Systems and methods for suspending and resuming of a stateful Web application

• US 20070050449A1
• Filed: 08/29/2005
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Beck, Stefan
• Granted Patent: US 7,757,239 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• 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

Methods and systems are disclosed for providing the integration of different Web applications into an online workflow. The methods and systems allow suspension of a first Web application, initiation of interaction with a second Web application, and subsequent resumption of the first Web application, while maintaining the state of the first Web application.

Claims

1. A method for providing an online workflow of Web applications within a model-based runtime environment, comprising:

initiating a first Web application;

saving a URL of the first Web application, when an event indicates that a second Web application is being initiated;

suspending the operation of the first Web application, when the event indicates that the second Web application is being initiated;

initiating the second Web application; and

resuming the first Web application based on the saved URL, after the first Web application has been suspended.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the first Web application further comprises:

connecting to the first Web application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein saving further comprises:

receiving the event in an event hander, the received event indicating the second Web application is being initiated.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein suspending further comprises:

suspending the operation of the first Web application by removing from a memory associated with the first Web application some of the contents of the memory.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein resuming further comprises:

resuming the first Web application based on the saved URL and a window identification value, when another event indicates a request to the first Web application.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

counting to a time value to determine whether to terminate the suspended first Web application.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

saving for the first Web application, a session identification value and a corresponding state, the state representative of the first Web application before terminating the first Web application.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

determining whether the session identification value has been saved for the first Web application, the saved session identification value corresponding to the first Web application being terminated.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

resuming the first Web application by retrieving the saved session identification value and the corresponding state when the determining step indicates that the first Web application has been terminated.

10. A system for providing an online workflow of applications, comprising:

means for initiating a first Web application;

means for saving a URL of the first Web application, when an event indicates that a second Web application is being initiated;

means for suspending the operation of the first Web application, when the event indicates that the second Web application is being initiated;

means for initiating the second Web application; and

means for resuming the first Web application based on the saved URL, after the first Web application has been suspended.

11. A system for providing an online workflow of applications, the system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, wherein the processor and the memory are configured to perform a method comprising;

initiating a first Web application;

saving a URL of the first Web application, when an event indicates that a second Web application is being initiated;

suspending the operation of the first Web application, when the event indicates that the second Web application is being initiated;

initiating the second Web application; and

resuming the first Web application based on the saved URL, after the first Web application has been suspended.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein initiating the first Web application further comprises:

connecting to the first Web application.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein saving further comprises:

receiving the event in an event hander, the received event indicating the second Web application is being initiated.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein suspending further comprises:

suspending the operation of the first Web application by removing from a memory associated with the first Web application some of the contents of the memory.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein resuming further comprises:

resuming the first Web application based on the saved URL and a window identification value, when another event indicates a request to the first Web application.

16. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

counting to a time value to determine whether to terminate the suspended first Web application.

17. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

saving for the first Web application, a session identification value and a corresponding state, the state representative of the first Web application before terminating the first Web application.

18. The system of claim 17 further comprising:

determining whether the session identification value has been saved for the first Web application, the saved session identification value corresponding to the first Web application being terminated.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

resuming the first Web application by retrieving the saved session identification value and the corresponding state when the determining step indicates that the first Web application has been terminated.

20. A computer-readable medium containing instructions to configure a processor to perform a method for providing an online workflow of applications, the method comprising:

initiating a first Web application;

saving a URL of the first Web application, when an event indicates that a second Web application is being initiated;

suspending the operation of the first Web application, when the event indicates that the second Web application is being initiated;

initiating the second Web application; and

resuming the first Web application based on the saved URL, after the first Web application has been suspended.