Systems and methods for creating integrated applications for electronic devices

Abstract

A computer-implemented method is disclosed. The method may include running a first mobile application on a mobile device; requesting a portion of a second mobile application by the first mobile application for display within the first mobile application; receiving the portion of the second mobile application from a remote server; and presenting the portion of the second mobile application in the first mobile application.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 running a first mobile application on a mobile device;   requesting a portion of a second mobile application by the first mobile application for display within the first mobile application;   receiving the portion of the second mobile application from a remote server; and   presenting the portion of the second mobile application in the first mobile application,   wherein the first mobile application is configured to be published to a mobile device app store and wherein the presenting the portion of the second mobile application in the first mobile application does not require exiting out of the first mobile application.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the first mobile application includes first core information and an encasement, wherein the first core information includes a structured data file describing a first content layout and first content and the encasement includes an executable framework that enables the functioning of the structured data file. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the second mobile application includes second core information, the second core information including a structured data file describing a second content layout and second content. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 3 , wherein the encasement from the first mobile application is configured to enable the functioning of the structured data file of the portion of the second mobile application. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the structured data file is in JavaScript Object notation (JSON) format. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the executable framework is configured to ingest the structured data file and render the first mobile application. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 6 , wherein the executable framework determines if the structured data file is the most current version by reading a timestamp of the structured data file. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the structured data file describes one or more of the following: the name of an application, the description of the application, the layout characteristics of the application, and/or the color scheme of the application. 
     
     
         9 . A method of making a mobile application comprising:
 providing a content layout of the mobile application;   receiving content to populate the content layout of the mobile application; and   providing an executable framework that matches the content to the content layout to render the mobile application.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the content layout and content are described by a structured data file. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the executable framework is configured to ingest the structured data file and render the mobile application. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the content layout is provided via a graphic user interface, which is configured to allow users to select the content layout via graphical representations. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 coupling the structured data file to the executable framework by publishing the mobile application.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the executable framework determines if the structured data file is the most current version by reading a timestamp of the structured data file. 
     
     
         15 . A system for building a mobile application for use on a mobile device comprising:
 a server for storing one or more structured data files, the one or more structured data files defining one or more modules; and   a user interface for presenting the one or more modules to a user;   wherein the user is able to select one or more modules from the user interface to create a mobile application and populate content into the one or more modules.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the structured data files describe one or more of the following: the name of an application, the description of the application, the layout characteristics of the application, the color scheme of the application, and the like. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more modules include one or more of the following: web content, news feeds, images, audio playback, artist profiles, discography, global positioning system (“GPS”)-based locations, location search, video listing and playback. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the user selects the one or more modules by clicking on or dragging the one or more modules into a mobile application template presented on the user interface. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the user populates content into the modules by entering content into the structured data files. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising an executable framework that matches the content to the modules to render the mobile application.