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Method for client-server communications through a minimal interface

 Paul Graham
The concept of a subroutine call is one of the basic ideas in computer science. The invention relates to a technique for achieving the effect of subroutine calls in certain situations where they would not otherwise be possible. The invention allows for the simulation of subroutine calls in...
Inventor: Paul Graham
Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.

U.S. Classification
709/203; 709/311

International Classification
G06F 1582

View patent at USPTO

Citations

Patent NumberTitleIssue date
5426421Method of automatically managing a network or remote function-excecuting apparatus from a programable network control centerJun 20, 1995
5710918Method for distributed task fulfillment of web browser requestsJan 20, 1998
5734831System for configuring and remotely administering a unix computer over a network Mar 31, 1998
5737533System for generating a virtual reality scene in response to a database search Apr 7, 1998
5761673Method and apparatus for generating dynamic web pages by invoking a predefined procedural package stored in a database Jun 2, 1998
5774670Persistent client state in a hypertext transfer protocol based client-server system Jun 30, 1998
5793966Computer system and computer-implemented process for creation and maintenance of online services Aug 11, 1998
5828840Server for starting client application on client if client is network terminal and initiating client application on server if client is non network terminal Oct 27, 1998

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method for communicating between a client and a server through a limited communication interface, the method comprising:

providing continuation functions associated with each of a plurality of links, wherein a continuation function includes a reference to a continuation argument representing a remaining sequence of instructions for subsequent execution;
sending the plurality of links through the limited communication interface from the server to the client;
sending a selected one of the plurality of links from the client to the server; and
executing the continuation function associated with the selected link in the server including executing the remaining sequence of instructions.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the server is a web sever.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of links represents a parameter in a web page.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of links includes a key that is associated with one of the continuation functions.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the client and the server reside in the same computer platform.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the continuation function refers to another continuation function.

7. The method claim 1 wherein the communication interface is the world wide web.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of executing the continuation function associated with the selected link in the server is performed at the server.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of storing code containing each continuation function in a table that is associated with each link.

10. A method for communicating between a plurality of clients and a web server through a limited communication interface, the method comprising:

providing continuation functions associated with each of a plurality of links, wherein a continuation function includes a reference to a continuation argument representing a remaining sequence of instructions for subsequent execution;
sending the plurality of links through the limited communications interface from the server to the plurality of clients;
sending a selected one of the plurality of links from one of the plurality of clients to the server; and
executing the continuation function associated with the selected link in the server including executing the remaining sequence of instructions.

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