System and method of building wireless component applications

• US 20040220998A1
• Filed: 12/23/2003
• Published: 11/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Inventors: Shenfield, Michael, Vitanov, Kamen B., Goring, Bryan R., Bibr, Viera, Fritsch, Brindusa L., Kline, Robert
• Application Number:
  US10/744,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20040220998A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/201
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• 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 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A system and method of building wireless component applications are provided. Component applications are executed on mobile communication devices, which communicate with a web service via a wireless network and the Internet. The component applications comprise data components, presentation components, and message components, which are written in XML code. The component applications further comprise workflow components which are written in a subset of ECMAScript, and are embedded in the XML code.

Claims

1. A method of interacting with a web service by a mobile communication device over a network, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a request network message for establishing communication between the web service and the communication device;

sending in response to the request network message a component application program including a plurality of components, a first set of the components having descriptors expressed in a structured definition language and a second set of the components being expressed as a series of instructions, the components being configured for provisioning by a runtime environment of the communication device to produce an executable version of the component application program configuring the device as a web client of the web service;

wherein execution of the executable version provides for a subsequent exchange of information over the network between the web service and the communication device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the runtime environment provides an interface for the executable version to the functionality of a processor and an associated operating system of an infrastructure of the communication device.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the runtime environment is configured for implementing capabilities selected from the group comprising;

provide communications for sending a network message to the web service, provide data input by a user of the device for supplying data content for a network message associated with the web service, provide data presentation in response to a network message associated with the web service, provide data storage services for maintaining local client data in a memory of the device, and provide an execution environment for a scripting language for coordinating operation of the components in the executable version.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the runtime environment is configured as a portion of the operating system.

5. The method according to claim 2 further comprising the step of receiving a network message from the communication device, the network message configured based on the structured definition language corresponding to at least one of the first set of components.

6. The method according to claim 5 further comprising the step of processing the network message and sending a response network message containing message data formatted based on the structured definition language, the response network message configured for subsequent presentation of the message data on a user interface of the communication device.

7. The method according to claim 2 further comprising the step of including a data component in the first set of component definitions, the data component for defining information to describe data entities used by the program and a format for the information.

8. The method according to claim 7 further comprising the step of including a message component in the first set of component definitions, the message component for defining a format of messages used by the program to communicate over the network with the web service.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the data component definitions and message component definitions are platform neutral for accommodating a variety of different runtime environments.

10. The method according to claim 8 further comprising the step of including a presentation component in the first set of components, the presentation component for defining the appearance of the component application program as presented on a user interface of the device.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the presentation component is platform specific for various predefined runtime environments.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the structured definitions language is based on eXtensible Markup Language.

13. The method according to claim 10 further comprising the step of including a workflow component in the second set of components, the workflow component for defining processing that occurs when an action is to be performed as specified by one of the first set of components.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the series of instructions for the workflow component is expressed in an object oriented programming language.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the series of instructions for the workflow is expressed as a scripting language.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the scripting language is based on ECMA Script.

17. The method according to claim 13 further comprising the step of receiving a network message initiated by interaction of a user of the communication device with a user interface element, the network message containing data entities created by the workflow component corresponding to the user interface element.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the network message is configured according to the message component for containing the data entities based on the structured definition language.

19. The method according to claim 18 further comprising the step of sending a response network message containing message data related to the data entities, the response network message configured for subsequent presentation of the message data on a user interface of the communication device.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the message data is formatted based on the structured definition language.

21. A mobile communication device configured for interacting over a network with a web service using an executable version of a component application program including a plurality of components, the device comprising;

a device infrastructure for operating the mobile device including a processor and an associated memory for executing the executable version;

a user interface coupled to the device infrastructure having an input device and an output device configured for communication with the executable version;

a wireless transceiver coupled to the device infrastructure and configured for communicating with the network; and

a runtime environment for coordinating execution of the executable version for configuring the device as a web client of the web service, the runtime environment configured for interaction with a first set of the components having descriptors expressed in a structured definition language and a second set of the components being expressed as a series of instructions;

wherein the execution of the executable version provides for a subsequent exchange of information over the network between the web service and the communication device over the network.

22. The mobile communication device according to claim 21, wherein the runtime environment provides an interface for the executable version to the functionality of the processor and the associated operating system of the infrastructure of the communication device.

23. The mobile communication device according to claim 22, wherein the runtime environment is configured for implementing capabilities selected from the group comprising;

provide communications for sending a network message to the web service, provide data input by a user of the device for supplying data content for a network message associated with the web service, provide data presentation in response to a network message associated with the web service, provide data storage services for maintaining local client data in a memory of the device, and provide an execution environment for a scripting language for coordinating operation of the components in the executable version.

24. The mobile communication device according to claim 22, wherein the runtime environment is configured as a portion of the operating system.

25. The mobile communication device according to claim 22, wherein the executable version is configured for sending a network message to the web service, the network message configured based on the structured definition language corresponding to at least one of the first set of components.

26. The mobile communication device according to claim 25, wherein the executable version is configured for receiving a response network message corresponding to the network message, the response network message for containing message data formatted based on the structured definition language, the response network message is configured for subsequent presentation of the message data on the user interface of the communication device.

27. The mobile communication device according to claim 22 further comprising a data component in the first set of component definitions, the data component for defining information to describe data entities used by the program and a format for the information.

28. The mobile communication device according to claim 27 further comprising a message component in the first set of component definitions, the message component for defining a format of messages used by the program to communicate over the network with the web service.

29. The mobile communication device according to claim 28, wherein the data component definitions and message component definitions are platform neutral for accommodating a variety of different runtime environments.

30. The mobile communication device according to claim 28 further comprising a presentation component in the first set of components, the presentation component for defining the appearance of the component application program as presented on the user interface of the device.

31. The mobile communication device according to claim 30, wherein the presentation component is platform specific for various predefined runtime environments.

32. The mobile communication device according to claim 30, wherein the structured definition language is based on eXtensible Markup Language.

33. The mobile communication device according to claim 30 further comprising a workflow component in the second set of components, the workflow component for defining processing that occurs when an action is to be performed as specified by one of the first set of components.

34. The mobile communication device according to claim 33, wherein the series of instructions for the workflow component is expressed in an object oriented programming language.

35. The mobile communication device according to claim 33, wherein the series of instructions for the workflow is expressed as a scripting language.

36. The mobile communication device according to claim 35, wherein the scripting language is based on ECMA Script.

37. The mobile communication device according to claim 33, wherein the executable version is configured for sending a network message initiated by interaction of a user of the communication device with a user interface element, the network message containing data entities created by the workflow component corresponding to the user interface element.

38. The mobile communication device according to claim 37, wherein the network message is configured according to the message component for containing the data entities based on the structured definition language.

39. The mobile communication device according to claim 38, wherein the executable version is configured for receiving a response network message containing message data related to the data entities, the response network message configured for subsequent presentation of the message data on the user interface of the communication device.

40. The mobile communication device according to claim 39, wherein the message data is formatted based on the structured definition language.

41. A computer program product for configuring a mobile communication device for interacting over a network with a web service using an executable version of a component application including a plurality of components, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium;

a runtime environment module stored on the computer readable medium for coordinating execution of the executable version for configuring the device as a web client of the web service, the runtime environment configured for interaction with a first set of the components having descriptors expressed in a structured definition language and a second set of the components being expressed as a series of instructions;

wherein the execution of the executable version provides for a subsequent exchange of information over the network between the web service and the communication device over the network.

42. A server configured for providing a web service for interacting with a mobile communication device over a network, the server comprising:

a network interface for receiving a request network message to establish communication between the web service and the communication device;

a component application program coupled to the network interface for sending in response to the request network message, the component application program including a plurality of components, a first set of the components having descriptors expressed in a structured definition language and a second set of the components being expressed as a series of instructions, the components being configured for provisioning by a runtime environment of the communication device to produce an executable version of the component application program configuring the device as a web client of the web service;

wherein execution of the executable version provides for a subsequent exchange of information over the network between the web service and the communication device.

43. A mobile communication device configured for interacting over a network with a web service using an executable version of a component application program including a plurality of components, the device comprising;

an infrastructure means for operating the mobile device to execute the executable version;

a user interface means coupled to the infrastructure means configured for communication with the executable version;

a transceiver means coupled to the device infrastructure and configured for communicating with the network; and

a runtime means for coordinating execution of the executable version for configuring the device as a web client of the web service, the runtime means configured for interaction with a first set of the components having descriptors expressed in a structured definition language and a second set of the components being expressed as a series of instructions;

wherein the execution of the executable version provides for a subsequent exchange of information over the network between the web service and the communication device over the network.