Web server replicated mini-filter

• US 6,760,745 B1
• Filed: 05/16/2000
• Issued: 07/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aspect Communications Corporation (Alvaria Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Aspect Communications Corporation (Alvaria Incorporated)
• Inventors: Tan, Robert, Sundararajan, Senthil, Mohan, PrabhuRam
• Primary Examiner(s): Geckil, Mehmet B.
• Application Number:
  US09/572,016
• Time in Patent Office: 1,512 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/217, 709/225, 709/226, 709/229, 709/246, 718/105, 715/513
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10015 Access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. using brokers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/2895 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data provider application, e.g. reverse proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method of operating a server includes retrieving a document from a storage device. A variable is generated, the variable including information to enable another server to reproduce the document. The variable may, for example, be a compressed and encrypted complete copy of the document, or may be a JavaScript variable. The variable is appended to the document, and the document is transmitted.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a request for a document from a client computer, the request including one or more identifiers having customization information to facilitate customization of the document;

generating a variable based on the request received, the variable comprising the customization information and reproduction information to enable a replication server to reproduce the document as a customized document;

identifying the replication server from a plurality of replication servers; and

transmitting the variable to the replication server to reproduce the customized document.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the variable comprises a JavaScript variable.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the customized document comprises a markup language document.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reproducing the customized document using the variable; and

transmitting the customized document to the client computer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the request further includes a uniform resource locator (URL).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the customized document includes tags to view an icon or hypertext when displayed on the client computer, the icon or hypertext, when activated, causing the variable to be sent to a another server computer.

7. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon data representing sets of instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

receive a request for a document from a client computer, the request including one or more identifiers having customization information to facilitate customization of the document;

generate a variable based on the request received, the variable comprising the customization information and reproduction information to facilitate a replication server to reproduce the document as a customized document;

identify the replication server from a plurality of replication servers; and

transmit the variable to the replication server to reproduce the customized document.

8. The machine-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the sets of instructions, when executed by the machine, further cause the machine to:

reproduce the customized document using the variable; and

transmit the customized document to the client computer.

9. The machine-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the request further includes a uniform resource locator (URL).

10. A method, comprising:

receiving a request for a dynamically-generated document from a client computer, wherein the dynamically-generated document includes a customized document that is customized based on customization information contained in the request to allow the client computer to interact with a computer;

generating a variable based on the request received, the variable comprising the customization information and reproduction information to enable a replication server to reproduce the dynamically-generated document;

identifying the replication server from a plurality of replication servers; and

transmitting the variable to the replication server to reproduce the dynamically-generated document.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the dynamically-generated document includes tags necessary to view an icon or hypertext when displayed on the client computer, the icon or hypertext, when activated, causing the client computer to interact with the computer comprising another client computer including a customer service representative computer.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

retrieving a template for the dynamically-generated document from a storage device based on a uniform resource locator (URL);

retrieving customization information from the storage device based on one or more identifiers;

generating the dynamically-generated document with the customization information and the template; and

transmitting the dynamically-generated document to the client computer.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising transmitting the dynamically-generated document to another client computer.

14. A method, comprising:

receiving a variable from a server computer, the variable generated based on a request for a document received at the server computer from a first client computer, wherein the variable includes reproduction information and customization information to reproduce the document as a customized document to be displayed on the first client computer and a second client computer;

reproducing the customized document based on the variable; and

transmitting the customized document to the first client computer and to the second client computer.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

adding applets to the customized document, the applets to perform functions assisting in the operation of an interactive session between the first and second client computers, wherein the first and second client computers simultaneously display the customized document; and

transmitting the customized document containing the applets to the first client computer and the second client computer.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the customized document comprises a markup language document.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the variable comprises a JavaScript variable.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprises facilitating an interactive session between the first client computer and the second client computer.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the customized document comprises a markup language document and is simultaneously displayed on browsers running on the first client computer and the second client computer.

20. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon data representing sets of instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

receive a variable from a server computer, the variable generated based on a request for a document received at the server computer from a first client computer, wherein the variable includes reproduction information and customization information to reproduce the document as a customized document to be displayed on the first client computer and a second client computer;

reproduce the customized document based on the variable; and

transmit the customized document to the first client computer and to the second client computer.

21. The machine-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the sets of instructions, when executed by the machine, further cause the machine to:

add applets to the customized document, the applets to perform functions assisting in the operation of an interactive session between the first and second client computers, wherein the first and second client computers simultaneously display the customized document; and

transmit the customized document containing the applets to the first client computer and to the second client computer.

22. An apparatus, comprising:

a first server computer having

a first processor,

a first network connection coupled to the processor,

one or more storage devices coupled to the first processor, the one or more storage devices having stored thereon a first server application and a first filter routine,

the first server application when executed by the first processor, causing the first processor to receive a request for a document from a first client computer via the first network connection, the request including one or more identifiers having customization information to facilitate customization of the document, and

the first filter routine when executed by the first processor, causing the first processor to generate a variable based on the request received, the variable comprising the customization information and reproduction information to enable a replication server to reproduce the document as a customized document, to identify the replication server from a plurality of replication servers, and to transmit the variable to the replication server to reproduce the customized document; and

a second server computer coupled to the first server computer.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the second server computer comprises

the replication server, the second server computer having

a second processor,

a second network connection coupled to the second processor to receive the variable from the first server computer and to couple the second server computer with the first server computer, and

a second set of one or more storage devices coupled to the second processor,

the second set of one or more storage devices having stored thereon a second server application and a second filter routine,

the second server application when executed by the second processor to cause the second processor to reproduce the customized document based on the variable, and

the second filter routine to transmit the customized document to the first client computer.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the second filter routine is further to transmit the customized document to a second client computer.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the second filter routine is further to add applets to the customized document, the applets to perform functions assisting in the operation of an interactive session between the first client computer and the second client computer when executed by at least one of the first processor and the second processor and to simultaneously display the customized document on the first and second client computers.

26. A system, comprising:

a first server computer having

a first processor,

a first network connection coupled to the first processor, and

a first set of one or more storage devices coupled to the first processor, the first set of one or more storage devices having stored thereon first server application and a first filter routine,

the first server application when executed by the first processor, causing the first processor to receive a request for a document from a first client computer via the first network connection, the request including one or more identifiers having customization information to facilitate customization of the document, and

the first filter routine when executed by the first processor, causing the first processor to generate a variable based on the request received, the variable comprising the customization information and reproduction information to enable a replication server to replicate the document as a customized document, to identify the replication server from a plurality of replication servers, and to transmit the variable to the replication server to reproduced the customized document; and

a second server computer comprising the replication server, the second server

computer having

a second processor,

a second network connection coupled to the second processor to receive the variable from the first server computer and to couple the second server computer with the first server computer, and

a second set of one or more storage devices coupled to the second processor,

the second set of one or more storage devices having stored thereon a second server application and a second filter routine,

the second server application when executed by the second processor to cause the second processor to reproduce the customized document based on the variable, and

the second filter routine to transmit the customized document to the first client computer.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the second filter routine is further to transmit the customized document to a second client computer.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the second filter routine is further to add applets to the customized document, the applets to perform functions assisting in the operation of an interactive session between the first client computer and the second client computer when executed by the first processor or the second processor.

29. The system of claim 26, further comprising a load balancing server coupled to the first server computer through a third network connection, the load balancing server to receive the request for the document from the first client computer, and to transmit the request to the first server computer based on the workload being handled by the first server computer.