Collaborative application development environment using a connected device

• US 9,158,518 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Brown, Michael Stephen, Dent, Terrill Mark, Kalu, Kalu Onuka
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Thuy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Luu, Cuong V
• Application Number:
  US13/792,873
• Publication Number:
  US 20140258970A1
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/47 Retargetable compilers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/658 Incremental updates; Differential updates
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a Web-based integrated development environment and graphical user interface for real-time collaborative application development which uses a connected device. Changes made to an application within the application development tool are applied to a connected mobile device in real-time or near real-time application.

Claims

1. A method for a development server of synchronizing an application between a client computer to a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a client computer to publish to a mobile device an application as at a first application state subsequent to a save point, wherein the request includes an application identifier ApplicationID associated with the application, a user identifier UserID associated with a current user of the client computer and an IP address of the mobile device TargetIPAddress;

receiving an authorization request from the mobile device, the authorization request including identifying information comprising a device identifier DeviceID associated with the mobile device;

generating a token defining an association between the application identifier ApplicationID, the user identifier UserID and the device identifier DeviceID;

sending the token to the mobile device associated with the device identifier DeviceID at the IP address TargetIPAddress;

compiling the application in accordance with application code defining the application at the save point;

sending the compiled application over a communications network to the mobile device at the IP address TargetIPAddress along with identifying information comprising an IP address of the development server, wherein the compiled application is sent to the mobile device in a format which automatically executes when downloaded on the mobile device; and

sending incremental changes to the application code which occurred between the save point and the first application state over the communications network, wherein the incremental changes are sent to the mobile device in a format which automatically applies the incremental changes to the application while being executed on the mobile device so that the executed application reflects the application code at the first application state.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

denying the authorization request in response to receiving a device denial message from the client computer.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the token is generated in response to receiving the authorization request.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

sending identifying information about the mobile device associated with the device identifier DeviceID to the client computer.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request from the mobile device associated with the device identifier DeviceID, wherein the request requests any subsequent change to the application made to the application by the user associated with the user identifier UserID, wherein the request is associated with the token.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving from the client computer a change request including change information describing one or more change(s) to the application, wherein the change request is associated with the user identifier UserID; and

sending the change request to the mobile device associated with the device identifier DeviceID at the IP address TargetIPAddress when an open request requesting any subsequent change to the application made to the application by the user associated with the user identifier UserID exists for the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the change request changes a current state of the application on the client computer associated with the user identifier UserID from the first application state to another application state.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the change request changes an active page of the application displayed on the client computer associated with the user identifier UserID.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the change request adds, deletes or modifies an object in the active page of the application displayed on the client computer associated with the user identifier UserID.

10. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving from the mobile device associated with the device identifier DeviceID a change request including change information describing one or more change(s), wherein the change request is associated with the user identifier UserID;

sending the change request to the client computer associated with the user identifier UserID.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the change request is sent to the client computer at an IP address UserIPAddress.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more change(s) information comprises one or more of a change in device state or a change to the application.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request from the mobile device associated with the device identifier DeviceID requesting any subsequent change to the application made to the application by the user associated with the user identifier UserID;

rejecting the request when not associated with the valid token;

accepting the request when associated with the token.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request from the client computer associated with the user identifier UserID to acquire sensor data from the mobile device associated with the device identifier DeviceID;

sending an instruction to acquire the sensor data to the mobile device associated with the device identifier DeviceID at the IP address TargetIPAddress;

receiving the sensor data from the mobile device associated with the device identifier DeviceID; and

sending the sensor data to the client computer associated with the user identifier UserID.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising storing the sensor data in memory.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the sensor data is stored as an incremental change, wherein the method further comprises sending the sensor data to all collaborating devices currently accessing the application associated with the application identifier ApplicationID.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the sensor data comprises an image captured by a camera of the mobile device associated with the device identifier DeviceID.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the save point is the most recent save point.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a device authorization request to the client computer when the combination of the application identifier ApplicationID, user identifier UserID and device identifier DeviceID do not correspond to any previously authorized mobile devices;

wherein the token is generated in response to receiving a device authorization message from the client computer.

20. A development server, comprising:

a processor configured for;

receiving a request from a client computer to publish to a mobile device an application as at a first application state subsequent to a save point, wherein the request includes an application identifier ApplicationID associated with the application, a user identifier UserID associated with a current user of the client computer and an IP address of the mobile device TargetIPAddress;

receiving an authorization request from the mobile device, the authorization request including identifying information comprising a device identifier DeviceID associated with the mobile device;

generating a token defining an association between the application identifier ApplicationID, the user identifier UserID and the device identifier DeviceID;

sending the token to the mobile device associated with the device identifier DeviceID at the IP address TargetIPAddress;

compiling the application in accordance with application code defining the application at the save point;

sending the compiled application over a communications network to the mobile device at the IP address TargetIPAddress along with identifying information comprising an IP address of the development server, wherein the compiled application is sent to the mobile device in a format which automatically executes when downloaded on the mobile device; and

sending incremental changes to the application code which occurred between the save point and the first application state over the communications network, wherein the incremental changes are sent to the mobile device in a format which automatically applies the incremental changes to the application while being executed on the mobile device so that the executed application reflects the application code at the first application state.

21. A non-transitory machine readable medium having tangibly stored thereon executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of a development server, cause the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a client computer to publish to a mobile device an application as at a first application state subsequent to a save point, wherein the request includes an application identifier ApplicationID associated with the application, a user identifier UserID associated with a current user of the client computer and an IP address of the mobile device TargetIPAddress;

receiving an authorization request from the mobile device, the authorization request including identifying information comprising a device identifier DeviceID associated with the mobile device;

generating a token defining an association between the application identifier ApplicationID, the user identifier UserID and the device identifier DeviceID;

sending the token to the mobile device associated with the device identifier DeviceID at the IP address TargetIPAddress;

compiling the application in accordance with application code defining the application at the save point;

sending the compiled application over a communications network to the mobile device at the IP address TargetIPAddress along with identifying information comprising an IP address of the development server, wherein the compiled application is sent to the mobile device in a format which automatically executes when downloaded on the mobile device; and

sending incremental changes to the application code which occurred between the save point and the first application state over the communications network, wherein the incremental changes are sent to the mobile device in a format which automatically applies the incremental changes to the application while being executed on the mobile device so that the executed application reflects the application code at the first application state.