Non-extensible thin server that generates user interfaces via browser

• US 6,216,153 B1
• Filed: 04/23/1998
• Issued: 04/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cybersource Corporation (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cybersource Corporation (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vortriede, Eric Gordon
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Application Number:
  US09/065,648
• Time in Patent Office: 1,083 Days
• Field of Search: 709/249, 709/202, 709/227, 709/245, 709/203, 709/223, 709/228, 709/229, 709/220, 709/224, 709/225
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/95 Retrieval from the web
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/34 involving the use of external additional devices, e.g. dongles or smart cards
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226

Abstract

A system and method for displaying and processing information on a computer or communicating with a remote server is disclosed. The method and system include providing a browser and providing a thin server. The browser is configured to allow a user to view information and enter information. The thin server is for communicating with the browser, for allowing the browser to display information provided from the thin server, and for allowing the browser to provide information entered by the user to the thin server. In one aspect, the thin server is not substantially extensible. In another aspect, the thin server is configured to accept a connection only from the browser. The thin server allows communication between the browser and a remote server through communication between the browser and the thin server and communication between the remote server and the thin server. In yet another aspect, the method and system further include providing at least one local resource. The local resource can be accessed by the browser through communication between the browser and the thin server and communication between the thin server and the at least one local resource.

Claims

1. A system for displaying or processing information on a computer, the system comprising:

a thin server for communicating with a local browser local to said thin server using a protocol supported by said local browser;

wherein the thin server is not substantially extensible;

wherein the thin server is configured to receive and generate information entered and viewed by a user via user interfaces generated by the local browser; and

wherein the thin server is configured to generate and provide to the local browser code that describes said user interfaces and that is executed by the local browser to generate said user interfaces.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

at least one local resource, wherein the at least one local resource can be accessed by the local browser through communication between the local browser and the thin server and communication between the thin server and the at least one local resource.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the thin server is configured to accept only a connection from the local browser.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the thin server is configured to initiate a connection to at least one particular remote server.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the local browser communicates with the remote server through communication between the local browser and the thin server and communication between the thin server and the remote server.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the thin server further includes:

means for validating a user to the remote server.

7. A system for displaying or processing information on a computer, the system comprising:

a browser configured to allow a user to view and input information; and

a thin server for communicating with the browser, for allowing the browser to display information provided from the thin server, and for allowing the browser to provide information entered by the user to the thin server, the thin server being configured to accept a connection only from browsers that are launched by said thin server.

8. The system of claim 7 further comprising:

at least one local resource, wherein the at least one local resource can be accessed by the browser through communication between the browser and the thin server and communication between the thin server and the at least one local resource.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the thin server is configured to initiate a connection to at least one particular remote server.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the browser communicates with the remote server through communication between the browser and the thin server and communication between the thin server and the remote server.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the local browser communicates with the thin server using HTTP.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the thin server communicates with the remote server using a protocol different than HTTP.

13. A method for displaying or processing information on a computer system comprising the steps of:

establishing a thin server as a local server, the thin server being not substantially extensible,

establishing a connection between the thin server and a local browser using a communication protocol supported by the local browser;

said thin server receiving and generating information entered and viewed by a user via user interfaces generated by the local browser;

said thin server generating code that describes said user interfaces and that is executed by the local browser; and

said thin server transmitting said code to said browser.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the thin server is further capable of accepting a connection only from the local browser.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the local browser is capable of communicating with a remote server.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of:

allowing the user to access information from the remote server through the local browser;

wherein the local browser communicates with the remote server through communication between the local browser and the thin server and communication between the thin server and the remote server.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the thin server further includes means for validating a user to the remote server;

and wherein the step of allowing a user to access information from the remote server further includes the step of;

allowing a user to participate in a particular transaction with the remote server only if the validating means indicates that the user is authorized to participate in the particular transaction.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the local browser and the thin server communicate using HTTP.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the thin server communicates with the remote server using a protocol different than HTTP.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein the method further includes the step of

allowing a user to access at least one local resource through the browser, the at least one local resource being accessed by communication between the at least one local resource and the thin server and communication between the thin server and the browser.

21. A method for displaying or processing information on a computer comprising the steps of:

(a) establishing a thin server as a local server on a local system, the thin server only accepting a connection from browsers launched by said thin server;

(b) said thin server launching a browser;

(c) establishing a connection between the thin server and the browser;

(d) allowing a user to access the functions of the thin server through the browser.

22. A system for displaying or processing information on a computer, the system comprising:

a thin server configured for communicating with a browser using a communication protocol supported by the browser, wherein said thin server is not substantially extensible;

said thin server configured to allow a browser to display information provided from the thin server; and

said thin server configured to permit browser connections only from browsers that are local to said thin server.

23. The system of claim 22 further comprising at least one local resource, wherein the at least one local resource can be accessed by the browser through communication between the browser and the thin server and communication between the thin server and the at least one local resource.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein the thin server is configured to initiate a connection to at least one particular remote server.

25. The system of claim 22 wherein the browser communicates with the remote server through communication between the browser and the thin server and communication between the thin server and the remote server.

26. A system for displaying or processing information on a computer, the system comprising:

a thin server configured for communicating with a browser;

said thin server configured to allow the browser to display information provided from the thin server; and

the thin server being configured to accept a connection only from browsers that are launched by said thin server.

27. The system of claim 26 further comprising at least one local resource, wherein the at least one local resource can be accessed by the browser through communication between the browser and the thin server and communication between the thin server and the at least one local resource.

28. The system of claim 26 wherein the thin server is configured to initiate a connection to at least one particular remote server.

29. The system of claim 26 wherein the browser communicates with the remote server through communication between the browser and the thin server and communication between the thin server and the remote server.

30. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions for displaying or processing information on a computer system, wherein the execution of the one or more sequences of the one or more instructions causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

establishing a thin server as a local server, the thin server being not substantially extensible;

establishing a connection between the thin server and a local browser using a communication protocol supported by the local browser;

said thin server receiving and generating information entered and viewed by a user via user interfaces generated by the local browser;

said thin server generating code that describes said user interfaces and that is executed by the local browser; and

said thin server transmitting said code to said browser.

31. The computer-readable media of claim 30 wherein the thin server is further capable of accepting a connection only from the local browser.

32. The computer-readable media of claim 30 wherein the local browser is capable of communicating with a remote server.

33. The computer-readable media of claim 32 further comprising sequences of instructions for performing the step of:

allowing the user to access information from the remote server through the local browser;

wherein the local browser communicates with the remote server through communication between the local browser and the thin server and communication between the thin server and the remote server.

34. The computer-readable media of claim 33 wherein the thin server further includes means for validating a user to the remote server;

and wherein the step of allowing a user to access information from the remote server further includes the step of;

allowing a user to participate in a particular transaction with the remote server only if the validating means indicates that the user is authorized to participate in the particular transaction.

35. The computer-readable media of claim 33, wherein the local browser and the thin server communicate using HTTP.

36. The computer-readable media of claim 35, wherein the thin server communicates with the remote server using a protocol different than HTTP.

37. The computer-readable media of claim 30 wherein the computer-readable media further includes one or more instructions for performing the step of

allowing a user to access at least one local resource through the browser, the at least one local resource being accessed by communication between the at least one local resource and the thin server and communication between the thin server and the browser.

43. The computer-readable media of claim 34, wherein the browser and the thin server communicate using HTTP.

44. The computer-readable media of claim 36, wherein the thin server communicates with the remote server using a protocol different than HTTP.

38. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions for displaying or processing information on a computer, wherein the execution of the one or more sequences of the one or more instructions causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

establishing a thin server as a local server on a local system, the thin server only accepting a connection from browsers launched by said thin server;

said thin server launching a browser;

establishing a connection between the thin server and the browser; and

allowing a user to access the functions of the thin server through the browser.

39. The computer-readable medium of claim 38 wherein the thin server is further capable of accepting a connection only from the browser.

40. The computer-readable medium of claim 38 wherein the browser is capable of communicating with a remote server.

41. The computer-readable medium of claim 40 further comprising one or more sequences of instructions for performing the step of:

allowing the user to access information from the remote server through the browser; and

wherein the browser communicates with the remote server through communication between the browser and the thin server and communication between the thin server and the remote server.

42. The computer-readable media of claim 41 wherein the thin server further includes means for validating a user to the remote server;

and wherein the step of allowing a user to access information from the remote server further includes the step of;

allowing a user to participate in a particular transaction with the remote server only if the validating means indicate that the user is authorized to participate in the particular transaction.

45. The computer-readable media of claim 38 wherein the step of allowing a user to access further includes the step of allowing a user to access at least one local resource through the browser, the at least one local resource being accessed by communication between the at least one local resource and the thin server and communication between the thin server and the browser.