METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MULTI-TIERED SEARCH OVER A HIGH LATENCY NETWORK

• US 20110219023A1
• Filed: 05/16/2011
• Published: 09/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP SE
• Inventors: Lim, Peter S., Lee, King-Hwa, Kedefors, Hans, Flexer, Michael, Ambrose, Jesse, Tchankotadze, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,495,474 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching

Abstract

A computer implemented method and system include executing a search against both a client cache associated with a client and data sources remotely coupled to the client over a network connection. Results from the search against the client cache are rendered on a client UI. The client cache and the client UI are updated with the results from the search against the data sources.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

executing, by a computing device, a search against a client cache associated with a client;

rendering, by the computing device, results from the search against the client cache on a client UI; and

providing, by the computing device, a request to an application server that (i) executes the search against data sources remotely coupled to the client over the network connection (ii) stores, in a server cache, results from the search against the data sources remotely coupled to the client and (iii) returns the results from the search against the data sources remotely coupled to the client;

receiving, by the computing device, the returned results from the search against the data sources remotely coupled to the client;

updating, by the computing device, the client cache and the client UI with the returned results from the search against the data sources remotely coupled to the client;

receiving, by the computing device, (i) a request by a user for a refresh of the server cache and/or (ii) a request by a user for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis, wherein the refresh of the server cache comprises re-executing a search against the data sources remotely coupled to the client over the network connection and refreshing the server cache based on the re-executed search against the data sources remotely coupled to the client over the network connection; and

providing, to the application server, (i) the request by a user for a refresh of the server cache and/or (ii) the request by a user for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising initializing the client cache with records.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing the network connection between the client and the application server;

closing the network connection at a predetermined time in the absence of network activity; and

reestablishing the network connection upon indication of a user.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the refresh of the server cache comprises refreshing the server cache in entirety based on the re-executed search against the data sources remotely coupled to the client over the network connection.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the search against the data sources is optional and does not execute if network connectivity is unavailable.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

providing the network connection between the client and the application server;

closing the network connection at a predetermined time in the absence of network activity; and

reestablishing the network connection upon indication of a user.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving, by the computing device, (i) a request by a user for a refresh of the server cache and/or (ii) a request by a user for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis comprises:

receiving, by the computing device, a request by a user for a refresh of the server cache;

wherein the providing, to the application server, (i) the request by a user for a refresh of the server cache and/or (ii) the request by a user for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis comprises;

providing, to the application server, the request by a user for a refresh of the server cache;

the method further comprising;

after receiving, by the application server, the request by a user for a refresh of the server cache, refreshing, by the application server, the server cache with information from the data sources by re-executing a search against the data sources remotely coupled to the client over the network connection and refreshing the server cache based on the re-executed search against the data sources remotely coupled to the client over the network connection.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving, by the computing device, (i) a request by a user for a refresh of the server cache and/or (ii) a request by a user for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis comprises:

receiving, by the computing device, a request by a user for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis;

wherein the providing, to the application server, (i) the request by a user for a refresh of the server cache and/or (ii) the request by a user for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis comprises;

providing, to the application server, the request by a user for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis;

the method further comprising;

after receiving, by the application server, the request by a user for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis, refreshing, by the application server, the server cache with information from the data sources at an interval specified by the user by re-executing a search against the data sources remotely coupled to the client over the network connection and refreshing the server cache based on the re-executed search against the data sources remotely coupled to the client over the network connection.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving, by the computing device, (i) a request by a user for a refresh of the server cache and/or (ii) a request by a user for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis comprises:

receiving, by the computing device, a request by a user for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis;

wherein the providing, to the application server, (i) the request by a user for a refresh of the server cache and/or (ii) the request by a user for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis comprises;

providing, to the application server, the request by a user for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis;

the method further comprising;

after receiving, by the application server, the request by a user for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis, refreshing, by the application server, the server cache with information from the data sources when a duration since a prior refresh exceeds a predetermined maximum time by re-executing a search against the data sources remotely coupled to the client over the network connection and refreshing the server cache based on the re-executed search against the data sources remotely coupled to the client over the network connection.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising refreshing, by the application server, the server cache with information from the data sources upon notification from the data sources.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing an index of data in the data sources.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the duration between the executing, by the computing device, and the rendering, by the computing device, is less than approximately a second.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the network connection is a wireless network connection.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving, by the computing device, (i) a request by a user for a refresh of the server cache and/or (ii) a request by a user for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis comprises:

receiving, by the computing device, a request by a user for a refresh of the server cache; and

wherein the providing, to the application server, (i) the request by a user for a refresh of the server cache and/or (ii) the request by a user for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis comprises;

providing, to the application server, the request by a user for a refresh of the server cache.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving, by the computing device, (i) a request by a user for a refresh of the server cache and/or (ii) a request by a user for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis comprises:

receiving, by the computing device, a request by a user for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis; and

wherein the providing, to the application server, (i) the request by a user for a refresh of the server cache and/or (ii) the request by a user for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis comprises;

providing, to the application server, the request by a user for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving, by the computing device, (i) a request by a user for a refresh of the server cache and/or (ii) a request by a user for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis comprises:

receiving, by the computing device, a request by a user for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis;

wherein the providing, to the application server, (i) the request by a user for a refresh of the server cache and/or (ii) the request by a user for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis comprises;

providing, to the application server, the request by a user for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis.

14. A machine-accessible medium that provides instructions that, if executed by a machine, will cause the machine to perform a method comprising:

executing a search against a cache associated with a computing device;

providing a request, to an application server that (i) executes the search against a data source remotely coupled to the computing device over a network connection, (ii) stores, in a server cache, results from the search against the data source remotely coupled to the computing device and (iii) returns the results from the search against the data source remotely coupled to the computing device;

rendering results from the search against the cache on a UI;

receiving the returned results from the search against the data source; and

updating the cache and the UI with the results from the search against the data source;

receiving (i) a request by a user for a refresh of the server cache and/or (ii) a request by a user for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis, wherein the refresh of the server cache comprises re-executing a search against the data source remotely coupled to the computing device over the network connection and refreshing the server cache based on the re-executed search against the data source remotely coupled to the computing device over the network connection; and

providing, to the application server, (i) the request by a user for a refresh of the server cache and/or (ii) the request by a user for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis.

15. The machine-accessible medium of claim 14 wherein the executing and the providing a request occur substantially simultaneously.

16. The machine-accessible medium of claim 14 wherein the method further comprises initializing, the cache associated with the computing device, with records.

17. The machine-accessible medium of claim 14, the method further comprising:

opening the network connection with the application server;

closing the network connection at a predetermined time in the absence of network activity with the application server; and

reestablishing the network connection upon indication of a user.

18. The machine-accessible medium of claim 17 wherein the receiving, by the computing device, (i) a request by a user for a refresh of the server cache and/or (ii) a request by a user for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis comprises:

receiving a request by a user for a refresh of the server cache with information from the data source;

wherein the providing, to the application server, (i) the request by a user for a refresh of the server cache and/or (ii) the request by a user for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis comprises;

providing, to the application server, the request by a user for a refresh of the server cache with information from the data source.

19. The machine-accessible medium of claim 17 wherein the receiving, by the computing device, (i) a request by a user for a refresh of the server cache and/or (ii) a request by a user for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis comprises:

receiving a request by a user for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis;

wherein the providing, to the application server, (i) the request by a user for a refresh of the server cache and/or (ii) the request by a user for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis comprises;

providing, to the application server, the request by a user for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis.

20. A computing device comprising:

a cache against which a search is performed;

a user interface, coupled to the cache, to render results of the search; and

the computing device to provide a request, to perform search against a data source remotely coupled to the computing device over the network connection, to an application server that (i) executes the search against the data source remotely coupled to the computing device over the network connection (ii) stores, in a server cache, results from the search against the data source remotely coupled to the computing device and (iii) returns the results from the search against the data source remotely coupled to the computing device;

wherein the cache and the user interface are updated with the results of the search against the data source;

the computing device to receive (i) a request by a user for a refresh of the server cache and/or (ii) a request by a user for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis, wherein the refresh of the server cache comprises re-executing a search against the data source remotely coupled to the computing device over the network connection and refreshing the server cache based on the re-executed search against the data source remotely coupled to the computing device over the network connection, and to provide, to the application server, (i) the request by a user for a refresh of the server cache and/or (ii) the request by a user for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis.

24. The computing device of claim 20 further comprising:

a communications interface, coupled to the cache, to provide the request to perform the search against the data source remotely coupled to the computing device over the network connection.

25. A computer implemented method comprising:

receiving, by a server, a request from a client that (i) executes a search against a client cache associated with the client, (ii) renders results from the search against the client cache on a client UI and (iii) updates the client cache and the client UI with results from a search against data sources remotely coupled to the client over a network connection;

providing, by the server, a request to execute the search against the data sources remotely coupled to the client over the network connection;

receiving, by the server, the results from the search against the data sources remotely coupled to the client over the network connection;

storing, by the server, the results in a server cache;

returning, by the server, the results to the client;

receiving, by the server, (i) a request by a user of the client for a refresh of the server cache and/or (ii) a request by a user of the client or an administrator for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis, wherein the refresh of the server cache comprises re-executing a search against the data sources remotely coupled to the client over the network connection and refreshing the server cache based on the re-executed search against the data sources remotely coupled to the client over the network connection.

26. A machine-accessible medium that provides instructions that, if executed by a machine, will cause the machine to perform a method comprising:

receiving, by a server, a request from a client that (i) executes a search against a client cache associated with the client, (ii) renders results from the search against the client cache on a client UI and (iii) updates the client cache and the client UI with results from a search against data sources remotely coupled to the client over a network connection;

providing, by the server, a request to execute the search against the data sources remotely coupled to the client over the network connection;

receiving, by the server, the results from the search against the data sources remotely coupled to the client over the network connection;

storing, by the server, the results in a server cache;

returning, by the server, the results to the client;

receiving, by the server, (i) a request by a user of the client for a refresh of the server cache and/or (ii) a request by a user of the client or an administrator for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis, wherein the refresh of the server cache comprises re-executing a search against the data sources remotely coupled to the client over the network connection and refreshing the server cache based on the re-executed search against the data sources remotely coupled to the client over the network connection.

27. A computing device comprising:

a server to receive a request from a client that (i) executes a search against a client cache associated with the client, (ii) renders results from the search against the client cache on a client UI and (iii) updates the client cache and the client UI with results from a search against data sources remotely coupled to the client over a network connection;

the server further to receive (i) a request by a user of the client for a refresh of the server cache and/or (ii) a request by a user of the client or an administrator for a refresh of the server cache on a periodic basis, wherein the refresh of the server cache comprises re-executing a search against the data sources remotely coupled to the client over the network connection and refreshing the server cache based on the re-executed search against the data sources remotely coupled to the client over the network connection.

28. A computing device comprising:

a server to receive a request from a client that (i) executes a search against a client cache associated with the client, (ii) renders results from the search against the client cache on a client UI and (iii) updates the client cache and the client UI with results from a search against data sources remotely coupled to the client over a network connection;

the server further to provide a request to execute the search against the data sources remotely coupled to the client over the network connection, determine whether results from the search against the data sources includes a number of records that is less than or equal to a size of the client cache, and return all of the records to the client if the number of records is less than or equal to the size of the client cache.