Server-side page table framework for client application definition and execution

• US 6,996,602 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2002
• Issued: 02/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Slater, Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson, Marc D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Suazo, Rainier
• Application Number:
  US10/063,017
• Publication Number:
  US 20030023676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,428 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/203, 709/219, 709/246, 709/205, 709/223, 715/513, 715/522, 715/523, 707/10
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A server-side method and system are provided for defining and executing client computer applications. Aspects of preferred embodiments include defining a page table associated with a client computer application. The page table includes, for one or more application pages, a current page value, an action value, a process value and a next page value. Preferred embodiments additionally include receiving a request from a client that includes request data, an indication of a current page value and an action value. The preferred embodiments also include processing the request data. The process is defined in the page table as a process value corresponding to the current page value and action value received in the request. Additionally, the preferred embodiments include returning a response to the request. The response is defined in the page table as the next page value corresponding to the current page value and action value received in the request.

Claims

1. A computer server-based method for defining and executing a client computer application, the method comprising:

defining a page table associated with a client computer application wherein the page table includes, for one or more application pages, a current page value, an action value, a process value and a next page value;

receiving a request from a client computer wherein the request includes request data, an indication of a current page value and an action value;

validating the request data;

transforming the request data into a model format for processing;

processing the transformed request data with a process wherein the process is defined in the page table as the process value corresponding to the current page value and action value received in the request;

transforming response data into a view format; and

returning a response to the request wherein the response is defined in the page table as the next page value corresponding to the current page value and action value received in the request, and includes the transformed response data.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the response includes merging response data with a predefined page template and wherein the template is defined in the page table.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a data transformation method is defined in the page table.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein a data validation method is defined in the page table.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein more than one process value is defined for an application page.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein at least a portion of the response, request or intermediate processing data is stored in context and made available to more than one process.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the client computer application is a financial data management application.

8. A client-server computer system for defining and executing one or more client computer applications, the system configured to:

receive input defining a page table associated with a client computer application wherein the page table includes, for one or more application pages, a current page value, an action value, a process value and a next page value;

receive input containing a request from a client computer wherein the request includes request data, an indication of a current page value and an action value;

validate the request data;

transform the request data into a model format for processing;

process the transformed request data wherein the process is defined in the page table as the process value corresponding to the current page value and action value received in the request;

transform response data into a view format; and

present output to the client containing a response to the request wherein the response is defined in the page table as the next page value corresponding to the current page value and action value received in the request, and includes the response data.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the computer system is additionally configured to merge the response data with a predefined page template and wherein the template is defined in the page table.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein a data transformation method is defined in the page table.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein a data validation method is defined in the page table.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the computer system is additionally configured to execute more than one process, and wherein the more than one process to be executed is defined in the page table.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the computer system is additionally configured to store at least a portion of the response, request or intermediate processing data in context and wherein the context data is available for more than one process.

14. The system of claim 8 wherein the client computer application is a financial data management application.

15. A server computer-based method for defining and executing a client computer application, the method comprising:

a step for defining a page table associated with a client computer application wherein the page table includes, for one or more application pages, a current page value, an action value, a process value and a next page value;

receiving a request from a client computer wherein the request includes data, an indication of a current page value and an action value;

processing the request data with a process wherein the process is defined in the page table as the process value corresponding to the current page value and action value received in the request; and

returning a response to the request wherein the response is defined in the page table as the next page value corresponding to the current page value and action value received in the request, and includes response data.