Method of retaining and managing currently displayed content information in web server

• US 6,480,887 B1
• Filed: 06/29/1999
• Issued: 11/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Hayama, Tatsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Krisna
• Application Number:
  US09/342,733
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/217, 709/229
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching

Abstract

In response to a content request issued from a client to a Web server, a registration section in a current content storage section searches a current content storage list by using the client information of the request source as a key. If the client information of the request source is not registered, the registration section registers a set of the client. information and the content name indicated by the request in the current content storage list. If the client information is registered, the registration section performs registration processing to replace the content name combined with the client information in the current content storage list with the content name indicated by the request. A content search section searches the content storage section for the content requested by the content request. This content is returned to the request source after specific header information indicating that the content is not to be cached is added to the content by a header adding section. With this operation, the current display content information on the client can be retained and managed on the Web server side.

Claims

1. A method of allowing a Web server which transmits a content to a client as a content request source in accordance with a content request from the client to retain and manage information related to a content currently displayed on the client, comprising the steps of:

preparing a current content storage list in which identification information of a latest content transmitted to the client as the content request source is registered in combination with client information indicating the client as the content request source;

searching the current content storage list in response to the content request from the client by using the client information indicating the client as the content request source as a key, registering a set of the client information and identification information of a content indicated by the content request in said current content storage list when the client information of the content request source is not registered, and replacing the content identification information combined with the client information in the current content storage list with the content identification information indicated by the corresponding content request when the client information of the content request source is registered; and

searching the content requested by the content request and transmitting the content to the client as the content request source.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

preparing a storage file type list in which types of content information to be registered in the current content storage list are registered; and

searching the storage file type list with a type of the content information indicated by the content request as a key, and performing registration in the current content storage list only when the type of the content information indicated by the content request is registered in the storage file type list.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

preparing a transmission order storage list in which an array indicating a content transmission order is registered;

searching the transmission order storage list by using the content identification information indicated by the content request as a key, searching the current content storage list by using the client information of the corresponding content request source as a key when the array including the content identification information is present, and extracting content identification information combined with the client information when the client information of the content request source is registered; and

searching the array for content identification information to be transmitted next to the extracted content identification information, searching for a content indicated by the content identification information when the searched content identification information coincides with the content identification information indicated by the content request, and performing registration processing in the current content storage list and the transmission processing.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

preparing a movement inhibition host list in which client information as a page movement inhibition target;

setting, in a content transmitted from the Web server to the client as the content request source, a procedure for issuing a specific request from the client to the Web server to request page movement inhibition/permission when a predetermined portion of the content is operated while the content is displayed on the window;

when the client issues a request to the Web server, checking whether the request is the specific request;

when the request is the specific request, performing a first search to search the movement inhibition host list by using client information of the corresponding request source as a key;

registering the client information in the movement inhibition host list when a result of the first search indicates that the client information of the request source is not registered, and the specific request indicates page movement inhibition, and deleting the client information from the movement inhibition host list when the client information of the request source is not registered, and the specific request indicates page movement permission;

when the request is not the specific request, performing a second search to search the movement inhibition host list by using the client information of the request source as a key;

when a result of the second search indicates that the client information of the request source is registered, returning an error notification to the client as the request source; and

when a result of the second search indicates that the client information of the request source is not registered, searching for a content indicated by the request, and performing registration processing in the current content storage list and the transmission processing.

5. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

preparing a movement inhibition host list in which client information as a page movement inhibition target;

setting, in a content transmitted from the Web server to the client as the content request source, a procedure for issuing a specific request from the client to the Web server to request page movement inhibition/permission when a predetermined portion of the content is operated while the content is displayed on the window;

when the client issues a request to the Web server, checking whether the request is the specific request;

when the request is the specific request, performing a first search to search the movement inhibition host list by using client information of the corresponding request source as a key;

registering the client information in the movement inhibition host list when a result of the first search indicates that the client information of the request source is not registered, and the specific request indicates page movement inhibition, and deleting the client information from the movement inhibition host list when the client information of the request source is not registered, and the specific request indicates page movement permission;

when the request is not the specific request, performing a second search to search the movement inhibition host list by using the client information of the request source as a key;

when a result of the second search indicates that the client information of the request source is registered, searching the current content storage list by using the client information of the request source as a key to acquire content identification information combined with the client information, and transmitting a content indicated by the acquired content identification information to the client as the request source in place of the requested content; and

when a result of the second search indicates that the client information of the request source is not registered, searching a content indicated by the request and performing registration processing in the current content storage list and the transmission processing.

6. A method according to claim 1, further comprising adding specific header information to a content to be transmitted to the request source, the information indicating that the content is not cached.

7. A Web server for transmitting a content to a client as a content request source in accordance with a corresponding content request from the client, comprising:

a current content storage list in which identification information of a latest content transmitted to the client as the content request source is registered in combination with client information indicating the client as the content request source;

registration means for searching the current content storage list in response to the content request from the client by using the client information indicating the client as the content request source as a key, registering a set of the client information and identification information of a content indicated by the content request in said current content storage list when the client information of the content request source is not registered, and replacing the content identification information combined with the client information in the current content storage list with the content identification information indicated by the corresponding content request when the client information of the content request source is registered; and

means for searching the content requested by the content request and transmitting the content to the client as the content request source.

8. A server according to claim 7, further comprising a storage file type list in which types of content information to be registered in said current content storage list are registered.

9. A server according to claim 7, further comprising a transmission order storage list in which an array indicating a content transmission order is registered.

10. A server according to claim 7, further comprising a movement inhibition host list in which client information as a page movement inhibition target is registered.

11. A server according to claim 10, further comprising means for returning an error notification to the client as the request source when the client information of the request source is registered in said movement inhibition host list.

12. A server according to claim 10, further comprising means for, when the client information of the request source is registered in said movement inhibition host list, returning the same content as that currently displayed on the client as the request source to the client as the request source by searching the current content storage list.

13. A server according to claim 7, wherein specific header information indicting that a content is not cached is added to the content to be transmitted to the request source.