Multi-device support for mobile applications using XML
First Claim
1. A method for allowing multiple types of clients to use a database application without hard-coding presentation logic for each of the multiple types of clients into the database application, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving, from a particular client, a request for data that is to be used by the particular client in a user interface, wherein the user interface is operable to receive input from a user and to cause entry of the input into the database application;
prior to providing the data from the database application to the particular client, performing the steps of;
converting the data that is to be transmitted from the database application to the particular client into an XML output without regard to the device type of the particular client by performing certain steps that include;
identifying a data type to which the data corresponds, wherein the data that is to be transmitted from the database application to the particular client comprises a message that is to be displayed in the user interface;
selecting from a plurality of document type definitions, a document type definition associated with said data type, wherein said document type definition includes;
(a) at least one attribute indicating a message type of said message, wherein said message type is any one of a normal message, an error message, a warning message, and a hint message, and (b) at least one attribute indicating how to display said message in said user interface; and
converting the data to the XML output based on said selected document type definition;
identifying the particular client device type of the particular client, wherein the particular client device type indicates one of a dumb terminal, a telnet terminal, a bar code scanner, and a browser-less device;
wherein sets of metadata are each associated with a client device type of a plurality of client device types and indicates how to convert said XML output to output for the client device type;
selecting, based on the particular client device type, a particular set of metadata from among the sets of metadata; and
based on the particular set of metadata, converting the XML output to output for the particular client device type; and
providing the output for the particular client device type to the particular client.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques are provided that allow mobile devices to use database applications without having to specifically design the database applications to support all forms of mobile devices. In particular, techniques are provided in which the data coming out of a database application is formatted into Extended Markup Language (XML). The XML is the same regardless of which client is to receive the data. Prior to supplying the data to a client, the Extended Style Sheet (XSL) is applied to the data to format the data into the format required by the client.
121 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for allowing multiple types of clients to use a database application without hard-coding presentation logic for each of the multiple types of clients into the database application, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving, from a particular client, a request for data that is to be used by the particular client in a user interface, wherein the user interface is operable to receive input from a user and to cause entry of the input into the database application; prior to providing the data from the database application to the particular client, performing the steps of; converting the data that is to be transmitted from the database application to the particular client into an XML output without regard to the device type of the particular client by performing certain steps that include; identifying a data type to which the data corresponds, wherein the data that is to be transmitted from the database application to the particular client comprises a message that is to be displayed in the user interface; selecting from a plurality of document type definitions, a document type definition associated with said data type, wherein said document type definition includes;
(a) at least one attribute indicating a message type of said message, wherein said message type is any one of a normal message, an error message, a warning message, and a hint message, and (b) at least one attribute indicating how to display said message in said user interface; andconverting the data to the XML output based on said selected document type definition; identifying the particular client device type of the particular client, wherein the particular client device type indicates one of a dumb terminal, a telnet terminal, a bar code scanner, and a browser-less device; wherein sets of metadata are each associated with a client device type of a plurality of client device types and indicates how to convert said XML output to output for the client device type; selecting, based on the particular client device type, a particular set of metadata from among the sets of metadata; and based on the particular set of metadata, converting the XML output to output for the particular client device type; and providing the output for the particular client device type to the particular client. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 19)
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7. A method for using a database application with multiple clients that support multiple mark-up language interpreters without hard-coding into the database application logic to support each of the multiple mark-up language interpreters, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving, from a particular client, a request for first data that is to be used by the particular client in a user interface, wherein the user interface is operable to receive input from a user and to cause entry of the input into the database application; converting output of the database application to the first data that conforms to a first mark-up language without regard to the type of mark-up language interpreter supported by the particular client to which the output first data is to be sent by performing certain steps that include; identifying a data type to which the first data corresponds, wherein the first data comprises a message that is to be displayed in the user interface; selecting from a plurality of document type definitions, a document type definition associated with said data type, wherein said document type definition includes;
(a) at least one attribute indicating a message type of said message, wherein said message type is any one of a normal message, an error message, a warning message, and a hint message, and (b) at least one attribute indicating how to display said message in said user interface; andconverting the first data to XML output based on said selected document type definition; wherein a plurality of mark-up languages are each associated with one or more client device types of a plurality of client device types, wherein the plurality of client device types include at least one of a dumb terminal client device type, a telnet terminal client device type, a bar code scanner client device type, and a browser-less client device type; selecting, based on a client device type of the particular client, a second mark-up language of said plurality of mark-up languages that is different than said first mark-up language; converting the XML output to second data that conforms to the second mark-up language; and sending the second data to the particular client. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A system comprising:
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a database system; a database application operatively coupled to said database system; said database application including; application logic that; receives a request for first output that is to be used by a client device in a user interface, wherein the user interface is operable to receive input from a user and to cause entry of the input into the database application; retrieves data from said database system to produce the first output in a format that is independent of a type of the client device that is to receive the first output; an XML processor that; identifies a data type to which the data retrieved from the database system corresponds, wherein the data comprises a message that is to be displayed in the user interface; identifies a document type definition associated with said data type, wherein said document type definition includes;
(a) at least one attribute indicating a message type of said message, wherein said message type is any one of a normal message, an error message, a warning message, and a hint message, and (b) at least one attribute indicating how to display said message in said user interface; andapplies the document type definition to the data retrieved from the database system, thereby formatting the data into XML to produce second output that is independent of the type of the client device that is to receive the first output; and an XSL processor that converts the second output into the first output based on an XSL style sheet associated with the type of the client device that is to receive the first output;
wherein the XSL style sheet is selected based on the type of the client device. - View Dependent Claims (11, 18, 20)
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12. A computer-readable medium carrying instructions for allowing multiple types of clients to use a database application without hard-coding presentation logic for each of the multiple types of clients into the database application, the instructions including instructions for performing the steps of:
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receiving, from a particular client, a request for data that is to be used by the particular client in a user interface, wherein the user interface is operable to receive input from a user and to cause entry of the input into the database application; prior to providing the data from the database application to the particular client, performing the steps of; converting the data that is to be transmitted from the database application to the particular client into an XML output without regard to the device type of the particular client by performing certain steps that include; identifying a data type to which the data corresponds, wherein the data that is to be transmitted from the database application to the particular client comprises a message that is to be displayed in the user interface; selecting from a plurality of document type definitions, a document type definition associated with said data type, wherein said document type definition includes;
(a) at least one attribute indicating a message type of said message, wherein said message type is any one of a normal message, an error message, a warning message, and a hint message, and (b) at least one attribute indicating how to display said message in said user interface; andconverting the data to the XML output based on said selected document type definition; identifying the particular client device type of the particular client, wherein the particular client device type indicates one of a dumb terminal, a telnet terminal, a bar code scanner, and a browser-less device; wherein sets of metadata are each associated with a client device type of a plurality of client device types and indicates how to convert said XML output to output for the client device type; selecting, based on the particular client device type, a particular set of metadata from among the sets of metadata; and based on the particular set of metadata, converting the XML output to output for the particular client device type; and providing the output for the particular client device type to the particular client. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 21)
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Specification