Executing business logic extensions on a client computing system

• US 8,356,310 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2011
• Issued: 01/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Ott, Michael James, Tkatch, Alexander M., Ghanaie-Sicanie, Arash, Janedittakarn, Akezyt
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Andy
• Application Number:
  US13/247,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20120023162A1
• Time in Patent Office: 475 Days
• Field of Search: 719/330, 709/201, 709/203, 709/227
• US Class Current: 719/330
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/289 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/59 Providing operational support to end devices by off-loading in the network or by emulation, e.g. when they are unavailable

Abstract

A server platform exposes server-hosted application services to client applications. Calls to the server-hosted application services may be executed along with custom business logic extensions. A client platform is also provided that exposes client-hosted application services to a client application. The same business logic extensions that execute on the server platform can be utilized by the client platform. When a client application is online and connected to the server platform, the client application utilizes the server-hosted application services in the manner described above. When the client application is offline, the client application utilizes the client-hosted application services. The server platform synchronizes the business logic extensions to the client platform.

Claims

1. A computer-readable storage medium that is not a signal having computer executable instructions stored thereupon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

provide a client platform, the client platform operative to expose one or more client-provided application services for executing a plug-in to a business logic execution pipeline to a client application executing on the computer; and

to

execute a client application on the computer, the client application operative to determine whether a connection can be established with a server platform, and in response to determining the connection cannot be established, to utilize the client-provided application services to execute the plug-in to the business logic execution pipeline on the client platform.

2. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein executing the plug-in to the business logic execution pipeline comprises executing the plug-in synchronously with the execution pipeline.

3. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein executing the plug-in to the business logic execution pipeline comprises executing the plug-in asynchronously from the execution pipeline.

4. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the client application comprises a personal information manager application configured with a plug-in software module capable of accessing the client platform.

5. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the one or more client-provided application services are exposed by a message-based application programming interface that is identical to an application programming interface provided by the server platform.

6. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the plug-in is deployed from the server platform to the client platform.

7. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the plug-in is configured to execute as a pre-event within the business logic execution pipeline.

8. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the plug-in is configured to execute as a post-event within the business logic execution pipeline.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the plug-in is configured for asynchronous execution by the client platform outside of the business logic execution pipeline.

10. A computer-readable storage medium that is not a signal having computer executable instructions stored thereupon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

provide a client platform, the client platform operative to expose one or more client-provided application services for executing a plug-in to a business logic execution pipeline to a client application executing on the computer; and

to

execute a client application on the computer, the client application operative to determine whether a connection can be established with a server platform, and in response to determining the connection cannot be established, to utilize the client-provided application services to execute the plug-in to the business logic execution pipeline on the client platform,

wherein a customer relationship management database and a plug-in library storing the plug-in are synchronized from the server platform to the client platform.

11. A computer-implemented method comprising performing computer-implemented operations for:

executing a client platform on a computer, the client platform operative to expose one or more client-provided application services for executing plug-ins to a business logic execution pipeline to a client application executing on the computer; and

executing a client application on the same computer, the client application operative to determine whether a connection can be established with a server platform, and in response to determining the connection cannot be established, to utilize the client-provided application services to execute the plug-ins to the business logic execution pipeline on the client platform.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the client application comprises a personal information manager application configured with a plug-in software module for accessing the client platform.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the client platform exposes the one or more client-provided application services through a message-based application programming interface identical to an application programming interface provided by the server platform.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the plug-ins to the business logic execution pipeline are deployed from the server platform to the client platform.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein one or more of the plug-ins to the business logic execution pipeline are configured to execute as pre-events within the business logic execution pipeline.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein one or more of the plug-ins to the business logic execution pipeline are configured to execute as post-events within the business logic execution pipeline.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein one or more of the plug-ins to the business logic execution pipeline are configured for asynchronous execution by the client platform outside of the business logic execution pipeline.

18. A computer system, comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU); and

a memory storing a client platform executable on the CPU that is configured for executing one or more plug-ins to a business logic execution pipeline and also storing a client application executable on the CPU, the client application configured to determine whether a connection can be established with a server platform for executing the plug-ins, and in response to determining that a connection cannot be established, to utilize the client platform to execute the plug-ins to the business logic execution pipeline on the computer system.

19. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the plug-ins are configured to execute as a pre-event within the business logic execution pipeline, as a post-event within the business logic execution pipeline, or for asynchronous execution by the client platform outside of the business logic execution pipeline.

20. The computer system of claim 19, wherein the client platform exposes one or more client-provided application services for causing the plug-ins to be executed through an application programming interface that is identical to an application programming interface provided by the server platform.