Method and apparatus for managing Internet transactions

• US 20070113192A1
• Filed: 12/29/2006
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Next Software Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Next Software Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Ong, Bruce, D'Harcourt, Charles, Popp, Nicolas
• Granted Patent: US 8,635,540 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/760
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/142 Managing session states for stateless protocols; Signalling session states; State transitions; Keeping-state mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/2895 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data provider application, e.g. reverse proxies
• 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 67/5683 Storage of data provided by user terminals, i.e. reverse caching

Abstract

The object-oriented approach used by the present invention provides the ability to develop and manage Internet transactions. Local applications can be accessed using any workstation connected to the Internet regardless of the workstation'"'"'s configuration. Some or all of a Web page can be generated dynamically using input received in a returned page, generated at runtime, or retrieved from an external data source (e.g., database or electronic mail system). When the Web page definition is rendered, the information contained in template(s), declaration file(s), and object(s) are used to generate standard definitions. State information is maintained across transactions. Using state information, virtual applications, sessions, transactions, and pages can be implemented. Self-contained modules, or components, provide the ability to share implementations and create multi-content documents. Event objects can be used to assist in event handling management.

Claims

1. A method for generating a web page, comprising:

creating a component containing one or more definitional constructs and owning one or more resources; and

including said component in a definition of said web page.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said component is a first component and further comprising:

creating a second component containing one or more definitional constructs and owning one or more resources; and

including said second component in said definition of said web page.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, further comprising combining said first component and said second component to create said web page.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, further comprising:

creating a first control logic for said first component;

creating a second control logic for said second component; and

creating a third control logic for said web page.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein said combining said first component and said second component to create said web page is performed by one or more of said first, second, and third control logic.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said web page is a first web page and further comprising including said component in a definition of a second web page.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said one or more resources include one or more templates, associations, and custom logic.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein said one or more templates provide an initial definition of said web page.

9. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein said one or more associations include binding information for dynamic binding.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein said binding information binds said custom logic to said web page.

11. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein said binding information binds an object that implements one of said one or more definitional constructs with a corporate data object.

12. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein said one or more associations identify one or more objects that implement said one or more definitional constructs.

13. A method for generating an element definition for a repeating component of a web page, comprising:

creating a set of one or more objects for each occurrence of said repeating component, wherein each set of one or more objects is capable of generating one or more element definitions for one occurrence of said repeating component; and

each set of one or more objects generating an occurrence of said repeating component.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein creating a set of one or more objects for each occurrence of said repeating component comprises:

creating an object template, wherein said object template specifies an object set for said repeating component; and

performing the following for each occurrence of said repeating component;

creating a set of one or more objects using said object template; and

making one or more modifications to said set of one or more objects.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein said one or more modifications comprise including a new object in said set of one or more objects.

16. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein said one or more modifications comprise updating a property of an object in said set of one or more objects.

17. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein creating an object template comprises:

parsing a template file that contains one or more element declarations; and

identifying one or more objects for said one or more element declarations.

18. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein creating an object template is performed at runtime and wherein creating an object template comprises:

identifying one or more elements to be included in an occurrence of said repeating component; and

identifying one or more objects for said one or more elements.

19. A system for generating a web page, comprising:

a processor configured to;

create a component containing one or more definitional constructs and owning one or more resources; and

include said component in a definition of said web page; and

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide instructions to the processor.

20. A computer program product for generating a web page, the computer program product being embodied in a computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions for:

creating a component containing one or more definitional constructs and owning one or more resources; and

including said component in a definition of said web page.