Leveraging Collaborative Cloud Services to Build and Share Apps

Abstract

The present invention includes systems and methods for retrieving information via a flexible and consistent targeted search model that employs interactive multi-prefix, multi-tier and dynamic menu information retrieval techniques (including predictive text techniques to facilitate the generation of targeted ads) that provide context-specific functionality tailored to particular information channels, as well as to records within or across such channels, and other known state information. Users are presented with a consistent search interface among multiple tiers across and within a large domain of information sources, and need not learn different or special search syntax. A thin-client server-controlled architecture enables users of resource-constrained mobile communications devices to locate targeted information more quickly by entering fewer keystrokes and performing fewer query iterations and web page refreshes, which in turn reduces required network bandwidth. Applications are built by leveraging existing collaborative cloud services that enable the maintenance and sharing of user content.

1 . An app server, embodied in a computer accessible storage medium as an extension to an existing cloud platform, that leverages cloud services to enable client applications to interact with shared content created and maintained via a cloud app on the cloud platform, the app server comprising:
 (a) an app service extractor that utilizes the cloud services to extract the shared content from the cloud platform; and   (b) an app service repurposer that interprets the extracted shared content and repurposes the extracted shared content to enable a client application to provide additional content-specific functionality with respect to the extracted shared content.   
     
     
         2 . The app server of  claim 1 , further comprising an app service application builder that automatically generates one or more client applications. 
     
     
         3 . The app server of  claim 2 , wherein the app service application builder automatically deploys the generated client applications. 
     
     
         4 . The app server of  claim 1 , wherein the shared content includes data from the cloud platform and metadata from a source other than the cloud platform, and wherein the app service repurposer interprets the metadata and repurposes the shared content in accordance with that interpretation. 
     
     
         5 . The app server of  claim 4 , wherein the metadata controls the presentation format of the shared content by the client applications. 
     
     
         6 . The app server of  claim 4 , wherein the metadata controls the branding of the client applications. 
     
     
         7 . The app server of  claim 4 , wherein the metadata controls dynamic menus that enable users of the client applications to invoke a particular function. 
     
     
         8 . The app server of  claim 1 , wherein the cloud services provide indications of a recent modification of the shared content or of access control settings relating to the shared content. 
     
     
         9 . The app server of  claim 1 , wherein the service extractor periodically polls the cloud platform to extract current information relating to the shared content. 
     
     
         10 . The app server of  claim 1 , wherein the cloud platform notifies the app service extractor when the shared content, or access control settings relating to the shared content, has been modified. 
     
     
         11 . The app server of  claim 1 , wherein the shared content is modified directly by users of the client applications. 
     
     
         12 . The app server of  claim 1 , wherein the shared content includes a table of contents. 
     
     
         13 . The app server of  claim 1 , wherein the client applications are accessed only by authorized users of the shared content. 
     
     
         14 . The app server of  claim 1 , wherein the shared content is maintained on the cloud platform in a tabular or associative format. 
     
     
         15 . The app server of  claim 1 , wherein the shared content is maintained on the cloud platform in a non-associative format. 
     
     
         16 . The app server of  claim 1 , wherein the shared content includes mapping location data. 
     
     
         17 . The app server of  claim 1 , wherein the shared content includes logging location data. 
     
     
         18 . The app server of  claim 1 , further comprising a display application which displays the interpreted and repurposed extracted shared content in a graphical format. 
     
     
         19 . The app server of  claim 1 , further comprising a display application which displays the interpreted and repurposed extracted shared content in an interactive format. 
     
     
         20 . The app server of  claim 1 , further comprising a display application resident on a mobile device which displays the interpreted and repurposed extracted shared content.