Methods, systems and computer program products for performing interactive applications in a client-server based dialog system

• US 5,937,421 A
• Filed: 08/19/1997
• Issued: 08/10/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Raritan Americas Incorporated (Legrand SA)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Richstein, Hans-Jurgen, Wittmann, Holger, Petrov, Tzvetan
• Primary Examiner(s): Powell, Mark R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kindred, Alford W.
• Application Number:
  US08/914,495
• Time in Patent Office: 721 Days
• Field of Search: 707/526, 707/500, 707/530
• US Class Current: 715/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/90 Buffering arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/2866 Architectures; Arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/32 Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

Page setup and page information content for documents are used to represent interactive applications in client-server communications. Accordingly, interactive applications are performed in a client-server based dialog system, including a client and a server which communicate with one another, by transmitting documents from the server to the client which represent the interactive applications and which are independent of the client system resources. At the client, the received documents are mapped to the client system resources to thereby perform interactive applications using the client system resources. Accordingly, client-server communications may take place for many different types of clients in a device independent and transfer optimized manner. Changes to the applications may be provided on the server only.

Claims

1. A method for performing interactive applications in a client-server based dialog system, including a client and a server that communicate with one another, the method comprising the steps of:

generating at the server, server documents that represent the interactive applications, by generating a page set up and a page information content that is separate from the page setup, both of which are independent of client system resources;

independently transmitting the generated page set up and the generated page information content from the server to the client;

at the client, generating a client document from the independently transmitted page set up and page information content by combining the independently transmitted page setup and page information content, the client document being independent of the client system resources;

at the client, generating from the client document a document page that is dependent on the client system resources;

presenting the document page on the client, using the client system resources;

generating a second page information content at the client based upon user input at the client; and

transmitting the second page information content from the client to the server to provide an interactive dialog.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of generating from the client a document page that is dependent on the client system resources comprises the step of mapping the page setup onto the client system resources so as to map functional requirements of the interactive application onto the client system resources.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the page setup information is represented by functional objects and presentation objects.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of generating server documents at the server further comprises the step of caching the page setup and page information content at the server.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein the caching step comprises the step of statically caching the page setup and dynamically caching the page information content at the server.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of generating a client document from the transmitted page setup and page information contents further comprises the step of caching the page setup and page information content at the client.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein the caching step comprises the step of statically caching the page setup and dynamically caching the page information content at the client.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein the transmitting step is preceded by the step of compressing the page setup and the generated page information content at the server.

9. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of generating a page setup comprises the step of generating a document including a plurality of boxes therein.

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein the document includes a plurality of lines, and wherein each of the boxes is located in one of the plurality of lines.

11. A method according to claim 10 wherein the box is an expansible box that automatically expands to fill the entire line.

12. A method according to claim 10 wherein the box is a centered box that automatically centers on a line.

13. A client-server system for performing interactive applications comprising:

a client;

a server that communicates with the client;

means in the server, for generating server documents that represent the interactive applications, by generating a page set up and a page information content that is separate from the page setup, both of which are independent of client system resources;

means for independently transmitting the generated page set up and the generated page information content from the server to the client;

page generation means in the client, for generating a client document from the independently transmitted page set up and page information content by combining the independently transmitted page setup and page information content, the client document being independent of the client system resources;

resource management means in the client, for generating from the client document, a document page that is dependent on the client system resources;

means in the client, for presenting the document page on the client, using the client system resources;

means in the client, for generating a second page information content, based upon user input at the client; and

means in the client, for transmitting the second page information content from the client to the server to provide an interactive dialog.

14. A system according to claim 13 wherein the resource management means comprises means for mapping the page setup onto the client system resources so as to map functional requirements of the interactive application onto the client system resources.

15. A system according to claim 13 wherein the means for generating server documents comprises means for caching the page setup and page information content at the server.

16. A system according to claim 15 wherein the caching means comprises:

static cache means for caching document information which is preloaded and unchangeable during runtime of an application;

dynamic cache means for caching information which is collected during the runtime; and

cache management means for controlling the dynamic and static cache means.

17. A system according to claim 13 wherein the means for generating a page setup comprises the means for generating a document including a plurality of boxes therein.

18. A system according to claim 17 wherein the document includes a plurality of lines, and wherein each of the boxes is located in one of the plurality of lines.

19. A system according to claim 18 wherein the box is an expansible box that automatically expands to fill the entire line.

20. A system according to claim 18 wherein the box is a centered box that automatically centers on a line.

21. A computer program product for performing interactive applications between a client and a server that communicates with the client, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having computer readable code means embodied in the medium, the computer readable code means comprising;

computer instruction means in the server, for generating server documents that represent the interactive applications, by generating a page set up and a page information content that is separate from the page setup, both of which are independent of client system resources;

computer instruction means for independently transmitting the generated page set up and the generated page information content from the server to the client;

computer instruction means in the client, for generating a client document from the independently transmitted page set up and page information content by combining the independently transmitted page setup and page information content, the client document being independent of the client system resources;

computer instruction means in the client, for generating from the client document, a document page that is dependent on the client system resources;

computer instruction means in the client, for presenting the document page on the client, using the client system resources;

computer instruction means in the client for generating a second page information content, based upon user input at the client; and

computer instruction means in the client, for transmitting the second page information content from the client to the server to provide an interactive dialog.

22. A computer program product according to claim 21 wherein the computer instruction means for generating a document page that is dependent on the client system resources comprises computer instruction means for mapping the page setup onto the client system resources so as to map functional requirements of the interactive application onto the client system resources.

23. A computer program product according to claim 21 wherein the computer instruction means for generating server documents comprises computer instruction means for caching the page setup and page information content at the server.