Method for the server side processing of user interactions with a web-browser

• US 20060212514A1
• Filed: 03/16/2006
• Published: 09/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Saillet, Yannick
• Granted Patent: US 8,112,473 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/95 Retrieval from the web

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and system for client-side interacting with a server-side web application in a web-based client-server environment, in which a client-side web browser is used as a user interface for displaying web pages sent by the web application within a browser application frame and for converting events triggered by one or more user actions within said application frame into a request directed to said server-side web application, wherein an executable program object for example a Java Script is used at the client side as a part of the client-side web application user interface.

In order to improve the user interface it is proposed to use an additional frame in the browser which communicates with the server and which prevents the displayed document from being reloaded when the server sends its response. Instead, only delta information (50) is displayed within the frame.

Claims

1. A method for client-side interacting with a server-side web application (16) in a web-based client (12)-server (14) environment, in which a client-side web browser is used as a user interface for displaying web pages sent by the web application within a browser application frame (22) and for converting events triggered by one or more user input actions within said application frame (22) into a request directed to said server-side web application (16), wherein a client-server request-response communication dialogue (2, 3, 4) is performed with said server-side web application (16) responsive to said user input actions,

characterized by:

performing in a single dialogue step between client (12) and server (14) the steps of;

a) receiving an executable display programming means (28) in a user-hidden frame (24) together with response parameters (50) generated by the server (14),

b) executing said programming means (28) from within the user-hidden frame (24), wherein said execution displays said response parameters (50) at said application frame (22) for updating it only in part at predetermined locations.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a collection of user actions comprises the steps of using an input-sensing executable program means (26) for

a) monitoring said user input actions within said client-side web application user interface for detecting a user event,

b) encoding (2) control characteristics of said event into an extension of a respective, predetermined URL addressing the server side application (16) controlling said web application,

c) instructing (2) a client-side mediator frame (24) to load said encoded URL from the server,

wherein said communication (2, 3, 4) comprises the steps of:

d) sending (3) a request comprising said event control characteristics to said Servlet (16),

e) receiving (4) an answer to said request comprising a predetermined server response comprising in turn said response parameters (50) corresponding to said user-triggered event and said second executable program object (28), and wherein said displaying step is performed by;

f) invoking (5) said second executable display program object (28), which modifies said application frame (22) according to the program logic of the web application.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said mediator frame (24) sends (3) said request to the server (14).

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein said application frame (22) sends (3) said request to the server (14), together with an additional information saying that the server response to be expected has to be displayed in the mediator frame (24).

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein said executable program means (26, 28) is each a JavaScript.

5. A method for server-side interacting with a client-side web browser for performing a web application (16) in a web-based client (12)-server (14) environment, in which a client-side web browser is used as a user interface for displaying web pages sent by the web application within a browser application frame (22) and for converting events triggered by one or more user input actions within said application frame (22) into a request directed to said server-side web application (16), wherein a client-server request-response communication dialogue (2, 3, 4) is performed with said server-side web application (16) responsive to said user input actions,

characterized by the steps of:

performing in a single dialogue step between client (12) and server (14) the steps of;

a) sending a particular executable display programming means (28) together with response parameters (50) generated by the server (14).

6. The method according to claim 5, in which the communication comprises the steps of:

a) receiving (3) a request from a mediator frame (24) of said client (12) browser comprising an URL and an appended URL extension,

b) decoding (32) said extension for deriving event control characteristics of said user actions,

c) processing (34) the event corresponding to said derived event control characteristics and according to the server-side web application program logic,

d) generating (36) a web application response document comprising;

response parameters (50) generated by the server (14) and representing the response of the web application program logic to said user event, and

an executable display program means (28) dedicated for execution in the web browser,

e) sending (4) said response document back to said auxiliary programming means (24).

8. A web server computer system having means for performing server-side interaction with a client-side web browser for performing a web application (16) in a web-based client (12)-server (14) environment, in which a client-side web browser is used as a user interface for displaying web pages sent by the web application within a browser application frame (22) and for converting events triggered by one or more user input actions within said application frame (22) into a request directed to said server-side web application (16), wherein a client-server request-response communication dialogue (2, 3, 4) is performed with said server-side web application (16) responsive to said user input actions,

characterized by an event processing functional component (16) which is programmed for:

a) evaluating request parameters sent by a client request for providing server application response data, and

b) selecting a particular executable display programming means, and

c) sending back (4) to the client (12) a server response comprising said application response data and said executable display programming means (28).

9. A computer program for execution in a data processing system for performing a server-side interaction with a client-side web browser for performing a web application (16) in a web-based client (12)-server (14) environment, in which a client-side web browser is used as a user interface for displaying web pages sent by the web application within a browser application frame (22) and for converting events triggered by one or more user input actions within said application frame (22) into a request directed to said server-side web application (16), wherein a client-server request-response communication dialogue (2, 3, 4) is performed with said server-side web application (16) responsive to said user input actions, characterized by a functional component for performing in a single dialogue step between client (12) and server (14) the step of:

a) sending a particular executable display programming means (28) together with response parameters (50) generated by the server (14).

10. A computer program product stored on a computer usable medium and executable for performing a server-side interaction with a client-side web browser for performing a web application (16) in a web-based client (12)-server (14) environment, in which a client-side web browser is used as a user interface for displaying web pages sent by the web application within a browser application frame (22) and for converting events triggered by one or more user input actions within said application frame (22) into a request directed to said server-side web application (16), wherein a client-server request-response communication dialogue (2, 3, 4) is performed with said server-side web application (16) responsive to said user input actions, characterized by a functional component for performing in a single dialogue step between client (12) and server (14) the step of:

a) sending a particular executable display programming means (28) together with response parameters (50) generated by the server (14).