Order entry system for internet

• US 5,884,309 A
• Filed: 12/06/1995
• Issued: 03/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dynamic Web Transaction Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Dynamic Web Transaction Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Vanechanos, Steven L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Corrielus, Jean M.
• Application Number:
  US08/568,277
• Time in Patent Office: 1,196 Days
• Field of Search: 395/610, 395/187.01, 395/200.76, 707/10, 707/513, 707/2, 707/100, 707/104, 707/4, 707/102, 706/50
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1774 Locking methods, e.g. locking methods for file systems allowing shared and concurrent access to files
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A merchandising system and method in which Internet Web server software includes a parameter-driven search engine written in UNIX command language as a shell script that searches ASCII database files and generates HTML documents reflecting the search results. The search engine prevents multiple users from simultaneously attempting to write to a file. A common gateway interface is provided that facilitates access to multiple application programs, such as the merchandising system.

Claims

1. A programmed web server computer having a search engine, comprising:

search form generating means for reading a file having a correspondence between fields of an ASCII text file and field labels, for reading a parameter file defining said correspondence, and for outputting HTML code representing graphical input structures, each graphical input structure corresponding to a searchable field of said database and including a corresponding one of said field labels extracted from said parameter file;

receiving means in said search engine for receiving one or more search parameters from a client computer, each search parameter representing information obtained from one of said graphical input structures; and

searching means in said search engine for sequentially searching said ASCII text file in response to said search parameters.

2. The programmed web server computer recited in claim 1, wherein said search engine is a UNIX shell script.

3. The programmed web server computer recited in claim 1, wherein:

said receiving means receives a field tag associated with each search parameter; and

said searching means reads said parameter file to determine said correspondence and searches each field of said ASCII text file corresponding to one of said field tags in response to said search parameters associated with said one of said field tags.

4. The programmed web server computer recited in claim 1, wherein:

said receiving means receives a record limit from said client computer; and

said searching means returns a number of records not greater than said record limit.

5. The programmed web server computer recited in claim 1, wherein:

said receiving means receives a case sensitivity selector from said client computer; and

said searching means searches both uppercase and lowercase search parameters when said case sensitivity selector is in a first state, and searches only uppercase search parameters when said case sensitivity selector is in a second state.

6. The programmed web server computer recited in claim 1, wherein said searching means comprises:

means in said search engine for transforming said search parameters into an "awk" search script; and

means in said search engine for initiating execution of said "awk" search script to effect a search.

7. The programmed web server computer recited in claim 1, wherein:

said receiving means receives information from said client computer;

said programmed web server further comprises entry means for storing said information in an ASCII text file; and

said entry means comprises locking means for locking said ASCII text file against concurrent access by other processes.

8. The programmed web server computer recited in claim 7, wherein said locking means comprises means for linking said ASCII file using a UNIX symbolic link command.

9. The programmed web server computer recited in claim 1, wherein said HTML code represents an electronic merchandising order form, and said portions of said ASCII text file represent items available for ordering.

12. The programmed web server computer recited in claim 7, wherein:

said receiving means receives a record limit from said client computer; and

said searching means returns a number of records not greater than said record limit.

10. A programmed web server computer having a search engine, comprising:

receiving means in said search engine for receiving one or more search parameters from a client computer;

searching means in said search engine for sequentially searching an ASCII text file in response to said search parameters;

HTML output form generating means in said search engine for outputting HTML code corresponding to portions of said ASCII text file matching said search parameters; and

wherein said search engine is a UNIX shell script.

11. The programmed web server computer recited in claim 10, wherein:

said receiving means receives a field tag associated with each search parameter, said field tag being a label for a database field; and

said searching means searches each field of said ASCII text file corresponding to one of said field tags in response to said search parameters associated with said one of said field tags.

13. The programmed web server computer recited in claim 10, wherein:

said receiving means receives a case sensitivity selector from said client computer; and

said searching means searches both uppercase and lowercase search parameters when said case sensitivity selector is in a first state, and searches only uppercase search parameters when said case sensitivity selector is in a second state.

14. The programmed web server computer recited in claim 10, wherein said searching means comprises:

means in said search engine for transforming said search parameters into an "awk" search script; and

means in said search engine for initiating execution of said "awk" search script to effect a search.

15. The programmed web server computer recited in claim 10, wherein:

said receiving means receives information from said client computer;

said programmed web server further comprises entry means for storing said information in an ASCII text file; and

said entry means comprises locking means for locking said ASCII text file against concurrent access by other processes.

16. The programmed web server computer recited in claim 15, wherein said locking means comprises means for linking said ASCII file using a UNIX symbolic link command.

17. The programmed web server computer recited in claim 10, wherein said HTML code represents an electronic merchandising order form, and said portions of said ASCII text file represent items available for ordering.

18. A searching method performed on a web server computer having a search engine, comprising the steps of:

receiving one or more search parameters from a client computer;

sequentially searching an ASCII text file in response to said search parameters;

outputting HTML code corresponding to portions of said ASCII text file matching said search parameters; and

wherein said web server performs said method by executing a UNIX shell script.

19. The searching method recited in claim 18, wherein:

said receiving step comprises the step of receiving a field tag associated with each search parameter, said field tag being a label for a database field; and

said searching step comprises the step of searching each field of said ASCII text file corresponding to one of said field tags in response to said search parameters associated with said one of said field tags.

20. The search method recited in claim 18, wherein:

said receiving step comprises the step of receiving a record limit from said client computer; and

said searching step comprises the step of returning a number of records not greater than said record limit.

21. The search method recited in claim 18, wherein:

said receiving step comprises the step of receiving a case sensitivity selector from said client computer; and

said searching step comprises the step of searching both uppercase and lowercase search parameters when said case sensitivity selector is in a first state, and searches only uppercase search parameters when said case sensitivity selector is in a second state.

22. The search method recited in claim 18, wherein said searching step comprises the steps of:

said search engine transforming said search parameters into a UNIX "awk" search script; and

said search engine initiating execution of said UNIX "awk" search script to effect a search.

23. The programmed web server computer recited in claim 18, wherein said searching step comprises the step of locking said ASCII text file against concurrent access by other processes.

24. The search method recited in claim 23, wherein said locking step comprises the step of linking said ASCII file using a UNIX symbolic link command.

25. The search method recited in claim 18, wherein said HTML code represents an electronic merchandising order form, and said portions of said ASCII text file represent items available for ordering.

26. A programmed web server computer having a search engine, comprising:

search form generating means for reading a file having a correspondence between fields of an ASCII text file and field labels and for outputting HTML code representing graphical input structures of an electronic merchandising order form, each graphical input structure corresponding to a searchable field of said database and including one of said field labels, portions of said ASCII text file representing items available for ordering;

receiving means in said search engine for receiving one or more search parameters from a client computer, each search parameter representing information obtained from one of said graphical input structures, said receiving means receiving a case sensitivity selector from said client computer, and said receiving means receiving a record limit from said client computer; and

searching means in said search engine for sequentially searching said ASCII text file in response to said search parameters, said searching means comprising means for writing an "awk" search script and means for initiating execution of said "awk" search script, said searching means searching both uppercase and lowercase search parameters when said case sensitivity selector is in a first state, and searching only uppercase search parameters when said case sensitivity selector is in a second state, and said searching means returning a number of records not greater than said record limit.

27. A computer-readable storage medium on which is recorded a search engine for searching a database in response to a search form generated by a search form generating means, said search form generating means reading a file having a correspondence between fields of an ASCII text file and field labels and outputting HTML code representing graphical input structures of an electronic merchandising order form, each graphical input structure corresponding to a searchable field of said database and including one of said field labels, portions of said ASCII text file representing items available for ordering, said search engine comprising:

receiving means for receiving one or more search parameters from a client computer, each search parameter representing information obtained from one of said graphical input structures, said receiving means receiving a case sensitivity selector from said client computer, and said receiving means receiving a record limit from said client computer; and

searching means for sequentially searching said ASCII text file in response to said search parameters, said searching means comprising means for writing an "awk" search script and means for initiating execution of said "awk" search script, said searching means searching both uppercase and lowercase search parameters when said case sensitivity selector is in a first state, and searching only uppercase search parameters when said case sensitivity selector is in a second state, and said searching means returning a number of records not greater than said record limit.