Method and apparatus for managing internet transactions

• US 6,249,291 B1
• Filed: 09/22/1995
• Issued: 06/19/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Next Software Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Next Software Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Ong, Bruce, DʼHarcourt, Charles, Popp, Nicolas
• Primary Examiner(s): Jankus, Almis R.
• Application Number:
  US08/532,491
• Time in Patent Office: 2,097 Days
• Field of Search: 395/761, 395/326-332, 707/2, 345/473
• US Class Current: 345/473
• 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

An object-oriented approach 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 of handling a Web page comprising the steps of:

receiving from a client a first returned page containing a request;

activating one or more event objects associated with said returned page, wherein at least one of said event objects has a programmably controllable persistence level associated therewith;

said event object capable of retention according to said programmably controllable persistence level for use with at least one second pages; and

processing said returned page using said event objects.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

determining a response Web page;

creating a page object for said response Web page;

requesting said response Web page to invoke an associated script.

3. A method of handling a Web transaction comprising the steps of:

receiving from a client a first returned page containing a request;

activating event objects associated with said returned page, wherein at least one of said event objects has a programmably controllable persistence level associated therewith;

said event object capable of retention according to said programmably controllable persistence level for use with at least one second pages;

determining whether a response is needed;

performing the following when a response is needed;

(a) identifying a response page;

(b) activating event objects associated with said response page;

(c) generating said response;

(d) transmitting said response to said client.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising the steps of:

verifying said request; and

terminating said request when said request is not valid.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said verification step further comprises the steps of:

obtaining a first verification string associated with said request;

retrieving a session associated with said client;

retrieving a session key from said session;

generating a second verification string using said session key and a subset of the information contained in said request;

comparing said first verification string with said second verification string.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of setting state information.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein said step of activating event objects associated with said response page further comprises the steps of:

activating a plurality of control objects for managing the generation of said response page;

activating a response object for managing information about said response;

activating a plurality of context objects for maintaining state information.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said step of generating said response further comprises the steps of:

creating a plurality of element objects;

transmitting a “

generate”

message to said plurality of control objects;

said control objects transmitting said “

generate”

message to said plurality of element objects;

said element objects generating a plurality of definitional statements for said response page.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein custom logic is associated with said response page, said step of performing further comprising the step of executing said custom logic if said plurality of control objects identify said custom logic.

10. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for controlling data contained in a Web page having an element definition comprising;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to associate an element of a first Web page with an object oriented object containing data for said element, wherein said object oriented object has a programmably controllable persistence level associated therewith;

said object oriented object capable of retention according to said programmably controllable persistence level for use with at least one second Web pages;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to retrieve data from an external data source into said object oriented object;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to generate said element definition for said element using said object oriented object data.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 10 wherein a declaration contains binding information that associates said element with said data object.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 11 wherein said element definition is updated when said Web page is displayed and input data is entered, said article of manufacture further comprising:

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to retrieve input data from said updated definition;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to store said input data in said object oriented object;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to update said external data source with said object oriented object data.

13. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for processing a Web transaction comprising;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to receive a first request from a client;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to activate at least one object oriented object associated with a response to said request, wherein said object oriented object has a programmably controllable persistence level associated therewith;

said object oriented object capable of retention according to said programmably controllable persistence level for use with at least one second requests;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to generate using said at least one object oriented object at least one definition for an element of said response;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to transmit said at least one definition for an element to said client.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 13 wherein said element is an HTML element.

15. The article of manufacture of claim 14 wherein said computer readable code configured to cause a computer to generate at least one definition for an element further comprises:

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to access a template for said at least one definition for an element;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to make a plurality of modifications to said template.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 15 wherein an external data source object contains data for said response, said computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to make a plurality of modifications to said template further comprises:

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to retrieve data from said external data source object;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to include said data in said at least one definition for an element.

17. A method of handling a Web transaction comprising the steps of:

receiving from a client a first returned page containing a request;

activating one or more event objects associated with said returned page, wherein at least one of said event objects has a programmably controllable persistence level associated therewith;

said event object capable of retention according to said programmably controllable persistence level for use with at least one second pages;

determnining whether a response is needed;

performing the following when a response is needed;

(a) identifying a response page;

(b) activating event objects associated with said response page;

(c) generating said response;

(d) transmitting said response to said client;

(e) verifying said request;

(f) terminating said request when said request is not valid;

(g) obtaining a first verification string associated with said request;

(h) retrieving a session associated with said client;

(i) retrieving a session key from said session;

(j) generating a second verification string using said session key and a subset of the information contained in said request; and

(k) comparing said first verification string with said second verification string.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the step of setting state information.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein said step of activating event objects associated with said response page further comprises the steps of:

activating a plurality of control objects for managing the generation of said response page;

activating a response object for managing information about said response;

activating a plurality of context objects for maintaining state information.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein said step of generating said response further comprises the steps of:

creating a plurality of element objects;

transmitting a “

generate”

message to said plurality of control objects;

said control objects transmitting said “

generate”

message to said plurality of element objects;

said element objects generating a plurality of definitional statements for said response page.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein custom logic is associated with said response page, said step of performing further comprising the step of executing said custom logic if said plurality of control objects identify said custom logic.

22. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for controlling data contained in a Web page having an element definition comprising;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to associate an element of a first Web page with an object containing data for said element, wherein said object has a programmably controllable persistence level associated therewith;

said object capable of retention according to said programmably controllable persistence level for use with at least one second Web pages;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to retrieve data from an external data source into said object;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to generate said element definition for said element using said object data;

wherein a declaration contains binding information that associates said element with said data object;

wherein said element definition is updated when said Web page is displayed and input data is entered, said article of manufacture further comprising;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to retrieve input data from said updated definition;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to store said input data in said object;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to update said external data source with said object data.

23. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for processing a Web transaction comprising;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to receive a first request from a client;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to activate at least one object associated with a response to said request, wherein said object has a programmably controllable persistence level associated therewith;

said event object capable of retention according to said programmably controllable persistence level for use with at least one second requests;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to generate using said at least one object at least one definition for an element of said response;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to transmit said at least one definition for an element to said client;

wherein said computer readable code configured to cause a computer to generate at least one definition for an element further comprises;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to access a template for said at least one definition for an element;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to make a plurality of modifications to said template.

24. The article of manufacture of claim 23 wherein said element is an HTML element.

25. The article of manufacture of claim 23 wherein an external data source object contains data for said response, said computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to make a plurality of modifications to said template further comprises:

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to retrieve data from said external data source object;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to include said data in said at least one definition for an element.