Client server system, server, client, proxy server control method, proxy server function provision method, storage medium and program transmission apparatus

• US 7,133,904 B1
• Filed: 11/06/2000
• Issued: 11/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Aoki, Yoshinori, Sohya, Toshio
• Primary Examiner(s): Caldwell, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Willett, Stephan
• Application Number:
  US09/706,608
• Time in Patent Office: 2,192 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/232, 709/203, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/250, 713/2, 713/153, 713/164, 713/201, 370/252, 370/254
• US Class Current: 709/218
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• 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 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561

Abstract

A network system comprises: a WWW server 40 for executing a server process; a server 10 for providing a proxy server function; a client 20, which is connected to a communication network 30 for accessing the WWW server 40 and the server 10. The server 10 stores a Web file 11 that includes a proxy server function that can be displayed as a Web page by a Web browser, and that can be read and activated by the Web browser. The client 20 incorporates the Web browser that displays a Web page based on the Web file 11, which is downloaded from the server 10 via the communication network 30. When the Web file 11 is read by the Web browser, the proxy server function of the Web file 11 is initiated.

Claims

1. A distributed network system for running a Web-based application at a client, comprising:

a first server for performing a server process;

a second server for providing a proxy server function and for dynamically downloading a Web file to a client automatically in response to a client request for a Web page, said Web file comprising a Web page program for the proxy server function that is activated at said client when read by a Web browser, and

a client computer, capable of running said Web-based application without having to store, maintain, and configure proxy server functions at said client, comprising a connection to a communication network for accessing said first server and said second server with a client request for a Web page and a Web browser for displaying a Web page based on said Web page program, wherein said Web browser automatically changes from an original state to a proxy setup state with said proxy server function automatically downloaded from said second server via said communication network in response to the client request, and wherein said Web browser is adapted to read said Web page program and to activate said proxy server function of said Web page program for use at said client and to return the proxy setup for the Web browser to the original state when the Web page is closed.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said Web page program includes a proxy server program for implementing said proxy server function, and page data consisting of said Web page displayed by said Web browser of said client, and including a function for activating said proxy server program when said proxy server program is read by said Web browser.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said page data also includes a function for, before said proxy server program is activated, changing the proxy setup performed with said Web browser belonging to said client into a setup that is appropriate for the operation of said proxy server program.

18. The system according to claim 1 wherein said first and said second server are the same server.

4. A server for facilitating access to a Web-based application comprising:

a connector, which is connected to a communication network, for accepting an access request for a Web page from a client; and

a storage unit for storing a Web page program and for dynamically downloading said Web page program to a client upon receipt of said access request from said client via said connector, said Web page program including a proxy server function, that can display the requested Web page using a Web browser and that is activated when read at said client using said Web browser, without having to store, maintain, and configure proxy server functions at said client, wherein said Web browser automatically changes from an original state to a proxy setup state with said proxy server function, and wherein said Web browser is adapted to read said Web page program and to activate said proxy server function of said Web page program for use at said client and to return the proxy setup for the Web browser to the original state when the Web page is closed.

5. The server according to claim 4, wherein said storage unit stores said Web page program as contents corresponding to the World Wide Web.

6. A client computer for executing a Web-based application, without having to store, maintain, and configure proxy server functions at said client, comprising:

a Web browser;

a contents display unit for using the Web browser to display, as a Web page, contents that are provided from a server; and

a proxy server function execution unit for reading, to said Web browser, a Web page program downloaded in response to a client request, which program includes a proxy server function, for displaying said Web page based on said Web page program, and for executing said proxy server function included in said Web page program, wherein said Web browser automatically changes from an original state to a proxy setup state with said proxy server function, and wherein said Web browser is adapted to read said Web page program and to activate said proxy server function of said Web page program for use at said client and to return the proxy setup for the Web browser to the original state when the Web page is closed.

7. The client computer according to claim 6, wherein, when said Web page program is read into said Web browser, said proxy server function execution unit changes the proxy setup performed with said Web browser so that a process performed by said proxy server function is initiated via said Web page program.

8. The client computer according to claim 7 wherein said process is initiated upon receipt of a request issued by said contents display unit.

9. The client computer according to claim 7 wherein said process is initiated when a reply is to be transmitted to said contents display unit.

10. The client computer according to claim 6, wherein a process during which, using said Web browser, said contents display unit displays a Web page is the same as a process during which, based on said Web page program, said proxy server function execution unit displays a Web page.

11. A proxy server control method for activating and halting a proxy server at a client computer in a distributed network comprising at least one client computer and at least one server comprising the steps of:

dynamically downloading a Web page program to a client automatically in response to a client request for a web page, said Web page program including a proxy server function for displaying a Web page using a Web browser, which program is activated when read using said Web browser;

changing the proxy setup performed with said Web browser, so that a process using said proxy server function is initiated via said Web page program at said client without said client having to store, maintain, and configure proxy server functions at said client; and

using said Web browser to display said Web page based on said Web page program and to return the proxy setup for the Web browser to the original state when the Web page is closed.

12. A proxy server control method according to claim 11 wherein the process is initiated as a request for a server process.

13. A proxy server control method according to claim 11 wherein the process is initiated as a response to a reply from said server process.

14. The proxy server control method according to claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

storing an original proxy setup provided for said Web browser before said proxy setup is changed; and

replacing an altered proxy setup provided for said Web browser with said originally provided proxy setup before said Web page displayed by said Web browser is closed.

15. A proxy server function provision method, for a client/server system wherein a network application based on the World Wide Web is operated, comprising the steps of:

loading onto a server, a Web page program having a proxy server function that can display a Web page using a Web browser, and that is read and activated using said Web browser;

dynamically downloading said Web page program from said server to an arbitrary client in response to a client access request;

reading said Web page program into said Web browser and displaying a Web page; and

activating said proxy server function without having to store, maintain, and configure proxy server functions at said client, whereby said Web browser automatically changes from an original state to a proxy setup state with said proxy server function, and wherein said Web browser is adapted to read said Web page program and to activate said proxy server function of said Web page program for use at said client and to return the proxy setup for the Web browser to the original state when the Web page is closed.

16. A storage medium on which input means for a computer stores a computer-readable program, said program comprising:

a proxy server program for implementing a proxy server function and for dynamically downloading to a client a Web file comprising at least page data and said proxy server function in response to a client access request; and

page data that consists of a Web page displayed by a Web browser, and that has a function for activating said proxy server function at said client when said page data are read into said Web browser without having to store, maintain, and configure proxy server functions at said client, whereby said Web browser automatically changes from an original state to a proxy setup state with said proxy server function, and wherein said Web browser is adapted to read said Web page program and to activate said proxy server function of said Web page program for use at said client and to return the proxy setup for the Web browser to the original state when the Web page is closed.

17. A program transmission apparatus comprising:

storage means for storing a Web page program having a proxy server function that can use a Web browser to display a Web page and that is read and activated by said Web browser; and

transmission means for reading said Web page program from said storage means and for transmitting said Web page program to a client in response to a client request for said Web page for execution of said Web page program by said Web browser, whereby said Web browser automatically changes from an original state to a proxy setup state with said proxy server function, and wherein said Web browser is adapted to read said Web page program and to activate said proxy server function of said Web page program for use at said client and to return the proxy setup for the Web browser to the original state when the Web page is closed.