Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Remote data accessing – Accessing a remote server
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-15
2004-05-18
Wiley, David (Department: 2143)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Remote data accessing
Accessing a remote server
C345S215000, C345S215000, C345S215000, C345S215000, C345S215000, C709S217000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06738804
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is in the field of navigation and data gathering on a data-packet-network and pertains more particularly to methods and apparatus for refreshing data associated with a Web site during a client/server session.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The information network known as the world wide web (WWW), which is a subset of the well-known Internet, is arguably the most complete source of publicly-accessible information available. Anyone with a suitable Internet appliance such as a personal computer with a standard Internet connection may access (go on-line) and navigate to information pages (termed web pages) stored on Internet-connected servers for the purpose of garnering information and initiating transactions with hosts of such servers and pages.
Many companies offer various subscription services accessible via the Internet. For example, many people now do their banking, stock trading, shopping, and so forth from the comfort of their own homes via Internet access. Typically, a user, through subscription, has access to personalized and secure WEB pages for such functions. By typing in a user name and a password or other personal identification code, a user may obtain information, initiate transactions, buy stock, and accomplish a myriad of other tasks.
A larger percentage of the general population than ever before now has access to the Internet. Companies have responded to this increase in user-ship by providing more dynamic Web content available through an ever-increasing number of WEB-sites. Stock quotes, Banking information, Mortgage information, Travel information, and Purchase information are just a few examples of relevant dynamic content now available to users accessing the Internet. Dynamic content, as referred to in this specification, refers to content that is continually updated as new information becomes available.
According to prior art, such dynamic content described above is updated using a request/response model consistent with hypertext-transfer-protocol (HTTP). Therefore, it is typical that no unsolicited refreshed data is sent from a server to a client. That is to say that a refresh is a user-initiated action and although there may be new data available, a user will not receive it unless it is requested.
In order to get around the traditional request/response model, companies have provided a variety of client-side solutions that may be used to set-up a data-push scenario wherein any new data is pushed to a client at time of log-in or when it becomes available during a data session. Using a push model, client browser windows may be updated with content periodically and automatically without a client making a request for the data.
In both cases described above, a browser window utilized to display old data must be dedicated for the purpose of rendering the refresh data, either pushed to or requested by a user. In these instances of data refresh, there exists a period of time when the refresh window (browser window) appears blank because the old data is being replaced with not yet completely downloaded new data.
Depending on the nature of the refresh operation and the requirements of the refresh server, this period of time can be relatively extensive and can cause user discomfort marked by impatience. For example, if there is considerable server-side processing of refresh data, then a refresh operation may eventually time out and may have to be re-initiated. Even when a request response is generated before a time-out condition occurs, the period of time required for waiting at the client end can still be prolonged. Moreover, a network connection opened from a server to a client is under utilized during a period of server processing of a refresh request.
Another problem with a traditional refresh transaction is that typically, all original data displayed in a window before refreshing is replaced by refreshed data. This fact causes un-necessary processing at both the server end and at the client end. Bandwidth is therefore wasted to a variable extent, depending on the nature of the refresh and the data elements being refreshed. Currently, there is no mechanism in prior art for enabling a user to choose individual data elements among general content for refresh unless separate windows and channels are devoted for the separate data elements.
A system known to the inventor utilizes a browser-control script for controlling how refreshed data is rendered during a network data-session. The browser-control script comprises an instruction for establishing a second data-channel between a client and a data source, a data-communication function for transacting data over the second data-channel, an instruction for directing the data-rendering function of the browser application, and in some cases a selection function for selecting data elements to be refreshed. Once invoked, the browser-control script provides an automated control-routine for managing a data-refresh operation such that data re-rendering within the browser application is prevented from occurring until all refreshed data is ready to be displayed. In a preferred application, the control script is a Java Script program that is provided and embedded within Web content on a Web page.
The inventors have discovered that further efficiency may be achieved over what is accomplished by the above-described system. Often, an electronic information page (Web page) contains separate data elements that represent aggregations or summaries of data obtained for a requesting user from a plurality of separate network sources. For example, many personalized Web pages are configurable such that information from the plurality of sources may be presented in a single page in sectored fashion. For example, a user may configure a personal page to display news articles from a separate news source, sports articles from a separate sports page, movie times from a specific locality, and so forth. This service is typically performed by populating a special on-line form that instructs the server what data to provide on the personalized interface.
A system known to the inventor provides this service in a way that allows a user to add any type of data from virtually any type of Web-site to his or her personal Web page, termed a personalized portal page, by the inventor. In either case, conventional refresh methods require that all of the Web-data on the Web page be re-rendered if an update is requested.
The browser-script refresh system described in the patent application to which the present application is a CIP provides an ability to re-render the data such that the re-rendering does not occur until all of the refreshed data is ready to be displayed. The conventional refresh option available in most browser applications is bypassed by this method.
A user practicing the art taught in the priority specification may, in some cases, still be inconvenienced by a data re-rendering resulting from a refresh request. This inconvenience may occur if a user is engaged in viewing or reading content during the time a re-rendering occurs. A specific data element being read by a user may shift position or suddenly change in content as a result of refreshed and unchanged data being re-rendered in the viewing window. Shifting of original content may occur if a block of new data in a section requires more real estate than the replaced block. Of course, if it happens that the specific block of data that the user is viewing is subject to update, the content suddenly changes during re-rendering. In either case, a full data re-rendering occurs and the browser window is void of data for the period of time required to load the new Web page. If a user's PC is state-of-the-art with a fast processor, loading the Web-page from cache may occur so quickly that a user does not notice any inconvenience. However, in some cases, wherein a user is operating a less powerful machine, the re-rendering of data may still produce a momentarily blank window, which may be distracting.
What is clearly needed is a method and apparatus that en
Boys Donald R.
Central Coast Patent Agency Inc.
Neurauter, Jr. George
Wiley David
Yodlee.com, Inc.
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