System and method for dynamic data interaction in a hypertext data processing system

• US 6,112,242 A
• Filed: 07/10/1996
• Issued: 08/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Callahan Cellular LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: ULN Corporation, A California Company
• Inventors: Stankovic, William, Dressel, Arthur, Jois, Suresh Krishna, Stankovic, Alex
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barot, Bharat
• Application Number:
  US08/677,855
• Time in Patent Office: 1,511 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.01, 395/200.03-200.33, 395/603, 395/821, 395/610, 395/774, 395/200.36, 395/200.46-200.49, 395/200.55-200.58, 709/200-203, 709/205, 709/216-219, 709/225-229, 707/9-10, 707/104, 707/500-501, 707/513
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking

Abstract

A composite Web page is made up of a plurality of subpages. It allows a user to input data to a Web server in one subpage while interactively displaying a response from the server of the input on another subpage. When an input is made, an URL is also sent to the server to run a program that updates a database and generates a response. The program also generates a composite Web page incorporating the response in one of the subpages. Each subpage is formed with the use of subtemplates which may contain partially formed text and hypertext markup elements as well as program tags for the server to interpret and execute subprograms upon them. Each subprogram typically produces an output that is written to the tag location in hypertext markup language format. In another embodiment, the subtemplates and the program are sent to the client to construct the interactive Web page there.

Claims

1. A method for providing an interactive Web page in a Web client-server network, comprising:

partitioning said interactive Web page into at least first and second subpages by demarcating each subpage with a tag thereat;

providing a database;

providing a program for acting on said tag of each subpage along said interactive Web page;

providing a first subtemplate that includes embedded instructions for said program to construct said first subpage to receive an input for said database, said program executing said embedded instructions of said first subtemplate when said tag of said first subpage is encountered;

providing a second subtemplate that includes embedded instructions for said program to construct said second subpage to include a report of said database responsive to said input said program executing said embedded instructions of said second subtemplate when said tag of said second subpage is encountered; and

generating said report and constructing said interactive Web page according to the instructions embedded on said first and second subtemplates.

2. A method for providing an interactive Web page in a Web client-server network as in claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second subtemplates includes a partially formed Web page.

3. A method for providing an interactive Web page in a Web client-server network as in claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second subtemplates includes an embedded instruction for said program to insert another subtemplate thereat.

4. A method for providing an interactive Web page in a Web client-server network as in claim 1, further comprising:

providing a template that includes instructions for said program to form said interactive Web page, wherein said template including said tags associated with said at least first and second subpages.

5. A method for providing an interactive Web page in a Web client-server network as in claim 4, wherein said template includes a partially formed Web page with embedded instructions for fully forming said interactive Web page.

6. A method for providing an interactive Web page in a Web client-server network as in claim 1, wherein said first subtemplate includes a partially formed Web page with embedded instructions for fully forming said first Web subpage.

7. A method for providing an interactive Web page in a Web client-server network as in claim 4, wherein said second subtemplate includes a partially formed Web page with embedded instructions for fully forming said second Web subpage.

8. A method for providing an interactive Web page in a Web client-server network as in claim 4, further comprising:

providing a hierarchial structure of Web subpage templates that are nestable.

9. A hypertext data processing system for providing an interactive Web page in a Web client-server network, comprising:

a Web server;

a plurality of subtemplates stored on the server including first and second subtemplates;

a Web page template having a plurality of tags embedded therein each associated with one of said plurality of subtemplates;

a database responsive to input from said interactive Web page;

a program for acting on each said plurality of tags embedded in said Web page template to execute a subtemplate associated therewith;

said first subtemplate having embedded instructions for said program to construct a first subpage of said interactive Web page to receive input for said database and to request said interactive Web page after an input thereto; and

said second subtemplate having embedded instructions for said program to construct a second subpage to include a report of said database thereon; and

means for executing the embedded instructions in said first and second subtemplates to construct said interactive Web page.

10. A hypertext data processing system for providing an interactive Web page in a Web client-server network as in claim 9, wherein said means for executing the instructions includes a program executing on the server.

11. A hypertext data processing system for providing an interactive Web page in a Web client-server network as in claim 9, wherein said means for executing the instructions includes a program executing on the client.