Method and apparatus for just-in-time provisioning application-related information at a communication device

Abstract

Software applications are provisioned at a communication device having its own memory device. A download request based on an application-related request is sent if application-related information associated with the application-related request is not stored on the memory device of the communication device. A portion of the application-related information is received based on the download request. The portion of the application-related information is stored when the portion of the application-related information is configured for storage.

1 . A method, comprising: 
 sending a download request when a screen command application component associated with a software application is not stored on a memory device of a communication device, the screen command application component being a paginated application component associated with the software application;    receiving the screen command application component at the communication device; and    displaying a screen at a user interface of the communication device based on the screen command application component without storing the screen command application component on a non-volatile memory of the memory device.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 receiving a definition command application component corresponding with the screen command application component, the definition command application component being associated with the software application.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 receiving a definition command application component corresponding with the screen command application component, the definition command application component being associated with the software application; and    storing the definition command application component on at least one of the non-volatile memory of the memory device or a volatile memory of the memory device.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the screen application component is irretrievable at the communication device after the executing.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the screen command application component is received over a bandwidth-limited connection, the screen command application component being operable when the bandwidth-limited connection is not maintained after the receiving.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the download request is sent and the screen application component is received over a wireless connection, the communication device is a wireless communication device.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 receiving a definition command application component corresponding with the screen command application component, the definition command application component being associated with the software application; and    executing the definition command application component when a selectable indicator associated with the screen application component is selected in response to a request from a user.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the download request is a first download request, the application-related request is a first application-related request, 
 the method further comprising: 
 triggering a second application-related request after the executing;  
 sending a second download request in response to the second application-related request when an application-related information associated with the second application-related request is not stored on the memory device of the communication device, the application-related information being associated with the software application; and  
 receiving the application-related information at the communication device.  
   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the screen command application component is a first screen command application component, the definition command application component is a first definition command application component, the application-related information is at least one of a second screen application component or a second definition command application component.  
   
   
       10 . A method, comprising: 
 receiving a first application component from a plurality of application components, each application component from the plurality of application components being associated with a software application, the first application component being associated with a set of selectable indicators, a number of selectable indicators from the set of selectable indicators being greater than zero;    receiving a request for a second application component from the plurality of application components when a selectable indicator from the set of selectable indicators is selected in response to a request from a user; and    defining a download request in response to the request for the second application component and when the second application component is not stored on a memory device of a communication device, the download request being defined to request the second application component from the plurality of application components.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein each selectable indicator from the set of selectable indicators is configured to trigger download of at least one application component from the plurality of application components when the at least one application component is not stored on the memory device, each selectable indicator having a unique selectable portion.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the second application component is retrieved from a location disposed outside of the communication device based on the download request.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the selectable indicator is at least one of a tool bar indicator or a drop-down menu indicator.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the first application component is a first screen application component, the second application component is a second screen application component, 
 the method further comprising: 
 displaying an image associated with the first screen application component at a first time on a user interface of the communication device after the receiving the first screen application component;  
 receiving the second screen application component based on the download request; and  
 modifying the image at a second time based on at least a portion of the second screen application component, the second time being after the first time.  
   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the displaying includes displaying without storing the image associated with the first screen command application component on a non-volatile memory of the memory device.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 10 , farther comprising defining the request for the second application when the selectable indicator is selected based on a third application component that corresponds with the first application component.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the second application component is associated with a set of selectable indicators, the set of selectable indicators for the first application component being different than the set of selectable indicators for the second application component.  
   
   
       18 . A method, comprising: 
 displaying at a first time on a user interface of a communication device an image associated with a first screen application component and having a selectable indicator, the selectable indicator being associated with a second screen application component, the second screen application component not being stored and not being displayed on the communication device at the first time, the first screen component and the second screen component being associated with a software application;    sending at a second time a download request in response to the selectable indicator being selected by a user, the second time being after the first time;    receiving the second screen application component in response to the download request; and    displaying on the user interface at a third time an image associated with the second screen application component, the third time being after the second time.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising defining the download request based on a definition command component that corresponds with the first screen application component, the defining being in response to selection of the selectable indicator.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the selectable indicator is at least one of a tool bar indicator or a drop-down menu indicator.