Multi-view runtime interrogator

• US 9,575,949 B2
• Filed: 04/11/2011
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Data Systems International Incorporated (NextWorld, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Data Systems International Incorporated (NextWorld, LLC)
• Inventors: Delancy, Michael Gary Jr., Delancy, Patrick Sean
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Manglesh M
• Application Number:
  US13/084,301
• Publication Number:
  US 20120260154A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,143 Days
• Field of Search: 715/221, 715/243, 715/200
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging

Abstract

Methods, computer systems and computer readable media for designing and displaying device and platform-specific forms are provided. In embodiments, base forms are utilized and modified to create custom forms that are platform and device specific, without breaking the parent-child relationship between the base form and the custom form for any non-modified characteristics of the base form. Custom forms enhance the performance and appearance. In embodiments, interrogators are executed at runtime to specify a set of instructions that will be executed, further enhancing the performance and appearance associated with the form and the particular device displaying the form. In various embodiments of the present invention, user interfaces provide the designer visual representations of the forms as they appear on selected platforms and/or devices.

Claims

1. One or more non-transitory computer storage media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to perform a method for displaying a device-specific form on a device, the method comprising:

at a mobile device;

receiving instructions for displaying a custom form, wherein the custom form is a base form with modified parameters;

scanning the mobile device with an interrogator for one or more hardware characteristics, platform characteristics, software characteristics, and firmware characteristics of the mobile device;

determining, by a runtime component of the mobile device, at least a portion of the instructions received at the mobile device to be executed based on the one or more hardware characteristics, platform characteristics, software characteristics, and firmware characteristics identified by the interrogator;

executing the at least a portion of the instructions determined by the runtime component, wherein the at least a portion of the instructions executed correspond to a display of the custom form based on capability of the mobile device as indicated by the one or more hardware characteristics, platform characteristics, software characteristics, and firmware characteristics identified by the interrogator;

displaying the custom form on the mobile device based on the at least a portion of the instructions that are executed; and

when there is an inconsistency between a second portion of the instructions that are executed and the characteristics, the device information, or a combination thereof, presenting an alternate portion of the custom form, wherein the alternate portion of the custom form provides another mode for receiving similar information.

2. The media of claim 1, wherein the instructions for displaying a custom form include code comprising the interrogator.

3. The media of claim 1, further comprising setting controls as visible based on the one or more hardware characteristics, platform characteristics, software characteristics, and firmware characteristics identified by the interrogator.

4. The media of claim 1, wherein hardware characteristics include capabilities of the mobile device.

5. The media of claim 1, further comprising setting controls as invisible based on the one or more hardware characteristics, platform characteristics, software characteristics, and firmware characteristics identified by the interrogator.

6. One or more non-transitory computer storage media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more computing devices, cause the one or more computing devices to perform a method for displaying a device-specific form on a device, the method comprising:

at a mobile device;

receiving instructions for displaying a custom form, wherein the custom form is a base form with modified parameters;

executing a first portion of the instructions received, wherein when executed, the first portion of the instructions scan the mobile device and identify one or more hardware, software, platform, and firmware characteristics of the mobile device;

determining, by a runtime component on the mobile device, a second portion of the instructions received to be executed based on the one or more hardware, software characteristics, and firmware characteristics previously identified;

executing the second portion of the instructions received based on the characteristics previously identified, the second portion of the instructions executed to display the custom form;

displaying the custom form on the mobile device based on the second portion of the instructions received and executed; and

when there is an inconsistency between the second portion of the instructions that are executed and the characteristics, the device information, or a combination thereof, presenting an alternate portion of the custom form, wherein the alternate portion of the custom form provides another mode for receiving similar information.

7. The media of claim 6, further comprising identifying device information of the mobile device.

8. The media of claim 7, wherein the device information includes a device type, a device platform, or a combination thereof.

9. The media of claim 7, wherein each of the first and second portions of the instructions that are executed are dependent upon the device information.

10. The media of claim 7, wherein the instructions communicated to the mobile device are dependent upon the device information.

11. A computer system for displaying a custom form on a device, the computer system comprising a processor coupled to a computer storage medium, the computer storage medium having stored thereon a plurality of computer software components executable by the processor, the computer system comprising:

a mobile device including;

an instruction receiving component for receiving instructions for displaying a custom form, wherein the custom form is a base form with modified parameters;

an interrogator component for scanning the mobile device for one or more hardware, software, platform, and firmware characteristics of the mobile device;

a runtime component for determining at least a portion of the instructions received to be executed based on the one or more hardware, software, platform, and firmware characteristics of the mobile device identified by the interrogator component, and executing the at least a portion of the instructions wherein the at least a portion of the instructions received customize the custom form with regard to the one or more hardware, software, platform, and firmware characteristics of the mobile device; and

a display component for displaying the custom form based on the at least a portion of the instructions that are executed by the runtime component and for presenting, when there is an inconsistency between a second portion of the instructions that are executed and the characteristics, the device information, or a combination thereof, an alternate portion of the custom form wherein the alternate portion of the custom form provides another mode for receiving similar information.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a device information component for communicating device information.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the device information includes a device type, a device platform, or a combination thereof.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising an alternate display component for displaying an alternate portion of the custom form based on an inconsistency between the portion of instructions that are executed by the runtime component and the characteristics and/or device information.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the alternate portion of the custom form provides another mode for receiving similar information.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein each of the components are dynamic.