Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer-to-computer data routing
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-13
2001-03-27
Vu, Viet D. (Department: 2164)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer-to-computer data routing
C709S237000, C709S248000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06209038
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to performance of commerce transactions via the Internet, and more particularly, it relates to a technique for aggregating transactional scope across multiple independent Web requests.
2. Description of Prior Art
Electronic commerce is increasing exponentially, especially on the World Wide Web. Many businesses have set up virtual stores on Web sites that allow consumers to shop and purchase products on-line. Most commerce transactions on the World Wide Web utilize the HTTP protocol. HTTP protocol is designed as a state-less or session-less protocol with many benefits, such as rapid connections to web servers and jumping from one server to another as the subsequent hyperlinks in Web documents are referenced.
When clients/customers visit web sites, more frequently they may attempt multiple transactions which they may consider as the same event. For example, a prospective vacationer may visit a web site to purchase airlines tickets and to secure hotel accommodations. In the traditional transaction processing world it would be possible to ensure that either both transactions occur successfully or, that if either transaction fail, neither transaction occurs.
However, the state-less nature of the HTTP protocol creates a situation where independent requests must be sequentially executed, creating a situation where a failure of one transaction may leave the other transaction successfully completed. Furthermore, the design of a complete application to allow clients/customers to roll back previous transactions, e.g., cancel the airline reservation if there are no hotel accommodations available, is difficult and in many cases not possible.
Accordingly, there is a need for a method to coordinate multiple, independent Web transaction requests into a single transaction request initiated from any Web browser, in other words, aggregating transaction scope across multiple independent Web requests.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is an online transaction processing system for coordinating, in a client-server environment, multiple requests to a single server such that a client can execute requests within the scope of the same transaction. The system identifies web pages that are to be bound together to accomplish a transaction. Then the system communicates requests between the client and the server using a protocol that has either limited or no defined procedures for passing state information between the client and the servers. HTTP is an example of such a protocol that has limited procedures for passing state information. At the server, multiple independent requests involving one or more independent resource managers are executed and the actions of the resource managers, communicating among themselves in response to the request, are coordinated.
In preferred embodiments of the present invention the client authentication during a conversation and a group transaction requested by the client are coordinated. The client authentication during a conversation is accomplished by transmitting a request for a first action by a client to a server that requires transaction scope. The server then generates transaction identification information, which is maintained across the duration of multiple independent and state-less web requests.
The request for a second action is now transmitted by the client to the server that requires transaction scope. The transaction identification information preserved in the conversation and the transaction identification information maintained by the servers is included in the client's request transaction. Finally, a request is transmitted by a client to a server that requires transaction completion. The communication between the client and the server is performed using a protocol that has either limited or no defined procedures for passing state information between the client and the servers.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following detailed description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings.
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Transaction Processing: Concepts and Techniques, J. Gray and A. Reuter, Index 1066-1070.
Bowen Nicholas S.
Riggs Nancy P.
International Business Machines - Corporation
Morris, Esq. Daniel P.
Patel Jagdish N
Scully Scott Murphy & Presser
Vu Viet D.
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