System and method for network-based computing

Abstract

A network-based computing system that automates, simplifies, and optimizes the compilation, deployment, and execution of an application by any type of a client machine connected to a server via any type of a network connection. The system includes a client runtime environment, a server runtime environment and an object-oriented markup-business logic binding mechanism. The client runtime environment manages client side code and screen definitions. The server runtime environment dynamical compiles code to ensure client platform compatibility. The system delivers network applications on demand, by separating them into lightweight modules and delivering these modules.

1 . A computer application program stored in a computer comprising:
 at least one markup document;   at least one business logic component associated with and applied directly to said at least one markup document; and   an object oriented binding mechanism binding said at least one markup document to said at least business logic component.   
   
   
       2 . The computer application program of  claim 1  wherein a client runtime environment (CRE) receives and converts said at least one markup document into an object-oriented representation comprising one or more markup objects, one or more user interfaces, and one or more data sets. 
   
   
       3 . The computer application program of  claim 2  wherein said at least one business logic component comprises one or more methods used as event handlers for a markup object event. 
   
   
       4 . The computer application program of  claim 3  wherein said object oriented binding mechanism comprises invoking said one or more methods by said one or more markup objects by firing a markup object event. 
   
   
       5 . The computer application program of  claim 4  wherein said object oriented binding mechanism further comprises accessing and modifying said one or more markup objects by said at least one business logic component via an Application Program Interface(API) and wherein said API comprises one of a markup object API or a Document Object Model (DOM) API. 
   
   
       6 . The computer application program of  claim 5  wherein said one or more markup objects comprise a parent markup object and a child markup object and wherein said child markup object comprises one or more markup object properties inherited from said parent markup object and wherein said one or more markup object properties comprise one of a user interface definition, a data set definition or an event handler definition. 
   
   
       7 . The computer application program of  claim 6  wherein said parent markup object comprises one or more user interface definitions, one or more data definitions and one or more event handlers and wherein said child markup object inherits said one or more user interface definitions, said one or more data definitions and said one or more event handlers from said parent markup object. 
   
   
       8 . The computer application program of  claim 7  wherein said one or more markup objects comprise a parent markup object and a child markup object and wherein said child markup object overwrites one or more markup object properties of said parent markup object and replaces them with one or more markup object properties of said child markup object. 
   
   
       9 . The computer application program of  claim 1  wherein said at least one markup document is written in a markup language comprising one of XML, XUL, SVG, Xforms™, XAML, HTML, XHTML™, HTML related markup languages, text, or combinations thereof. 
   
   
       10 . The computer application program of  claim 1  wherein said at least one business logic component is written in a programming language comprising one of Java™, JavaScript™, J#, C#, C+, C++, Visual Basic™, ActionScript, XSL, XQuery, or XPath™. 
   
   
       11 . A method for developing a computer application program comprising:
 providing at least one markup document;   providing at least one business logic component associated with and applied directly to said at least one markup document;   providing an object oriented binding mechanism binding said at least one markup document to said at least business logic component; and   storing said computer application into computer memory.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11  further comprising receiving and converting said at least one markup document into an object-oriented representation by a client runtime environment (CRE), wherein said object-oriented representation comprises one or more markup objects, one or more user interfaces, and one or more data sets. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said at least one business logic component comprises one or more methods used as event handlers for a markup object event. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said object oriented binding mechanism comprises invoking said one or more methods by said one or more markup objects by firing a markup object event. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said object oriented binding mechanism further comprises accessing and modifying said one or more markup objects by said at least one business logic component via an Application Program Interface(API), wherein said API comprises one of a markup object API or a Document Object Model (DOM) API. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein said one or more markup objects comprise a parent markup object and a child markup object and wherein said child markup object comprises one or more markup object properties inherited from said parent markup object, and wherein said one or more markup object properties comprise one of a user interface definition, a data set definition or an event handler definition. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said parent markup object comprises one or more user interface definitions, one or more data definitions and one or more event handlers and wherein said child markup object inherits said one or more user interface definitions, said one or more data definitions and said one or more event handlers from said parent markup object. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein said one or more markup objects comprise a parent markup object and a child markup object and wherein said child markup object overwrites one or more markup object properties of said parent markup object and replaces them with one or more markup object properties of said child markup object. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said at least one markup document is written in a markup language comprising one of XML, XUL, SVG, Xforms™, XAML, HTML, XHTML™, HTML related languages, text, or combinations thereof. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said at least one business logic component is written in a programming language comprising one of Java™, JavaScript™, J#, C#, C+, C++, Visual Basic™, ActionScript, XSL, XQuery, or XPath™. 
   
   
       21 . A network application program stored in a server memory comprising one or more modules wherein each module comprises at least one markup document, at least one business logic associate with and applied directly to said at least one markup document and an object oriented binding mechanism binding said at least one markup document to said at least business logic component. 
   
   
       22 . The network application program of  claim 21  wherein said network application program is deployed in a network computing system by first separating said network application into said one or more modules and then downloading separately each of said one or more modules to one or more client machines. 
   
   
       23 . The network application program of  claim 22  wherein each of said client machines comprises a client runtime environment (CRE) and said CRE further comprises a storage for caching said downloaded one or more modules. 
   
   
       24 . The network application program of  claim 23  wherein said CRE executes said downloaded one or more modules independently of each other. 
   
   
       25 . The network application program of  claim 24  wherein said CRE executes said downloaded one or more modules offline. 
   
   
       26 . The network application program of  claim 25  wherein said server further comprises a compiler system receiving a plurality of input files, and converting any of said plurality of input files into a plurality of output files, respectively, wherein said plurality of input files comprise said network application written in a plurality of different programming languages, respectively, and said plurality of output files comprise a plurality of corresponding executable codes of said network application, respectively. 
   
   
       27 . The network application program of  claim 26  wherein each of said one or more client machines comprise an execution engine receiving one of said output files and executing said corresponding executable code. 
   
   
       28 . The network application program of  claim 27  wherein said server is connected to said one or more client machines via a low bandwidth network connection.