Computer System Providing Platform Independent Universal Client Device

The present invention relates to the field of distributed computer systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to a virtual machine or device that facilitates display of JAVA.TM. and scripted objects.

Several services within the U.S. Military often need to interoperate, i.e., interact and communicate, with one another to carry out Joint Missions. More specifically, the participants in a Joint Mission must be able to share information including text data, images, and, more importantly, various computer generated displays of consolidated tactical information.

It will be appreciated that the various components of the U.S. Military use a heterogeneous collection of computers running a wide variety of operating systems, e.g., MS-DOS, Windows 3.1, Windows-95, Windows-NT, O/S-2, Macintosh O/S, and several versions of UNIX. The number of different systems which must be interconnected varies with each Joint Mission, making it extremely difficult for the components of the U.S. Military to interoperate. In particular, it is extremely difficult for the various military components to share a homogeneous view of tactical information. The degree of difficulty is often increased when the various military components are physically separated from one another over long distances. Although communication channels are available to interconnect the various computers, wide geographic separation generally dictates the use of a narrow band communications link.

Military components can share text data, maps and/orphotographs used in conveying tactical data, after a fashion, even when using dissimilar computers. For example, map data may be displayed using a particular computer program, assuming that a version of the particular computer program tailored to run on each variation of the individual computers forming a computer system is available. It should be mentioned, however, that each branch of the service often uses branch-specific symbols in displaying information; the Army may designate ground troops using one symbol while the naval vessels providing fire support may use a completely different symbol to represent the identical ground troops. Moreover, the U.S. Military is often required to expend manpower and funds to generate a computer program for each variation of computer used in the Joint Mission.

It will be appreciated that the foregoing discussion assumes that several versions of the same program can be installed on the various computers being networked to one another; the problem is exacerbated when the computer systems which must be networked are running incompatible operating systems. For example, the Joint Mission parameters often dictate that a UNIX computer acting as a server, i.e., the computer providing data, be interconnected to various desktop computer and workstation clients, i.e., the computers receiving the data, which clients are running several other incompatible operating systems.

The advent of the Internet, and particularly the World Wide Web (the Web), has provided at least two technical advances which promise to preserve the investment made by large computer operators such as the U.S. Military in hardware, software and training. In particular, these two technical advances provide techniques for distributing applications, or pseudo-applications within hypertext markup language (HTML) documents sent by the server to at least one client over the public Internet or a private Intranet. The latter case will be discussed first.

It is now possible for servers to provide clients with HTML documents having expanded capabilities by virtue of their use of a scripting language such as JavaScript.TM., i.e., a limited programming language designed to extend the capabilities of another application. For example, the numerical clock illustrated in FIG. 1 was generated by the JavaScript.TM. routine also illustrated in FIG. 1. The JavaScript.TM. routine is downloaded to a client running an appropriate JavaScript.TM. Interpreter, which causes the client computer to display, by way of another example, an order form (not shown) in the downloaded Web page. It will be appreciated that the data generated using the JavaScript.TM. form is transferred to a common gateway interface (CGI) program in the conventional manner.

Alternatively, the server may provide clients with Java applications (Applets) embedded into the HTML document. It will be appreciated that a Java Applet is a small program which can be run automatically as soon as the associated HTML document is transferred from the server to the client(s); several Java Applets may be transferred to a client within a single HTML document.

It should be mentioned that Java Applets are compiled applications just as word processing programs are compiled applications. The programmer generates the needed Java program and then compiles the program using a dedicated Java Compiler. Errors in the program code will require debugging, as in any compiled program. Once the program has been compiled, the program is stored on the server and a corresponding tag is inserted into the HTML document which will eventually be used to transfer the Java Applet from the server to the client(s). After the HTML document is transferred, the JAVA Applet is invoked and starts to run on a JAVA Virtual Machine associated with a JAVA-enabled Web browser on the client(s).

Thus, current technology is moving away from fat clients, i.e., fill programs, to thin clients, i.e., JAVA Applets. The principal advantage to the latter approach is in program configuration control, i.e., just the server side program is updated; the client automatically receives the latest version, for example, of the JAVA Applet when the associated HTML document is transferred to the client(s). However, the programmer must still develop one or more new JAVA Applets for each server application being run. Thus, for a server storing several different databases needed during a Joint Mission, the programmer must write at least one JAVA Applet so that the client(s) can effectively interface with each database. Moreover, when the data is not simple alphanumeric data, it may be necessary for the programmer to develop specific versions of the JAVA Applets for each command, each service branch, etc., so that branch-specific symbology can be displayed.

In short, an unacceptable amount of time and money is still required to ensure interoperability between the participants of the Joint Mission, even after moving from the fat client approach to the thin client approach to facilitate configuration control. Although one could rely solely on JavaScript for simple data presentation applications, the capabilities of JavaScript.TM. would quickly be exhausted. While the JavaScript-enhanced Web pages save programming time over the programming of JAVA.TM. Applets, principally because JavaScript-extended HTML documents do not require repeated compilation and debugging, the number of serious applications which can be performed solely by means of a JavaScript-extended HTML document is severely limited. Thus, JAVA.TM. applets and JavaScript-extended HTML documents occupy two different ends of the spectrum of GUI presentation options. JAVA.TM. applets must be compiled for each platform and, thus, do not provide an avenue to significant cost savings while permitting decreased development time. JavaScript-extended HTML documents, while eliminating compilation time and the shortening development cycle, are incapable of providing versatile GUIs for presenting complex information to a wide variety of diverse computers.

What is needed is a computer network or system wherein various miliary components can use the same computer program and share information beyond the visualization of a map, text or photograph regardless of variations in the individual components of the system. Moreover, what is needed is a practical device which enables each military component to quickly and easily personalize the client, i.e., user, front end, which front end presents graphical user interface (GUI) objects to the user, without the need to modify the same software program application used by all of the other military components connected to the same network. In short, what is needed is a computer system and corresponding method of operation wherein the Government achieves military component interoperability and cost savings irrespective of computer variation and architecture.

Based on the above and foregoing, it can be appreciated that there presently exists a need in the art for a computer system and corresponding operating method which overcomes the above-described deficiencies. The present invention was motivated by a desire to overcome the drawbacks and shortcomings of the presently available technology, and thereby fulfill this need in the art.

One object according to the present invention is to provide a computer system for interconnecting various military components efficiently. According to one aspect of the present invention, the computer system advantageously permits military components to use the same computer program and share information beyond the visualization of a map, text or photograph regardless of variations in hardware and software between the networked computers. According to another aspect of the invention, a dedicated scripting language enables each military component to quickly and easily personalize the user front end, which presents the GUI objects, without modifying the same software program application used by all networked military components. Thus, the Government simultaneously achieves military component interoperability and cost savings regardless of computer variation and architecture.

Another object according to the present invention is to provide a computer system whereby research scientists designing systems employing simulation-based design technology are permitted to run simulations and visualize the results regardless of computer variation. According to one aspect of the present invention, the computer system according to the present invention beneficially permits geographically dispersed users to access a central database, to run simulations, and to receive simulation results. According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the received simulation results advantageously are displayed as directed by the user.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a device which advantageously enables application programmers to quickly and easily script application program behavior without requiring modification to the device.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an interface development method which advantageously enables application programmers to quickly and easily script application program behavior without requiring concurrent modification to the application program.

Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide a computer system whereby computer users are able to interoperate with one another irrespective of any variation between the individual computers forming the computer system.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a computer system whereby computer users are permitted to interoperate with one another using a single computer software application program. According to one aspect of the present invention, the single computer program advantageously can be operated by all users substantially unchanged, i.e., without modification or recompilation.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a computer system formed from relatively incompatible components which is capable of presenting shared information to all users regardless of vehicle or platform.

Moreover, another object of the present invention is to provide a computer system permitting computer users to interoperate regardless of their geographic location.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a computer running a dedicated computer program wherein the behavior of the computer program can be modified responsive to a program-specific scripting language.

Additionally, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for recycling computer software. It will be appreciated that this aspect of the present invention was motivated by a desire to save money on, i.e., minimize, software expenditures. Thus, the same software, e.g., software module, can be used repeatedly even though the GUI varies over several generations; changing the GUIScript changes the GUI presented to the operator.

Furthermore, another object of the present invention is to provide a method for creating user front end graphical user interfaces (GUIs) suitable for networked database applications.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method suitable for creating user front end GUIs to facilitate networked classroom training. According to one aspect of the present invention, one of the objects included in the GUI advantageously can be a player for displaying video information, which information can be either live, i.e., a real time video display, or prerecorded. According to another aspect of the present invention, the GUI advantageously is capable of displaying several objects simultaneously; a MultiMedia object can be displayed while an associated page of a service manual is retrieved and displayed in a text window. According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the GUI advantageously can be used to control the browser directly.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method suitable for creating user front end GUIs to facilitate interaction between two or more clients via a server. According to one aspect of the present invention, the degree of interaction between the servers can be predetermined using GUIScript.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a computer system for displaying GUI objects generated by a Universal Client program responsive to a dedicated scripting language.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a device which is both computer architecture independent and responsive to a dedicated scripting language.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a computer architecture independent method for creating user front end GUIs for networked applications displaying information in the form of 3-D graphics.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a computer architecture independent method for creating user front end GUIs for networked applications implementing an expert system.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a computer architecture independent method for creating user front end GUIs for networked applications which could not otherwise interoperate.

Moreover, another object of the present invention is to provide a computer architecture independent method for creating user front end GUIs for networked applications which are server source code language independent.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a computer architecture independent method for creating user front end GUIs for networked applications compatible with industry Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) standards.

Moreover, additional objects of the present invention are to provide a computer system and a computer architecture independent method for creating user front end GUIs for networked applications while reducing software creation, distribution, maintenance and support costs, preserving investments in legacy hardware, improving software reuse, providing architecture independence of dedicated display consoles, improving system survivability and availability (since any single console can perform same the function as any other console), and reducing the cost of new hardware.

These and other objects, features and advantages according to the present invention are provided by a computer architecture independent device for generating and displaying a graphic user interface (GUI), including circuitry for presenting a plurality of GUI objects to thereby form a GUI, for generating scripts defining respective ones of the GUI objects, for generating a GUISCRIPT defining the GUI, for storing one of the scripts and the GUISCRIPT, for reading one of the scripts and the GUI script; and for scripting behavior of a program responsive to operator interaction with one of the GUI objects.

These and other objects, features and advantages according to the present invention are provided by a computer including a storage device which stores a document written in hypertext markup language (HTML), the HTML document including an applet tag for invoking a Universal Client device and computer readable instructions for generating the Universal Client device and which stores computer readable instructions for permitting the computer to utilize a World Wide Web browser providing a JAVA.TM. virtual machine, and a processor for initializing and executing the Universal Client device on the computer using the JAVA.TM. virtual machine to thereby generate predetermined graphical user interface (GUI) objects and display the GUI objects on the computer.

These and other objects, features and advantages according to the present invention are provided by a computer including circuitry for storing a document written in hypertext markup language (HTML), the HTML document including an applet tag for invoking a Universal Client device and computer readable instructions for generating the Universal Client device and for storing computer readable instructions for permitting the computer to utilize a virtual machine and processing circuitry for initializing and executing the Universal Client device on the computer using the virtual machine to thereby generate predetermined graphical user interface (GUI) objects and display the GUI objects on the computer.

Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following description or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

These and various other features and aspects of the present invention will be readily understood with reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like or similar numbers are used throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is an illustration of a computer screen depicting an object generated using the JavaScript scripting language and the corresponding JavaScript code listing;

FIG. 2 is a high-level block diagram of a computer system according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a high-level block diagram of selected components of the computer system according to the present invention illustrated in FIG. 2, which illustrates the operation of one of the several alternative operation techniques permitted by the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of the start-up sequence of the computer system according to the present invention illustrated in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the basic operating steps of the computer system according to the present invention illustrated in FIG. 3;

FIGS. 6A-6J collectively constitute a listing of the dedicated scripting language interpreted by the Universal Client device in displaying graphical user interface (GUI) objects according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 is an illustration of a computer screen showing the output of an exemplary application using the Universal Client device;

FIGS. 8A-8C collectively denote the dedicated scripting language listing for producing the computer screen illustrated in FIG. 7 using the Universal Client device according to the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a listing of the dedicated scripting language for causing the Universal Client device according to the present invention to perform a timing function; and

FIG. 10 is a high level block diagram illustrating the interaction paths between the Universal Client device and an object in a class library in response to various stimuli.

One of the principal objects of the present inventions, although certainly not the only one, is to provide a Universal Distributed Display Capability (UDDC) for operating substantially all military applications on any commercial off the shelf (COTS) based system supporting a JAVA.TM. enabled browser. A preferred embodiment of the present invention accomplishes this objective through a software application written in JAVA.TM. called the Universal Client device. The Universal Client device advantageously understands a scripting command language called GUIScript. Beneficially, the Universal Client device can present any desired graphical user interface (GUI), including MultiMedia, for any application, through description of the desired GUI in GUIScript. As will be discussed in greater detail below, the Universal Client device advantageously includes an advanced multi-threading architecture and an interactive 3-D library in addition to the traditional window controls one has come to expect in a graphical environment.

The Universal Client device goes far beyond conventional JAVA.TM. programming. For example, the Universal Client device advantageously can take the local client screen resolution into account. Moreover, the Universal Client device preferably provides information on the operating system running on the client to permit tailoring of the behavior of the provided GUIScript to the running platform. The Universal Client device additionally facilitates networking. In addition, the Universal Client device also has the ability to launch applications on the local client machine when run in a stand alone mode, i.e., without using a browser. Moreover, the Universal Client device is capable of true multitasking, i.e., capable of displaying and/or controlling multiple objects in parallel.

The Universal Client device and GUIScript according to the present invention allows the Government to solve software portability and interoperability problems and, thus, satisfy all of the following goals:

a. Display tactical information on any vendor's modem commercial equipment without modification of the client or legacy software;

b. Permit a battle unit to view any other units' displays even if the other unit uses different display hardware;

c. Bring on-line a tactical display on a low-end machine, e.g., a laptop computer running Windows, to maintain system availability during critical operations such as air traffic control;

d. Reduce software management and porting costs; and

e. Deliver a technology for providing training both afloat and ashore, independent of the system on which training is being provided and independent of the training facilities available.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described while referring to FIG. 2, which illustrates a computer system 1 in high-level block diagram form. Preferably, computer system 1 includes servers 100a through 100n, combat subsystems 200a through 200m, and computers 300a-300r. All of the servers 100a-100n, the combat systems 200a-200m and the computers 300a-300r advantageously are operatively connected to one another via a communications link 400.

In an exemplary case, servers 100a-100n are UNIX.TM. servers while the combat systems 200a-200m advantageously can be systems such as radar systems, status boards, etc. Preferably, each of the machines 100a-100n and 200a-200m include a processor, working memory, a storage device such as a hard disk and a communications device, e.g., a network interface card. It should also be mentioned that computers 300a-300r can include desktop computers, laptop computers and/or workstations in any mix. Advantageously, these computers can include a central processing unit, a graphic display processor, the graphic display device, e.g., monitor, a communications device and several memories including both solid state memories, i.e., random access memory (RAM) and a hard disk drive. Preferably, link 400 is a local area network (LAN), although the link 400 advantageously can be a wide area network (WAN) or other interconnection facility such as a frame-based satellite network or even the Internet. Thus, although a JAVA.TM. enabled web browser is a preferred platform for initiating the Universal Client device according to the present invention, connection to the Internet or World Wide Web is NOT required. The computer system 1 advantageously can be a detached local area network or intranet for practical and security reasons. In an exemplary case, the browser running on one of the clients 300a-300r merely accesses one of the servers 100a-100n in order to launch the Universal Client device.

It will be appreciated that the present invention was developed in response to perceived problems in the interoperability of legacy computer hardware used in combat systems and networks and solved those problems. However, since the ramifications and applications of the present invention go far beyond the interoperability of combat system hardware, the discussion which follows will use appreciably broader terminology in describing the system and corresponding operating methods according to the present invention.

Referring specifically to FIG. 3, a computer system 1 according to the present invention includes a server host 100, an application host 200, and a client host 300, all of which are interconnected to one another via a LAN or WAN 400 (hereinafter LAN 400). It will be appreciated that LAN 400 advantageously can be any communication channel capable of interconnecting the various distributed components of the computer system 1. Preferably, the server host 100 provides both a Web server and an application server, as discussed in greater detail below. The application host 200 advantageously can be another computer running a predetermined program needing to be accessed by the user operating client host 300. Client host 300 beneficially provides a JAVA.TM. enabled web browser, a web browser implementing a JAVA.TM. virtual machine, while the Web server on server host 100 stores a web page and associated Applet tag. Thus, using the Applet paradigm, the Universal Client device preferably is embedded as an Applet tag in a World Wide Web page. When the downloading of the web page from the server host 100 to the client host 300, i.e., the web browser on the user's computer, is completed, the web browser identifies the Universal Client device to be downloaded to the user's computer via the World Wide Web server. After the Universal Client device loads, it initializes and runs.

During initialization, the Universal Client device searches the HTML code in the downloaded web page to determine if the Universal Client device has been given GUIScript parameters. In an exemplary case, the Universal Client device can identify the parameters listed in Table 1.

The Universal Client device advantageously can process the "GUIScript" parameters and then the "HostName/Port" parameters. It should be mentioned that when the Universal Client device is required to establish a standard socket connection per one of the aforementioned parameters, then another host server program, in addition to the web server, must exist to host the socket connection and communicate with the Universal Client device via GUIScript. It should also be mentioned that the use of both of the listed parameters is optional.

When the Universal Client device on client host 300 runs, it will connect to the Application Server running on sever host 100. Moreover, the Universal Client device will load and interpret a GUIScript file which defines all the display windows and their operation for the application running on application host 200. The Universal Client device will then display the appropriate GUI to the user. The user can then run the application via the Universal Client device, which will transfer data to the application via the intermediate Application Server running on sever host 100. It will be appreciated that the Application Server advantageously can translate the application specific message traffic to a format compatible with the Universal Client device, i.e., GUIScript. Preferably, multiple ones of the clients 300a-300r illustrated in FIG. 2 may be connected to Application Server running on sever host 100. In short, the combination of a JAVA.TM. enabled web browser and the Universal Client device advantageously allows any COTS-based client host to operate the application running on application host 200.

A detailed discussion of the start-up sequence of the computer system according to the present invention will now be provided. As illustrated in the flowchart of FIG. 4, the client host 300 establishes communication with server host 100 via LAN 400 during step 1. More specifically, a JAVA.TM. enabled web browser, i.e., a web browser running a JAVA.TM. virtual machine, operating on client host 300 connects to the web server running on server host 100 via LAN 400. It will be appreciated from the discussion that at least one of the web pages residing on or reachable through sever host 100 includes the Universal Client device embedded in the web page as an Applet tag. Step 1 is completed when the web page with the embedded Universal Client device is selected.

During step 2, the web page including the Universal Client device and any associated GUIScript is downloaded, in an exemplary case, from server host 100 to the web browser running on client host 300 via LAN 400. As previously mentioned, after the Universal Client device has been downloaded to client host 300, the Universal Client device initializes and runs. During initialization, the Universal Client device searches the HTML code in the downloaded web page to determine if the Universal Client device has been given GUIScript parameters. Whether or not GUIScript is provided, the Universal Client device interprets the indicated GUIScript and prepares and projects the scripted GUI onto the screen of the client host 300.

For purposes of the discussion which follows, it will be assumed that the Universal Client device running on client host 300 will connect to an application server running concurrently on server host 100. Preferably, the application server permits the user to control an application which is actually running on application host 200, as will be discussed in greater detail below. However, it will be appreciated that the client host 300a advantageously can establish a connection to server host 100n, instead of server host 100a, when the GUIScript downloaded from server host 100a includes the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) pointing to server host 100n of FIG. 2. Moreover, it will be appreciated that the client host 300 need not be connected to a server host at all. For example, the client host 300 advantageously could be used to download and display a training session to the user, which session could include audio and video clips or timed GUIScripts designed to replay a predetermined sequence of graphical images, provided that the training materials were available to the Universal Client device on client host 300. Additional alternatives will suggest themselves to those of ordinary skill in the art and all such alternatives are considered to be within the scope of the present invention.

Returning to the flowchart of FIG. 3, the Universal Client device running on client host 300 advantageously establishes a TCP/IP socket connection with the application server running on server host 100. It will be appreciated that the Universal Client device advantageously can read, parse and process the GUIScript commands embedded or referenced in the HTML code of the web page containing the Applet tag for the Universal Client device. As mentioned previously, the client host running the Universal Client device establishes a standard TCP/IP socket connection to the server host identified by "HostName" and will connect to that server host on the identified logical port number given by "Port." In the exemplary case being discussed, the client host 300 establishes a standard TCP/IP connection with server host 100 during step 3.

It should be mentioned here that the Universal Client device has a well-defined Application Programming Interface (API) to provide a definition for interfacing a server to the Universal Client device. The Universal Client device contains a parser and processor module for executing GUIScript. The server host 100 advantageously contains a parser and processor module for executing GUIScript to the extent necessary to facilitate meaningful communications with the Universal Client device on client host 300. The server host 100 preferably is responsible for defining the application for the Universal Client device. The server host 100 advantageously can be built from technology different from that used in creating the Universal Client device.

After the Universal Client device on the client host 300 establishes the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) socket connection, the host server 100 immediately responds, in an exemplary case, to the Universal Client device with the characters "(Client:you.sub.-- are id.sub.-- number)," where id.sub.-- number is a unique 8-digit integer, during step 4. It will be appreciated that a computer-generated server host socket hashcode value is generally recommended for id.sub.-- number, since it is guaranteed to be unique and since it identifies the logical socket connection between the server host 100 and the client host 300 running the Universal Client device. It should be mentioned that the server host 100 advantageously can selectively send GUIScript to multiple client hosts 300a-300r, as shown in FIG. 2, by filtering the id.sub.-- number.

It should be mentioned at this point that any number of the multiple client hosts 300a-300r can be interactively connected to one another either by LAN 400 alone of through server 100 via LAN 400. Thus, client hosts 300a and 300b can be directly connected to one another so that the users can communicate with one another. FIGS. 7 and 8, which are discussed in greater detail below, illustrate an exemplary chat room which can be established between two or more users. It should also be mentioned that a single client host 300a advantageously can be connected to, for example, multiple application hosts 200a-200m so that the GUI displayed using the Universal Client device includes data generated by several different application hosts 200a-200m. Of course, when referring to combat system applications, several client hosts 300a-300r preferably display the data generated by the application hosts 200a-200m, although each of the client hosts 300a-300r may display received information filtered through a unique GUI.

It will be appreciated that the purpose of the "Client:you.sub.-- are" message is to provide the Universal Client device with a unique identifier such that the server host 100 can distinguish which of the client hosts 300a-300r is sending GUIScript transmissions and positively identify which one of the client hosts 300a-300r will receive a GUIScript message from server host 100 via LAN 400. From this point on, any data sent from the Universal Client device will be appended with the client id.sub.-- number. Once the Universal Client device has the client id.sub.-- number, the next communication may be initiated by either the Universal Client device on the client host 100 or the server host 300. Each communication advantageously can be in the form of GUIScript, although the present invention is not limited Universal Client device which are responsive to GUIScript messages. It should be mentioned that the Universal Client device advantageously can respond to other stimuli such as an ASCII character string and datagram.

The Universal Client device beneficially can be made interactive to a character string by employing, for example, a so-called "wait-for" command which causes the Universal Client device to respond in a predetermined way when a character string having a specified format is received. Thus, the Universal Client device can process information from a data base application in an exemplary case. Although the preceding discussion has been with respect to display of GUI objects using the Universal Client device, it should be mentioned that the present invention is not so limited. The Universal Client device advantageously controls objects, e.g., JAVA.TM. objects, which objects need not be displayed or even displayable to the user. For example, the object implemented on the Universal Client device advantageously may receive the results of a data base query and translate the received data into another format particularly suited to yet another object.

Preferably, GUIScript can instantiate any GUI object common between Microsoft Windows.TM., X-Windows and the Java.TM. "awt" graphics library. Additionally, GUIScript can instantiate the Universal Client's 3-D graphics visualization object as part of the GUI front end. Advantageously, GUIScript also defines the action that occurs when a GUI object is operated by the user. For example, GUIScript defines what the application program running on application server 200 does when the user clicks a particular button on the graphical user interface of the client host 300. It will be appreciated that operation of the GUI-button can be used to send a command back to the host server 100, which command may be directed to the server host 100 and/or the application host 200, open another window, or both. Thus, any number of actions may be performed responsive to the operation of a GUI-button, i.e., when the button is clicked. The actions, called "events," beneficially are defined in the GUIScript language.

The interactions between the client host 300, the server host 100 and the application host 200 will now be discussed while referring to the flowchart of FIG. 5, which flowchart illustrates the overall operation of the computer system 1' illustrated in FIG. 3. The connection functions provided by LAN 400 are substantially transparent to the user and, for that reason, will be ignored. It will be noted that the steps 1-4 in the flowchart of FIG. 4 must have been completed before initiating the steps depicted in FIG. 5.

During step 5 of FIG. 5, the Universal Client device running on client host 300 repeatedly performs a check to determine whether one of the buttons on the GUI has been operated, i.e., clicked. When the answer is negative, the check repeats. However, when the answer is affirmative, the Universal Client device, in an exemplary case, generates a first GUIScript message and transmits the first GUIScript message to the application server running on server host 100 during step 6. When the first GUIScript message is received, step 7 is performed to translate the first GUIScript message into a first application message. It will be appreciated that the first application message is in a format suitable for parsing and interpretation by the application running on application host 200. The first application message is then transmitted by the application server on server host 100 to the application running on application host 200 during step 8.

The application performs the operation indicated in the first application message during step 9 and then forms a second application message during step 10. It will be appreciated that this second application message often includes information denoting a change in the appearance of the GUI displayed on client host 300. During step 11, the second application is transmitted from application host 200 to server host 100. In response to the second application message, the application server running on server host 100 generates a second GUIScript message during step 12. The second GUIScript message is then transferred to the Universal Client device on client host 300 at step 13 and is subsequently used by the Universal Client device in generating a refreshed GUI during step 14.

It will be noted that the actual operation of the computer system 1' employing the Universal Client device, which is responsive to the GUIScript written in the GUIScript scripting language, can be much more complex than the rudimentary operation steps illustrated in FIG. 5. For example, it will be noted that the effect of the operation of a single button on the GUI running on client host 300a can eventually be reflected in the GUI running on client host 300r, i.e., in the computer system 1 illustrated in FIG. 2. Moreover, an application such as a radar system advantageously can generate data which will eventually arrive at the Universal Client device running on client host 300 in the form of an incoming GUIScript message even though a corresponding outgoing GUIScript message was not generated.

In summary, objects, functions and advantages according to the present invention are provided by a computer executing a Universal Client device responsive to a GUIScript written in the GUIScript scripting language. Additional details regarding the GUIScript scripting language, as well as several illustrative examples will now be presented while referring to FIGS. 6A through 9.

The GUISCRIPT Syntax Diagram illustrated in FIGS. 6A-6J consists of definitions, each of which has a "left-hand side" (LHS) and a "right-hand side" (RHS). Each definition is made up of "tokens". A token is a group of characters meant to be used as a unit. In the Syntax Diagram (FIGS. 6A-6J), tokens are separated by "whitespace" (tabs, spaces and/or line-feeds), though that is not always necessary in an actual GUIScript. Only when two adjacent tokens are entirely made up of alphanumeric characters is intervening whitespace necessary.

It will be appreciated that the GUIScript Syntax Diagram follows standard Backus-Naur Form (BNF) notation, which is a preferred notation for the formal description of programming languages. While BNF notation is most commonly used to specify the syntax of "conventional" programming languages such as Pascal and C, BNF notation advantageously can be used in command language interpreters and other language processing.

Advantageously, there are three kinds of tokens: "nonterminals"; "terminals"; and "comments". Nonterminals are spelled using all UPPERCASE characters and underscores (), and are never quoted. Comments are described in the Syntax Diagram, but are identical to the two types of Java or C++ comments. In contrast, a terminal is any token that isn't a comment or a nonterminal. In addition, some characters are used as "metatokens", which are explained in greater detail below.

Preferably, the LHS consists of exactly one nonterminal and a "neck". It always begins in the first column of a definition. The neck, represented by the characters "::==", separates the nonterminal from the RHS. Advantageously, the RHS consists of one or more "replacement rules", each rule generally appearing on a separate line below the LHS. It will be noted that multi-line replacement rules are separated by the ".vertline." character. Moreover, a replacement rule is made up of one or more terminals and/or nonterminals. It will be noted that a few nonterminals, e.g., "ANYTHING", are not defined; the GUIScript developer can determine what these represent.

In order to make a GUIScript, it is preferable to start with either a nonterminal GUISCRIPT or a MESSAGE (and/or comments). Then replace each nonterminal with the text for exactly one of the nonterminal's replacement rules; perform this operation on the result recursively until there are no nonterminals remaining.

With respect to Metatokens, opposing single quotes (` and ` ) are used to "escape" the characters they delimit. The enclosed characters are meant to be taken literally, rather than as a nonterminal or metatoken. It will be appreciated that the single quotes are not part of the token. Other canons of GUIScript construction are as follows:

a. A pound-sign (#) represents a single digit character (`0` through `9`);

b. The ampersand (&) represents an alphabetic character, either upper- or lower-case;

c. A question mark (?) after a token indicates that it occurs at most once;

d. A plus (+) after a token indicates that it must occur at least once;

e. An asterisk (*) after a token indicates that it may occur zero or more times;

f. Brackets ([ and ]) are used to group tokens to enable one of the two preceding metatokens to operate on the group as if it were a single token. A bracketed group without a trailing metatoken denotes that the group of tokens is optional;

g. If an optional token or group has a default value, it is enclosed in angle-brackets (< and >) immediately after the token or group;

h. A range of numbers is represented by {MIN:MAX}. One of the numbers may be missing; in that case, the range has no minimum/maximum. The type of number expected--integer or floating point--is indicated by the format of the number. Incidentally, an integer number may be used in place of a floating point number, but not the reverse. A floating point number whose absolute value is less than one is not required to have a leading zero;

i. Comments about items in the syntax diagram begin with "//" and go to the end of the line.

In order to better appreciate both the power and the ease of using the GUIScript command language, an exemplary computer screen is depicted in FIG. 7 while the corresponding GUIScript for generating that screen, which in this particular case is the front end for a so-called chat room, is listed in FIGS. 8A-8C, collectively. It will be appreciated that the GUIScript shown in FIGS. 8A-8C is parsed and interpreted by the Universal Client device, which then generates the chat room GUI for display on the client host 300. As discussed above, several clients 300a-300r advantageously can communicate among themselves using, in an exemplar case, the chat room paradigm. It will be appreciated that the Universal Client device listing is an exemplary, and not a limiting, preferred embodiment of the present invention.

In the discussion above, it was generally assumed that the GUIScript executed by the Universal Client device on the client host 300 was stored on server host 100; this is but one of several possibilities. As mentioned previously, while an exemplary preferred embodiment of the Universal Client device is delivered over the World Wide Web, the Universal Client device advantageously can be executed on a single client host 300; thus, the default startup HTML document includes either a URL specifying that the Universal Client device is stored on the client host 300 or the GUIScript employed by the Universal Client device on startup. Alternately, the GUIScript can be stored either on server host 100 or application host 200. It should be mentioned, in the latter case, that it will be necessary to establish another TCP/IP between the client host 300 and the server host 100, so as to facilitate ultimate connection to application host 200. When the GUIScript is starred on server host 100, the TCP/IP connection used in downloading the Universal Client device will suffice.

Referring now to FIG. 10, it should be mentioned that the Universal Client device was specifically developed to interpret objects, most preferably JAVA.TM. objects, although any GUI object common between Microsoft Windows.TM., X-Windows and the Java.TM. "awt" graphics library can be employed. As shown in FIG. 10, the Universal Client device, which advantageously may include modules (discussed below), interprets JAVA.TM. objects. Advantageously, the Universal Client device can interpret a JAVA.TM. object directly or can interpret a JAVA.TM. object under the direction of a GUIScript. In the preferred embodiment discussed above, the object is controlled through GUIScript. It will be appreciated that the Universal Client device responds to any or all of GUIScript messages, datagrams and character strings. Moreover, the Universal Client device advantageously may respond to CORBA Object Request Broker (ORB) calls. CORBA provides a communication infrastructure for invoking operations on objects transparently with respect to where they are located on the network, the types of hardware and operating system platforms on which they execute, differences in data representations between platforms, the languages in which objects are implemented, and network transports used to communicate with them. CORBA specifies all of the functions that must be provided by an ORB and a set of standard interfaces to those functions.

As mentioned immediately above, the Universal Client device preferably can be configured as several stand alone modules to conform the development environment to the developers particular needs as well as to increase the execution speed of the Universal Client device. For example, when a sophisticated developer, who is familiar with the process of writing objects directly, employs the Universal Client device, that developer may have no need for GUIScript. In that case, the GUIScript interpretive module need not be included with the Universal Client device. Thus, the Universal Client device advantageously can be optimized based on the particular needed of the GUI developer.

One potential application for a computer system employing the Universal Client device employing a GUIScript according to the present invention is an automated weapon doctrine conflict resolver called the Intelligent Doctrine Engagement Architecture (IDEA). IDEA includes: a client: which provides the user with a graphical user interface, e.g., 3-D graphics, and receives user inputs; a server, which processes the received user inputs to produce instructions in the format required by an expert system to resolve conflicts in doctrine and to produce the GUIScript needed to display the expert system output on the client; and the aforementioned expert system. For IDEA, the Universal Client, 3-D graphics, server and expert system are preferably written in the Java.TM. programming language by Sun Microsystems. The Universal Client device advantageously runs as an Applet in any Java-enabled World Wide Web browser.

Another potential application of a computer system employing the Universal Client device with a GUIScript according to the present invention is the simulation-based design database for the so-called Leading Edge Advanced Prototyping for Ships (LEAPS). LEAPS includes a client, which provides the user with a graphical user interface, e.g., graphics, and produces GUIScript-formatted user inputs, and a server, which processes user inputs and outputs additional GUIScripts to the client. For LEAPS, the Universal Client device and graphics are written in the Java.TM. programming language by Sun Microsystems. The LEAPS server software and database are advantageously written in C++. Beneficially, since the Universal Client device process an JAVA.TM. object in any Java-enabled World Wide Web browser, hardware capable of running the Java virtual machine can be used as the client in the LEAPS computer system.

Although the present invention has been discussed in terms of the JAVA.TM. programming language, it will be appreciated that other programming languages advantageously may be employed. For example, the Universal Client device may be provided by software algorithms written in the Python.TM. programming language and executed via a Python.TM. interpreter. It should be mentioned that the Universal Client according to the present invention can run as a stand-alone application or as an Applet in any Java-enabled World Wide Web browser, i.e., the choice of the Java.TM. programming language is completely arbitrary. Any architecture independent supported language, such as Python, could be used. A common embodiment of the Universal Client is as an Applet because of the readily available World Wide Web browser Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) interface. It will also be appreciated that the Universal Client device may be provided by dedicated integrated circuits or programable logic devices instead of software.

Thus, the Universal Client device and corresponding operating method provides the mechanism to remove requirements for specific embedded display capabilities from any distributed system architecture. Although current distributed systems may include proprietary complex software designs tailored to closely coupled display technologies, the Universal Client device advantageously opens the system architecture by decoupling the embedded display software from the distributed system. It will be appreciated that the Universal Client device and corresponding operating method provides the capability to distribute any graphical user interface (GUI) to any commercial off the shelf (COTS) based display console in an architecture independent way. In particular, the Universal Client device and corresponding method according to the present invention permit server-based applications to be simultaneously presented on COTS systems, e.g., Windows-based PCs, Silicon Graphics Incorporated (SGI) Unix workstations, etc. This paradigm also allows the Government to separate the distributed system into functional components to thereby simplify system upgrades and data fusion for improved intelligent agent automation. It should also be mentioned that this capability advantageously can be used during both retrofitting and upgrading existing systems.

It should also be noted that the GUIScript-responsive Universal Client device is not limited to displaying objects forming the GUI for the client host 300. As previously mentioned, the GUIScript advantageously can be used to command playback of MultiMedia files, e.g., audio and video files. According to one aspect of the present invention, the Universal Client device advantageously can display several objects simultaneously, e.g., a MultiMedia object can be displayed while an associated page of a service manual is retrieved and displayed in a text window. According to yet another aspect of the present invention, the GUI advantageously can be used to control the browser directly to facilitate multi-threaded operations.

Additionally, objects can be written to perform other functions such as timing the duration between two events. For example, JAVA.TM. objects advantageously can be generated to measure the elapsed time between the display of predetermined information on the client host 300 and the user's response to the predetermined information. Moreover, another JAVA.TM. object can be used to measure system performance, e.g., time duration be generation of a datagram and display of information corresponding to the datagram on the GUI. An exemplary JAVA-sourced object for a so-called DeltaTimer is illustrated in FIG. 9. One of ordinary skill in the art will immediately perceive many operations of the Universal Client device which could beneficially employ the DeltaTimer. For example, the DeltaTimer advantageously could be used in training applications to determine the elapsed time between the display of an object and the user's operation of the GUI in response to that particular displayed object. Moreover, system performance advantageously can be timed using the DeltaTimer GUIScript within a larger GUIScript.

As previously mentioned, the Universal Client device does not necessarily generate a GUI to display all information relayed to the Universal Client device. This feature advantageously can be used in implementing a more robust computer system. In an exemplary case, all applications passing information to the Universal Client device as, for example, GUIScript messages and/or datagrams beneficially can provide so-called "heart beats" to the Universal Client device. In the event that the heart beat corresponding to a particular application ceases, the Universal Client device advantageously can attempt to connect to the application via secondary route. Alternatively, the Universal Client device can drop the connect to that application and establish a connection to a back-up application host. Thus, the Universal Client device can be configured to automatically connect to a machine running a needed application without user interaction.

Moreover, information on each user such as screen preferences advantageously may be stored at a remote location, e.g., server host 100. In the event that the user's client terminal 300 malfunctions, the user can reestablish a connection to the server host 100 using another client machine and the Universal Client device with present the user with his particular GUI preferences. Thus, the user who routinely connects using a PC having a relatively low resolution screen could reestablish a connection via a workstation with a high resolution screen. The user need only execute a so-called "resize%" command to adjust the GUI to a screen size better suited to the high resolution display.

Other modifications and variations to the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing disclosure and teachings. Thus, while only certain embodiments of the invention have been specifically described herein, it will be apparent that numerous modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.