and

the web based application being served can run inside the container application and uses the at least one messaging module to send a message, receive a message, or both, and can alter or control the meta UI area when run on the second computer, and

wherein the web based application presents a presentation associated with an application data on a display device, and wherein the at least one messaging module passes the message comprising the application data to a windowing system or to a native application associated with a drop point or insertion point in response to a user dragging the presentation to the drop point or the insertion point.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein, the native application running on the second computer comprises another messaging module that exchanges the message with the at least one messaging module.

3. The system of claim 1:

wherein the windowing system or the native application presents the presentation on the display device; and

wherein the at least one messaging module passes the message comprising the application data to the web based application in response to the user dragging the presentation to the drop point within a container window.

4. The system of claim 1:

wherein the web based application displays the presentation associated with the application data within a container window; and

wherein the at least one messaging module passes a presentation message to the native application associated with the insertion point such that a corresponding presentation is produced at the insertion point in response to the user selecting the presentation and the insertion point.

5. The system of claim 1:

wherein the windowing system or the native application presents the presentation associated with the application data on the display device; and

wherein the at least one messaging module passes a presentation message to the web based application such that a corresponding presentation is produced in a container window in response to the user selecting the presentation and an insertion point within the container window.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the web based application is not a native application.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the meta UI area includes a user input that enables the user to control the container application.

8. A system comprising:

a first computer; and

an application server running on the first computer that serves a web based application to a container application on a second computer comprising a messaging module,

such that the container application routes at least one message for the web based application and maintains a meta user interface (UI) area when displayed on the second computer, and

the web based application being served can run inside the container application and can alter or control the meta UI area when run on the second computer, and wherein an application data associated with the web based application is presented as a presentation within a container window, and

wherein the messaging module passes the at least one message comprising the application data to a windowing system or to a native application associated with a drop point in response to a user dragging and dropping the presentation on the drop point.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein a second application running on the second computer uses a second messaging module to communicate with the web based application.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the windowing system running on the second computer uses a display device to present the container window associated with the container application.

11. The system of claim 10:

Wherein the application data associated with the windowing system or the native application is presented as the presentation on the display device; and

wherein the messaging module passes the at least one message comprising the application data to the web based application in response to the user dragging and dropping the presentation on the drop point within the container window.

12. The system of claim 8:

wherein a second application running on the second computer uses a second messaging module to communicate with the web based application;

wherein the windowing system running on the second computer uses the display device to present the container window associated with the container application;

wherein the application data associated with the web based application is presented as the presentation within the container window;

wherein the second messaging module passes a second message comprising the application data to the windowing system or to the native application associated with the drop point in response to the user dragging and dropping the presentation on the drop point;

wherein other application data associated with the windowing system or the native application is presented as another presentation on the display device; and

wherein the second messaging module passes the second message comprising the application data to the web based application in response to the user dragging and dropping the presentation on another drop point within the container window.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the web based application is not a native application.

14. A method comprising:

serving a web based application to a container application running on a computer, such that the container application maintains a meta user interface (UI) area displayed on the computer,

the web based application being served can run within the container application, use a messaging module to send and receive messages and alter or control the meta UI area, and

wherein a presentation is displayed on a display device and within a container window associated with the container application;

wherein the messaging module passes a presentation message to a windowing system or to a native application associated with an insertion point in response to a user selecting the presentation and the insertion point; and

wherein the presentation message is used to produce a corresponding presentation at the insertion point.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the container application comprises the messaging module.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the web based application comprises the messaging module.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the native application running on the computer comprises a second messaging module and wherein the web based application and the native application communicate with one another using the second messaging module.

18. The method of claim 14:

wherein the presentation associated with the windowing system or with the native application is displayed on the display device;

wherein the messaging module passes the presentation message to the web based application in response to the user selecting the presentation and the insertion point; and

wherein the presentation message is used to produce a corresponding presentation at the insertion point.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the web based application is not a native application.

20. A system comprising:

a first computer; and

an application server running on the first computer that serves a web based application configured to run on a container application running on a second computer, such that the container application maintains a meta user interface (UI) area and a content area when displayed on the second computer and comprises at least one messaging module, and

the web based application being served can run inside the container application and uses the at least one messaging module to send a message, receive a message, or both, and can alter or control the meta UI area independently of the content area when run on the second computer, and wherein the web based application presents a presentation associated with an application data on a display device, and wherein the at least one messaging module passes the message comprising the application data to a windowing system or to a native application associated with a drop point in response to a user dragging the presentation to the drop point.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the web based application is not a native application.

22. A system comprising:

a first computer;

a windowing system on the first computer;

a native application on the first computer; and

a container application that runs on the first computer and maintains a meta user interface (UI) area and comprises;

a web based application, served from an application server, that runs inside the container application and alters or controls the meta UI area, and wherein the web based application presents a presentation associated with an application data on a display device; and

a messaging module that, in response to a user dragging the presentation to a drop point, routes messages including the application data between;

(a) the web based application and the windowing system, and

(b) the web based application and the native application,

each message including a function call or return value, and wherein the windowing system and the native application is associated with the drop point.

23. A system comprising:

a first computer;

a windowing system on the first computer;

a native application on the first computer; and

a container application that runs on the first computer and maintains a meta UI area and comprises;

a first web based application, served from a first application server, that runs inside the container application and alters or controls the meta UI area, and wherein the first web based application presents a first presentation associated with a first application data on a display device;

a second web based application, served from a second application server different from the first application server, that runs inside the container application and alters or controls the meta UI area, and wherein the second web based application presents a second presentation associated with a second application data on the display device;

a messaging module that, in response to a user dragging the first presentation to a drop point, routes messages between;

(a) the first web based application and the windowing system, and

(b) the first web based application and the native application,

each message including a function call or return value and the windowing system and the native application associated with the drop point.