Method and system for creating and providing a multi-tier networked service

Abstract

A multi-tier application for interaction with a user interface, such as a browser on a PC or PDA. The application comprises a presentation tier (such as a web server with a JSP/servlet engine) and a business logic tier (such as an application server) to manipulate data for subsequent presentation on the user interface. A direction module has a plurality of coupled directions, including a function direction to direct a corresponding functional component to perform a data processing function using the business logic tier and provide a data processing output, and a presentation direction to direct a corresponding presentation component to incorporate the data processing output, when applicable, into a presentation template to produce a presentation element for the user interface. The function component and presentation component are independent and separate from each other, the connection being the function component produces the data and the presentation component consumes the output data. The presentation component is an abstract representation of a general kind of presentation element, each specific presentation element having its layout and format (such as markup language) stored in a different presentation template, and the reference to a specific presentation template for the presentation component can be determined at processing time in the presentation tier.

1 . A method for hosting a computer executable multi-tier application for interaction over a network with a user interface, the application including an application presentation tier, the method comprising the steps of:
 selecting a first presentation template, the first template including a first presentation instruction for defining a corresponding first presentation element;   selecting a first presentation component of the application presentation tier for processing the first presentation instruction; and,   linking the first presentation component to the first template, wherein the first component processes the first presentation instruction and generates the first presentation element during execution of the multi-tier application for subsequent delivery to the user interface.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the additional steps of:
 selecting a second presentation template, the second template including a second presentation instruction for defining a corresponding second presentation element; 
 selecting the first presentation component for processing the second presentation instruction; and, 
 linking the first component to the second template, wherein the first component processes the second presentation instruction and generates the second presentation element during execution of the multi-tier application for subsequent delivery to the user interface. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the multi-tier application further includes an application logic tier. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method comprises the additional steps of:
 selecting an input datum;   selecting a first function component of the application logic tier for processing the input datum; and,   linking the input datum to the first function component, wherein the first function component processes the input datum and generates an output datum during execution of the multi-tier application.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the first template further comprises an output data presentation instruction for further defining the corresponding first presentation element to include the output datum. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  comprising the additional step of:
 directing the first presentation component to process the output datum presentation instruction, wherein the first presentation component processes the output datum presentation instruction and generates the first presentation element incorporating the output datum during execution of the multi-tier application. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the presentation templates are computer readable files. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the presentation instructions are selected from the group comprising: layout, style and format of the first presentation element. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the presentation instructions are written in a markup language. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the markup language is selected from the group comprising: HTML, HDML and WML. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the output datum presentation instruction defines a control within which the output datum is presented. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the control is selected from the group comprising of Text field, Password field, Hidden field, Text area, Table, List box, Check box, Radio button, Image, Push button, Image button, Submit button, Reset button, Link and Span. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first presentation component is a computer executable file. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the computer executable file is a java bean. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the first function component is a computer executable file. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the computer executable file is a java bean. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first presentation component is linked to the first presentation template by a direction element. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the direction element specifies the location of the first presentation template and directs the first presentation component to the specified location. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the direction element is a first presentation component tag. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the first presentation component tag is selected from the group comprising: page Tag; control Tag; attribute Tag; producePage Tag; clear Tag; and interceptor Tag. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the first presentation component tag is expressed as a directive of a direction module, the direction module implementing the multi-tier application. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the direction module is a java server page. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first function component is linked to the input datum by a direction element. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the direction element specifies the location of the input datum and directs the first function component to the specified location. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the direction element is a first function component tag. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the first function component tag is selected from the group comprising: init Tag; call Tag; prerequisite Tag; debug Tag; error Tag; getValue Tag; if Tag. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the first function component tag is expressed as a directive of a direction module, the direction module implementing the multi-tier application. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the direction module is a java server page. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of representing a display item on the user interface as a plurality of display portions, at least two of the portions associated with a different one of presentation templates. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the presentation templates are reusable such that one of the templates is used to generate at least two of the portions. 
     
     
         31 . A system for hosting a computer executable multi-tier application for interaction over a network with a user interface, the application including an application presentation tier, the system comprising:
 a first presentation template, the first template including a first presentation instruction for defining a corresponding first presentation element;   a first presentation component of the application presentation tier for processing the first presentation instruction; and,   a first direction element for linking the first presentation component to the first template;   wherein the first component processes the first presentation instruction and generates the first presentation element during execution of the multi-tier application for subsequent delivery to the user interface.   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31  further comprising:
 a second presentation template, the second template including a second presentation instruction for defining a corresponding second presentation element; and, 
 a second direction element for linking the first component to the second template, wherein the first component processes the second presentation instruction and generates the second presentation element during execution of the multi-tier application for subsequent delivery to the user interface. 
 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the multi-tier application further includes an application logic tier. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 31  further comprising:
 a first function component of the application logic tier for processing an input datum; and, 
 the first direction element further linking the input datum to the first function component, wherein the first function component processes the input datum and generates an output datum during execution of the multi-tier application. 
 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the first template further comprises an output data presentation instruction for further defining the corresponding first presentation element to include the output datum. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the first presentation component processes the output datum presentation instruction and generates the first presentation element incorporating the output datum during execution of the multi-tier application. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the presentation templates are computer readable files. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the presentation instructions are selected from the group comprising: layout, style and format of the first presentation element. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the presentation instructions are written in a markup language. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein the markup language is selected from the group comprising: HTML, HDML and WML. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 35 , wherein the output datum presentation instruction defines a control within which the output datum is presented. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the control is selected from the group comprising of Text field, Password field, Hidden field, Text area, Table, List box, Check box, Radio button, Image, Push button, Image button, Submit button, Reset button, Link and Span. 
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 41 , wherein the first presentation component is a computer executable file. 
     
     
         44 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the computer executable file is a java bean. 
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the first function component is a computer executable file. 
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 45 , wherein the computer executable file is a java bean. 
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the first presentation component is linked to the first presentation template by a direction element. 
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 47 , wherein the direction element specifies the location of the first presentation template and directs the first presentation component to the specified location. 
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 48 , wherein the direction element is a first presentation component tag. 
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein the first presentation component tag is selected from the group comprising: page Tag; control Tag; attribute Tag; producePage Tag; clear Tag; and interceptor Tag. 
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein the first presentation component tag is expressed as a directive of a direction module, the direction module implementing the multi-tier application. 
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the direction module is a java server page. 
     
     
         53 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein the first function component is linked to the input datum by a direction element. 
     
     
         54 . The system of  claim 53 , wherein the direction element specifies the location of the input datum and directs the first function component to the specified location. 
     
     
         55 . The system of  claim 54 , wherein the direction element is a first function component tag. 
     
     
         56 . The system of  claim 55 , wherein the first function component tag is selected from the group comprising: init Tag; call Tag; prerequisite Tag; debug Tag; error Tag; getValue Tag; if Tag. 
     
     
         57 . The system of  claim 56 , wherein the first function component tag is expressed as a directive of a direction module, the direction module implementing the multi-tier application. 
     
     
         58 . The system of  claim 51 , wherein the direction module is a java server page.