Method and apparatus for an applet to display multiple windows

• US 20020089536A1
• Filed: 08/22/2001
• Published: 07/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teradata US, Inc. (Teradata Corporation)
• Original Assignee: NCR Limited (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Dang, Nga T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,216,300 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/749
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for displaying multiple window applets on a computer. The applet is written using the frame class and intercepts the methods by which an applet is started and started by the computer to allow more than one applet, or more than one applet window, to be open at any given time. By intelligently intercepting the start and stop methods, and tracking which applets are open, multiple applets can be open at any given time within the system.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented multiple window applet, comprising an applet, executed by the computer, for displaying a plurality of windows on a display coupled to the computer, the applet receiving Init, Start, Stop, Destroy, and Exit messages, the applet initializing upon a first receipt of the Init message, the applet beginning execution upon a first receipt of the Start message, the applet opening at least one previously-closed window upon a second and subsequent receipt of the Start message, the applet closing at least one previously-opened window upon receipt of the Stop messages, the applet deallocating at least one resource upon receipt of the Destroy message, and the applet terminating execution upon receipt of an Exit message.

2. The applet of claim 1, wherein the applet is a Java applet.

3. The applet of claim 1, wherein a browser sends the messages to the applet.

4. The applet of claim 3, wherein the browser sends the Init message to the applet when the applet is loaded for execution.

5. The applet of claim 3, wherein the browser sends the Init message to the applet when a focus of the browser is directed to a page associated with the applet.

6. The applet of claim 3, wherein the browser sends the Start message to the applet after the Init message is sent to the applet.

7. The applet of claim 3, wherein the browser sends the Stop message to the applet when a focus of the browser is directed to a page other than the page associated with the applet.

8. The applet of claim 3, wherein the browser sends the Destroy message to the applet after the Stop message is sent to the applet.

9. The applet of claim 1, wherein windows are created by the applet using an Abstract Window Toolkit (AWT).

10. A computer-implemented method for executing an applet that displays a plurality of windows on a display of a computer, comprising the steps of:

receiving Init, Start, Stop, Destroy, and Exit messages;

initializing upon a first receipt of the Init message;

beginning execution upon a first receipt of the Start message;

opening at least one previously-closed window upon a second and subsequent receipt of the Start message;

closing at least one previously-opened window upon receipt of the Stop messages;

deallocating at least one resource upon receipt of the Destroy message; and

terminating execution upon receipt of an Exit message.

11. An article of manufacture comprising a computer program carrier readable by a computer and embodying one or more instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps of executing an applet that displays a plurality of windows on a display of a computer, comprising the steps of:

receiving Init, Start, Stop, Destroy, and Exit messages;

initializing upon a first receipt of the Init message;

beginning execution upon a first receipt of the Start message;

opening at least one previously-closed window upon a second and subsequent receipt of the Start message;

closing at least one previously-opened window upon receipt of the Stop messages;

deallocating at least one resource upon receipt of the Destroy message; and

terminating execution upon receipt of an Exit message.