Web browser form enhancements

• US 6,247,029 B1
• Filed: 05/01/1998
• Issued: 06/12/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kelley, Edward E., Dauerer, Norman J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen S.
• Application Number:
  US09/071,410
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• Field of Search: 707/501, 707/505, 707/507, 707/506, 707/508
• US Class Current: 715/207
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging

Abstract

A process and system for entering and retrieving previously stored data at a client computer in an HTML form accessed from an intra- or internet source. A set of data in a form file is provided in a program storage device accessible by the client computer. The form file further contains information concerning time of creation of the data and a unique identification which distinguishes the form file from other forms. A blank form is then accessed from an intra- or internet source and viewed on the client computer. The form file is then accessed from the program storage device and data from the form file is utilized to complete the blank form and the completed form is transmitted to the intra- or internet source. Each form file may be stored as an HTML source file combined with a set of data for the source file, and the program storage device includes a combined form table containing a list of the form files. Alternatively, the form file includes a plurality of sets of data, the sets of data being for a plurality of HTML source files previously accessed, and the program storage device further includes a separate form table containing a list of HTML source files previously accessed from the intra- or internet source.

Claims

1. A process for entering data at a client computer in a form accessed from an intra- or internet source comprising:

a) providing a set of data in a form file in a program storage device accessible by said client computer, said data corresponding to data in a single previously filled-in form from an intra- or internet source having a plurality of data spaces, said form file further containing information concerning time of creation of the data and a unique identification which distinguishes said form file from other forms, said unique identification including an identification for said previously filled-in form from an intra- or internet source;

b) accessing a blank form from an intra- or internet source, said blank form having a plurality of blank data spaces for filling in data;

c) viewing said blank form on said client computer;

d) determining if the blank form accessed from the intra- or internet source corresponds to said previously filled-in form from an intra- or internet source by using said unique identification;

e) accessing said form file from said program storage device if it is determined that the blank form accessed from the intra- or internet source corresponds to said previously filled-in form from an intra- or internet source; and

f) utilizing data from said form file to complete the blank data spaces in said blank form.

2. The process of claim 1 including the further step of transmitting the completed form to said intra- or internet source.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein said form file is stored as an HTML source file.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein said form file includes an HTML source file previously accessed from an intra- or internet source combined with a set of data for said source file, and wherein said process includes accessing said form file from said program storage device and determining if said blank form corresponds to said form file.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein said form file includes an HTML source file previously accessed from an intra- or internet source combined with a set of data for said source file, and said program storage device further includes:

i) a plurality of form files, each of which includes an HTML source file previously accessed from an intra- or internet source combined with a set of data for said source file and containing information concerning time of creation of the form and a unique identification, and ii) a combined form table containing a list of said form files, and wherein said process includes accessing said combined form table from said program storage device and determining if said blank form corresponds to said form file.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein said form file includes a plurality of sets of data, said sets of data being for a plurality of HTML source files previously accessed from an intra- or internet source, and wherein said process includes the step of accessing one of said sets of data to complete said blank form.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein said program storage device further includes a separate form table containing a list of a plurality of HTML source files previously accessed from an intra- or internet source and information concerning time of saving of the source file and a unique identification for each source file, and wherein said form file includes a plurality of sets of data, said sets of data being for said HTML source files, and wherein said process includes the step of accessing said separate form table from said program storage device and determining if said blank form corresponds to one of said HTML source files.

8. A system for entering data at a client computer in a form accessed from an intra- or internet source comprising:

a client computer capable of accessing a blank form from an intra- or internet source and viewing said blank form, said blank form having a plurality of blank data spaces for filling in data;

a program storage device accessible by said client computer; and

a set of data containing data adapted for use by said client computer to complete the blank spaces in said blank form in a form file in said program storage device, said data corresponding to data in a single previously filled in form from an intra- or internet source having a plurality of data spaces, said form file containing information concerning time of creation of the data and a unique identification which distinguishes said form file from other forms, said unique identification including an identification for said blank form.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said program storage device includes:

i) a plurality of form files, each of which includes an HTML source file previously accessed from an intra- or internet source combined with a set of data for said source file and containing information concerning time of creation of the data and a unique identification, and ii) a combined form table containing a list of said form files.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein said program storage device includes a separate form table containing a list of a plurality of HTML source files previously accessed from an intra- or internet source and information concerning time of saving of the source file and a unique identification for each source file, and wherein said form file includes a plurality of sets of data, said sets of data being for said HTML source files.

11. A process for entering data at a client computer in a form accessed from an intra- or internet source comprising:

a) accessing a blank form from an intra- or internet source, said blank form having a plurality of blank data spaces for filling in data;

b) viewing said blank form on said client computer;

c) entering a set of data to complete the blank spaces in said blank form; and

d) storing in a program storage device accessible by said client computer a form file containing said set of data used to complete the blank spaces in said blank form, said form file further containing information concerning time of creation of the data and a unique identification which distinguishes said form file from other forms, said unique identification including an identification for said blank form.

12. The process of claim 11 further including the steps of:

e) accessing said form file from said program storage device; and

f) utilizing data from said form file to complete another blank form accessed from an intra- or internet source.

13. The process of claim 11 including the further step of transmitting the completed blank form to said intra- or internet source.

14. The process of claim 11 wherein said form file is stored as an HTML source file.

15. The process of claim 11 wherein said blank form is an HTML source file and step (d) includes storing said form file includes said HTML source file combined with said set of data used to complete said source file.

16. The process of claim 14 wherein said program storage device further includes a combined form table containing a list of HTML source files previously accessed from an intra- or internet source and information concerning time of saving of the source file and a unique identification for each source file, and further including the step of updating the combined form table to include the source file stored in step (d).

17. The process of claim 11 wherein said blank form is an HTML source file and further including the steps of accessing and viewing a plurality of blank form HTML source files, entering sets of data to complete said blank form HTML source files, and storing said sets of data in said form file, such that said form file includes a plurality of said sets of data.

18. The process of claim 17 further including storing in said program storage device a separate form table containing a list of said blank form HTML source files and information concerning time of saving of the source file and a unique identification for each source file, said separate form table being stored separately from said form file.

19. A system for entering data at a client computer in a form accessed from an intra- or internet source comprising:

a client computer capable of accessing a blank form from an intra- or internet source and viewing said blank form, said blank form having a plurality of blank data spaces for filling in data; and

a program storage device accessible by said client computer, said program storage device further having a program of instructions executable by the computer to save data in a form accessed from said intra- or internet source comprising;

a) receiving a set of data to complete the blank spaces in said blank form; and

b) storing in the same or a different program storage device accessible by said client computer a form file containing said set of data used to complete the blank spaces in said blank form, said form file further containing information concerning time of creation of the data and a unique identification which distinguishes said form file from other forms, said unique identification including an identification for said blank form.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said blank form is an HTML source file and step (b) includes storing said form file including said HTML source file combined with said set of data used to complete said source file.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein said blank form is an HTML source file and said form file includes a plurality of said sets of data.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein said program storage device containing said form file further includes a separate form table containing a list of said blank form HTML source files and information concerning time of saving of the source file and a unique identification for each source file, said separate form table being stored separately from said form file.

23. A process for entering data at a client computer in a form accessed from an intra- or internet source comprising:

providing a set of data in a form file in a program storage device accessible by said client computer, said data corresponding to data in a single previously filled-in form from an intra- or internet source having a plurality of data spaces, said form file further containing information concerning time of creation of the data and a unique identification which distinguishes said form file from other forms, said unique identification including an identification for said previously filled-in form from an intra- or internet source;

accessing a blank form from an intra- or internet source, said blank form having a plurality of blank data spaces for filling in data;

viewing said blank form on said client computer;

determining if the blank form accessed from the intra- or internet source corresponds to said previously filled-in form from an intra- or internet source by using said unique identification;

accessing said form file from said program storage device if it is determined that the blank form accessed from the intra- or internet source corresponds to said previously filled-in form from an intra- or internet source;

utilizing data from said form file to complete the blank data spaces in said blank form; and

transmitting the completed blank form to said intra- or internet source.

24. The process of claim 23 wherein said form file includes an HTML source file previously accessed from an intra- or internet source combined with a set of data for said source file, and wherein said process includes accessing said form file from said program storage device and determining if said blank form corresponds to said form file.

25. The process of claim 23 wherein said form file includes an HTML source file previously accessed from an intra- or internet source combined with a set of data for said source file, and said program storage device further includes:

i) a plurality of form files, each of which includes an HTML source file previously accessed from an intra- or internet source combined with a set of data for said source file and containing information concerning time of creation of the form and a unique identification, and ii) a combined form table containing a list of said form files, and wherein said process includes accessing said combined form table from said program storage device and determining if said blank form corresponds to said form file.

26. The process of claim 23 wherein said form file includes a plurality of sets of data, said sets of data being for a plurality of HTML source files previously accessed from an intra- or internet source, and wherein said process includes the step of accessing one of said sets of data to complete said blank form.

27. The process of claim 26 wherein said program storage device further includes a separate form table containing a list of a plurality of HTML source files previously accessed from an intra- or internet source and information concerning time of saving of the source file and a unique identification for each source file, and wherein said form file includes a plurality of sets of data, said sets of data being for said HTML source files, and wherein said process includes the step of accessing said separate form table from said program storage device and determining if said blank form corresponds to one of said HTML source files.