Web page accessing of data bases and mainframes

• US 6,532,463 B1
• Filed: 12/01/1998
• Issued: 03/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: University of Florida Research Foundation, Incorporated (State University System of Florida)
• Original Assignee: University of Florida (State University System of Florida)
• Inventors: Cook, Alan Russell, Robbins, James Earl, Lucas, Michael Wayne
• Primary Examiner(s): Metjahic, Safet
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, UYEN T
• Application Number:
  US09/203,686
• Time in Patent Office: 1,561 Days
• Field of Search: 707/9, 707/10, 709/200, 709/202, 709/203, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 713/168, 713/171, 713/182, 713/200, 713/201, 713/202
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

A method of providing Web access to data using dynamic generation of Web pages by a mainframe computer connected to a Web server. The mainframe computer has legacy programs, legacy data, and legacy subroutines on it (Legacy means existing information systems which may not be specifically adapted to Web access). A Web control program on the mainframe marries file definition objects and page definition objects to generate Web pages and allow a Web user to access legacy data stored in databases on the mainframe. A state key is generated by the mainframe upon a user inputting identification data and the state key is then incorporated into the Web page generated by the Web control program. By receiving the state key back from the user, the Web control program determines the extent of access allowed to a particular user without the user having to reenter identification data. The Web control program allows one to manage and change the appearance of Web pages.

Claims

1. A method of providing Web access to data, the steps comprising:

providing a Web server for distribution of data to users;

providing a database on a mainframe database computer operably connected to the Web server, the database having a database program that provides data in a given format;

providing a Web control program on the database computer;

having a user supply an identification code to the Web server, the Web control program then generating a state key and incorporating the state key into a Web page supplied to that user, and wherein the database computer, outside of the Web server, detects the state key from the Web page upon the user requesting data and decides whether that user can access the requested data based on the state key;

the state key thus allowing the user to access otherwise restricted data from the database computer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the state key loses its ability to authorize data access if it is not sent by the user to the database computer at least once during a time-out interval.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the Web server is on a Web server computer different from the database computer.

4. The method of claim 3 further including the step of forwarding the identification code from the Web server to the database computer.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the state key is randomly generated for a given access session.

6. A method of providing Web access to data, the steps comprising:

providing a Web server for distribution of data to users;

providing a database on a database computer operably connected to the Web server, the database having a database program that provides data in a given format;

having a user request data in the database, the Web server then forwarding the request to the database, the data base program then accessing the data in the given format, the database computer then running a Web control program that generates a Web page with the requested data and supplies the generated Web page to the user, wherein said Web server is on a Web server computer different from the database computer;

said database computer is a mainframe computer and further including the steps of;

having a user supply an identification code, the Web control program then generating a state key, incorporating the state key into a Web page supplied to that user, and wherein the database computer detects the state key from the Web page upon the user requesting data and decides whether that user can access the requested data based on the state key.

7. A method of managing a Web site, the steps comprising:

providing a Web control program on a computer;

having the Web control program receive a page change command from a user using a Web browser to access the Web site; and

, responsive to the page change command, having the Web control program change a given Web page to a changed Web page, in response to the page change command from a user using a Web browser to access the Web site and without the Web browser being in any editing mode, such that any users accessing the given Web page now receive the changed Web page, the page change command changing the appearance of a given Web page, the Web browser thus editing the given Web page for any users who access it without requiring a switch into any editing mode;

wherein the Web control program marries file definition objects and page definition objects to generate Web pages;

wherein the computer having the Web control program is a mainframe computer and users request data on the mainframe computer via a Web server on a Web server computer;

wherein the Web control program generates HTML through a completely table driven process, independent of file definitions and page definitions, and further including the steps of;

having a user supply an identification code, forward the identification code from the Web server computer to the mainframe computer, the Web control program then generating a state key, incorporating the state key into a Web page supplied to that user, and wherein the mainframe computer detects the state key from the Web page upon the user requesting data and decides whether that user can access the requested data based on the state key.

8. A method of providing Web access to data, the steps comprising:

providing a Web server for distribution of data to users;

providing a database on a database computer operably connected to the Web server, the database having a database program that provides data in a given format;

having a user request data in the database, the Web server then forwarding the request to the database, the database program then accessing the data in the given format, the database computer then running a Web control program that generates a Web page with the requested data and supplies the generated Web page to the user, the Web control program, outside of the Web server, then putting markup language on the data to generate a Web page and such that a Web page is dynamically generated outside of the Web server;

wherein;

said Web server is on a Web server computer different from the database computer;

said database computer is a mainframe computer; and

the method further includes the steps of;

having a user supply an identification code, forwarding the identification code from the Web server computer to the mainframe computer, the Web control program then generating a state key, incorporating the state key into a Web page supplied to that user, and wherein the mainframe computer detects the state key from the Web page upon the user requesting data and decides whether that user can access the requested data based on the state key.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the state key is randomly generated for a given access session and the state key loses its ability to authorize data access if it is not sent by the user to the mainframe computer at least once during a time-out interval.