Customizable application

Abstract

An application that can include customized functionality that can be selectively enabled without disrupting the underlying operation of the application or requiring multiple instances or versions of the application that must be separately stored and maintained. An application is generally made available over a network for various users. A feature is provided that allows users to selectively activate one or more customized or specialized functions and/or features of the application such that the user gains access to a customized operation of the application without the application provider having to separately create and maintain multiple versions of the web application.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A processor implemented method of providing, via a client-server architecture, a web application that can include customized functionality without disrupting the underlying operation of the web application, the method comprising the acts of:
 accessing and making available to a client a version of foundational business logic that implements a standard functionality in a web application, the standard functionality associated with the underlying operation of the web application;   rendering application content for the web application, the application content configured to facilitate a user interaction with data relevant to the web application, the relevant data stored in a database accessible to the client;   identifying a state of a logic key associated with the relevant data, the state of the logic key configured to invoke a customized functionality;   accessing and making available to the client, based on the state of the logic key, at least one of a plurality of supplemental business logic packages that, each, implement a specific customized functionality in the web application; and   processing at least one of the user interaction and the relevant data, in accordance with the state of the logic key, via:   the at least one supplemental business logic package; or   the version of the foundational business logic and the at least one supplemental business logic package;   wherein the version of foundational business logic available to the client is compatible with each of the plurality of supplemental business logic packages; and   wherein the act of processing in accordance with the state of the logic key does not necessitate any change to the version of foundational business logic made available to the client.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the act of processing at least one of the user interaction and the relevant data, in accordance with the state of the logic key further comprises:
 receiving data generated by the at least one supplemental business logic package; and   storing the received data at the server into a database.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , additionally comprising the acts of:
 examining the credentials of a user of the web application; and   providing access to the specific customized functionality associated with the at least one supplemental business logic package only to the user if it satisfies authorization credentials.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , additionally comprising the acts of rendering data fields associated with the foundational business logic and rendering additional data fields associated with the at least one supplement business logic package. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the act of processing in accordance with the state of the logic key comprises at least one of a client-based processing action and server-based processing action. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the act of accessing and making available to the client at least one of a plurality of supplemental business logic packages comprises the acts of:
 receiving a functional definition associated with the state of the logic key;   creating an algorithm to perform the defined functions; and   including the algorithm in at least one of a plurality of supplemental business logic packages.   
     
     
         7 . A processor implemented method of providing a web application running within a client-server architecture and that can include customized functionality without disrupting the underlying operation of the web application, the method comprising the acts of:
 providing a web application to a client, wherein the web application comprises code to implement a standard set of functions and one or more logic keys that are used to invoke supplemental functions;   rendering application content for the web application to the client;   detecting an event associated with the rendered application content;   if the event is associated with a logic key, processing the event by invoking additional code to implement a supplemental function associated with the logic key; and   if the event is not associated with a logic key, processing the event by invoking the standard set of functions;   wherein the standard functions are compatible with each of the plurality of supplemental functions; and   wherein the logic keys enable the supplemental functions to be invoked without requiring software updates to change the standard functions of the web application.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the act of detecting an event comprises detecting an event that is external to the web application. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the act of detecting an event comprises detecting the entrance of data in a particular data field. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the act of detecting an event comprises detecting an activation of a particular logic key. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the action of processing the event by invoking additional code to implement a supplemental function associated with the logic key further comprises the actions of monitoring activity associated with the web application to ensure that it is in compliance with specific parameters associated with the particular logic key. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the action of processing the event by invoking additional code to implement a supplemental function associated with the logic key further comprises the actions of providing indications if activity associated with the web application meets specific criteria associated with the particular logic key. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the action of processing the event by invoking additional code to implement a supplemental function associated with the logic key further comprises taking additional actions, beyond those of the standard functions, that are associated with the particular logic key. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the action of processing the event by invoking additional code to implement a supplemental function associated with the logic key further comprises taking different actions, rather than certain actions of the standard functions, that are associated with the particular logic key. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 7 , additionally comprising the acts of:
 examining the credentials of a user of the web application; and   providing access to the supplemental functions only to the user if it satisfies authorization credentials.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the action of rendering application content for the web application to the client further comprises rendering data fields associated with the standard functions and rendering additional data fields associated with the at least one supplement function. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the act of providing a web application to a client, wherein the web application comprises code to implement a standard set of functions and one or more logic keys further comprises:
 receiving a functional definition associated with the state of the logic key;   creating an algorithm to perform the defined functions; and   providing the algorithm to be included with the web application.   
     
     
         18 . A processor implemented method of providing a web application within a client-server architecture, the web application can include customized functionality without disrupting the underlying operation of the web application, the method comprising the acts of:
 loading a web application into a client, the web application comprises standard functionality and one or more logic keys, wherein each logic key is associated with a customized functionality;   monitoring the loaded web application for a user interaction that triggers a particular logic key; and   invoking, based at least in part on the user interaction, a customized functionality associated with the particular logic key;   wherein the web application is compatible with the customized functionality; and   wherein the customized functionality can be invoked without requiring a change of the web application.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , additionally comprising the acts of:
 examining the credentials of a user of the web application; and   providing access to the specific customized functionality associated with the logic key only if the user if it satisfies authorization credentials.