Method and system for improving client-servlet communication

Abstract

A method comprises providing a one way communication path that initiates a request by a client for retrieving information from a Servlet, and sending a response by the Servlet containing at least one return code specifying success or failure of the request, and including the result of the request if available. If the Servlet identifies missing information not included in the initial request, the method includes providing a complete response to automatically open an other communication path from the Servlet via the client's web-browser to the Servlet and providing the missing information to a Servlet by making use of the response functionality of the initial request. The other communication path is supported by a further Servlet functionality component.

1 . A method comprising:
 providing a one way communication path that initiates a request by a client for retrieving information from a Servlet, and sending a response by the Servlet containing at least return code specifying success or failure of the request, and including the result of the request if available; and   if the Servlet identifies missing information not included in the initial request, providing a complete response to automatically open an other communication path from the Servlet via the client's web-browser to the Servlet and providing the missing information to a Servlet by making use of a response functionality of the initial request, wherein the other communication path is supported by a further Servlet functionality component.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the further Servlet functionality component comprises:
 generating a script when executed at the client's web-browser retrieves the missing information and invokes the further Servlet functionality component by the Servlet;   appending the script to the response indicating it as a partial response;   sending the response including the script to the client's web-browser.   suspending execution of the initial response by the Servlet until the missing information will be available;   receiving the missing information by the further Servlet functionality component, wherein the missing information is contained in a new request created by the script during its execution on the client's web-browser;   providing the missing information to Servlet, and   continuing execution of the initial response by the Servlet using the missing information for retrieving the rest of the response and providing the rest of the response to the client's web-browser for displaying.   
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the communication protocol is the HTTP protocol. 
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the further Servlet functionality component is implemented as separate secondary Servlet. 
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the secondary Servlet receives new HTTP-request sent by the script, and stores the missing information in a shared memory used by both Servlets. 
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the missing information is stored by the secondary Servlet in the current HTTP session object between the client and the server and passed to the Servlet. 
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the further Servlet functionality component is part of the Servlet and receipt of the new HTTP request by the Servlet automatically starts a second instance of the Servlet, and updates the current HTTP session object with the missing information. 
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein execution of the script by the web-browser automatically retrieves the missing information or retrieves the missing information by an additional user input. 
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the Servlet is implemented as a Java Servlet. 
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the script is implemented as a Java Script. 
   
   
       11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the script contains the missing information with an assigned key generated by the Servlet.