Method and apparatus for managing internet transactions

• US 8,635,540 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2006
• Issued: 01/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Popp, Nicolas, Ong, Bruce, D'Harcourt, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROBINSON, MARSHON L
• Application Number:
  US11/647,794
• Publication Number:
  US 20070113192A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,580 Days
• Field of Search: 715/760, 715/234, 707/E17.116
• US Class Current: 715/760
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/142 Managing session states for stateless protocols; Signalling session states; State transitions; Keeping-state mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/2895 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data provider application, e.g. reverse proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5683 Storage of data provided by user terminals, i.e. reverse caching

Abstract

The object-oriented approach used by the present invention provides the ability to develop and manage Internet transactions. Local applications can be accessed using any workstation connected to the Internet regardless of the workstation'"'"'s configuration. Some or all of a Web page can be generated dynamically using input received in a returned page, generated at runtime, or retrieved from an external data source (e.g., database or electronic mail system). When the Web page definition is rendered, the information contained in template(s), declaration file(s), and object(s) are used to generate standard definitions. State information is maintained across transactions. Using state information, virtual applications, sessions, transactions, and pages can be implemented. Self-contained modules, or components, provide the ability to share implementations and create multi-content documents. Event objects can be used to assist in event handling management.

Claims

1. A method for generating a web page, comprising:

in response to receiving a user request specifying first data and second data to be displayed on said web page,

selecting a first component defined by a first web page definition language containing one or more definitional constructs and owning one or more resources, said first component represented as a first object tree to display the first data;

selecting a second component defined by a second web page definition language containing one or more definitional constructs and owning one or more resources, said second component represented as a second object tree to display the second data;

combining said first object tree and said second object tree to create a third object tree defining the display of the first and second data on said web page; and

generating said web page by instantiating objects from the third object tree according to the first and second web page definition languages, wherein the first and second web page definition languages are different web page definition languages.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

creating a first control logic for said first component;

creating a second control logic for said second component; and

creating a third control logic for said web page.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein said combining said first component and said second component to create said web page is performed by one or more of said first, second, and third control logic.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said web page is a first web page and further comprising including either or both of said first object tree and second object tree in a fourth object tree to define a second web page.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein for each of said first component and second component said one or more resources owned by each component include one or more templates, associations, and custom logic.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein said one or more templates provide an initial definition of at least a portion of said web page.

7. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein said one or more associations include binding information for dynamic binding.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein said binding information binds said custom logic to said web page.

9. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein said binding information binds an object that implements one of said one or more definitional constructs of a component with a corporate data object.

10. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein said one or more associations identify one or more objects that implement said one or more definitional constructs of a component.

11. A system for generating a web page, comprising:

in response to receiving a user request specifying first data and second data to be displayed on said web page by a processor, the processor configured to;

select a first component defined by a first web page definition language containing one or more definitional constructs and owning one or more resources, said first component represented as a first object tree to display the first data;

select a second component defined by a second web page definition language containing one or more definitional constructs and owning one or more resources, said second component represented as a second object tree to display the second data;

combine said first object tree and said second object tree to create a third object tree defining the display of the first and second data on said web page; and

generate said web page by instantiating objects from the third object tree according to the first and second web page definition languages, wherein the first and second web page definition languages are different web page definition languages; and

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide instructions to the processor.

13. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein said web page is a first web page and wherein the processor is further configured to include either or both of said first object tree and second object tree in a fourth object tree to define a second web page.

14. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein for each of said first component and second component said one or more resources owned by each component include one or more templates, associations, and custom logic.

12. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for generating a web page:

in response to receiving a user request specifying first data and second data to be displayed on said web page,

selecting a first component defined by a first web page definition language containing one or more definitional constructs and owning one or more resources, said first component represented as a first object tree to display the first data;

selecting a second component defined by a second web page definition language containing one or more definitional constructs and owning one or more resources, said second component represented as a second object tree to display the second data;

combining said first object tree and said second object tree to create a third object tree defining the display of the first and second data on said web page; and

generating said web page by instantiating objects from the third object tree according to the first and second web page definition languages, wherein the first and second web page definition languages are different web page definition languages.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 12, Wherein said web page is a first web page and further comprising computer instructions for including either or both of said first object tree and second object tree in a fourth object tree to define a second web page.

16. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium as recited in claim 12, wherein for each of said first component and second component said one or more resources owned by each component include one or more templates, associations, and custom logic.