Message transmission scheme and page processing scheme for hypermedia document processing system

• US 5,903,901 A
• Filed: 09/12/1996
• Issued: 05/11/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: Maeda, Seiji, Nakase, Akihiko, Aikawa, Takeshi, Kawakura, Yasushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen S.
• Application Number:
  US08/713,075
• Time in Patent Office: 971 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/103, 707/104, 707/501, 707/513, 707/514, 345/329, 345/330, 345/331, 395/200.33, 395/200.36, 395/200.6, 395/200.68
• US Class Current: 715/207
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A message transmission and page processing scheme for a hypermedia document processing system, in which the source information which contains a source server identifier for identifying a source server in the system, a source page identifier for identifying a source page in the system, a request page identifier for identifying the request page in the system, and a request target server identifier for identifying a request target server in the system, is transmitted from a client device to a server device either directly or through a relay server device. A prescribed processing according to the source information is then carried out at the server device. In a case of using the relay server device, the relay server device can counts a number of source information, or separate the source information from a request message transmitted from the client device, or generate the source information from the page message from the server device and the request message from the client device.

Claims

1. A client device for acquiring and displaying hypermedia documents in a hypermedia document processing system, comprising:

display means for interpreting and displaying a first page of the hypermedia documents acquired from one server;

first transmission means for transmitting a first message requesting a second page of the hypermedia documents to be referred displayed by t page currently displayed by the display means to a request target server which stores the second page; and

second transmission means for transmitting a second message including a source information which contains (a) a source server identifier for identifying said one server in the system, (b) a source page identifier for identifying the first page in the system, (c) a request page identifier for identifying the second page in the system, and (d) a request target server identifier for identifying the request target server in the system, to either one of said one server or a relay server connected to said one server.

2. The client device of claim 1, wherein the second transmission means transmits the second message only when a source information transmission is specified in advance with respect to a hypermedia document containing the first page.

3. The client device of claim 1, wherein the second transmission means stores more than one second messages before transmitting said more than one second messages, and transmits said more than one second messages altogether when a number of stored second messages exceeds a prescribed number.

4. The client device of claim 3, wherein the second transmission means counts said number of stored second messages by using at least one of the source server identifier, the source page identifier, the request page identifier, and the request target server identifier as a key.

5. The client device of claim 1, wherein the second transmission means stores one second message for a reference from the first page to the second page, counts a number of subsequent occurrences of said reference from the first page to the second page as a number of references, and transmits said one second message by attaching an information on said number of references when said number of references exceeds a prescribed number.

6. The client device of claim 5, wherein the second transmission means counts said number of references by using at least one of the source server identifier, the source page identifier, the request page identifier, and the request target server identifier as a key.

7. The client device of claim 1, wherein the second transmission means transmits the second message which also includes a receiving result information indicating whether the second page is received by the client device in response to the first message or not.

8. The client device of claim 7, wherein the second transmission means transmits the second message which also includes an error content information indicating a cause of a failure to receive the second page when the receiving result information indicates that the second page is not received by the client device in response to the first message.

9. A server device for storing and providing hypermedia documents in a hypermedia document processing system, comprising:

transmission means for storing the hypermedia documents and transmitting a first page of the hypermedia documents in response to a request received from a client;

reception means for receiving a source information message including a source information which contains (a) a source server identifier for identifying said server device in the system, (b) a source page identifier for identifying the first page in the system, (c) a request page identifier for identifying a second page to be referred from the first page by the client in the system, and (d) a request target server identifier for identifying a request target server which stores the second page in the system; and

processing means for carrying out a prescribed processing according to the source information in the source information message received by the reception means.

10. The server device of claim 9, wherein the processing means carries out the prescribed processing which changes a display of the first page according to a frequency of references from the first page to the second page obtained from the source information.

11. The server device of claim 9, wherein the reception means receives the source information message which also includes a receiving result information indicating whether the second page is received by the client from the request target server or not, and the processing means carries out the prescribed processing which changes/deletes a link from the first page to the second page when the receiving result information indicates that the second page is not received by the client from the request target server.

12. The server device of claim 9, wherein the reception means receives the source information message which also includes a receiving result information indicating whether the second page is received by the client from the request target server or not, and the processing means carries out the prescribed processing which notifies an error in a link from the first page to the second page to a server manager, when the receiving result information indicates that the second page is not received by the client from the request target server.

13. The server device of claim 9, wherein the processing means records the source information included in the source information message received by the reception means, counts a number of recordings of the source information, and carries out the prescribed processing when said number of recordings exceeds a prescribed number.

14. The server device of claim 13, wherein the processing means counts said number of recordings by using the source page identifier, the request page identifier, and the request target server identifier as keys.

15. A relay server device for transferring messages between clients for acquiring and displaying hypermedia documents and servers for storing and providing hypermedia documents in a hypermedia document processing system, comprising:

reception means for receiving a source information message from one client which displays a first page of the hypermedia documents acquired from a source server and requesting a second page of the hypermedia documents to be referred from the first page, the source information message including a source information which contains (a) a source server identifier for identifying the source server in the system, (b) a source page identifier for identifying the first page in the system, (c) a request page identifier for identifying the second page in the system, and (d) a request target server identifier for identifying a request target server which stores the second page in the system; and

transmission means for storing more than one source information messages received by the reception means, and transmitting stored source information messages to respective source servers.

16. The relay server device of claim 15, wherein the transmission means stores each distinct source information message received by the reception means, each distinct source information message including the source information which contains an identical combination of the source server identifier, the source page identifier, the request page identifier, and the request target server identifier, counts a number of receptions of each distinct source information message, and transmits stored source information messages to respective source servers when a total of said number of receptions for all distinct source information messages exceeds a prescribed number.

17. The relay server device of claim 16, wherein the transmission means transmits each distinct source information message by attaching an information on said number of receptions of said each distinct source information message.

18. The relay server device of claim 15, wherein the transmission means stores all source information messages received by the reception means, counts a number of receptions of each distinct source information message, and transmits stored source information messages corresponding to each distinct source information message when said number of receptions of each distinct source information message exceeds a prescribed number.

19. The relay server device of claim 18, wherein the transmission means counts said number of receptions of each distinct source information message by using at least one of the source server identifier, the source page identifier, the request page identifier, and the request target server identifier as a key.

20. A relay server device for transferring messages between clients for acquiring and displaying hypermedia documents and servers for storing and providing hypermedia documents in a hypermedia document processing system, comprising:

reception means for receiving a first message from one client which is currently displaying a first page of the hypermedia documents acquired from one server, the first message requesting a second page of the hypermedia documents to be referred from the first page to a request target server which stores the second page; and

transmission means for generating a second message from the first message received by the reception means, the second message including a source information which contains (a) a source server identifier for identifying said one server in the system, (b) a source page identifier for identifying the first page in the system, (c) a request page identifier for identifying the second page in the system, and (d) a request target server identifier for identifying the request target server in the system, and transmitting the second message to said one server.

21. The relay server device of claim 20, wherein the transmission means generates the second message by separating a source page information which contains the source server identifier and the source page identifier and a request page information which contains the request page identifier and the request target server identifier from the first message, and forming the source information by combining the source page information and the request page information separated from the first message.

22. A relay server device for transferring messages between clients for acquiring and displaying hypermedia documents and servers for storing and providing hypermedia documents in a hypermedia document processing system, comprising:

page transfer means for transferring a page message for a first page of the hypermedia documents from one server to one client, including a source page information which contains a source server identifier for identifying said one server in the system and a source page identifier for identifying the first page in the system;

request transfer means for transferring a request message from said one client which is currently displaying the first page of the hypermedia documents acquired from said one server, the request message requesting a second page of the hypermedia documents to be referred from the first page to a request target server which stores the second page, and including a request page information which contains a request page identifier for identifying the second page in the system and a request target server identifier for identifying the request target server in the system; and

transmission means for generating a source information message including a source information which contains the source server identifier and the source page identifier obtained from the page message transferred by the page transfer means, and the request page identifier and the request target server identifier obtained from the request message transferred by the request transfer means, and transmitting the source information message to said one server.

23. The relay server device of claim 22, further comprising:

memory means for storing the source page information extracted from the page message transferred by the page transfer means, by using a client identifier for identifying said one client in the system as a key;

wherein the transmission means generates the source information message by reading out the source page information from the memory means according to the client identifier extracted from the request message, and combining the source page information read out from the memory means with the request page information extracted from the request message.

24. A hypermedia document processing system, comprising:

a plurality of client devices, including one client device which interprets and displays a first page of the hypermedia documents acquired from one server device;

transmits a first message requesting a second page of the hypermedia documents to be referred from the first page to a request target server which stores the second page; and

transmits a second message including a source information which contains (a) a source server identifier for identifying said one server device in the system, (b) a source page identifier for identifying the first page in the system, (c) a request page identifier for identifying the second page in the system, and (d) a request target server identifier for identifying the request target server in the system, to said one server device; and

a plurality of server devices, including said one server device which stores the hypermedia documents and transmits the first page of the hypermedia documents in response to a request issued by said one client device;

receives the second message from said one client device; and

carries out a prescribed processing according to the source information in the second message.

25. A hypermedia document processing system, comprising:

a plurality of client devices, including one client device;

a plurality of server devices, including one server device; and

a relay server device connected between said one client device and said one server device;

wherein said one client device interprets and displays a first page of the hypermedia documents acquired from said one server device;

transmits a first message requesting a second page of the hypermedia documents to be referred from the first page to a request target server which stores the second page; and

transmits a second message including a source information which contains (a) a source server identifier for identifying said one server device in the system, (b) a source page identifier for identifying the first page in the system, (c) a request page identifier for identifying the second page in the system, and (d) a request target server identifier for identifying the request target server in the system, to the relay server device; and

the relay server device receives more than one second messages from more than one of the client devices, stores said more than one second messages, and transmits stored second messages to respective source servers; and

said one server device which stores the hypermedia documents and transmits the first page of the hypermedia documents in response to a request issued by said one client device;

receives the second message from the relay server device; and

carries out a prescribed processing according to the source information in the second message.

26. A hypermedia document processing system, comprising:

a plurality of client devices, including one client device;

a plurality of server devices, including one server device; and

a relay server device connected between said one client device and said one server device;

wherein said one client device interprets and displays a first page of the hypermedia documents acquired from said one server device; and

transmits a request message requesting a second page of the hypermedia documents to be referred from the first page to a request target server which stores the second page, the request message including a source page information which contains a source server identifier for identifying said one server device in the system and a source page identifier for identifying the first page in the system, and a request page information which contains a request page identified for identifying the second page in the system and a request target server identifier for identifying the request target server in the system;

the relay server device receives the request message transmitted from said one client device;

generates a source information message from the request message, the source information message including a source information which contains the source server identifier, the source page identifier, the request page identifier, and the request target server identifier; and

transmits the source information message to said one server; and

said one server device stores the hypermedia documents and transmits the first page of the hypermedia documents in response to a request issued by said one client device;

receives the source information message from the relay server device; and

carries out a prescribed processing according to the source information in the source information message.

27. A hypermedia document processing system, comprising:

a plurality of client devices, including one client device;

a plurality of server devices, including one server device; and

a relay server device connected between said one client device and said one server device;

wherein said one client device interprets and displays a first page of the hypermedia documents acquired from one server device; and

transmits a request message requesting a second page of the hypermedia documents to be referred from the first page to a request target server which stores the second page, the request message including a request page information which contains a request page identifier for identifying the second page in the system and a request target server identifier for identifying the request target server in the system;

said relay server device transfers a page message for the first page from said one server device to said one client device, the page message including a source page information which contains a source server identifier for identifying said one server device in the system and a source page identifier for identifying the first page in the system;

transfers the request message from said one client device to said one server device; and

generates a source information message including a source information which contains the source server identifier and the source page identifier obtained from the page message, and the request page identifier and the request target server identifier obtained from the request message, and transmits the source information message to said one server device; and

said one server device stores the hypermedia documents and transmits the page message for the first page in response to a request issued by said one client device;

receives the source information message from the relay server device; and

carries out a prescribed processing according to the source information in the source information message.

28. A method for message transmission by a client device which is interpreting and displaying a first page of the hypermedia documents acquired from one server in a hypermedia document processing system, comprising the steps of:

transmitting a first message requesting a second page of the hypermedia documents to be referred from the first page to a request target server which stores the second page; and

transmitting a second message including a source information which contains (a) a source server identifier for identifying said one server in the system, (b) a source page identifier for identifying the first page in the system, (c) a request page identifier for identifying the second page in the system, and (d) a request target server identifier for identifying the request target server in the system, to either one of said one server or a relay server connected to said one server.

29. A method for page processing by a server device which is storing the hypermedia documents and transmitting a first page of the hypermedia documents in response to a request received from a client in a hypermedia document processing system, comprising the steps of:

receiving a source information message including a source information which contains (a) a source server identifier for identifying said server device in the system, (b) a source page identifier for identifying the first page in the system, (c) a request page identifier for identifying a second page to be referred from the first page by the client in the system, and (d) a request target server identifier for identifying a request target server which stores the second page in the system; and

carrying out a prescribed processing according to the source information in the source information message received by the receiving step.

30. A method for message transmission by a relay server device for transferring messages between clients for acquiring and displaying hypermedia documents and servers for storing and providing hypermedia documents in a hypermedia document processing system, comprising the steps of:

receiving a source information message from one client which displays a first page of the hypermedia documents acquired from a source server and requesting a second page of the hypermedia documents to be referred from the first page, the source information message including a source information which contains (a) a source server identifier for identifying the source server in the system, (b) a source page identifier for identifying the first page in the system, (c) a request page identifier for identifying the second page in the system, and (d) a request target server identifier for identifying a request target server which stores the second page in the system;

storing more than one source information messages received by the receiving step; and

transmitting stored source information messages to respective source servers.

31. A method for message transmission by a relay server device for transferring messages between clients for acquiring and displaying hypermedia documents and servers for storing and providing hypermedia documents in a hypermedia document processing system, comprising the steps of:

receiving a first message from one client which is currently displaying a first page of the hypermedia documents acquired from one server, the first message requesting a second page of the hypermedia documents to be referred from the first page to a request target server which stores the second page;

generating a second message from the first message received by the receiving step, the second message including a source information which contains (a) a source server identifier for identifying said one server in the system, (b) a source page identifier for identifying the first page in the system, (c) a request page identifier for identifying the second page in the system, and (d) a request target server identifier for identifying the request target server in the system; and

transmitting the second message to said one server.

32. A method for message transmission by a relay server device for transferring messages between clients for acquiring and displaying hypermedia documents and servers for storing and providing hypermedia documents in a hypermedia document processing system, comprising the steps of:

transferring a page message for a first page of the hypermedia documents from one server to one client, the page message including a source page information which contains a source server identifier for identifying said one server in the system and a source page identifier for identifying the first page in the system;

transferring a request message from said one client which is currently displaying the first page of the hypermedia documents acquired from said one server, the request message requesting a second page of the hypermedia documents to be referred from the first page to a request target server which stores the second page, and including a request page information which contains a request page identifier for identifying the second page in the system and a request target server identifier for identifying the request target server in the system;

generating a source information message including a source information which contains the source server identifier and the source page identifier obtained from the page message, and the request page identifier and the request target server identifier obtained from the request message; and

transmitting the source information message to said one server.

33. A method for message transmission in a hypermedia document processing system formed by a plurality of client devices including one client device which interprets and displays a first page of the hypermedia documents acquired from one server device, and a plurality of server devices including said one server device which stores the hypermedia documents and transmits the first page of the hypermedia documents in response to a request issued by said one client device, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting from said one client device a first message requesting a second page of the hypermedia documents to be referred from the first page to a request target server which stores the second page;

transmitting a second message including a source information which contains (a) a source server identifier for identifying said one server device in the system, (b) a source page identifier for identifying the first page in the system, (c) a request page identifier for identifying the second page in the system, and (d) a request target server identifier for identifying the request target server in the system, from said one client device to said one server device;

receiving the second message from said one client device at said one server device; and

carrying out a prescribed processing according to the source information in the second message at said one server device.

34. A method for message transmission in a hypermedia document processing system formed by a plurality of client devices including one client device which interprets and displays a first page of the hypermedia documents acquired from one server device, a plurality of server devices including said one server device which stores the hypermedia documents and transmits the first page of the hypermedia documents in response to a request issued by said one client device, and a relay server device connected between said one client device and said one server device, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting from said one client device a first message requesting a second page of the hypermedia documents to be referred from the first page to a request target server which stores the second page;

transmitting a second message including a source information which contains (a) a source server identifier for identifying said one server device in the system, (b) a source page identifier for identifying the first page in the system, (c) a request page identifier for identifying the second page in the system, and (d) a request target server identifier for identifying the request target server in the system, from said one client device to the relay server device;

receiving more than one second messages from more than one of the client devices and storing said more than one second messages at the relay server device;

transmitting stored second messages from the relay server device to respective source servers;

receiving the second message from the relay server device at said one server device; and

carrying out a prescribed processing according to the source information in the second message at said one server device.

35. A method for message transmission in a hypermedia document processing system formed by a plurality of client devices including one client device which interprets and displays a first page of the hypermedia documents acquired from one server device, a plurality of server devices including said one server device which stores the hypermedia documents and transmits the first page of the hypermedia documents in response to a request issued by said one client device, and a relay server device connected between said one client device and said one server device, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting from said one client device a request message requesting a second page of the hypermedia documents to be referred from the first page to a request target server which stores the second page, the request message including a source page information which contains a source server identifier for identifying said one server device in the system and a source page identifier for identifying the first page in the system, and a request page information which contains a request page identifier for identifying the second page in the system and a request target server identifier for identifying the request target server in the system;

receiving the request message transmitted from said one client device at the relay server device;

generates at the relay server device a source information message from the request message, the source information message including a source information which contains the source server identifier, the source page identifier, the request page identifier, and the request target server identifier;

transmitting the source information message from the relay server device to said one server;

receiving the source information message from the relay server device at said one server device; and

carrying out a prescribed processing according to the source information in the source information message at said one server device.

36. A method for message transmission in a hypermedia document processing system formed by a plurality of client devices including one client device which interprets and displays a first page of the hypermedia documents acquired from one server device, a plurality of server devices including said one server device which stores the hypermedia documents and transmits the first page of the hypermedia documents in response to a request issued by said one client device, and a relay server device connected between said one client device and said one server device, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting from said one client device a request message requesting a second page of the hypermedia documents to be referred from the first page to a request target server which stores the second page, the request message including a request page information which contains a request page identifier for identifying the second page in the system and a request target server identifier for identifying the request target server in the system;

transferring at the relay server device a page message for the first page from said one server device to said one client device, the page message including a source page information which contains a source server identifier for identifying said one server device in the system and a source page identifier for identifying the first page in the system;

transferring at the relay server device the request message from said one client device to said one server device;

generating at the relay server device a source information message including a source information which contains the source server identifier and the source page identifier obtained from the page message, and the request page identifier and the request target server identifier obtained from the request message;

transmitting the source information message from the relay server device to said one server device;

receiving the source information message from the relay server device at said one server device; and

carrying out a prescribed processing according to the source information in the source information message at said one server device.

37. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing a computer to function as a client device for acquiring and displaying hypermedia documents in a hypermedia document processing system, the computer readable program code means including;

first computer readable program code means for causing said computer to interpret and display a first page of the hypermedia documents acquired from one server;

second computer readable program code means for causing said computer to transmit a first message requesting a second page of the hypermedia documents to be referred from the first page to a request target server which stores the second page; and

third computer readable program code means for causing said computer to transmit a second message including a source information which contains (a) a source server identifier for identifying said one server in the system, (b) a source page identifier for identifying the first page in the system, (c) a request page identifier for identifying the second page in the system, and (d) a request target server identifier for identifying the request target server in the system, to either one of said one server or a relay server connected to said one server.

38. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing a computer to function as a server device for storing and providing hypermedia documents in a hypermedia document processing system, the computer readable program code means including;

first computer readable program code means for causing said computer to store the hypermedia documents and transmit a first page of the hypermedia documents in response to a request received from a client;

second computer readable program code means for causing said computer to receive a source information message including a source information which contains (a) a source server identifier for identifying said server device in the system, (b) a source page identifier for identifying the first page in the system, (c) a request page identifier for identifying a second page to be referred from the first page by the client in the system, and (d) a request target server identifier for identifying a request target server which stores the second page in the system; and

third computer readable program code means for causing said computer to carry out a prescribed processing according to the source information in the source information message received by the second computer readable program code means.

39. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing a computer to function as a relay server device for transferring messages between clients for acquiring and displaying hypermedia documents and servers for storing and providing hypermedia documents in a hypermedia document processing system, the computer readable program code means comprising;

first computer readable program code means for causing said computer to receive a source information message from one client which is currently displaying a first page of the hypermedia documents acquired from a source server and requesting a second page of the hypermedia documents to be referred from the first page, the source information message including a source information which contains (a) a source server identifier for identifying the source server in the system, (b) a source page identifier for identifying the first page in the system, (c) a request page identifier for identifying the second page in the system, and (d) a request target server identifier for identifying a request target server which stores the second page in the system;

second computer readable program code means for causing said computer to store more than one source information messages received by the first computer readable program code means; and

third computer readable program code means for causing said computer to transmit stored source information messages to respective source servers.

40. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing a computer to function as a relay server device for transferring messages between clients for acquiring and displaying hypermedia documents and servers for storing and providing hypermedia documents in a hypermedia document processing system, the computer readable program code means comprising;

first computer readable program code means for causing said computer to receive a first message from one client which is currently displaying a first page of the hypermedia documents acquired from one server, the first message requesting a second page of the hypermedia documents to be referred from the first page to a request target server which stores the second page;

second computer readable program code means for causing said computer to generate a second message from the first message received by the first computer readable program code means, the second message including a source information which contains (a) a source server identifier for identifying said one server in the system, (b) a source page identifier for identifying the first page in the system, (c) a request page identifier for identifying the second page in the system, and (d) a request target server identifier for identifying a request target server which stores the second page in the system; and

third computer readable program code means for causing said computer to transmit the second message to said one server.

41. An article of manufacture, comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing a computer to function as a relay server device for transferring messages between clients for acquiring and displaying hypermedia documents and servers for storing and providing hypermedia documents in a hypermedia document processing system, the computer readable program code means comprising;

first computer readable program code means for causing said computer to transfer a page message for a first page of the hypermedia documents from one server to one client, the page message including a source page information which contains a source server identifier for identifying said one server in the system and a source page identifier for identifying the first page in the system;

second computer readable program code means for causing said computer to transfer a request message from said one client which is currently displaying the first page of the hypermedia documents acquired from said one server, the request message requesting a second page of the hypermedia documents to be referred from the first page to a request target server which stores the second page, and including a request page information which contains a request page identifier for identifying the second page in the system and a request target server identifier for identifying the request target server in the system;

third computer readable program code means for causing said computer to generate a source information message including a source information which contains the source server identifier and the source page identifier obtained from the page message transferred by the first computer readable program code means, and the request page identifier and the request target server identifier obtained from the request message transferred by the second computer readable program code means; and

fourth computer readable program code means for causing said computer to transmit the source information message to said one server.