Dialog boxes to simplify web-based forms

• US 20020198903A1
• Filed: 06/22/2001
• Published: 12/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Diamond, Kent J., Robison, Clayne B.
• Granted Patent: US 7,117,431 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging

Abstract

The data entered into a form on a web-based secondary page can be combined with data entered into another form on a web-based main page, so that the data for both pages can be submitted to a server at the same time from a single form. The data from the form on the secondary page can also be copied into a hidden form on the main page, so that the most recently-entered data can be recalled from the hidden form if the secondary page is recalled.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving data into a first form of a first page;

copying the data from the first form to a second form of a second page when the first page is submitted;

copying the data to a third form of the second page; and

posting the data from the third form to a server when the second page is submitted.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

copying the data to the third form is triggered by submitting the second page.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

copying the data to the third form is triggered by submitting the first page.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

copying the data from the first form includes not posting the data to the server when the first page is submitted.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the second and third forms are associated with a main window; and

the first form is associated with a secondary window requested by an operation on the second page.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

all copying and posting is performed by a browser.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

receiving data into a first form includes updating the first form with previously-saved data from the second form and then editing at least part of the data in the first form.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first and second pages are web pages.

9. A method, comprising:

requesting, from a server, a first web page having a first form and a second form;

requesting, from the server, a second web page having a third form;

submitting the second web page by copying data from the third form to the second form and not posting data from the third form to the server;

copying data from the second form to the first form; and

submitting the first web page by posting data from the first form to the server.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein:

copying data from the second form is triggered by submitting the second web page.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein:

copying data from the second form is triggered by submitting the first web page.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein:

requesting a first web page includes creating a main window.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein:

requesting a second web page includes creating a secondary window.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein:

requesting a second web page includes updating the third form with previously saved data from the second form.

16. The medium of claim 15, wherein:

copying the data to the third form is triggered by submitting the second page.

17. The medium of claim 15, wherein:

copying the data to the third form is triggered by submitting the first page.

18. The medium of claim 15, wherein:

copying the data from the first form includes not posting the data to the server when the first page is submitted.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein:

the set of instructions includes instructions to cause the client computer to copy data entered in the third form to the second form when the second web page is submitted and to copy data in the second form to the first form when the first web page is submitted.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein:

the set of instructions includes instructions to cause the client computer to copy data entered in the third form to both the first and second forms when the second web page is submitted.

15. A machine-readable medium that provides instructions, which when executed by at least one machine, cause the at least one machine to perform operations comprising:

receiving data into a first form of a first page;

copying the data from the first form to a second form of a second page when the first page is submitted;

copying the data to a third form of the second page; and

posting the data from the third form to a server when the second page is submitted.

19. A system, comprising:

a client computer having a web browser;

a server computer coupled to the client computer through a network to provide to the client computer;

a first web page having a displayable first form and a hidden second form;

a second web page having a displayable third form; and

a set of instructions to cause the client computer to copy data entered in the third form to at least one of the first and second forms and not post the data to the server when the second web page is submitted and to cause the client computer to post the copied data to the server computer when the first web page is submitted.

22. An apparatus, comprising:

a server computer coupled to a client computer through a network to;

respond to a first request by the client computer by providing a first script and a main page having a main form and a hidden form, the first script to copy a content of the hidden form into the main form before submitting the main form to the server; and

respond to a second request by the client computer by providing a second script and a secondary page having a secondary form, the second script to copy a content of the secondary form into the hidden form and not post the content of the secondary form to the server when the secondary page is submitted.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein:

the network is the Internet.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein:

the first request is for a main web page and the second request is for a secondary web page.