Refreshing a Transaction Screen

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing techniques for refreshing a transaction screen. The techniques include displaying, on a display device, a transaction screen containing data for a transaction, the transaction being a set of actions that either commits or aborts, where user-provided data is required for the transaction, waiting to receive a user response providing data for the transaction in the transaction screen, and automatically refreshing the transaction screen with updated data if user input to the transaction screen is not received within a pre-determined period of time.

1 . A computer program product, tangibly embodied in a machine-readable storage device, the computer program product being operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:
 displaying, on a display device, a transaction screen containing data for a transaction, the transaction being a set of actions that either commits or aborts, where user-provided data is required for the transaction;   waiting to receive a user response providing data for the transaction in the transaction screen; and   automatically refreshing the transaction screen with updated data if user input to the transaction screen is not received within a pre-determined period of time.   
   
   
       2 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein refreshing the transaction screen if user input is not received within a pre-determined period of time comprises:
 starting a timer that times out after a pre-determined period of time has lapsed;   once the timer times out, simulating user input requesting that the transaction screen be refreshed; and   refreshing the transaction screen with updated data in response to the simulated user input.   
   
   
       3 . The product of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the data processing apparatus includes a client and a server;   displaying a transaction screen is performed by the client; and   simulating user input is performed by the server.   
   
   
       4 . The product of  claim 3 , wherein the server is a transaction processing application whose execution involves multiple phases including:
 a first phase that involves displaying a transaction screen;   a second phase that involves waiting for user interaction with the transaction screen; and   a third phase that involves processing user interaction with the transaction screen.   
   
   
       5 . A method comprising:
 displaying, on a display device, a transaction screen containing data for a transaction, the transaction being a set of actions that either commits or aborts, where user-provided data is required for the transaction;   waiting to receive a user response providing data for the transaction in the transaction screen; and   automatically refreshing the transaction screen with updated data if user input to the transaction screen is not received within a pre-determined period of time.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein refreshing the transaction screen if user input is not received within a pre-determined period of time comprises:
 starting a timer that times out after a pre-determined period of time has lapsed;   once the timer times out, simulating user input requesting that the transaction screen be refreshed; and   refreshing the transaction screen with updated data in response to the simulated user input.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein:
 displaying a transaction screen is performed by a client; and   simulating user input is performed by a server.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the server is a transaction processing application whose execution involves multiple phases including:
 a first phase that involves displaying a transaction screen;   a second phase that involves waiting for user interaction with the transaction screen; and   a third phase that involves processing user interaction with the transaction screen.   
   
   
       9 . A system comprising:
 means for displaying, on a display device, a transaction screen containing data for a transaction, the transaction being a set of actions that either commits or aborts, where user-provided data is required for the transaction;   means for waiting to receive a user response providing data for the transaction in the transaction screen; and   means for automatically refreshing the transaction screen with updated data if user input to the transaction screen is not received within a pre-determined period of time.   
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the means for refreshing the transaction screen if user input is not received within a pre-determined period of time comprises:
 means for starting a timer that times out after a pre-determined period of time has lapsed;   means for, once the timer times out, simulating user input requesting that the transaction screen be refreshed; and   means for refreshing the transaction screen with updated data in response to the simulated user input.   
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising a server and a client and wherein:
 the means for displaying a transaction screen is part of the client; and   the means for simulating user input is part of the server.   
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the server is a transaction processing system whose execution involves multiple phases including:
 a first phase that involves displaying a transaction screen;   a second phase that involves waiting for user interaction with the transaction screen; and   a third phase that involves processing user interaction with the transaction screen.   
   
   
       13 . A computer program product, tangibly embodied in a machine-readable storage device, the computer program product being operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:
 displaying, on a display device, a transaction screen containing data for a transaction, the transaction being a set of actions that either commits or aborts, where user-provided data is required for the transaction;   waiting to receive a user response providing data for the transaction in the transaction screen; and   if user input to the transaction screen is not received within a pre-determined period of time, automatically refreshing the transaction screen with updated data by simulating user input requesting that the transaction screen be refreshed.   
   
   
       14 . The product of  claim 13 , wherein simulating user input requesting that the transaction screen be refreshed comprises:
 starting a timer that times out after a pre-determined period of time has lapsed;   once the timer times out, simulating user input requesting that the transaction screen be refreshed; and   refreshing the transaction screen with updated data in response to the simulated user input.   
   
   
       15 . The product of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the data processing apparatus includes a client and a server;   displaying a transaction screen is performed by the client; and   simulating user input is performed by the server.   
   
   
       16 . The product of  claim 15 , wherein the server is a transaction processing application whose execution involves multiple phases including:
 a first phase that involves displaying a transaction screen;   a second phase that involves waiting for user interaction with the transaction screen; and   a third phase that involves processing user interaction with the transaction screen.   
   
   
       17 . A method comprising:
 displaying, on a display device, a transaction screen containing data for a transaction, the transaction being a set of actions that either commits or aborts, where user-provided data is required for the transaction;   waiting to receive a user response providing data for the transaction in the transaction screen; and   if user input to the transaction screen is not received within a pre-determined period of time, automatically refreshing the transaction screen with updated data by simulating user input requesting that the transaction screen be refreshed.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein simulating user input requesting that the transaction screen be refreshed comprises:
 starting a timer that times out after a pre-determined period of time has lapsed;   once the timer times out, simulating user input requesting that the transaction screen be refreshed; and   refreshing the transaction screen with updated data in response to the simulated user input.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein:
 displaying a transaction screen is performed by a client; and   simulating user input is performed by a server.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the server is a transaction processing application whose execution involves multiple phases including:
 a first phase that involves displaying a transaction screen;   a second phase that involves waiting for user interaction with the transaction screen; and   a third phase that involves processing user interaction with the transaction screen.   
   
   
       21 . A system comprising:
 means for displaying, on a display device, a transaction screen containing data for a transaction, the transaction being a set of actions that either commits or aborts, where user-provided data is required for the transaction;   means for waiting to receive a user response providing data for the transaction in the transaction screen; and   means for automatically refreshing the transaction screen with updated data if user input to the transaction screen is not received within a pre-determined period of time by simulating user input requesting that the transaction screen be refreshed.   
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the means for automatically refreshing the transaction screen if user input is not received within a pre-determined period of time comprises:
 means for starting a timer that times out after a pre-determined period of time has lapsed;   means for, once the timer times out, simulating user input requesting that the transaction screen be refreshed; and   means for refreshing the transaction screen with updated data in response to the simulated user input.   
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 21 , further comprising a server and a client and wherein:
 the means for displaying a transaction screen is part of the client; and   the means for simulating user input is part of the server.   
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the server is a transaction processing system whose execution involves multiple phases including:
 a first phase that involves displaying a transaction screen;   a second phase that involves waiting for user interaction with the transaction screen; and   a third phase that involves processing user interaction with the transaction screen.   
   
   
       25 . A computer program product, tangibly embodied in a machine-readable storage device, the computer program product being operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:
 displaying, on a display device, a transaction screen containing data for a transaction;   waiting to receive user input to the transaction in the transaction screen; and   if user input is not received within a pre-determined period of time, automatically updating the transaction screen to provide input help to a user.   
   
   
       26 . The product of  claim 25 , wherein automatically updating the transaction screen to provide input help to a user comprises:
 automatically updating the transaction screen to include help information that instructs a user what type of response is expected.   
   
   
       27 . The product of  claim 25 , wherein automatically updating the transaction screen to provide input help to a user comprises:
 automatically updating the transaction screen to include default input that a user can accept or reject.   
   
   
       28 . A method comprising:
 displaying, on a display device, a transaction screen containing data for a transaction;   waiting to receive user input to the transaction in the transaction screen; and   if user input is not received within a pre-determined period of time, automatically updating the transaction screen to provide input help to a user.   
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein automatically updating the transaction screen to provide input help to a user comprises:
 automatically updating the transaction screen to include help information that instructs a user what type of response is expected.   
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein automatically updating the transaction screen to provide input help to a user comprises:
 automatically updating the transaction screen to include default input that a user can accept or reject.   
   
   
       31 . A system comprising:
 means for displaying, on a display device, a transaction screen containing data for a transaction;   means for waiting to receive user input to the transaction in the transaction screen; and   if user input is not received within a pre-determined period of time, means for automatically updating the transaction screen to provide input help to a user.   
   
   
       32 . The product of  claim 31 , wherein the means for automatically updating the transaction screen to provide input help to a user comprises:
 means for automatically updating the transaction screen to include help information that instructs a user what type of response is expected.   
   
   
       33 . The product of  claim 31 , wherein the means for automatically updating the transaction screen to provide input help to a user comprises:
 means for automatically updating the transaction screen to include default input that a user can accept or reject.