Long running requests

• US 20060136386A1
• Filed: 12/20/2004
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Battagin, Daniel C., Prish, Shahar, Ben-Tovim, Yariv
• Granted Patent: US 7,587,393 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A progress UI is displayed within a user'"'"'s web page for long-running requests. For each long-running request, a progress UI is displayed to the user indicating that the long-running request is being processed until the long-running request has been processed. The progress UI may be a progress indicator showing the user the status of the processing, or the status message could be some other message to the user indicating that the long-running request is still being processed. While the long-running request is being processed, data is sent from the server to the user'"'"'s browser at a rate such that the server performing the long-running request does not time out. The current state of a web page may be maintained such that when a long running request is made the web page that contains the control that issued the long-running request is not automatically refreshed when the long running request takes place.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for processing long-running requests, comprising:

sending a first page request to render an HTML page;

wherein the HTML page includes at least one control;

receiving HTML from the first page result;

rendering the HTML;

generating a second page request;

wherein the second page request is a long-running request that requests the control to be rendered;

receiving data a rate that avoids a timeout; and

displaying a progress UI within the control until the long-running request is completed while maintaining the state of the HTML page.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the received data indicates a progress of completing the long-running request.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining a state associated with the long-running request, wherein the state is used during a refresh request.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the control is an IFRAME control.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein displaying the progress UI comprises displaying the progress of the long-running request using the received data.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising hiding the progress UI when the long-running request is completed and displaying the results of the long-running request within the control.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising maintaining a state associated with the long-running request.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the state is used in determining the HTML to include in the response.

9. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for processing long-running requests, the instructions comprising:

sending a first page request to a server;

wherein a first page includes at least one control;

rendering the first page in response to a result received in response to the first request;

sending a second page request;

wherein the second page request is a long-running request that requests the control to be rendered; and

displaying a progress UI within the control until the long-running request is completed;

wherein the progress UI is displayed using HTML and wherein the first page is maintained while the long-running request is being processed.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising receiving data from the server at a rate that avoids a timeout.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the received data represents a progress of completion relating to the long-running request.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising maintaining a state associated with the long-running request, wherein the state is used during a refresh request such that the long-running request associated with the control continues to be processed.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the control is an IFRAME control.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising hiding the progress UI when the long-running request is completed and displaying the results of the long-running request within the control.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, further comprising maintaining a state associated with the long-running request.

16. A system for processing long-running requests, comprising:

a server comprising;

a processor and a computer-readable medium;

an operating environment stored on the computer-readable medium and executing on the processor; and

a program operating under the control of the operating environment and operative to perform actions, including;

receiving a first page request from a client that includes a control within an HTML page associated with the first page request;

sending HTML in response to the first page request;

receiving a second page request from the control;

wherein the second page request is a long-running request;

performing operations relating to the long-running request;

streaming data to the client at a rate that avoids a timeout from being detected; and

providing a result of the calculation to the client;

the client that is coupled to the server, comprising;

a processor and a computer-readable medium;

an operating environment stored on the computer-readable medium and executing on the processor;

a display; and

a browser operating under the control of the operating environment and operative to perform actions, including;

sending the first page request to the server;

rendering a first page in response to the received HTML;

sending the second page request; and

displaying a progress UI within the control until the long-running request is completed while maintaining a state of the first page;

wherein the progress UI is displayed using HTML.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the streamed data represents a progress of completion relating to the long-running request.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the progress UI displays the progress of the long-running request.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising the client maintaining a state associated with the long-running request, wherein the state is used during a refresh request such that the long-running request associated with the control continues to be processed.

20. The system of claim 17, further comprising the browser hiding the progress UI when the long-running request is completed and displaying the results of the long-running request within the control.