Data processing: structural design – modeling – simulation – and em – Emulation – Compatibility emulation
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-27
2001-03-20
Teska, Kevin J. (Department: 2763)
Data processing: structural design, modeling, simulation, and em
Emulation
Compatibility emulation
C709S241000, C710S105000, C370S466000, C370S469000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06205417
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates in general to the field of electronic systems, and more particularly to a server and a web browser terminal emulator for persistent connection. to a legacy host system and a method of operation.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many organizations operate computer network environments that include legacy host systems which store data and provide applications important to the operation of the organization. Such legacy host systems can include IBM mainframes (MVS, VM and VSE environments), IBM AS/400 systems and UNIX host systems.
It is desirable for such organizations to provide connection to the legacy host systems through terminal sessions on distributed client systems such as personal computers and computer workstations. This connection to the legacy host system provides access for users of the client systems to the data and applications on the legacy host system. These terminal sessions can include 3270, 5250, NVT and VT220 type terminal sessions.
One conventional method for providing terminal sessions is to execute a terminal emulator application on the client systems that connects directly to a host legacy system using a TCP/IP socket connection. Another conventional method is to provide connection through a web browser application by translating standard legacy data flows into HTML pages. However, such conventional web browser methods suffer from an inability to handle real-time host updates to user screens as well as other significant problems. For example, forms-based HTML/TN3270 packages are unable to overcome a range of problems associated with common HTML implementations such as real-time host updates to user screens or finding a user's browser platform address on the network.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One aspect of the invention is a computer-implemented terminal session emulator for providing browser-based access to legacy host applications. An emulation server is in communication with a web server, by being built into an existing web server or otherwise. The emulation server negotiates a persistent connection between a legacy host system and a client system. Applet code is operable to create an applet process executing under a web browser on a client system. This applet code is downloadable from the web server to the client system in response to receiving a uniform resource locator associated with the legacy host system. When executed by the client system, the applet process is operable to communicate with the emulation server to provide a terminal session to a user of the client system via the persistent connection. The emulator server resides at the host system, and has a virtual terminal handler that communicates with a virtual terminal applications program interface of the host.
An advantage of the invention is that it permits direct access to AS/400 host systems, without the need for a TN server. The emulation server is located at the host, and uses the virtual terminal interface of the host. This “two-tiered” architecture is simpler and easier to maintain and support as compared to “three-tiered” architectures that use an emulation server at a separate server location. Data can be shared between the host and web-browser clients using secure end-to-end connections. The persistent connection supports concurrent sessions, real-Time host updates, asynchronous messaging, and session monitoring.
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Burris, Jr. Stuart H.
Butts Thomas H.
Mays Randy E.
Baker & Botts L.L.P.
Frejd Russell W.
Openconnect Systems Incorporated
Teska Kevin J.
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