Patent ID: 8024745

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for enabling communication between disconnected applications, comprising: (a) a secondary application creating a web browser control that hosts a web page document within the web browser control, wherein the web page document is configured to instantiate and host a disconnected application control, wherein: (i) the disconnected application control is disconnected from the secondary application; (ii) the disconnected application control is unaware of the secondary application; (iii) the secondary application is unaware of the disconnected application control; and (iv) the disconnected application control comprises an ActiveX control; (b) the secondary application further creating, when the web page document is instantiated, a bridge object, wherein: (i) an interface for the bridge object enables communication from the secondary application to the ActiveX control through the bridge object; and (ii) the interface enables communication from the ActiveX control to the secondary application through the bridge object; (c) registering the interface for the bridge object in a global interface table (GIT); (d) retrieving a cookie from the GIT in response to the registration, wherein: (i) the cookie comprises information for utilizing the interface for the bridge object; and (ii) utilizing the interface enables the ActiveX control to be isolated from specifics of how communication with the secondary application is accomplished; (e) storing the cookie in a location that is accessible to the ActiveX control and to the secondary application such that the cookie may be retrieved to enable use of the interface by the ActiveX control and the secondary application; (f) extracting, by the ActiveX control, the cookie from the location; (g) accessing, by the ActiveX control, the cookie to enable use of the interface for the bridge object; and (h) communicating, by the ActiveX control, with the secondary application using the interface for the bridge object.