Research in Motion Corporation

Nextair Corporation

Blackberry Corporation

Andrew Allen

Tim Neil

Paul Chalmers

Steve Grenier

Scott Neil

Steve Robert Grenier

Steven Robert Grenier

Steven J Hulaj

Viera Bibr

Dave Burgess

David Burgess

To determine the operational status of a wireless communication device capable of executing server-side applications, a message is sent to the device requesting operational status of the device. The message may be may be triggered by a system administrator at a middleware server. The wireless communication device may receive the message, compose a response message indicative of the operational status of the device, and send the response message back to the middleware server. The messages may be extensible markup language (XML) messages. Composition of the response message may entail verifying that a textual operational status description forming part of the response message omits illegal XML characters, e.g., by passing the description through an XML formatter for removal of any illegal XML characters.

Determining operational status of a mobile device capable of executing server-side applications

A method is provided for facilitating generation of a server-side application capable of calling a function of a wireless application on a mobile device. A structured data file defining the wireless application is retrieved. The structured data file is parsed for identifying exposed functions. Code stubs are generated for each of the exposed functions. The code stubs are configured to be included as part of the server-side application and to define a message to be transmitted to the wireless application upon execution of the code stub.

XML push and remote execution of a wireless applications

Software, devices and methods allowing varied mobile devices to interact with server side software applications are disclosed. Data from an application executing at a computing device may be presented at a remote wireless device by providing the device an application definition file, containing definitions for a user interface format for the application at the wireless device; the format of network messages for exchange of data generated by the application; and a format for storing data related to the application at the wireless device. Using these definitions, the wireless device may receive data from said application in accordance with the definition and present an interface for the application. The application definition file may define a table, a message or data package, and an update to be made to the table based on the message or data package.

Software, devices and methods facilitating execution of server-side applications at mobile devices

To enable use of an application on an application server at a mobile communication device, at a transaction server, a message received from the mobile is pushed out to the application. Any return messages is routed back to the mobile. The transaction server may use a queue to store all messages destined to a given application and attempt to push all messages on a given queue on receipt of a further message for the queue.

Wireless communication device use of application server applications

An outgoing message may be generated, at a mobile communication device, based on a received application definition document, which indicates a lifespan for the message. In conjunction with generating a message in accordance with a format provided in the application definition document, a message expiry time may be generated. The message may be stored in a queue for transmission. Additionally, an indication of the expiry time may be stored in the queue in association with the message. The expiry time of the message may periodically be compared to the current time to determine whether the message has expired. Upon expiry, a user of the mobile communication device may be presented with the option to cancel transmission of the message or re-attempt transmission.

Limited lifespan for outgoing data at a mobile device

From a markup language document (e.g. an Extensible Markup Language (XML) document expressed as a Document Object Model (DOM) tree) having a markup language element hierarchy containing a set of markup language elements and a plurality of references to the hierarchy, another markup language document (e.g. a textual XML document) is generated which contains one instance of the set of markup language elements for each of the plurality of references. The generated markup language document may otherwise have the same content as the original markup language document. Generation of a markup language document containing identical sets of markup language elements may thereby be simplified.

Apparatus, method and machine-readable medium for facilitating generation of a markup language document containing identical sets of markup language elements

Software, devices and methods allowing varied mobile devices to interact with server side software applications are disclosed. 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 definitions for a user interface format for the application at the wireless device; the format of network messages for exchange of data generated by the application; and a format for storing data related to the application at the wireless device. Using these definitions, the wireless device may receive data from the application in accordance with the definition and present an interface for the application. Preferably, the application definition file is an XML file. Similarly, application specific network messages provided to the device are also formed using XML. Data from the application may be presented at the mobile device by virtual machine software that uses the application definition file.

A remote wireless device receives a compressed message including an application definition file. The application definition file is associated with an application executing at a computing device and contains definitions for: a user interface format; a format for network messages; and a format for storing data. Using these definitions, the wireless device may receive data generated by the application and formatted in accordance with the definitions. The wireless device may then present a user interface for the application. Preferably, the application definition file is an XML file. Similarly, application-specific network messages provided to the device are also formed using XML. Data generated by the application may be presented at the mobile device under control of a virtual machine that uses the application definition file. For efficiency, the network messages received at, and transmitted by, the wireless device may be compressed.

Compression of data transmitted between server and mobile device

Software, methods and devices for executing textually-defined instructions at a wireless communication device are disclosed. The instructions may be for performing a mathematical operation upon specified integer or floating-point operands, for performing one or more specified actions for each pass through a loop, for performing one of two sets of actions based on a user selection of one of two user interface controls, or for triggering a timer for delaying a subsequent action by a specified time interval. The instructions may be defined in a markup language such as Extensible Markup Language (XML). The software, methods and devices may form part of a system for allowing varied wireless communication devices to interact with server-side software applications.

Execution of textually-defined instructions at a wireless communication device

Software executable by a wireless communication device may include instructions for receiving at least one markup language document containing a markup language definition defining a query of a notional database table. The notional database table may be characterized by a set of notional fields, each corresponding to a field of a data record within an information category maintained by each of a plurality of wireless communication device-executable personal information manager (PIM) software applications. The software may further include instructions for instantiating, based on the markup language definition, an instance of at least one object-oriented class containing code for effecting the query through interaction with one PIM software application, executable at said wireless communication device, of the plurality. Software for defining the query in markup language may also be provided.

Method and software for facilitating interaction with a personal information manager application at a wireless communication device

Responsive to the sensing of an occurrence of an event, an action may be executed according to which a message is generated. The message may be generated with a format that is based on an application definition document. According to the application definition document, a label may be generated for associating with the message. The message and label may then be stored in a queue in a manner that allows the label to be associated with the message. Subsequent to the message having been stored, a representation of the queue may be displayed for review by a user interested in the status of the message, or the queue in general. The label associated with the message is displayed in the representation rather than the actual code of the message, thereby allowing the viewer of the display to make an informed decision regarding further activity to carried out on the message.

Associating a label with a queued message at a mobile device

A markup language document (e.g. an XML document) may contain a first instance of a markup language element having an attribute with a first, platform-independent value, a second instance of the element having the attribute with a second, platform-specific value, and an indicator that the second value overrides the first. Executable code may replace both of the first and second instances with a single instance having the attribute with the second value. Alternatively the markup language document may contain a first instance of a markup language element having a first, platform-independent attribute, a second instance of the element having a second, platform-specific attribute different from the first attribute, and an indicator that the second instance extends the first. In this case executable code may replace both instances of the markup language element with a single instance having the first attribute and the second attribute.

Apparatus and machine-readable medium for generating markup language representing a derived entity which extends or overrides attributes of a base entity

A new master application definition is installed at a server. Responsively, the server determines the identity of a user associated with the server-side application related to the master application definition. The server may then generate an application definition file specific to the application and to the remote wireless device associated with the identified user. The application definition file may contain definitions for: a user interface format; a format for network messages; and a format for storing data. Using these definitions, the wireless device may receive data generated by the server-side application and formatted in accordance with the definitions. The wireless device may then present a user interface for the application. Preferably, the application definition file is an XML file. Advantageously, when changes occur to previously established server-side applications, automatic updating of devices is efficiently accomplished.

Growing community of inventors

Mississauga, Canada

Tim Neil