Application server for delivering applets to client computing devices in a distributed environment

• US 9,325,740 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2014
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Implicit, LLC (Edward Balassanian)
• Original Assignee: Implicit, LLC (Edward Balassanian)
• Inventors: Balassanian, Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Khatri, Anil
• Application Number:
  US14/507,394
• Publication Number:
  US 20150089581A1
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 717168-177, 709/203
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/445 Program loading or initiating bootstrapping G06F9/4401; security arrangements for program loading or initiating G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44526 Plug-ins; Add-ons
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44589 Program code verification, e.g. Java bytecode verification, proof-carrying code high-level semantic checks G06F8/43; testing and debugging software G06F11/36
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

An applet server accepts requests for applets from client computers. A request specifies the format in which an applet is to be delivered to the requesting client computer. The applet server has a cache used to store applets for distribution to client computers. If the specified form of the requested applet is available in the cache, the applet server transmits the applet to the requesting client. If the applet is not available in the cache, the server will attempt to build the applet from local resources (program code modules and compilers) and transformer programs (verifiers and optimizers). If the applet server is able to build the requested applet, it will transmit the applet to the requesting client computer. If the applet server is unable to build the requested applet, it will pass the request to another applet server on the network for fulfillment of the request.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that are executable to cause a computer system to perform operations comprising:

receiving, at the computer system, a first HTTP request from a first client computer for a resource, wherein the resource includes source code;

producing, by the computer system, the resource for the first client computer, wherein the producing includes;

conveying, by the computer system, a request for the resource to an external network;

receiving, at the computer system, the resource from the external network; and

performing, by the computer system, a transformation operation on the resource; and

sending, by the computer system, the produced resource to the first client computer in response to the first HTTP request.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the first HTTP request is an HTTP GET request, and wherein the HTTP GET request includes an identifier that specifies the resource.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the first HTTP request specifies a platform of the first client computer, and wherein the produced resource includes source code that is compatible with the platform of the first client computer.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving, at the computer system, a second HTTP request from a second client computer for the resource, wherein the second HTTP request specifies a platform of the second client computer;

producing, by the computer system, the resource for the second client computer; and

sending, by the computer system to the second client computer, the produced resource for the second client computer in response to the second HTTP request wherein the produced resource for the second client computer includes source code that is compatible with the platform of the second client computer.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 4, further comprising storing the produced resource for the first client computer in a cache.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 5, wherein producing, by the computer system, the resource for the second client computer includes retrieving the produced resource for the first client computer from the cache.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 4, wherein producing, by the computer system, the resource for the second client computer includes:

conveying, by the computer system, a request for the resource to the external network;

receiving, at the computer system, the resource from the external network; and

performing, by the computer system, a transformation operation on the resource.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the platform of the first client computer is different from the platform of the second client computer, and wherein the source code of the produced resource for the first client computer is not identical to the source code of the produced resource for the second client computer.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the first HTTP request includes a request for a specific form of the resource, wherein the specific form of the resource is based on information stored at the first client computer, and wherein the produced resource is the specific form of the resource.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the resource is a web page.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the resource is an application.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the source code in the produced resource is in a high-level programming language.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the first client computer is configured to process the produced resource, including by causing the source code to be executed on the first client computer.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the transformation operation includes compressing at least a portion of the resource.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the transformation operation includes optimizing at least a portion of the resource.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the transformation operation includes verifying at least a portion of the resource.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the transformation operation is based on the external network.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein producing further includes, performing, by the computer system, an additional transformation operation on the resource.

19. A computer system, comprising:

a processor; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that are executable by the processor to cause the computer system to perform operations comprising;

receiving, at the computer system, an HTTP request from a client computer for a resource, wherein the resource includes source code;

producing, by the computer system, the resource, wherein the producing includes;

conveying, by the computer system, a request for the resource to an external network;

receiving, at the computer system, the resource from the external network; and

performing, by the computer system a transformation operation on the resource; and

sending, by the computer system, the produced resource to the client computer in response to the HTTP request.

20. A method, comprising:

receiving, at a computer system, an HTTP request from a client computer fix a resource, wherein the resource includes source code;

producing, by the computer system, the resource, wherein the producing includes;

conveying, by the computer system, a request for the resource to an external network;

receiving, at the computer system, the resource from the external network; and

performing, by the computer system, a transformation operation on the resource; and

sending, by the computer system, the produced resource to the client computer in response to the HTTP request.