Methods and apparatuses for dynamically generating mobile application layouts using client-independent configuration

• US 9,268,562 B1
• Filed: 01/21/2015
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PredictSpring, Inc.
• Original Assignee: PredictSpring, Inc.
• Inventors: Mangtani, Nitin, Garimella, Sandilya, Schumacher, Jeff
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hebert, Theodore
• Application Number:
  US14/601,847
• Time in Patent Office: 398 Days
• Field of Search: 717/121
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones

Abstract

The methods and apparatuses disclosed herein generally relate to optimizing the creation and loading of application interface layouts by providing a platform for generating configuration files for mobile applications. A mobile configuration file can allow a developer to update an application layout, and for the application to render updated layouts, without any need to alter the underlying code of the application after it has been installed on the a client device. A mobile workbench receives drag-and-drop layout definition input from a developer, and creates a mobile configuration file based on the developer'"'"'s input. The mobile workbench can then dynamically update the mobile configuration file as the developer updates the application layout. The developer and/or the mobile workbench can send the updated application layout to mobile applications running on client devices, such that the client devices need not redownload the mobile application to render the updated application layout.

Claims

1. A method for rendering a mobile application executing on a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving a notification from a mobile application indicating that the mobile application has been initiated;

extracting application identification information from the notification;

retrieving at least one platform-agnostic mobile application configuration data structure from a memory based on the application identification information, the at least one mobile application configuration data structure including platform-agnostic mobile application layout settings data and a platform-agnostic layout settings executable object, the platform-agnostic mobile application configuration data structure configured to instruct the mobile application to render a graphical user interface on a display of a mobile device based on the platform-agnostic mobile application layout settings data and execution of the platform-agnostic layout settings executable object;

sending the at least one platform-agnostic mobile application configuration data structure to the mobile application so as to cause mobile device to render the graphical user interface on the display according to the at least one platform-agnostic mobile application configuration data structure;

receiving a request to modify the platform-agnostic layout settings executable object from a mobile workbench;

modifying the platform-agnostic layout settings executable object based on data in the request to define a modified platform-agnostic mobile application configuration data structure, the modified platform-agnostic mobile application configuration data structure configured to instruct the mobile application to render a modified graphical user interface on the display of based on the modified platform-agnostic mobile application layout settings data and execution of the platform-agnostic layout settings executable object; and

sending the modified platform-agnostic mobile application configuration data structure to the mobile application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the at least one at least one platform-agnostic mobile application configuration data structure to the mobile application causes the mobile device to render the graphical user interface by instructing the mobile application to access the at least one platform-agnostic mobile application configuration data structure.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the at least one at least one platform-agnostic mobile application configuration data structure to the mobile application causes the mobile device to render the graphical user interface without altering code implementing the mobile application.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one platform-agnostic mobile application configuration data structure includes a plurality of layouts and a plurality of configuration settings.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the platform-agnostic layout settings executable object is a JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) object executable by the mobile application.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the platform-agnostic layout settings executable object specifying at least one of settings and features of the mobile application.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the settings include at least one of color settings, image display settings, font settings, search layout settings, grid layout settings, shopping cart settings, and update settings.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the features of the mobile application are specified via feature flags in the platform-agnostic layout settings executable object.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the features of the mobile application include at least one of a barcode feature, a save picture feature, a notifications feature, a search refinement feature, a ratings feature, a geofencing feature, a wishlist creation and management feature, a checkout feature, and a store locator feature.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification is a first notification and the mobile application is a first instance of the mobile application, the method further comprising:

receiving a second notification from a second instance of the mobile application indicating that the second instance of the mobile application has been initiated;

extracting a configuration data structure version identifier from the second notification;

retrieving at least one platform-agnostic mobile application configuration data structure from a memory based on the configuration data structure version identifier; and

sending the at least one platform-agnostic mobile application configuration data structure to the second instance of the mobile application.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the platform-agnostic layout settings data includes Operating System mapping settings.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

extracting from the request at least one setting or feature modification for at least one setting or feature;

wherein

defining the modified platform-agnostic mobile application configuration data structure includes modifying the at least one setting or feature within platform-agnostic layout settings executable object code.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the modified platform-agnostic mobile application configuration data structure is configured to instruct the mobile application to render the modified graphical user interface on a display of the mobile device when the mobile application is initiated.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein

the modified platform-agnostic mobile application configuration data structure is configured to instruct the mobile application to refresh the graphical user interface such that the mobile application renders the modified graphical user interface on a display of the mobile device.

15. An apparatus for modifying a mobile application layout, the method comprising:

a memory configured to store processor-executable code; and

a processor operatively coupled to the memory and configured to execute processor-executable code to;

receive a request to modify a mobile application configuration file for a mobile application from a mobile workbench executed on an administrative device;

extract, from the request, at least one layout modification for the mobile application configuration file;

extract, from the request, application identification information;

retrieve, from the memory, mobile application configuration file information based on the application identification information, the at least one mobile application configuration file information including mobile application layout settings data and a mobile application layout settings executable object; and

modify at least one of the mobile application layout settings data or the mobile application layout settings executable object, using the layout modification extracted from the request, to define a modified mobile application configuration file, the modified mobile application configuration file configured to instruct a mobile application to render a graphical user interface on a display for a mobile device based on the modification to at least one of the mobile application layout settings data or the mobile application layout settings executable object, and execution of the mobile application layout settings executable object, without altering the code in the mobile application.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, the processor further configured to execute processor-executable code to:

distribute the modified mobile application configuration file to a plurality of mobile devices.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein each mobile device from the plurality of mobile devices includes an installed copy of the mobile application.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, the processor further configured to execute processor-executable code to:

receive a signal from the mobile workbench to distribute the modified mobile application configuration file to a plurality of mobile devices; and

distribute the modified mobile application configuration file to the plurality of mobile devices.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, the processor further configured to execute processor-executable code to:

send the modified mobile application configuration file to the mobile workbench.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the mobile workbench comprises an interface configured to receive layout modifications from a mobile application administrator.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the modified mobile application configuration file is configured to instruct the mobile application to render a graphical user interface for the mobile application when the mobile application is initiated on a client device.

22. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein:

the graphical user interface is a second graphical user interface, and

the modified mobile application configuration file is configured to instruct the mobile application to render the second graphical user interface on the display of the mobile device after a first graphical user interface is refreshed.

23. A method for modifying a mobile application layout, comprising:

displaying a plurality of graphical representations of feature blocks within a mobile workbench;

receiving an indication that an administrator has selected at least one of the plurality of graphical representations of feature blocks;

sending the at least one of the plurality of graphical representations of feature blocks and a platform identifier to a server so as to cause the server to generate a mobile application configuration data structure for a mobile application executable object, based on the administrator'"'"'s selections, the mobile application configuration data structure including platform-agnostic mobile application layout settings data and a platform-agnostic layout settings executable object, the platform-agnostic mobile application configuration data structure configured to instruct the mobile application executable object to render a graphical user interface on a display of a mobile device based on the platform-agnostic mobile application layout settings data and execution of the platform-agnostic layout settings executable object;

receiving a request from the administrator to modify the mobile application configuration data structure for the mobile application executable object;

extracting, from the request, at least one layout modification for at least one mobile application configuration data structure element; and

modifying the mobile application configuration data structure, using the layout modification extracted from the request, to define a modified mobile application configuration data structure, the modified mobile application configuration data structure configured to instruct a mobile application to render a graphical user interface on a display for a mobile device based on the layout modification and without altering the code in the mobile application executable object.