Method, apparatus, and computer program product for deferred completion of multi-step user transaction applications

• US 20060080601A1
• Filed: 11/01/2005
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tumbleweed Holdings LLC (Equitable IP Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Rehle Visual Communications LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Weber, Jay C., Lash, Todd, Stefanac, Suzanne
• Granted Patent: US 8,171,490 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/255
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/142 Managing session states for stateless protocols; Signalling session states; State transitions; Keeping-state mechanisms

Abstract

Disclosed are server features for allowing a client user to defer completion of multi-step user transaction applications (“MUTAs”) and later resume the MUTA. One disclosed feature is providing a selectable deferral action in a page implementing part of the MUTA, e.g., HTML, XML, JavaScript/ECMA Script document. If the client user selects to defer completion, a state object is created by the server and stores state information including information previously entered during the MUTA. The server provides a resumption object to the user including a resource for resuming the deferred MUTA. When the user selects the resource, state information stored in the state object is loaded and the use may complete the remainder of the MUTA. An additionally disclosed aspect is automatic state saving where sate information is stored automatically during multiple steps in the MUTA; the user then need not select deferral.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for deferring completion of a multi-step user transaction application (“

MUTA”

), said computer-implemented method comprising;

providing a page to a client application, said page comprising one or more resources for input of information related to completion of said MUTA; and

a resource for selection of a deferral action;

receiving an indication of the selection of said deferral action;

storing state information comprising;

a position in said MUTA; and

information related to completion of said MUTA; and

generating a resumption object comprising an identifier of a resource for completion of said MUTA.

2. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 wherein said step of storing state information is performed at plural steps in said MUTA.

3. The computer-implemented method according to claim 2 wherein storing state information comprises:

monitoring an elapsed time since a transaction page was provided;

determining whether said elapsed time exceeds a predetermined time limit; and

storing state information if a user response is received within said predetermined time limit.

4. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting said resumption object to a client application.

5. An apparatus comprising a processor, a storage, and an input-output system, said apparatus configured for deferring completion of a multi-step user transaction application (“

MUTA”

), said apparatus comprising;

server process logic configured for;

providing a page to a client application, said page comprising one or more resources for input of information related to completion of said MUTA, and a resource for selection of a deferral action,

receiving an indication of the selection of said deferral action, and

generating a resumption object comprising an identifier of a resource for completion of said MUTA; and

a data storage system configured for storing state information comprising;

a position in said MUTA, and

information related to completion of said MUTA.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said server process logic is configured for storing state information in said data storage system at plural steps in said MUTA.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising process logic configured for monitoring an elapsed time since a transaction page was provided.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said server process logic is further configured for transmitting said resumption object to a client application.

9. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having computer readable code embodied therein for deferring completion of a multi-step user transaction application, said computer readable code comprising:

code for providing a page to a client application, said page comprising

one or more resources for input of information related to completion of said MUTA; and

a resource for selection of a deferral action;

code for receiving an indication of the selection of said deferral action;

code for storing state information comprising;

a position in said MUTA; and

information related to completion of said MUTA; and

code for generating a resumption object comprising an identifier of a resource for completion of said MUTA.

10. The computer program product according to claim 9 wherein said code for storing state information comprises:

code for storing state information at plural steps in said MUTA.

11. The computer program product according to claim 10 wherein said code for storing state information comprises:

code for monitoring an elapsed time since a transaction page was provided;

code for determining whether said elapsed time exceeds a predetermined time limit; and

code for storing state information if a user response is received within said predetermined time limit.

12. A computer-implemented method for completing a previously-deferred MUTA, said computer-implemented method comprising:

providing a resumption object to a client application, said resumption object comprising an identifier of a resource for completion of said MUTA;

receiving a request for said resource for completion of said MUTA

retrieving previously-received information for returning to a state at which said MUTA was previously deferred; and

providing a resource corresponding to said state at which said MUTA was previously deferred.

13. An apparatus comprising a processor, a storage, and an input-output system, said apparatus configured for completing a previously-deferred MUTA, said apparatus comprising:

a data storage system configured for storing a state object; and

server process logic configured to

provide a resumption object to a client application, said resumption object comprising an identifier of a resource for completion of said MUTA;

receive a request for said resource for completion of said MUTA

retrieve previously-received information from said state object for returning to a state at which said MUTA was previously deferred; and

provide a resource corresponding to said state at which said MUTA was previously deferred.

14. A computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having computer readable code embodied therein for completing a previously-deferred MUTA, said computer readable code comprising:

code for providing a resumption object to a client application, said resumption object comprising an identifier of a resource for completion of said MUTA;

code for receiving a request for said resource for completion of said MUTA

code for retrieving previously-received information for returning to a state at which said MUTA was previously deferred; and

code for providing a resource corresponding to said state at which said MUTA was previously deferred.