Techniques for programming event-driven transactions in mobile applications

A method of interacting with a client process on a mobile device connected to a network over a wireless link, the method comprising the steps of:

• sending from an application to a mobile interactions server first data describing a first graphical element for displaying on the mobile device and one or more event handling methods of the application associated with the first graphical element;
• receiving at a particular event handling method of the plurality of event handling methods second data describing an event having a particular event type of a plurality of predetermined event types in response to an action by a user of the mobile device;
• wherein each of the predetermined event types corresponds to one or more application-specific event objects used for invoking a specific method of the application;
• and
• providing a service for the client process in response to receiving the second data, wherein
• the particular event handling method is associated with the particular event type, and
• the action is determined by the mobile interactions server to be associated with the particular event type.

A computer-readable storage medium carrying instructions for interacting with a client process on a mobile device connected to a network over a wireless link, the computer readable medium comprising instructions for causing one or more processors to perform the steps of:

• receiving over the network a first message from the client process indicating a first action by a user of the mobile device, the first action related to a first graphical element displayed on the device for requesting a service form an application;
• based on the first message, determining whether the action is associated with an event type of a plurality of predetermined event type;
• wherein each of the predetermined event types corresponds to one or more application-specific event objects used for invoking a specific method of the application;
• if it is determined the action is not associated with the event type, then, without invoking any method of the application,
• generating first data describing any change in the first graphical element;
• and
• passing the first data to the client process for changing the display of the first graphical element.

A computer-readable storage medium carrying instructions for interacting with a client process on a mobile device connected to a network over a wireless link, the computer-readable medium comprising instructions for causing one or more processors to perform the steps of:

• sending to a mobile interactions server first data describing a first graphical element for display on the mobile device an one or more event handling methods of the application associated with the first graphical element;
• receiving at a particular event handling method of the plurality of event handling methods second data describing an event having a particular event type of a plurality of predetermined event types in response to an action by a user of the mobile device;
• wherein each of the predetermined event types corresponds to one or more application-specific event objects used for invoking a specific method of the application;
• and
• providing a service for the client process in response to receiving the second data, wherein
• the particular event handling method is associated with the particular event type, and
• the action is determined by the mobile interactions server to be associated with the particular event type.