Electronic pages with communication features

Abstract

A system and method for providing a distributed software application is disclosed. The application includes multiple browser window components that run together within a single browser window. Each component manages and displays data independently, so that a series of Internet pages can be simultaneously displayed and manipulated by a user. In one embodiment, an electronic main page is downloaded from a server to a client computer, wherein the main page comprises at least two browser components for displaying additional electronic pages within the main page. The main page includes a user selectable software control for selection of one of the at least two browser components for display.

1  A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 downloading a webpage from a server computer to a client computer, wherein the downloaded webpage comprises a first tabbed component configured to display a first electronic page and a second tabbed component configured to display a second electronic page;   providing a first software control on the first electronic page, wherein the software control accepts input data from a user;   downloading the first electronic page and the second electronic page to the client computer;   accepting input data from a user into the software control; and   transferring the input data from the first software control to a second software control on the second electronic page.   
   
   
       2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the second electronic page is hidden from the user. 
   
   
       3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein a selection of the second tabbed component causes the second electronic page to become displayed to the user. 
   
   
       4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the downloaded webpage comprises a scripting language and a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). 
   
   
       5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the client computer comprises a client application executing on a client computer. 
   
   
       6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 5 , wherein the client application runs in a web browser. 
   
   
       7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the first software control comprises a text box, a radio button, or a list box. 
   
   
       8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the second software control comprises a text box, a radio button, or a list box. 
   
   
       9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the first software control and the second software control communicate the user input data to a message queue. 
   
   
       10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 9 , wherein the message queue coordinates communication between the first electronic page and the second electronic page. 
   
   
       11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 9 , wherein the message queue coordinates communication between the first electronic page and the server. 
   
   
       12 . An electronic system, comprising:
 a client application configured to receive a stored webpage, wherein the stored webpage comprises a first browser component configured display a first electronic page and a second browser component configured to display a second electronic page within the stored webpage; and   a messaging system that communicates data input from a user between the first electronic page and the second electronic page, wherein the first electronic page is configured to be displayed to the user and the second electronic page is configured to be hidden from said user.   
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the first browser component is active and displays the first electronic page to a user. 
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the second browser component is hidden and does not display the second electronic page to the user. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the client application is a software application executing on the user's computer. 
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the client application is a graphical user interface that displays in a web browser. 
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the messaging system is a message queue that coordinates communication between the electronic pages. 
   
   
       18 . A computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform the steps of:
 downloading a webpage from a server computer to a client computer, wherein the downloaded webpage comprises a first tabbed component configured to display a first electronic page and a second tabbed component configured to display a second electronic page;   providing a first software control on the first electronic page, wherein the software control accepts input data from a user;   downloading the first electronic page and the second electronic page to the client computer;   accepting input data from a user into the software control; and   transferring the input data from the first software control to a second software control on the second electronic page.   
   
   
       19 . The computer readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the second electronic page is hidden from the user. 
   
   
       20 . The computer readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein selection of the second tabbed component results in the second electronic page becoming displayed to the user. 
   
   
       21 . The computer readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the first software control comprises a text box, a radio button, or a list box. 
   
   
       22 . The computer readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the second software control comprises a text box, a radio button, or a list box. 
   
   
       23 . The computer readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the first software control and the second software control communicate the input data to a message queue. 
   
   
       24 . The computer readable medium of  claim 23 , wherein the message queue coordinates communication between the electronic pages. 
   
   
       25 . The computer readable medium of  claim 23 , wherein the message queue coordinates communication between the electronic pages and the server.