Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display driving control circuitry – Controlling the condition of display elements
Reexamination Certificate
1998-04-02
2001-05-29
Bayerl, Raymond J. (Department: 2773)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display driving control circuitry
Controlling the condition of display elements
C709S219000, C709S217000, C709S203000, C345S182000, C345S182000, C707S793000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06239797
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to the area of computer database communications and more specifically to a method and apparatus for database record scroll/update without refresh.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Remote network computing is becoming increasingly important in database applications. Users desire to maintain databases of information on one computer while allowing users at several remote sites to obtain access to and update the data in the database.
One method of granting such access to varied remote users through the use of the Internet or an intranet. First, the database is maintained on some storage platform through the use of any of several commercially available database software packages. Then, the database is made available on the Internet or an intranet through a web server. Remote users can then use commercially available web browsers to access the database, for example by using browsers operable to interpret hyper text markup language (HTML). Such a system can require several layers of communication. A user using a web browser communicates over the Internet to the web server. The web server in turn processes the communication through a web applications server. The web application server then directs the request to a scroll/update control application (or “control applications”) which in turn accesses the data on the database.
The control application processes the user's request, accesses the database, and then sends required information back to the user via the web applications server, web server, and the Internet or an intranet.
Each layer of protocol increases the amount of time required to service a user request. The more data sent via the Internet increases the communication time for the request.
The web browser incurs an additional time penalty. The user's web browser interprets information sent by the control application and creates a view on the user's computer monitor. Each time the web browser receives a package of data, it may need to redraw (or “refresh”) the screen visible to the user. Thus, in addition to the communication time, the user must also wait for a delay caused by the refreshing time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a method and apparatus for database record scroll/update without refresh is provided that reduces disadvantages and problems with previously developed systems.
A control application maintains an association with a database and services requests from a web-browser client application to access the data. The control application instructs the client to maintain a visible display frame in the browser for displaying data to a user. The control application further instructs the client browser to maintain a hidden scroll frame such that data received from the database is placed into the scroll frame and then populated into the display frame without refreshing the entire display frame that is visible to the user. The application further instructs the client browser to maintain a hidden update frame such that data intended to update the database is populated from the display frame into the update frame and then sent to the database without refreshing the entire display frame.
More specifically, the present invention contemplates that the end user is a web browser operable to interpret hypertext markup language (HTML) pages. Further, the database control application can implement the method by packaging data from the database and instructions into HTML pages and JAVASCRIPT. Further embodiments contemplate the situation where the database is stored on a computer that is remote from the end-user and the communication between the database and the end-user takes place through the Internet, intranet, or extranet (any TCP/IP network).
A technical advantage of the present invention is that the database control application sends smaller amounts of data to accomplish its tasks than present systems. If a user desires to scroll through records on the database, the database control application need only send the new data and instructions for the end-user to populate the data into the display frame, without the need to rebuild an entire HTML page. Furthermore, since the data is populated from the hidden scroll frame, the end-user does not need to refresh the screen.
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Fuller Darrell Lee
Hills Eric Bryan
Bayerl Raymond J.
Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich LLP
Joseph Thomas J
Partnerware Technologies
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