Executing a populated code template to generate a browser-executable software program to present a web page as a mobile application

• US 8,615,712 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2012
• Issued: 12/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Weever Apps Inc.
• Original Assignee: Weever Apps Inc.
• Inventors: Porter, Robert Gerald, Holden, Andrew John
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kells, Asher
• Application Number:
  US13/407,745
• Publication Number:
  US 20120226970A1
• Time in Patent Office: 665 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 715/744
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/45529 Embedded in an application, e.g. JavaScript in a Web browser

Abstract

A browser-executable software program for presenting a web page that provides the “look and feel” and functionality of a mobile application can be automatically generated from a mobile application specification. The mobile application specification identifies one or more predetermined content component types and one or more associated content sources. For each content component type, a copy of a corresponding code generation template is populated with a URL for each corresponding content source and executed to produce browser-executable program code. The browser-executable program code is then embedded into a populated copy of a navigation container code template to form a complete browser-executable software program, which is integrated into an HTML page. The HTML page can be returned in response to a request from a browser executing on a networked mobile wireless telecommunication computing device and the HTML page carries the browser-executable software program to the browser.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for generating a browser-executable software program to present a web page as a mobile application, comprising:

receiving a mobile application specification for a mobile application, and

automatically generating a browser-executable software program based on the mobile application specification;

the browser-executable software program including a mobile application interface faç

ade for presentation as a user interface to the browser-executable software program;

wherein;

the mobile application specification comprises;

at least one content component type identifier; and

at least one content source identifier, each content source identifier being associated with one of the at least one content component type identifier;

and wherein automatically generating the browser-executable software program based on the mobile application specification comprises;

for each content component type identifier, retrieving a code generation template copy of a corresponding code generation template from a library of predefined code generation templates;

for each content source identifier, determining from that content source identifier a URL for the content source identified by that content source identifier;

for each content source identifier, inserting the determined URL into the code generation template copy for the content component type identifier with which that content source identifier is associated to create a populated code generation template copy; and

executing, on a first computer system, each populated code generation template copy to generate, from each populated code generation template copy, corresponding browser-executable program code for execution on a second computer system that is distinct from the first computer system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically generating the browser-executable software program based on the mobile application specification further comprises embedding the browser-executable program code into a populated copy of a navigation container code template.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the browser-executable program code is browser-executable scripting code.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each content component type identifier is one of a content organization type identifier and a content presentation type identifier.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein each code generation template corresponding to a content organization type identifier comprises:

a communication portion for generating browser-executable program code for transmitting content requests and receiving content in response thereto;

a storage portion for generating browser-executable program code for storing the content received in response to a content request;

a controller portion for generating browser-executable program code for receiving user input and determining a view according to the user input; and

a presentation portion for generating browser-executable program code for presenting the content within the mobile application interface faç

ade.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein inserting the determined URL into the code generation template copy comprises inserting the determined URL into a communication portion copy of the code generation template copy.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the browser-executable software program;

receiving, from a remote mobile wireless telecommunication computing device, a request designating the browser-executable software program; and

responsive to the request, transmitting the browser-executable software program to the networked mobile wireless telecommunication computing device.

8. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer usable medium embodying computer usable program code for generating a browser-executable software program to present a web page as a mobile application, the computer program product comprising:

computer usable program code for receiving a mobile application specification for a mobile application; and

computer usable program code for automatically generating a browser-executable software program based on the mobile application specification;

the browser-executable software program including a mobile application interface faç

ade for presentation as a user interface to the browser-executable software program;

wherein;

the mobile application specification comprises;

at least one content component type identifier; and

at least one content source identifier, each content source identifier being associated with one of the at least one content component type identifier;

and wherein the computer usable program code for automatically generating the browser-executable software program based on the mobile application specification comprises;

computer usable program code for, for each content component type identifier, retrieving a code generation template copy of a corresponding code generation template from a library of predefined code generation templates;

computer usable program code for, for each content source identifier, determining from that content source identifier a URL for the content source identified by that content source identifier;

computer usable program code for, for each content source identifier, inserting the determined URL into the code generation template copy for the content component type identifier with which that content source identifier is associated to create a populated code generation template copy; and

computer usable program code for executing, on a first computer system, each populated code generation template copy to generate, from each populated code generation template copy, corresponding browser-executable program code for execution on a second computer system that is distinct from the first computer system.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the computer usable program code for automatically generating the browser-executable software program based on the mobile application specification further comprises computer usable program code for embedding the browser-executable program code into a populated copy of a navigation container code template.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the browser-executable program code is browser-executable scripting code.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein each content component type identifier is one of a content organization type identifier and a content presentation type identifier.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein each code generation template corresponding to a content organization type identifier comprises:

a communication portion for generating browser-executable program code for transmitting content requests and receiving content in response thereto;

a storage portion for generating browser-executable program code for storing the content received in response to a content request;

a controller portion for generating browser-executable program code for receiving user input and determining a view according to the user input; and

a presentation portion for generating browser-executable program code for presenting the content within the mobile application interface faç

ade.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein inserting the determined URL into the code generation template copy comprises inserting the determined URL into a communication portion copy of the code generation template copy.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, further comprising:

computer usable program code for storing the browser-executable software program;

computer usable program code for receiving, from a remote mobile wireless telecommunication computing device, a request designating the browser-executable software program; and

computer usable program code for, responsive to the request, transmitting the browser-executable software program to the networked mobile wireless telecommunication computing device.

15. A first computer system for generating a browser-executable software program to present a web page as a mobile application, comprising:

a memory for storing instructions;

at least one processing unit coupled to the memory for executing the instructions stored in the memory, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the computer system to;

receive a mobile application specification for a mobile application; and

automatically generate a browser-executable software program based on the mobile application specification;

the browser-executable software program including a mobile application interface faç

ade for presentation as a user interface to the browser-executable software program wherein;

the mobile application specification comprises;

at least one content component type identifier; and

at least one content source identifier, each content source identifier being associated with one of the at least one content component type identifier;

and wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the computer system to automatically generate the browser-executable software program based on the mobile application specification by;

for each content component type identifier, retrieving a code generation template copy of a corresponding code generation template from a library of predefined code generation templates;

for each content source identifier, determining from that content source identifier a URL for the content source identified by that content source identifier;

for each content source identifier, inserting the determined URL into the code generation template copy for the content component type identifier with which that content source identifier is associated to create a populated code generation template copy; and

executing, on the first computer system, each populated code generation template copy to generate, from each populated code generation template copy, corresponding browser-executable program code for execution on a second computer system that is distinct from the first computer system.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the computer system to automatically generate the browser-executable software program based on the mobile application specification by embedding the browser-executable program code into a populated copy of a navigation container code template.

17. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the browser-executable program code is browser-executable scripting code.

18. The computer system of claim 15, wherein each content component type identifier is one of a content organization type identifier and a content presentation type identifier.

19. The computer system of claim 18, wherein each code generation template corresponding to a content organization type identifier comprises:

a communication portion for generating browser-executable program code for transmitting content requests and receiving content in response thereto;

a storage portion for generating browser-executable program code for storing the content received in response to a content request;

a controller portion for generating browser-executable program code for receiving user input and determining a view according to the user input; and

a presentation portion for generating browser-executable program code for presenting the content within the mobile application interface faç

ade.

20. The computer system of claim 19, wherein inserting the determined URL into the code generation template copy comprises inserting the determined URL into a communication portion copy of the code generation template copy.

21. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processing unit, further cause the computer system to:

store the browser-executable software program;

receive, from a remote mobile wireless telecommunication computing device, a request designating the browser-executable software program; and

responsive to the request, transmit the browser-executable software program to the networked mobile wireless telecommunication computing device.