Local Portal Executive for Native OS Window Rendering
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing portal server model for web applications has limitations, including dependency on browser software updates, restricted access to local operating system functions, excessive resource consumption, and lack of inheritance of windowing characteristics, which hinder a seamless local portal experience.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a local portal executive that runs as a native application on the target operating system, allowing portlets to execute and render content natively, using markup languages like UIML to map user interfaces to standard controls, and enabling selective window refreshes to optimize performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If portlets execute locally on a browser, then portlet functionality is provided, but the browser acts as a barrier to local operating system functions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a local portal executive as an intermediary native application that runs on the client machine and bridges the gap between portlets and the local operating system. This executive handles OS-level operations such as clipboard access, DDE messaging, and window management, allowing portlets to function without direct browser limitations while maintaining the browser as the rendering interface.
2Reliability
If the browser renders the aggregated stream, then the portal page is displayed, but the browser must be updated which may cause the portal to cease functioning
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the portal system into distinct components: the browser handles only rendering of the aggregated stream, while the local portal executive handles execution logic, OS interactions, and portal management. This separation ensures that browser updates do not affect portal functionality, as the executive operates independently as a native application.
3Productivity
If the browser re-creates the portal screen each time a page is delivered, then the portal page is updated, but excessive resource consumption and computing overhead occur
Solution Approach 1:
The local portal executive performs preliminary actions by maintaining portal state and configuration locally between page deliveries. When a new page is delivered, the executive reuses existing portal instances and only updates necessary components rather than re-creating the entire portal screen, significantly reducing resource consumption and computing overhead.
4Ease of operation
If portlets run in a browser environment, then portlet execution is enabled, but windowing characteristics of the operating system are not inherited
Solution Approach 1:
The local portal executive serves as a mediator that translates portal windowing requirements into operating system windowing operations. It creates and manages native OS windows that inherit full windowing characteristics such as task bar integration, Alt+Tab switching, and system menu access, while the browser continues to handle the rendering of portal content within these native windows.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for running content emitters natively on a local operating system, by executing a local executive as a native application on the target operating system. In some embodiments, a content emitter such as a portlet preferably invokes, by its normal inclusion mechanism, a markup emitter directed toward the native user interface environment. The markup streams created by locally-executing portlets are collected by the local executive, but instead of being combined into a browser-based markup stream as in the prior art, one or more windows represented by the markup streams is/are created for rendering with the native operating system. An association is maintained between the created window and the portlet(s) emitting content for that window, and controls can be created and valued for the window using this association. In other embodiments, the content emitters execute remotely and deliver content that is adapted for native rendering.