Updating a database from a browser

• US 8,429,201 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2001
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Santosuosso, John Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CAM LINH T
• Application Number:
  US10/007,713
• Publication Number:
  US 20030093400A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,179 Days
• Field of Search: 707/634, 707/668, 707/690, 707/691, 707/699, 707/792, 707/803, 707/804
• US Class Current: 707/803
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/23 Updating

Abstract

Techniques are provided to update a database, in which a browser communicates changes to the database. A change request is received from a browser, and a database update program is executed in response to the change request. The change request may be a page redirect request from a first network address to a second network address, and the database update program replaces the first network address with the second network address in one or more data tables in the database. The change request may also be a web page change request, and the database update program is a trigger program for determining additional programs to be run to update the database.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method to programmatically update a database stored on a server system and containing information about one or more web pages, based on operations of a web browser program executing on a client system and when browsing the one or more web pages, the method comprising:

detecting, by a browser monitor component of the web browser program, an event indicating a change involving a web page, of the one or more web pages, in response to receiving information about the one or more web pages, the information relating to operations of the web browser program executing on the client system, in browsing the one or more web pages, wherein the indicated change is caused by operation of the web browser program; and

upon detecting the event and by operation of one or more computer processors, sending a notification to a request handler component of the database containing the information and stored on the server system, to cause the information about the web page to be programmatically updated to reflect the change indicated by the detected event;

wherein the notification is sent to the database to cause the information about the web page to be programmatically updated to reflect the change indicated by the detected event, without requiring any user input specifying to send the notification to the database, wherein the web browser program includes a database registration component configured to securely attach the web browser program to the database through a predefined login process.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

verifying whether a data table in the database allows automatic updates, before sending the notification.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

attaching the database to the web browser through a login process.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the web browser resides on a client system, and wherein the database resides on a server system.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the event comprises receiving, from a web server, a page redirect request to change a uniform resource locator (URL) of a web page from a first network address to a second network address.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the notification sent to the database requests replacement of the first network address with the second network address in one or more data tables in the database.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the first and second network addresses are utilized as links on a web page.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1;

wherein the database server includes a browser attachment component, a tunneling program component, and a trigger program component.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the browser request handler is configured to verify whether a first data table in the database allows automatic updates before sending the notification, wherein the notification is sent upon verifying that the first data table allows automatic updates, wherein a notification pertaining to a second data table is not sent upon verifying that the second data table does not allow automatic updates, wherein each notification comprises a change request;

wherein the browser attachment component is configured to attach the database to the web browser based on input from a user of the database, specifying a network address of the client system that executes the web browser;

wherein the predefined login process involves a user of the web browser, different from the user of the database.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the browser monitor component is configured to:

detect each event selected from a first event type comprising a change in content of the web page and a second even type comprising receiving, from a web server, a page redirect request to change a uniform resource locator (URL) of a web page from a first network address to a second network address;

upon determining, at a first point in time, that the web browser is not attached to the database server, storing the notification for transmission to the database server once the web browser is attached to the database server, wherein the web browser is attached to the database server at a second point in time subsequent to the first point in time; and

upon determining, at the first point in time, that the web browser is attached to the database server, transmitting the notification to the database server prior to the second point in time.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the notification sent to the database requests replacement of the first network address with the second network address in one or more data tables in the database, wherein the first and second network addresses serve as links on a web page, wherein the notification sent to the database contains sufficient information to update the database to reflect a plurality of changes in the web page, the plurality of changes including the change in the web page.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the tunneling program component is configured to:

programmatically access each network address on a list of network addresses referenced in the database, without requiring user input specifying to access any of the network addresses;

determining, based on the access of the network addresses, one or more changes in location or content of a web page associated with a network address of the accessed network addresses, wherein the one or more changes are not user-specified; and

programmatically update the database to reflect the determined one or more changes and by operation of one or more computer processors, without requiring any user input specifying to update the database to reflect the determined one or more changes.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein determining one or more changes in location or content related to a web page associated with each network address accessed comprises detecting a page redirect from a first network address to a second network address;

wherein the database is updated to replace the first network address with the second network address in one or more data tables in the database, wherein updating the database comprises;

(i) determining, by the trigger program component and based on the information contained in the change request, one or more trigger programs to be executed to update the database; and

(ii) executing, by the trigger program component, the determined one or more trigger programs according to the one or more changes related to the network address;

wherein the browser monitor component is configured to detect events based on each detection operation selected from;

(i) detecting a change in a size of the web page;

(ii) detecting a change in an image included in the web page;

(iii) detecting a change in a link contained in the web page;

(iv) detecting a change in a last-modified timestamp of the web page;

(v) detecting a change in a page expiration tag contained in the web page, wherein the page expiration tag is composed using a predefined markup language;

(vi) detecting a change in a network security certificate attached to the we page;

(vii) detecting a change in content of the web page; and

(viii) detecting a change in layout of the web page.

14. A computer-readable storage medium comprising a program which, when executed, performs an operation to programmatically update a database stored on a server system and containing information about a set of web pages, based on operations of a web browser executing on a client system and when browsing the set of web pages, the operation comprising:

receiving, by a request handler component of the database stored on the server system, a change request from the web browser executing on the client system, the change request indicating that a browser monitor component of the web browser has, when browsing the set of web pages, detected a change involving a web page of the set of web pages, wherein the change is caused by operation of the web browser; and

responsive to the change request and by operation of one or more computer processors when executing the program, programmatically updating the database based on information contained in the change request, to reflect the detected change;

wherein the change request is sent to the database to cause the database to be programmatically updated to reflect the detected change, without requiring any user input specifying to send the change request to the database, wherein the web browser program includes a database registration component configured to securely attach the web browser program to the database through a predefined login process.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the operation further comprises verifying whether a data table in the database allows automatic updates, before updating the data table.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the operation further comprises attaching the database to the web browser.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the web browser is on a client system, and wherein the database is connected to a server system.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the information contained in the change request indicates the web browser detected a redirect notification from a server redirecting the web page from a first network address to a second network address.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the updating comprises replacing the first network address with the second network address in one or more data tables in the database.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the first and second network addresses are utilized as links on a web page.

21. A computer system to programmatically update a database stored on the computer system and containing information about a set of web pages, based on operations of a web browser executing on a client system and when browsing the set of web pages, the computer system comprising:

the database stored on the computer system and containing information about the set of web pages;

a memory containing at least a database management system comprising a database update program; and

a processor which, when executing the database update program, is configured to programmatically update, in the database, at least one table containing information about a web page of the set of web pages, in response to receiving a change request from the web browser executing on the client system, the change request containing information indicating that a browser monitor component of the web browser detected a change event indicating a change involving the web page, wherein the indicated change is caused by operation of the web browser, wherein the at least one table is updated to reflect the change;

wherein the change request is sent to the database to cause the information about the web page to be programmatically updated to reflect the change indicated by the detected change event, without requiring any user input specifying to send the change request to the database, wherein the web browser includes a database registration component configured to securely attach the web browser to the database through a predefined login process.

22. The computer system of claim 21, further comprising a network connection configured to allow communication with the web browser after a secure attachment procedure.

23. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the information indicating the web browser detected a change event related to the web page comprises an indication the web browser detected a change to the content or layout of the web page.

24. The computer system of claim 23, wherein the processor is configured to execute a trigger program for determining additional programs to be run to update the database, based on the information contained in the change request.

25. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the processor is further configured to verify whether the data table in the database allows automatic updates before updating the data table.

26. The computer system of claim 21, wherein information contained in the change request indicates receipt by the web browser of a page redirect request from a first network address to a second network address, and wherein the processor is configured to replace the first network address with the second network address in one or more data tables in the database.

27. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the processor is configured to execute a trigger program for determining additional programs to be run to update the database to reflect multiple changes indicated in the information contained in the change request.

28. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the processor is configured to execute multiple sub-trigger programs to update the database to reflect the multiple changes indicated in the information contained in the change request.

29. A computer-implemented method to programmatically update a database stored on a database server system and containing references to network addresses, based on programmatic accesses to the network addresses without requiring any user browsing activity, the method comprising:

programmatically accessing, by a tunneling program component of the database server system, each network address on a list of network addresses referenced in the database stored on the database server system, without requiring any user browsing activity;

determining one or more changes in location or content of a web page associated with a network address, of the accessed network addresses, wherein the web page is stored on a web server system identified by the network address, wherein the one or more changes are caused by application operation; and

programmatically updating the database by a trigger program component of the database server system, to reflect the determined one or more changes and by operation of one or more computer processors, without requiring any user input specifying to update the database to reflect the determined one or more changes, wherein programmatically updating the database comprises;

determining, by the trigger program component and based on the determined one or more changes, one or more trigger programs to be executed to update the database; and

executing the determined one or more trigger programs according to the one or more changes in location or content of the web page associated with the network address.

30. The computer-implemented method of claim 29, further comprising:

generating the list of network addresses from the database.

31. The computer-implemented method of claim 29, wherein determining one or more changes in location or content of a web page associated with each network address accessed comprises detecting a page redirect from a first network address to a second network address, and wherein the database is updated to replace the first network address with the second network address in one or more data tables in the database.

32. A computer-readable storage medium comprising a program which, when executed, performs an operation to programmatically update a database stored on a database server system and containing references to network addresses, based on programmatic accesses to the network addresses without requiring any user browsing activity, the operation comprising:

programmatically accessing, by a tunneling program component of the database server system, each network address on a list of network addresses referenced in the database stored on the database server system, without requiring any user browsing activity;

determining one or more changes in location or content of a web page associated with a network address, of the accessed network addresses, wherein the web page is stored on a web server system identified by the network address, wherein the one or more changes are caused by application operation; and

programmatically updating the database by a trigger program component of the database server system, to reflect the determined one or more changes and by operation of one or more computer processors when executing the program, without requiring any user input specifying to update the database to reflect the determined one or more changes, without requiring any user input specifying to update the database to reflect the determined one or more changes, wherein programmatically updating the database comprises;

determining, by the trigger program component and based on the determined one or more changes, one or more trigger programs to be executed to update the database; and

executing the determined one or more trigger programs according to the one or more changes in location or content of the web page associated with the network address.

33. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 32, wherein the operation further comprises:

generating the list of network addresses from the database.

34. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 32, wherein determining one or more changes in location or content of a web page associated with each network address accessed comprises detecting a page redirect from a first network address to a second network address, and wherein the database is updated to replace the first network address with the second network address in one or more data tables in the database.