Method and apparatus for updating and synchronizing information between a client and server

• US 20060031539A1
• Filed: 09/19/2005
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Forstall, Scott, Ferris, Michael, D'Harcourt, Charles, Popp, Nicolas
• Granted Patent: US 7,529,841 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/103 Formatting, i.e. changing of presentation of documents automatic justification G06F40/189; automatic line break hyphenation G06F40/191
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44526 Plug-ins; Add-ons
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/142 Managing session states for stateless protocols; Signalling session states; State transitions; Keeping-state mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for integrating applets running on a client with the application logic for applications running on a server. The mechanism of the present invention provides two significant advantages over the prior art: the synchronization of state, and the recognition of user actions in the browser including the invocation of the appropriate application logic in the server. Instead of using the FORM element available in HTML, individual active applets are available and may be created that obtain user input (e.g. a checkbox, textbox, button, etc.). A hidden applet called the Applet Group Controller is created which handles communication between the applets on the browser and the application logic on the server. The Applet Group Controller maintains an association with each applet that maintains the keys and values of any parameters and variables for the applet. In a preferred embodiment, upon the invocation of an event, the association instructs an Action Coordinator to invoke an action. The Action Coordinator obtains and transmits a list of all of the keys and their values to the server. The server invokes the appropriate application logic and transmits the keys and their values (as updated during the execution of the application logic) back to the Action Coordinator. The Action Coordinator then pushes the updated values out to the applets (through their Associations) at which time the browser'"'"'s display is updated with the new values.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing information between a client and a server comprising the steps of:

initializing a communication system, said communication system comprising a plurality of objects, said objects capable of;

maintaining keys and values;

displaying a means to accept user input; and

determining when to invoke an action;

constructing a first package;

transmitting said first package to said server;

constructing a second package;

transmitting said second package to said client; and

updating said keys and said values.