Apparatus and method for sharing session information

• US 20030217159A1
• Filed: 03/18/2003
• Published: 11/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Merck & Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Merck & Co., Inc.
• Inventors: Bauer, Keith, Kittrell, Melanie, Moore, Lori, Dippold, Sean, Schramm-Apple, Susan
• Application Number:
  US10/390,168
• Publication Number:
  US 20030217159A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/00 Electrically-operated educational appliances working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/00 ICT specially adapted for the handling or processing of medical references
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/20 relating to practices or guidelines
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 70/60 relating to pathologies

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed for sharing session information. The system comprises a database system, a first computer system capable of accessing the database system, and a second computer system also capable of accessing the database system. A user accesses a first website hosted by the first computer system, and a session is initialized for the user. A profile object is created for the user and serialized. The serialized profile object is subsequently stored in the database system with a key. The second computer system queries the database system in order to retrieve the serialized profile object matching the key. The second computer deserializes the profile object and restores the session at the second website together with shared session information.

Claims

1. A method of sharing session information comprising at least on of the sequential, non-sequential and sequential-independent steps:

serializing a session;

generating a key associated with the serialized session;

storing the serialized session and the key associated therewith into a database system;

transmitting the key to a destination where the session information will be shared; and

restoring the session including the shared session information at the destination based, at least in part, on the transmitted key.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising at least one of the sequential, non-sequential and sequence-independent steps:

receiving information from a user to establish the session; and

authenticating the information received from the user;

wherein the steps of receiving and authenticating are performed prior to the step of serializing.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of receiving information comprises a step of receiving a user ID and password from the user.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of authenticating comprises a step of verifying the received information against a second database system containing user profiles.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of establishing a session at a first website, prior to performing the step of serializing.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the destination is a second website unrelated to the first website where the session was established.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of serializing is performed responsive to a user selecting a link which represents information stored at the destination.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of restoring further comprises a step of extracting the serialized session from the database system.

9. A method of sharing session information comprising the steps:

accessing a first website by a user;

serializing a profile object for the user;

storing the serialized profile object in a database system with a key;

forwarding the key to a second website where the session information will be shared;

deserializing the profile object based, at least in part, on the key; and

restoring the session at the second website together with the shared session information.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps:

selecting a link which identifies information stored on the second website; and

creating a profile object for the user.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps:

transmitting the key to the first website from the database system; and

redirecting the user to the second website;

wherein the steps of transmitting and redirecting are performed prior to the step of deserializing.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of deserializing further comprises the steps:

creating a new session at the second website;

sending a request for a serialized profile object to the database system together with the key; and

returning the serialized profile object associated with the key to the second website.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of restoring comprises the steps of loading the deserialized profile object into the new session.

14. A method of sharing session information comprising at least one of the sequential, non-sequential and sequence-independent steps:

accessing a first website by a user;

selecting a link which identifies information stored on a second website;

creating a profile object for the user;

serializing the user'"'"'s profile object;

storing the serialized profile object in a database system with a key;

forwarding the key to the second website;

deserializing the profile object based, at least in part, on the key; and

restoring the session at the second website together with the shared session information.

15. A method of sharing session information comprising at least one of the sequential, non-sequential and sequence-independent steps:

accessing a first website by a user;

serializing a profile object for the user;

storing the serialized profile object in a database system with a key;

transmitting the key to the first website from the database system;

redirecting the user to a second website where the session information will be shared;

forwarding the key to the second website;

deserializing the profile object based, at least in part, on the key; and

restoring the session at the second website together with the shared session information.

16. A method of sharing session information comprising at least one of the sequential, non-sequential and sequence-independent steps:

accessing a first website by a user;

serializing a profile object for the user;

storing the serialized profile object in a database system with a key;

transmitting the key to the first website from the database system;

redirecting the user to a second website where the session information will be shared;

forwarding the key to the second website;

creating a new session at the second website;

sending a request for a serialized profile object;

returning the serialized profile object associated with the key to the second website;

deserializing the profile object based, at least in part, on the key;

loading the deserialized profile object into the new session; and

displaying the web page associated with the link selected by the user together with the shared session information.

17. A method of sharing session information comprising at least one of the sequential, non-sequential and sequence-independent steps:

initializing a session at a first website;

selecting a link which identifies information stored on a second website;

serializing the session at the first website;

generating a key associated with the serialized session;

storing the serialized session and associated key into a database system;

sending the key to the second website where the session information will be shared;

extracting the serialized session from the database system using the received key; and

restoring the session at the second website together with the shared session information.

18. A system for sharing session information comprising:

a database system coupled to an electronic network;

a first computer system coupled to said electronic network and capable of accessing said database system;

said first computer system being configured to;

provide a user with access to a first website hosted thereon, and initializing a session,

create a profile object for the user,

serialize said profile object, and

store said serialized profile object in said database system with a key; and

a second computer system coupled to said electronic network and capable of accessing said database system;

said second computer system being configured to;

receive said key from said first computer system over said electronic network,

query said database system to access profile objects stored thereon,

deserialize the user'"'"'s profile object based, at least in part, on said received key, and

restore said session at the second website together with shared session information.

19. A system for sharing session information comprising:

a database system coupled to an electronic network, said database system being capable of generating keys for restricting access to data stored thereon;

a first computer system coupled to said electronic network and capable of accessing said database system;

said first computer system being configured to;

provide a user with access to a first website hosted thereon, and initialize a session,

serialize a profile object for the user;

store said serialized profile object in said database system with a key generated by said database system;

receive said key from said database system;

redirect the user to a second website where the session information will be shared; and

a second computer system coupled to said electronic network and capable of accessing said database system, said second computer system hosting said second website;

said second computer system being configured to;

receive said key from said first computer system over said electronic network together with a request to access information contained in a second website stored on said second computer system,

query said database system to access profile objects stored thereon,

deserialize the user'"'"'s profile object based, at least in part, on said key, and

restore said session at said second website together with the shared session information.

20. A system for sharing session information comprising:

a database system coupled to an electronic network, said database system being capable of generating keys for restricting access to data stored thereon;

a first computer system coupled to said electronic network and capable of accessing said database system;

said first computer system being configured to;

provide a user with access to a first website hosted thereon, and initialize a session,

serialize a profile object for the user,

store said serialized profile object in said database system with a key generated by said database system,

receive said key associated with said serialized profile object from said database system,

redirect the user to a second website where session information will be shared; and

a second computer system coupled to said electronic network and capable of accessing said database system, said second computer system hosting said second website;

said second computer system being configured to;

receive said key from said first computer system over said electronic network together with a request to access information contained in said second website,

query said database system to retrieve said serialized profile object associated with said key,

create a new session on said second website for the user,

deserialize said profile object,

load said deserialized profile object into the new session; and

display the information requested by the user.

21. A system for sharing session information comprising the steps:

a database system coupled to an electronic network, said database system being capable of generating keys for restricting access to data stored thereon;

a first computer system coupled to said electronic network and capable of accessing said database system;

said first computer system being configured to;

provide a user with access to a first website hosted thereon, and initialize a session,

receive a selection of a link, from the user, which identifies information stored on a second website,

serialize the session at said first website,

generate a key associated with said serialized session,

store said serialized session and associated key into said database system,

send said key to said second website where said session information will be shared; and

a second computer system coupled to said electronic network and capable of accessing said database system, said second computer system hosting said second website;

said second computer system being configured to;

receive said key from said first computer system over said electronic network together with a request to access information contained in said second website,

query said database system to extract said serialized session associated with said key; and

restore the session at the second website together with the shared session information.

22. A system for sharing session information comprising:

means for communicating information between multiple locations;

means for providing a user with access to a first website and initializing a session;

means for creating a profile object for the user;

means for serializing said profile object;

means for storing said serialized profile object in a data storage means with a key;

means for receiving said key at a second website over said means for communicating;

means for accessing said data storage means to access profile objects stored thereon;

means for deserializing the user'"'"'s profile object based, at least in part, on said received key; and

means for restoring said session at the second website together with shared session information.

23. A system for sharing session information comprising the steps:

database means coupled to an electronic network, said database means being capable of generating keys for restricting access to data stored thereon;

means for providing a user with access to a first website using said electronic network and initializing a session;

means for receiving a selection of a link, from the user, which identifies information stored on a second website;

means for serializing the session at said first website;

means for storing said serialized session and associated key into said database means;

means for providing the user with access to said second website and restoring one or mores sessions with shared session information;

means for receiving said key over said electronic network together with a request to access information contained in said second website; and

means for querying said database means to extract said serialized session associated with said key.