Mobile device having extensible sofware for presenting server-side applications, software and methods

• US 20060190813A1
• Filed: 02/22/2005
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Nextair Corporation
• Inventors: Allen, Andrew, Neil, Tim, Neil, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 7,533,114 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/202
• 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 9/4843 by program, e.g. task dispatcher, supervisor, operating system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/547 Remote procedure calls [RPC]; Web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• 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 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

Data from an application executing at a computing device is presented at a remote wireless device, by providing the device an application definition file, containing a definition of a user interface for the application at the mobile device. Based on the definition file, the wireless device may receive data from the application and present an interface for the application. Virtual machine software at the mobile device interprets the application definition file. This virtual machine software is extensible to take advantage of other software and/or hardware at the device.

Claims

1. A method of presenting data from an application executing at a computing device at a wireless mobile device remote from said computing device, said method comprising:

receiving at said mobile device, a representation of a text file defining a user interface and actions to be taken in response to user interaction with said user interface or received data from said application;

receiving data from said application;

executing virtual machine software at said mobile device to present said user interface and said received data, in accordance with said text file;

wherein at least one of said actions in said text file specifies execution of a software component separate from said virtual machine software, identified in said text file and loaded at said device; and

executing said software component at said device in response to said at least one of said actions.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising passing to said software component, parameters identified in said text file.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising querying whether said software component identified in said text file is loaded at said device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising querying whether said software component includes a pre-determined interface.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving data from said software component to be used by said virtual machine software.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said software component is in the form of a software object, and further comprising creating an instance of said software object.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said text file identifies said object by name, and said method further comprises querying whether an object having said name exists at said mobile device.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising executing operating system software at sad device, wherein said querying comprises querying said operating system to determine if said software component is present at said device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said text file is received at said wireless device and wherein said text file is an XML file.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said text file is parsed, and a representation of said text file is stored at said wireless device for use by said virtual machine software.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing data generated by said software component at said wireless device in accordance with said text file.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said format of network messages comprises XML definitions for said network messages, and wherein data for said application are dispatched from said wireless device using said XML definitions.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said software component captures the signature of a user.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said software component interfaces with peripheral hardware at said device.

29. Computer readable medium storing software to be executed at a mobile device, adapting said mobile device to perform the method of claim 1.

15. A wireless mobile device comprising:

a processor;

computer readable memory in communication with said processor, storing virtual machine software controlling operation of said wireless mobile device,

said virtual machine software comprising;

a parser for receiving a text file;

a screen generation engine, for presenting at least one screen at said wireless mobile device in accordance with said text file;

an event handler for processing events arising in response to interaction with said at least one screen in accordance with said text file, said event handler operable to execute a software component separate from said virtual machine software, identified in said text file and loaded at said device.

16. The wireless mobile device of claim 15, wherein said memory further stores a representation of said text file.

17. The wireless mobile device of claim 15, wherein said representation of said text file is created by said parser.

18. The wireless mobile device of claim 15, wherein said parser comprises an XML parser.

19. The wireless mobile device of claim 15, wherein said virtual machine software further adapts said processor to parse said text file.

20. The wireless mobile device of claim 19, wherein said virtual machine software further adapts said parser comprises to parse said text file as an XML file.

21. The wireless mobile device of claim 15, wherein said interface comprises at least one screen and said software further comprises object classes corresponding to actions to be taken by said device in response to interaction with said at least one screen.

22. The wireless mobile device of claim 15, wherein said memory further stores said software component separate from said virtual machine software.

23. The wireless mobile device of claim 15, wherein said software component separate from said virtual machine software comprises at least one object class.

24. The wireless mobile device of claim 15, wherein said software component separate from said virtual machine software comprises an interface recognized by said virtual machine software.

25. The wireless mobile device of claim 15, wherein said software component separate from said virtual machine software interacts with hardware at said mobile device.

26. The wireless mobile device of claim 15, wherein said software component separate from said virtual machine software receives parameters contained in said text file from said virtual machine software.

27. The wireless mobile device of claim 15, wherein said software component separate from said virtual machine software returns data to said virtual machine software.

28. The wireless mobile device of claim 15, wherein said software component separate from said virtual machine software returns data to said virtual machine software in XML format.