Method and apparatus for web-based, schema-driven application-server and client-interface package using a generalized, data-object format and asynchronous communication methods without the use of a markup language.
First Claim
1. An article of manufacture consisting of methods and mechanisms for an asynchronous, bidirectional client-server system used for the development and deployment of web-based applications using a variation of the Model-View-Controller, or MVC paradigm, where the invention uses a relational database, or RDBMS to store data, which is generally referred to as the “
- Model”
, or “
data model”
; and
the invention incorporates an object-oriented client software package and source code to manage and manipulate the visual presentation layer, generally referred to as the “
View controller”
, “
client-controller”
, or “
client-interface”
; and
the invention incorporates proprietary, executable application source code for operation as the application server, which functions as the primary interface between the view controller and data model, thus comprising the “
Controller”
or “
application”
portion of the MVC paradigm.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Web-based applications provide an alternative approach to client-server computing using the internet or intranet as the transport mechanism. The invention uses the schema and system catalogs of a relational database to contain and describe the methods, features, functions, and operation of a web-based application. In the invention, a generalized object format is used to minimize bandwidth consumption and substantially improve system performance. Data is converted to and from this generalized object format by both the application server and by the client-side view controller. Formatting of the generalized data object does not rely on or use any form of markup language, markup tags, or DTD'"'"'s. Transmission of the generalized data object occurs asynchronously over the internet.
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Citations
18 Claims
-
1. An article of manufacture consisting of methods and mechanisms for an asynchronous, bidirectional client-server system used for the development and deployment of web-based applications using a variation of the Model-View-Controller, or MVC paradigm, where
the invention uses a relational database, or RDBMS to store data, which is generally referred to as the “ - Model”
, or “
data model”
; and
the invention incorporates an object-oriented client software package and source code to manage and manipulate the visual presentation layer, generally referred to as the “
View controller”
, “
client-controller”
, or “
client-interface”
; and
the invention incorporates proprietary, executable application source code for operation as the application server, which functions as the primary interface between the view controller and data model, thus comprising the “
Controller”
or “
application”
portion of the MVC paradigm. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 16, 17)
- Model”
-
10. Where stated in theses methods and claims, the generalized application server output or response object may further comprise any combination of
a generalized schema definition; - and
a generalized view of the relational data; and
a generalized set of instructions; and
additional data or identification of additional processes to be invoked by the client. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 15)
- and
-
18. An article of manufacture consisting of methods and mechanisms for a template-driven client view-controller package that allows a client workstation running standard web-browser software to receive the serialized, generalized data object (the response object), wherein
said client-controller further comprises the steps and processes of converting client-side data and data objects into the generalized object format (a request object) supported by the application server and to make requests on, initiate a server process, or to retrieve responses from the application server using the generalized object format, and vice-versa; - and
said client-controller includes the methods and mechanisms that utilize the language specific data object or structure for visual rendering, display, or other manipulation on the client-workstation; and
said client-controller includes the methods and mechanisms to encode and decode said generalized data structure(s) to and from the client-request format; and
said client-controller includes the methods and mechanisms to encode and decode said generalized data structure(s) to and from the server-response format; and
said client-controller includes the methods for rendering of the reconstructed data object in various GUI formats; and
said client-controller provides methods and mechanisms that include the ability to edit or otherwise modify the data; and
said client-controller includes the methods and mechanisms for communicating changes to the data object back to the server; and
said client-controller includes the methods and mechanisms for initiating any available server process using the described request object and transfer mechanisms.
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Specification