System and methodology for providing a mobile device with a network-based intelligent resource fork
View Patent ↗An improved method for enumerating resources for use by a client is described. In an exemplary embodiment, the method includes method steps of: storing a source set of resources; receiving a request from the client for resources appropriate for the client; based at least in part on the request, determining a type for the client; based at least in part on the determined type, determining capabilities of the client; determining possible media types that may be derived from the source set of resources that are appropriate for the client; based on the possible media types and based on the set of resources, generating an extended set of resources; communicating the extended set of resources to the client; and processing requests from the client for access to resources from the extended set of resources.
1. A computer-based method comprising:
receiving, at a server computer system, an initial request from a client for information about resources available for access, wherein the client is an electronic device;
automatically applying convergence to the extended said of resources in instances where resources may be combined together into fewer resources;
based at least in part on said possible media types and said source set of resources, determining an extended set of resources for the client;
automatically communicating information about the extended set of resources to the client; and
processing subsequent requests from the client for access to resources from said extended set of resources.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the client is located remotely from the source set of resources.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the resources are maintained by a server.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said initial request from the client is received by a server with Internet connectivity.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said server controls the source set of resources.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said initial request from the client originates from a browser operating at the client.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said initial request comprises an HTML request.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said HTML request includes client identification information.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said source set of resources includes bitmap resources.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said source set of resources includes audio resources.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said source set of resources includes text resources.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of determining possible media types appropriate for the client includes:
consulting a device capabilities database for determining particular capabilities of the client.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said device capabilities database is at a remote location from the client.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of determining possible media types appropriate for the client includes:
using a model number of the client to look up device capability information for the client.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein said model number is transmitted as part of said initial request.
16. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of determining possible media types includes:
determining a virtual set of possible media types that are appropriate for the client.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein said virtual set comprises a superset of resources that includes media types into which resources from the source set may be transformed.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein said virtual set includes at least one image format that may be derived from an image format in the source set of resources.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein at least one image format is derived from an image format in the source set of resources using an image transformation.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein said image transformation includes transforming from a non-JPEG format to a JPEG-compatible format.
21. The method of claim 19 , wherein said image transformation includes transforming from one bitmap format to another.
22. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of determining an extended set of resources includes:
determining an intersection between the source set of resources and said possible media types.
23. The method of claim 22 , further comprising:
specifying preferred media types for the client; and
constraining the extended set of resources to only include preferred media types for the client.
24. The method of claim 23 , wherein preferred media types for the client are specified by the client when requesting access to resources.
25. The method of claim 23 , wherein preferred media types for the client are specified by a device capabilities database.
26. The method of claim 23 , wherein preferred media types for the client are specified by a server that receives requests from the client.
27. The method of claim 26 , wherein preferred media types for the client are specified at the time the client requests access to a particular resource from the extended set of resources.
28. The method of claim 1 , wherein the client includes a mobile device running application software.
29. The method of claim 1 , wherein the client includes a precompiler that binds resources to an application.
30. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
upon receipt of a request for access to a resource, determining whether the resource belongs to a related group of resources; and
if the resource belongs to a related group of resources, enforcing a group-wide constraint on the resources.
31. The method of claim 30 , wherein said group-wide constraint includes constraining resources belonging to the group to share a common palette.
32. The method of claim 1 , wherein said step of determining possible media types appropriate for the client includes:
based at least in part on the request, determining a type for the client; and
based at least in part on the determined type, determining capabilities of the client.
33. The method of claim 32 , wherein said type comprises a device type.
34. The method of claim 32 , wherein said type comprises a browser type.
35. A computer-readable medium having processor-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 1 .
36. A downloadable set of processor-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 1 .
37. A computer-based method comprising:
receiving, at a server computer system, an initial request from a client for information about resources available for access, wherein the client is an electronic device;
automatically determining possible media types appropriate for the client that may be derived from a source set of resources:
based at least in part on said possible media types and said source set of resources, determining an extended set of resources for the client:
automatically communicating information about the extended set of resources to the client; and
upon receiving a request from the client for access to a resource from said extended set of resources, creating the resource by transforming one of the resources from the source set of resources into a resource having a media type appropriate for the client.
38. The method of claim 37 , wherein said initial request comprises an HTML request.
39. The method of claim 37 , wherein said source set of resources includes bitmap resources.
40. The method of claim 37 , wherein said step of determining possible media types appropriate for the client includes:
consulting a device capabilities database for determining particular capabilities of the client.
41. The method of claim 37 , wherein said step of determining possible media types includes:
determining a virtual set of possible media types that are appropriate for the client.
42. The method of claim 37 , wherein said step of determining an extended set of resources includes:
determining an intersection between the source set of resources and said possible media types.
43. The method of claim 37 , wherein the client includes a mobile device running application software.
44. The method of claim 37 , wherein the client includes a precompiler that binds resources to an application.
45. The method of claim 37 , further comprising:
upon receipt of a request for access to a resource, determining whether the resource belongs to a related group of resources; and
if the resource belongs to a related group of resources, enforcing a group-wide constraint on the resources.
46. A computer-readable medium having processor-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 37 .
47. A computer-based method comprising:
receiving, at a server computer system, an initial request from a client for information about resources available for access, wherein the client is an electronic device;
automatically determining possible media types appropriate for the client that may be derived from a source set of resources;
based at least in part on said possible media types and said source set of resources, determining an extended set of resources for the client;
automatically transmitting a directory of virtual resources to the client; and
processing subsequent requests from the client for access to resources from said extended set of resources.
48. The method of claim 47 , wherein said client is unaware that the resources indicated on the directory are derived from the source set of resources.
49. The method of claim 47 , wherein said initial request comprises an HTML request.
50. The method of claim 47 , wherein said source set of resources includes bitmap resources.
51. The method of claim 47 , wherein said step of determining possible media types appropriate for the client includes:
consulting a device capabilities database for determining particular capabilities of the client.
52. The method of claim 47 , wherein said step of determining possible media types includes:
determining a virtual set of possible media types that are appropriate for the client.
53. The method of claim 47 , wherein said step of determining an extended set of resources includes:
determining an intersection between the source set of resources and said possible media types.
54. The method of claim 47 , wherein the client includes a mobile device running application software.
55. The method of claim 47 , wherein the client includes a precompiler that binds resources to an application.
56. The method of claim 47 , further comprising:
upon receipt of a request for access to a resource, determining whether the resource belongs to a related group of resources; and
if the resource belongs to a related group of resources, enforcing a group-wide constraint on the resources.
57. A computer-readable medium having processor-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 47 .