Systems and methods for a mobile business application development and deployment platform

摘要

Systems and methods for developing, customizing, and deploying mobile device business applications are provided through a mobile application development and deployment platform. Preferably, these systems and methods are implemented in an Internet based environment that allows non-technical users to build highly-customizable cross-platform mobile applications. The platform allows users to select, input, create, customize, and combine various content, design characteristics, database structure, and application components, such as modules, some of which allow an end user to store and access data in an end user database for business applications. In certain embodiments, the platform allows users to compile and generate a configuration file for the mobile application that can be distributed to end users for execution on various mobile devices and mobile operating systems. When the mobile application is installed on, or executed by the mobile device, the configuration file may enable the retrieval of data associated with the mobile application.

主权项

1. A system for allowing users to develop mobile business applications or portions thereof that are capable of being compiled to run on a plurality of mobile operating systems, the system comprising:
a computing device having physical memory storing instructions that cause the computing device to:
provide a user access to a mobile application development platform adapted to assist users with the development and customization of mobile applications, wherein the mobile application development platform represents application data associated with a mobile application in accordance with a data model that defines relationships among a hierarchy of tables including:
a head table that is used to represent an instance of the mobile application and that includes an identifier for the mobile application;an app type table that includes a first set of attributes for one or more templates that can be applied to the mobile application; anda module table that includes a second set of attributes that are used to represent one or more customizable components included in the mobile application;receive from a user a request to develop the mobile application through the mobile application development platform;receive an application type property that identifies a template included in the app type table;query one or more of the tables in the data model to identify a plurality of customizable components that are available for use with the identified template;send information associated with the plurality of customizable components to be presented to the user, the plurality of customizable components pertaining to a functionality, design, content, and database structure of a mobile application to be developed the user;receive from the user a plurality of customizable component selections pertaining to the plurality of presented customizable components;associate application data with the mobile application based, at least in part, on the plurality of customizable component selections received from the user, the application data representing user-defined functionality, design, content, and database structure for the mobile application;store the application data associated with the mobile application in accordance with the data model;generate compiled data for the mobile application based on the application data using build tools associated with at least one mobile operating system, wherein generating compiled data includes querying a database that stores the tables associated with the data model to retrieve information associated with the mobile application and including at least a portion of the retrieved information in a configuration file; andgenerate the configuration file comprising the identifier for the mobile application, the configuration file being adapted for transmission to, and execution on, a mobile device running the at least one mobile operating system; wherein:
the identifier enables the retrieval of at least a portion of the compiled application data by the mobile device in response to the mobile application being installed on or executed by the mobile device;the application data associated with the mobile application comprises:
a database structure element representing a user-defined database structure to be utilized by the mobile application to create an end user database, andan application component representing a user-defined functionality to be provided by the mobile application;the user-defined database structure comprises one or more database fields defined by the user; andthe user-defined functionality comprises application code associated with one or more modules that interfaces with the end user database.