System and method for interprocess communication in electronic devices

• US 8,769,551 B2
• Filed: 02/05/2008
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Access Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Access Company Limited
• Inventors: Lapuyade, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Sough, H S
• Assistant Examiner(s): RONI, SYED A
• Application Number:
  US12/026,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20080276254A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,338 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 719/318
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/544 Remote
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications

Abstract

In an electronic device, a method of enabling a first application to employ an action/data handler of a second application includes registering the handler of the second application, receiving an incoming request for the handler from the first application, matching the handler in the request to the handler registered by the second application, delivering the request to the second application for execution and returning a result of execution to the first application. An electronic device comprises an operating system supporting i) an application layer that includes one or more applications having action/data type handlers. The electronic device also includes ii) an exchange manager interfacing with the application layer to provide a central location for registry of the handlers of the one or more applications, and iii) transports coupled to the application layer and exchange manager and adapted to receive incoming requests to employ the handlers of the one or more applications.

Claims

1. In an electronic device, a method of enabling a first application executed on the electronic device to employ an action/data-type handler of a second application comprising the steps of:

registering the handler of the second application, wherein the handler is designed to handle a single verb/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension (MIME)-type pair;

receiving an incoming request including the verb/MIME-type for the handler from the first application, wherein the incoming request includes a parameter to direct performance by the handler;

determining which application registered the handler that matches the verb/MIME-type pair of the request,

based on the determination that the second application has registered the handler that matches the verb/MIME-type of the request, determining if the parameter specifies a local request then the handler in the request is only matched if the second application is local and wherein if the parameter specifies a remote request then the handler in the request is only matched if the second application is remote;

delivering the request to the second application for execution in response to the handler in the request being matched to the handler registered by the second application; and

returning a result of execution to the first application.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a first device and a second device, wherein the first application resides on the first device, and the second application resides on the second device;

employing a transport to establish communication between the first device and the second device; and

validating the communication between the first device and the second device prior to receiving the incoming request for the handler from the first application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first application resides on a first device, and the second application resides on a second device, and wherein both the first device and the second device include an exchange manager for registering respective application handlers.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first application resides on a first device, and the second application resides on a second device, wherein the first device is a mobile device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the handlers are registered at application interfaces in the first device and the second device.

6. An electronic device comprising:

a processor adapted to support an operating system including;

an application layer including one or more applications, the one or more applications including action/data type handlers designed to handle a single verb/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension (MIME)-type pair;

an exchange manager adapted to interface with the application layer and to provide a central location for registry of the handlers of the one or more applications;

transports coupled to the application layer and the exchange manager and adapted to continually monitor and receive incoming requests to employ the handlers of the one or more applications, wherein a request from a requesting application includes the verb/MIME-type, and a parameter and wherein the processor is configured to determine if the parameter specifies a local request then the handler in the request is only matched if a second application which registered the handler that matches the verb/MIME-type pair of the request is local and wherein the processor is configured to determine if the parameter specifies a remote request then the handler in the request is only matched if the second application which registered the handler that matches the verb/MIME-type pair of the request is remote; and

a transceiver coupled to the processor adapted to send and receive communication signals.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the exchange manager is further adapted to deliver requests received from the one or more applications in the application layer to the transports.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the transports are further adapted to transmit outbound requests received from the exchange manager.

9. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the electronic device is a mobile device.

10. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the electronic device is an information appliance having a limited manual input interface.

11. A system of displaying content to a user on an electronic device having an operating system that supports a first application, the system comprising:

a transceiver for receiving an incoming request for an action/data handler including a single verb/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension (MIME)-type pair from an application;

a processor adapted to support the system, the processor being configured to receive the incoming request and match the incoming request to a handler designed to handle a single verb/MIME-type of a destination application which registered the handler that matches the verb/MIME-type pair of the request, wherein a request from a requesting application includes a parameter and wherein the processor is configured to determine based on the matching of the request to the handler designed to handle a single verb/MIME-type of the destination application if the parameter specifies a local request then the handler in the request is only matched if the destination application is local and wherein the processor is configured to determine if the parameter specifies a remote request then the handler in the request is only matched if the destination application is remote;

a display for displaying a list of destination devices for the incoming request selectable by the user; and

a communication link for delivering the incoming request to a selected destination.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to perform transport logic for opening a connection between the electronic device and the destination.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the display displays a list of selectable connection protocols usable by the transport logic for opening the connection.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

storage capability for registering action/handlers of the first application.