Offloading filling of template parameters to client from server

Abstract

One or more servers are communicatively connected to a client. An application program and a dummy template engine run on the servers. The dummy template engine substitutes an original template engine that can run on the servers. The original template engine is normally used by the application program to fill parameters of a template at the servers. The dummy template engine has the same interface as the original template has, such that the application program accesses the dummy template engine no differently than it accesses the original template engine. The dummy template engine is thus accessed by the application program in lieu of the original template engine. The dummy template engine causes the parameters of the template to be filled at the client instead of at the servers, such that template parameter filling is offloaded to the client.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A storage device storing a dummy template engine executable by a server to perform a method comprising:
 receiving a request for a populated template from an application program running on the server, the dummy template engine accessed by the application program in lieu of and no differently than an original template engine;   in response, sending a skeletal result to a client communicatively connected to the server;   after sending the skeletal result to the client, receiving a request from a template engine at the client for a non-populated template; and   in response, sending the non-populated template to the template engine at the client, the non-populated template filled by the template engine to generate a populated template at the client.   
     
     
         2 . The storage device of  claim 1 , wherein the dummy template engine being accessed by the application program in lieu of and no differently than the original template engine results in the populated template being generated at the client instead of at the server. 
     
     
         3 . The storage device of  claim 1 , wherein because the dummy template engine is accessed by the application program no differently than the original template engine, the client generates the populated template instead of the server generating the populated template without the application program having to be redeveloped. 
     
     
         4 . The storage device of  claim 3 , wherein the application program otherwise uses the original template engine to cause the populated template to be generated at the server. 
     
     
         5 . A storage device storing a template engine executable by a client to perform a method comprising:
 requesting and receiving a non-populated template from the server, the non-populated template corresponding to a populated template requested by an application program at the server to a dummy template engine at the server, the dummy template engine accessed by the application program in lieu of and no differently than an original template engine; and   filling in the non-populated template to generate the populated template at the client.   
     
     
         6 . The storage device of  claim 5 , wherein the accessing the dummy template engine by the application program in lieu of and no differently than the original template engine results in the populated template being generated at the client instead of at the server. 
     
     
         7 . The storage device of  claim 5 , wherein because the dummy template engine is accessed by the application program no differently than the original template engine, the client generates the populated template instead of the server generating the populated template without the application program having to be redeveloped. 
     
     
         8 . The storage device of  claim 7 , wherein the application program otherwise uses the original template engine to cause the populated template to be generated at the server.