Interprocess application programming interface for computer applications

• US 20020010850A1
• Filed: 02/28/2001
• Published: 01/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Inventors: Chithambaram, Nemmara, Nelson, Timothy John, DeAguiar, John Ricardo
• Granted Patent: US 7,277,921 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 712/202
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04804 Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour

Abstract

One or more embodiments of the invention provide a method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for collaborating application programs executing on a client such as a personal digital assistant (PDA). A shared database on the client is obtained and used as a common launch parameter stack. One or more program entry records are stored in the database and the last program entry record stored is identified as the top of the stack. Each program entry record may include information regarding an application launched on the client. When the last program identified on the stack has completed execution, the last program entry record is popped off of the stack. Thereafter, control is returned to an application that corresponds to the new program entry record on the top of the stack.

Claims

1. A method for collaborating applications executing on a personal digital assistant (PDA) comprising:

obtaining a shared database on the PDA to be used as a common stack for collaborating applications;

storing one or more program entry records in the database wherein the last program entry record stored is the top of the stack, and wherein each program entry record comprises information regarding an application launched on the PDA; and

popping the last program entry record off of the stack when a second application corresponding to the last program entry record has completed execution, wherein the popping of the last program entry record returns control to a first application corresponding to a next program entry record on the stack.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing a record number in the database, wherein the record number comprises a number of record entries in the stack.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising verifying the stack using the record number.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the information for a program entry record comprises a name of an application launched on the PDA and optional parameters for the application.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the information for a program entry record comprises state information regarding an application launched on the PDA, and wherein the state information may be used to restore the state of the application.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein:

a first program entry record in the database comprises information regarding a first application launched on the PDA; and

a second program entry record in the database comprises information regarding a second application launched by the first application on the PDA.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the second program entry record is popped from the stack by the second application.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein popping the last program entry record further comprises storing return values, from the application that has completed execution, with the next program entry record on the stack.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the storing of a program entry record comprises storing context parameters for the second application to be launched.

10. A system for collaborating applications executing on a personal digital assistant (PDA) comprising:

(a) a personal digital assistant (PDA);

(b) a shared database on the PDA that is used as a common stack for collaborating applications launched on the PDA;

(c) a program entry record stored in the shared database wherein a last program entry record stored in the database is the top of the stack, and wherein each program entry record comprises information regarding an application launched on the PDA;

(c) an application launched on the PDA, the application configured to;

(i) store the program entry record in the shared database; and

(ii) pop the last program entry record off of the stack when the application has completed execution, wherein the popping of the last program entry record returns control to a next application corresponding to a next program entry record on the stack.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising a record number stored in the database, wherein the record number comprises a number of record entries in the stack.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the record number is used to verify the stack.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the information for a program entry record comprises a name of an application launched on the PDA and optional parameters for the application.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the information for a program entry record comprises state information regarding an application launched on the PDA, and wherein the state information may be used to restore the state of the application.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein:

a first program entry record in the database comprises information regarding a first application launched on the PDA; and

a second program entry record in the database comprises information regarding a second application launched by the first application on the PDA.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the second program entry record is popped from the stack by the second application.

17. The system of claim 10 wherein the popping the last program entry record by the application further comprises storing return values, from the application that has completed execution, with the next program entry record on the stack.

18. The system of claim 10 wherein the program entry record comprises context parameters for an application to be launched.

19. An article of manufacture for collaborating applications executing on a personal digital assistant (PDA) comprising:

means for obtaining a shared database on the PDA to be used as a common stack for collaborating applications;

means for storing one or more program entry records in the database wherein the last program entry record stored is the top of the stack, and wherein each program entry record comprises information regarding an application launched on the PDA; and

means for popping the last program entry record off of the stack when a second application corresponding to the last program entry record has completed execution, wherein the popping of the last program entry record returns control to a first application corresponding to a next program entry record on the stack.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 19 further comprising means for storing a record number in the database, wherein the record number comprises a number of record entries in the stack.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 20 further comprising means for verifying the stack using the record number.

22. The article of manufacture of claim 19 wherein the information for a program entry record comprises a name of an application launched on the PDA and optional parameters for the application.

23. The article of manufacture of claim 19 wherein the information for a program entry record comprises state information regarding an application launched on the PDA, and wherein the state information may be used to restore the state of the application.

24. The article of manufacture of claim 19 wherein:

a first program entry record in the database comprises information regarding a first application launched on the PDA; and

a second program entry record in the database comprises information regarding a second application launched by the first application on the PDA.

25. The article of manufacture of claim 24 further comprising means for popping the second program entry record from the stack by the second application.

26. The article of manufacture of claim 19 wherein the means for popping the last program entry record further comprises means for storing return values, from the application that has completed execution, with the next program entry record on the stack.

27. The article of manufacture of claim 19 wherein the means for storing of a program entry record comprises means for storing context parameters for the second application to be launched.

28. A method for collaborating applications executing on a computer comprising:

obtaining a shared database on the computer to be used as a common stack for collaborating applications;

storing one or more program entry records in the database wherein the last program entry record stored is the top of the stack, and wherein each program entry record comprises information regarding an application launched on the computer; and

popping the last program entry record off of the stack when a second application corresponding to the last program entry record has completed execution, wherein the popping of the last program entry record returns control to a first application corresponding to a next program entry record on the stack.