System and method for deploying and implementing software applications over a distributed network

• US 7,246,351 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2002
• Issued: 07/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DataCloud Technologies, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Jargon Software, Inc
• Inventors: Dietsche, Thomas L., Rubenstein, Richard D., Bloch, Timothy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): An; Meng-Al T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Francis; Mark P.
• Application Number:
  US10/081,921
• Publication Number:
  US 20020129129A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,973 Days
• Field of Search: 715500-527, 715/710, 715/700, 715/704, 717169-178, 707/104, 7071041-513, 705/14
• US Class Current: 717/175
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• 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 for deploying applications over a distributed network to web-enabled devices uses a server, with stored text files containing application logic, and an application assembler. The application assembler downloads and installs on each web-enabled device. Then, the application assembler downloads one or more text files from the server, retrieves program logic from each of the downloaded text files, and assembles the retrieved program logic into a fuctioning application. In some instances, a plugin that is downloaded and installed on each web-enabled device is activated by web pages on the server to launch the application assembler.

Claims

1. A system for deploying applications over a distributed network to an Internet-enabled device for interacting with a server, the server being in communication with the distributed network and having text files containing program logic, the system comprising:

an application assembler for storing on and running on the Internet-enabled device, the application assembler for downloading one or more text flies from the server, retrieving the program logic from each of the downloaded text files, and assembling the retrieved program logic into a functioning application and running the functioning application on the Internet-enabled device, wherein the functioning application provides a graphical user interface for receiving and interpreting user inputs to the Internet-enabled device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the application assembler is operating system dependent.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the program logic is operating system independent.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the functioning application processes the user inputs and interacts with a local or remote database, or both, for performing user instructions.

5. The system of claim 1, the application assembler comprising:

a parser for extracting program logic from text files stored on the server;

a script engine for interpreting scripts contained in the extracted program logic, and for providing methods to invoke script functions; and

component handlers for rendering visual components and for processing operations specific to the visual components.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the application assembler further comprises:

a layout handler for analyzing positioning properties of a group of components and translating them into component dimensions and coordinates for display on each web enabled device.

7. A system for deploying an application over a network to an Internet-enabled device, the network having a server containing one or more application logic files, the application logic files containing embedded application logic relating to a computer program, the system comprising:

a program assembler for storing on and running on the Internet-enabled device, the program assembler for downloading the application logic files, retrieving the embedded application logic from the application logic files, and building the computer program from the retrieved embedded application logic, and running the computer program on the Internet-enabled device, wherein the computer program provides a graphical user interface for receiving and interpreting user inputs to the Internet-enabled device.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

a plugin for installation in a web-browser for running the program assembler according to instructions embedded in an Internet web page.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the program assembler is operating system dependent, the program assembler for assembling multiple computer programs based on the embedded application logic.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the program assembler is operating system dependent, and wherein at least two different program assemblers for at least two different operating systems on two different Internet-enabled devices use the embedded application logic from the text files for building a computer program having the same functionality on both Internet-enabled devices.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the embedded application logic is operating system independent.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the Internet-enabled device is selected from a group consisting of to computers, workstations, personal digital assistants, wireless personal digital assistants, and Internet-enabled phones.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the application logic files are compressed.

14. A method for deploying a computer program over a network, the method comprising:

storing and running a software module on a client device of a user;

providing to the client device text files containing embedded program logic for the software module to assemble into the computer program, wherein the computer program provides a graphical user interface for receiving and interpreting user inputs to the client device;

running the computer program assembled from the embedded program logic on the client device; and

enabling user interaction with the computer program running on the client device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of hosting comprises:

storing a compressed file in a standard compression format on a server in communication with a network, the compressed file for automatic download and installation on the client device trough a web browser.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of providing text files comprises:

storing text files on a server in communication with a network, the text files containing embedded program logic.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the text files are compressed.

18. The method of claim 14, and further comprising:

hosting a web page containing a software module and a plugin on for installation on a client device of a user; and

launching the installed software module using the installed plugin based on instructions embedded within the web page.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of launching the installed software module comprises:

embedding a launch instruction in a starter web page on the network.