Method and apparatus for relaying session information from a portal server

• US 20060089990A1
• Filed: 10/01/2003
• Published: 04/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kapoor, Rohit, Ng, Joanna, Nigul, Leho
• Granted Patent: US 10,880,391 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/567 Integrating service provisioning from a plurality of service providers

Abstract

For a portal server system for managing a collection of associated portlets responsive to user requests to access a application, the invention provides apparatus and methodology including: a portlet application session object for saving parameters from user requests of associated portlets; and, a portlet application communication client linked to said portlet application session means for communicating between said associated portlets and said web application to convey user requests received from said associated portlets to said web application.

Claims

1. Apparatus for a portal server system for managing a collection of associated portlets responsive to user requests to access a web application, the apparatus comprising:

portlet application session means for saving parameters from user requests of associated portlets; and

a portlet application communication client linked to said portlet application session means for communicating between said associated portlets and said web application to convey user requests received from said associated portlets to said web application.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said portlet application communication client stores user session information.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said portlet application session means comprises a portlet application session object.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said associated portlets have portlet request parameter maps for storing data and instructions from user requests to said portlets.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a portlet application is adapted to operate on said portal server system for managing said collection of associated portlets.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said portlet application communication client has access to a user session information store for storing user session information.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said portlet application communication client includes a user session information store for storing user session information.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said user session information includes user session information for mapping said user session information to a corresponding session of said web application.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said user session information is selected from the set comprising:

user id, user credentials, language preferences, session timeout information, session id, for mapping said user session information to a corresponding session of said web application.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said portlet application communication client has a request buffer for storing requests from said associated portlets to enable said communication client to provide data and instructions for said web application.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said communication client has a request buffer for storing requests from said portlet request parameter maps of said associated portlets to enable said communication client to provide data and instructions for said web application.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, claim 9 or claim 16 wherein said session timeout information includes session timeout information of said portal server and said web application.

21. An article comprising:

a computer readable signal bearing medium; and

computer program code means recorded on said medium adapted to implement the apparatus of any claims 1-19.

12. A portlet application for managing a collection of associated portlets in a portal, for operating on a server providing access to a web application by a user;

said associated portlets having portlet request parameter maps storing data and instructions from user requests to said portlets;

a portlet application session object for said user for said associated portlets;

a portlet application session data store controlled by said portlet application session object;

a portlet application communication client linked to said portlet application data store for communicating between said associated portlets and said web application to convey user requests received from said associated portlets to said web application; and

said communication client having a request buffer for storing requests from portlet request parameter maps of said associated portlets to enable said communication client to provide data and instructions for said web application.

13. A portlet application communication client linkable to said portlet application data store of claim 12 for communicating between said associated portlets and said web application to convey user requests received from said associated portlets to said web application;

said portlet application communication client having a user session information store for storing user session information including selected information from the set of the following user session information;

user id, user credentials, language preferences, session timeout information, session id, etc. for mapping said user session information to a corresponding session of said web application;

said session timeout information including session timeout information of said portal server and said web application.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 further including synchronization means for said portlet application communication client for matching session timeouts between said portal server and said web application by reauthenticating said user if said web application times out before said portal server.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 further including synchronization means for said portlet application communication client for matching session timeouts between said portal server and said web application by reauthenticating said user from stored information in said user session information store if said web application times out before said portal server.

16. Apparatus for a portal server adapted to operate a web portal to provide access to a web application;

having a portlet application operating on said portal server, for managing a collection of associated portlets;

wherein said portlet application includes;

means to initiate portlets on requests of a user to access said web application;

means to manage a portlet application session object for said portlets; and

, a portlet application session object data store controlled by said portlet application session object for saving parameters from user requests for associating said portlets with said with said portlet application session object, the apparatus comprising;

a portlet application communication client linked to said portlet application data store for communicating between said associated portlets and said web application to convey user requests received from said associated portlets to said web application; and

said portlet application communication client having a user session information store for storing user session information including selected information from the set of the following user session information;

user id, user credentials, language preferences, session timeout information, session id, etc. for mapping said user session information to a corresponding session of said web application.

18. A portlet application, for managing a collection of associated portlets in a portal, for operating on a server providing access to a web application by a user;

said associated portlets having portlet request parameter maps storing data and instructions from user requests to said portlets;

a portlet application session object for said user for said associated portlets;

a portlet application session data store controlled by said portlet application session object;

a portlet application communication client linked to said portlet application data store for communicating between said associated portlets and said web application to convey user requests received from said associated portlets to said web application;

said communication client having a request buffer for storing requests from portlet request parameter maps of said associated portlets to enable said communication client to provide data and instructions for said web application.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 further including synchronization means for said portlet application communication client for matching session timeouts between portal server and said web application by reauthenticating said user if said web application times out before said portal server.

20. A method for a portal server system for managing a collection of associated portlets responsive to user requests to access a web application, the method comprising:

using portlet application session means for saving parameters from user requests of associated portlets; and

using a portlet application communication client linked to said portlet application session means for communicating between said associated portlets and said web application to convey user requests received from said associated portlets to said web application.