Patent Publication Number: US-8990832-B2

Title: Pattern using JSP-servlet-helper classes for an order mangement system

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to the field of generating and grouping purchase orders over computer networks such as Internet, wide area network, and local area network and any combinations thereof. More specifically, the present invention relates to the area of dynamically generating a design pattern using Java Server Page (JSP) servlet helper classes to implement a purchase order management systems within a business-to-business software acquisition framework. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Consumers need to organize and send purchase orders to suppliers for procurement purposes. Procurement is a process in which a buyer makes sure that a purchase order for a particular supplier is accurate and authorized. The organization and procurement of purchase orders are especially necessary for large retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers, and electronic companies who buy many different types of items from many different suppliers. Manufacturers need to replenish their parts in stock to keep up with their production schedule. Grocery retailers need to replenish their perishable items in a supermarket. Electronic companies need to buy parts for their newly designed products. Wholesalers need to purchase large quantities of goods from many different manufacturers. Furthermore, regular consumers who often shop over the Internet for discounted products from different suppliers also need to organize their purchasing records. All of these consumers can make use of a software program to organize and send purchase orders to suppliers so that billing statements are generated accurately and purchased items are received on schedule. 
     This procurement process is very important because it is costly for both consumers and suppliers if purchase orders are missing and get sent to the wrong consumers or if purchases are unauthorized. It takes time and money to track down missing purchase orders and correct inaccurate billing statements. Suppliers may loose customers if the procurement is not accurate. On the other hand, consumers such as grocery stores, retailers, wholesalers, and manufacturers may loose profits without accurate procurement because they have business schedules that depend upon the delivery of the purchased items. Therefore, consumers and suppliers need a software program which can help them in the organization and procurement of purchase orders. 
     This need is especially felt by both consumers and suppliers as the electronic commerce activities increase. In the recent years, the number of on-line consumers and suppliers has increased greatly, becoming commonplace. An on-line or an electronic consumer is a consumer who purchases items via such media as the Internet and World Wide Web (www). On-line purchasing becomes a convenient, cost effective, and timesaving method of buying. Over the Internet and via other on-line media, consumers can examine and select items that they want to purchase by interacting with web pages such as clicking and dragging items into an electronic shopping cart. The suppliers of the selected-and-purchased items then send these consumers a billing statement. On-line market is also a good method for suppliers to commercialize their products. It is economical and convenient for suppliers to post their catalogs on-line to advertise their products. Consequently, as the electronic commerce activities increase, the demand for a procurement software program also increases. 
     The boom of electronic commerce has brought about many software programs to assist users of procurement applications in different aspects of purchasing and procurement processes. One such aspect is the placing of orders via on-line modalities. In the placing of on-line orders, a user typically views a collection of items from a supply source on a computer monitor at a locale remote from the supply source. Typically, the ordering information is displayed to the user in a format such as a webpage, effectuated by coding in HyperText markup language (HTML). Requests from users which render webpages involved in the order process, and other related pages coded in HTML are thus necessary to enabling orders through contemporary electronic commerce media. In many cases, several, sometimes many webpages are required to display to the user, and interactively effectuate the user&#39;s provision through input, of an amount of information sufficient to complete an ordering action. 
     Typically, a number of screen pages related to the ordering process, sometimes many, contain information that is similar. For example, several webpages involved in the ordering process contain addresses, e.g., an interactive screen aspect displaying and effectuating input of various addresses necessary to effectuate an order transaction. Such addresses may include billing addresses, shipping addresses, sending addresses, paying addresses, and other addresses. In one exemplary format, such addresses may be formatted in a configuration such as billTo, shipTo, sendTo, payTo, etc., accompanied by interactive fields, wherein a user may input completely, or make changes to, address information. It is appreciated that other information may be similarly displayed and interacted with in screen pages effectuating on-line ordering actions. 
     The informational representation, e.g., display, as well as the informational inputs to the appropriate interactive fields thereon, have a number of similarities. These similarities, nevertheless, require expression through code used to generate the HTML pages. Conventionally, such similarities in screen pages typically necessitate redundancies in the code by which they are generated. Such redundancies render the conventional art problematic for a number of reasons. 
     Redundancy is inherently burdensome to systems, such as computer systems utilized in the implementation and operation of orders and other aspects of electronic commerce. Such burdens reduce system efficiency, speed, and appropriate capacity unavailable for other functions. In this respect it is wasteful. It delays and may deter system operations and the commerce effectuated thereby. Further, code redundancy adds complexity, expense, and propensity to error to the code used in order modules. Such burdens are realized at several levels. First, programming is encumbered by the tedium inherent in redundancy. Second, both debugging and implementation is hampered by the complexity and sheer volume of code written to be so redundant. Third, user operations are made more complicated, tedious, and difficult by having to use the redundant code to generate HTML pages needed to implement their orders. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     What is needed is a method and/or system for handling requests from a user and rendering a resulting page in HyperText markup language (HTML). What is also needed is a method and/or system for handling requests from a user and rendering a resulting page in HTML, which is useful in effectuating aspects of an order management system. Further, what is needed is a method and/or system for handling requests from a user and rendering a resulting page in HTML useful in effectuating aspects of an order management system, which reduces the redundancy in the underlying code required to effectuate the page. 
     Embodiments of the present invention implement a method and system for handling requests from a user and rendering a resulting page in HTML. Embodiments of the present invention also implement a method and system for handling requests from a user and rendering a resulting page in HTML, which is useful in effectuating aspects of an order management system. Further, embodiments of the present invention implement a method and system for handling requests from a user and rendering a resulting page in HTML useful in effectuating aspects of an order management system, which reduces the redundancy in the underlying code required to effectuate the page. 
     In one embodiment, the present invention modularizes various parts of an HTML page. In the present embodiment, modularization of the HTML page effectuates the reuse of certain portions of code. Advantageously, this re-use of code portions needed to implement the HTML page reduces redundancy, which would otherwise be inherent in the coding. Reduction in coding redundancy achieves significant reductions in burdens imposed on implementing systems, such as computer systems implementing the order operations and other aspects of electronic commerce. This achievement improves the efficiency of these implementing systems, increasing the speed with which they can handle the order operations, and their capacity for data handling and other functions. 
     In one embodiment, the present invention associates each HTML page with an electronically based form. In one embodiment, the form associated with the HTML page is mapped to a servlet in a system backend. The form associated with the HTML page may also be mapped to any other similarly effective Java application running in a web server or application server providing server-side processing accessing a database and/or performing electronic commerce processing. 
     The servlet (or other similarly effective Java application running in a web server or application server providing server-side processing accessing a database and/or performing electronic commerce processing) performs appropriate action based on a corresponding user action on the front side, e.g., at a computer work station or similar browser client agent, such as certain keyboard strokes or graphical user interface (GUI) actions. In one embodiment, each user action calls a set of helper class methods. Advantageously, the methods in these helper classes are re-usable for various other actions, as well. 
     Upon completion of processing associated with the corresponding operation of the helper classes, the servlet (or other similarly effective Java application running in a web server or application server providing server-side processing accessing a database and/or performing electronic commerce processing) calls a render method. The render method called correspondingly creates a new page in HTML, based on the processing of the previous screen, by which the user actions were inputted. 
     In one embodiment, the active render method internally calls render methods in helper classes. The render methods in the helper classes so called populate data in a name value pair. These name value pairs are utilized by Java server pages (JSP&#39;s) for generating a new HTML page, one which will effectuate the order operation, accordingly. Advantageously, the render methods in helper classes are re-used in a number of other places. 
     These and other advantages of the present invention will become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after having read the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments which are illustrated in the drawing figures. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a general purpose computer system, upon which embodiments of the present invention may be implemented. 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing the relationship between client computers and servers, as well as an organization of functional elements within each, through which embodiments of the present invention may be implemented. 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram of one embodiment of the e-commerce environment in which embodiments of the present invention may be implemented. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a hierarchy of programmatic applications in which embodiments of the present invention may be implemented. 
         FIG. 5A  is a block diagram depicting a relationship between forms and HTML pages, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5B  is a block diagram depicting a mapping between forms and servlets, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5C  is a block diagram of a first data flow between functionalities, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5D  is a block diagram of a subsequent data flow between functionalities, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a block diagram of a functional relationship between system hardware and software components, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a flow chart of a method for generating a new HTML page, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In the following detailed description of the present invention, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be recognized by one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details or with equivalents thereof. In other instances, well known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the present invention. 
     Notation and Nomenclature 
     Some portions of the detailed descriptions, which follow, are presented in terms of procedures, steps, logic blocks, processing, and other symbolic representations of operations on data bits that can be performed by computer systems. These descriptions and representations are used by those skilled in the data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of their work to others skilled in the art. A procedure, computer executed step, logic block, process, etc., is here, and generally, conceived to be a self-consistent sequence of steps or instructions leading to a desired result. The steps are those requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, though not necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals capable of being stored, transferred, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated in a computer system. It has proven convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, or the like. 
     It should be borne in mind, however, that all of these and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unless specifically stated otherwise as apparent from the following discussions, it is appreciated that throughout the present invention, discussions utilizing terms such as “inputting,” “applying,” “calling,” “drafting,” “generating,” “processing,” “performing,” “populating,” or the like, refer to the action and processes of a computer system, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical, e.g., electronic quantities within the communications and computer systems&#39; registers and memories into other data similarly represented as physical quantities within the computer system memories or registers or other such information storage, transmission, or display devices. 
     Further, an embodiment of the present invention may be discussed in terms of a process, e.g., the implementation and/or execution of a method. For example,  FIG. 7 , a flowchart, and the text rendering an accompanying discussion thereof, refers to a process  700  of performed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention for generating a webpage or similar page coded in HyperText Markup Language, hereinafter referred to in abbreviation as HTML. Flowchart  700 , and the text rendering an accompanying discussion thereof, includes exemplary processes of an embodiment of the present invention which, in one embodiment, are carried out by processors and electrical/electronic components under the control of computer readable and computer executable instructions. 
     The computer readable and computer executable instructions reside, for example, in data storage features such as computer usable volatile memory  104  and/or computer usable non-volatile memory  106  of  FIG. 1 . However, the computer readable and computer executable instructions may reside in any type of computer readable medium. Although specific processes are disclosed in  FIG. 7  and its process  700 , and the text rendering an accompanying discussion thereof, such processes are exemplary. That is, embodiments of the present invention is well suited, to performing various other processes or variations of the processes recited in  FIG. 7 , and the text rendering an accompanying discussion thereof. Within the present embodiment, it should be appreciated that the process of flowchart  7  and its process  700 , and the text rendering an accompanying discussion thereof, may be performed by, e.g., executed upon software, firmware, and/or hardware or any combination of software, firmware, and/or hardware. 
     Exemplary Computer System Platform 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of one embodiment of an exemplary computer system  100  that can be used, for example, as a platform for embodiments of the present invention. System  100  is well suited to be any type of computing device (e.g., browser client computer, server computer, portable computing device, etc.). Within the following discussions of the present invention, certain processes and are discussed (e.g., process  600 ) that are realized, in one embodiment, as a series of instructions (e.g., software program) that reside within computer readable memory units of computer system  100  and executed by a processor(s) of system  100 . When executed, the instructions cause computer  100  to perform specific actions and exhibit specific behavior which is described in detail below. In one embodiment, the computer may be controlled to perform these actions, functions, and behaviors under the direction of a program contained within and/or upon a computer readable medium. The computer readable medium may be a combination of several media elements, and may include any extant media and/or media yet to be developed. Examples of such media include magnetically and electromagnetically implemented media such as disc drive, e.g., hard drive units, and diskettes, Zip drives, magnetic tape, and other portable media. Other examples of such media include optically and electro-optically implemented media such as a compact disc (CD), digital video disc (DVD), and the like. 
     Computer system  100  of  FIG. 1  comprises an address/data bus  110  for communicating information, one or more central processors  102  coupled with bus  110  for processing information and instructions. Central processor unit  102  may be a microprocessor or any other type of processor. The computer  100  also includes data storage features such as a computer usable volatile memory unit  104  (e.g., random access memory, static RAM, dynamic RAM, etc.) coupled with bus  110  for storing information and instructions for central processor(s)  102 , a computer usable non-volatile memory unit  106  (e.g., read only memory, programmable ROM, flash memory, EPROM, EEPROM, etc.) coupled with bus  110  for storing static information and instructions for processor(s)  102 . System  100  also includes one or more signal generating and receiving devices (I/O circuit)  108  coupled with bus  110  for enabling system  100  to interface with other electronic devices. The communication interface(s)  108  of the present embodiment may include wired and/or wireless communication technology. For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the communication interface  108  is a serial communication port, but could also alternatively be any of a number of well-known communication standards and protocols. 
     Optionally, computer system  100  can include an alphanumeric input device  114  including alphanumeric and function keys coupled to the bus  110  for communicating information and command selections to the central processor(s)  102 . The computer  100  can include an optional cursor control or cursor directing device  116  coupled to the bus  110  for communicating user input information and command selections to the central processor(s)  102 . The system  100  can also include a computer usable mass data storage device  118  such as a magnetic or optical disk and disk drive (e.g., hard drive or floppy diskette) coupled with bus  110  for storing information and instructions. An optional display device  112  is coupled to bus  110  of system  100  for displaying video and/or graphics. 
     It will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art that computer  100  can be part of a larger system. For example, computer  100  can be a server computer that is in data communication with other computers. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , computer  100  is in data communication with a supplier computer system  120  via a network  122 , such as a local area network (LAN) or the Internet. 
     Exemplary Client Computer-Server Relationship 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram showing the relationship  200  between a client computer  100 C and a server, e.g., a server computer  100 S, as well as an organization of functional elements within each, through which embodiments of the present invention may be implemented. Client computer  100 C and server  100 S are each platforms embodying various implementations of a computer system (e.g., computer system  100 ;  FIG. 1 ). 
     Client platform  100 C may be a browser computer, in one embodiment. The client computer  100 C may be a personal computer (PC), a work station computer, a network computer, or any other computer platform implementing any viable operating system (OS) OS-C. In the present exemplary implementation, client computer system  100 C is a PC with a monitor  112 C and a keyboard  114 C. OS OS-C may be a SunOS™, Windows™, MAC™, products of Sun Microsystems, Inc. of Sunnyvale, Calif., Microsoft, Inc. of Redmond, Wash. and Apple Computer Corp. of Cupertino, Calif., respectively, or any other OS. 
     Client computer  100 C may also deploy a web browser WB. In the present embodiment, web browser WB deploys a Java virtual machine (JVM), or another viable Java interpreter. The JVM implemented by web browser WB utilizes software that converts the Java intermediate language, e.g., bytecode, into machine language and executes the instructions promulgated within it. It is appreciated that the present invention is well suited to implementation on any equivalent platform, including one with a web browser WB deploying any JVM version, such as for example, JavaSoft™ JVM versions by Sun Microsystems, Inc. and Microsoft Virtual Machines by Microsoft, Inc. JVM deployed in web browser WB effectuates the execution of Java applets JA-C. 
     It is appreciated that, in one embodiment, OS OS-C and web browser WB may be deployed wholly or partially upon a data storage system  118 C. Data storage system  118 C may be a hard disc drive of any viable architecture, or any other viable data storage system. 
     A communicative coupling medium  209 C, which in various embodiments may be any wire-deployed and/or wireless communication modality, interconnects client computer  100 C via a signal input/output (I/O) device (e.g., I/O device  108 ;  FIG. 1 ) to a network milieu  2001 . Network milieu  2001  may be a network of any viable type, and may include a LAN  122  and/or the Internet  2000 . It is appreciated that network milieu  2001  may include any other communicative network such as wide area networks (WAN), local intranets, and/or other network configurations. A communicative coupling medium  209 S interconnects server  100 S to network milieu  2001 . Communicative coupling medium  209 S may, in various embodiments, may be identical, similar, or different from communicative coupling medium  209 C. Communicative coupling medium  209 S may, in various embodiments, be any wire-deployed and/or wireless communication modality. 
     Server platform  100 C may be a web server, in one embodiment. The server computer  100 S may be a server or any other computer platform implementing any viable server function enabling OS OS-S. OS OS-S may be SunOS™, UNIX, NT™ by Microsoft Corp., or any other OS that effectuates a computer platform to implement a server function. 
     Server  100 S deploys a web server WS. Web server WS is a software implementation that uses HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) to serve up documents in HTML, along with associated files and scripts, upon request of a client, e.g., client computer  100 C, specifically web browser WB. 
     Server  100 S also deploys a Java servlet SV. Servlet SV, a Java application, runs, in one embodiment, within web server WS to provide server-side processing, e.g., such as for accessing a database and/or to perform electronic commerce processing related tasks. In one embodiment, server  100 S may also deploy, or deploy instead of servlet SV, a Common Gateway Interface (CGI) script. 
     Server  100 S further deploys a Java Server Page (JSP) JSP-S. JSP JSP-S provides a programming vehicle to enable server  100 S to display dynamic web page or other HTML page content. JSP JSP-S, in one implementation, is an HTML page with embedded Java source code. JSP JSP-S is executed in web server WS. Its embedded HTML effectuates a page architecture for a document, which is returned to the client, e.g., client computer  100 C, specifically web browser WB. Simultaneously or nearly so, the Java content of JSP-S provides the processing capabilities, e.g., to deliver a query to an electronic commerce repository and/or to another database, and “fill in the blanks” in the document with the fetched results. JSP JSP-S is compiled into bytecode, e.g., into a servlet (e.g., servlet SV) upon recognition by server  100 S. Importantly, JSP JSP-S can also call helper classes H, also deployed by server  100 S, to provide additional processing. 
     In the present exemplary implementation, server computer system  100 S has a data storage system  118 S. Data storage system  118 C may be a data storage system of any viable, high speed architecture, such as a hard disc drive, CD, and/or DVD. It is appreciated that, in one embodiment, data storage system  118 S may deploy any of the other functionalities of server  100 S, including OS OS-S, web server WS, servlet SV, JSP JSP-S and/or CGI script CGI, and helper classes H. Data storage system  118 S may also deploy web pages WPR, which may reference Java applets. 
     Thus, server  100 S is well suited to functionally interact in and with an electronic commerce environment (e.g., e-commerce environment  300 ;  FIG. 3 ). 
     Exemplary E-Commerce Environment 
       FIG. 3  depicts an electronic commerce, e.g., e-commerce procurement and purchasing environment  300  of one embodiment of the present invention. The on-line purchasing and procurement environment  300  shown in  FIG. 3  comprises computer server  100 S, e-Purchase and e-Procurement system  320 , Interface  330 , Database  340 , Directory  350  and Memory  360  coupled a common communication channel. 
     Server  100 S is coupled to provide a e-platform application server for the e-procurement and e-purchasing environment of the present invention. Server  100 S provides a user a single sign-on facility to the e-Procurement system  320  of the present invention, as well as the ability to customize the e-Procurement system  320 . Server  100 S also provides scalability and high availability to the user. 
     The e-Procurement system  300  is coupled to server  100 S to provide an on-line centralized control for buying goods and services for enterprise operations. The e-Procurement system  320  further provides a business-to-business application for purchasing and procurement professionals within an organization in the enterprise. The e-Procurement system  320  is extensible to allow non-professional purchasing and procurement persons with the enterprise to purchase consumables such as office supplies, small office equipment and services from suppliers on the Internet. 
     Still referring to  FIG. 3 , Interface  330  couples to e-Procurement system  320  to provide a foundation for order submissions, and the communication between a customer and legacy systems and the e-procurement system  320  of the present invention. 
     Interface  330  further supports secure transmission of data over public and private networks, as well as the storage of documents, tracking of services and the management of tasks. In one embodiment of the present invention, Interface  330  supports the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) ASCII 12 and other communication interface standards. Interface  330  further supports the use of graphical tools for mapping, translation and conversion of any file format such as Electronic Data Interface (EDI) to a different file format. Interface  330  may be related to communicative coupling media  209 S and/or media  209 C ( FIG. 2 ). 
     Database  340  is coupled to the e-Procurement system  300  to provide ordering and catalog information to the user. Database  340  may be an “off-the-shelf” software product such as an Oracle database software developed and sold by Oracle corporation of Redwood City, Calif. In the present invention, data is stored in database  340  in the form of data objects with associating data attributes. 
     In the e-Procurement system of the present invention, Database  340  provides an intermediary storage facility of catalog information where orders originated by a user are stored. In-bound orders are processed by e-Procurement system  320  using order information retrieved from the catalogs stored in database  340 . The e-Procurement system  320  transmits out-bound order documents based on available catalog information from a supplier to the buyer. 
     Directory  350  (“LDAP”) is coupled to the e-Procurement system  320  to store membership information of users of the e-Procurement system  320 . Directory  350  also stores information on the suppliers, as well as location information of buyers and seller in order to facilitate an effective and efficient communication of order and supply information between enterprises. 
     Memory  360  is coupled to the server  100 S to store transient copies of purchase requisitions stored in database  340 . A purchase order requisition of catalog information stored in memory  360  has a one-to-one correlation with data objects stored in database  340 . Information stored in memory  360  are stored as data objects or the like in a manner well known in the art. Memory  360  may be related to mnemonic functionalities in server  100 S such as RAM (e.g., RAM  106 ;  FIG. 1 ). 
     Exemplary Programming Structure Hierarchy 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a hierarchy  400  of programming vehicles applied to effectuate various embodiments of the present invention herein are described from the highest order down to the lowest order. 
     At the highest order are JSP&#39;s, such as JSP-S. JSP JSP-S provides a programming vehicle to enable a server (e.g., server  100 S;  FIG. 2 ) to display dynamic web page or other HTML page content. JSP JSP-S, in one implementation, is an HTML page with embedded Java source code. JSP JSP-S may be executed in a web server (e.g., web server WS;  FIG. 2 ). The embedded HTML code within JSP JSP-S effectuates a page architecture for a document, which is returned to the client (e.g. client computer  100 C;  FIG. 2 ), specifically, to its web browser (e.g., web browser WB;  FIG. 2 ). The Java content of JSP JSP-S provides its processing capabilities. For example, in an embodiment of the present invention, the Java content of JSP JSP-S effectuates the delivery of a query to an electronic commerce repository and/or to another database (e.g., LDAP  350 , database  340 , respectively;  FIG. 3 ), and to “fill in the blanks” in the document with the fetched results. 
     It is appreciated that the present invention is well suited to the application of functionalities similar to those by which an embodiment of the present invention is described and explained herein. The present invention is not be construed herein as limited to the functionalities by which an embodiment thereof is described and explained herein. Thus, an embodiment of the present invention is perfectly functional using, for example, another programming vehicle for displaying dynamic HTML page content, such as Active Server Pages (ASP) by Microsoft, Inc., along with or instead of an actual JSP. 
     JSP JSP-S may be compiled into bytecode, e.g., into a servlet, e.g., servlet SV, upon recognition by server  100 S. Importantly, JSP JSP-S can also call helper classes H, also deployed by server  100 S, to provide additional processing. 
     A step down in programming hierarchy  400  from JSP JSP-S are servlets SV, a Java application. Servlet SV runs, in one embodiment, within a web server (e.g., web server WS;  FIG. 2 ). Running thereon, servlet SV effectuates server-side processing. In various embodiments of the present invention, such processing may include the accessing of a database (e.g., database  340 ;  FIG. 3 ) and/or to perform processing related tasks in an electronic commerce milieu (e.g., e-commerce environment  300 ;  FIG. 3 ). 
     Again, the present invention is well suited to the application of functionalities similar to those by which an embodiment of the present invention is described and explained herein. The present invention is not be construed herein as limited to the functionalities by which an embodiment thereof is described and explained herein. 
     Thus, an embodiment of the present invention is perfectly functional using, for example, another programming vehicle for providing server side processing other than an actual servlet. In another embodiment therefore, server side processing may be performed by a Common Gateway Interface (CGI) script, implemented in C, C++, and/or in PERL, another extraction and report language, or another vehicle with efficient string handling capabilities, to achieve the functions as provided by an actual servlet of the present embodiment. 
     Below servlets SV in hierarchy  400  are helper classes H. Helper classes H effectuate additional processing. Importantly, helper classes H may be called by JSP JSP-S. Helper classes H may include such functionalities as Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB). The helper classes H are independent Java program modules that are called for and executed as needed for the performance of specific tasks. 
     At the low end of the hierarchical structure  400  are business objects BO. Business objects BO are, in one embodiment, independent object-oriented Java program modules. In another embodiment, business objects BO may be written in any object-oriented programming language. Business objects BO, as modules, work together at runtime with no prior linking and/or precompilation as a group. Business objects BO work together on the platform running various embodiments of the present invention, and interoperate strictly via the messages passed between them. 
     Exemplary Functional Relationships 
     With reference to  FIG. 5A , a relationship  500 A is depicted between a series of HTML pages  501 A-1 through  501 A-N and a corresponding series of forms  502 A-1 through  502 A-N, respectively. Information displayed to a user through various embodiments of the present invention may be promulgated in HTML as a webpage, or similar HTML page implementation. Every HTML page has a corresponding form associated with it. In the present example, there are a number N of HTML pages  501 A-1 through  501 A-N. N may be any positive whole number. 
     The forms  502 A-1 through  502 A-N may represent, in one embodiment, business forms as displayed on a user&#39;s monitor (e.g., display  112 C;  FIG. 2 ). The forms  502 A-1 through  502 A-N are encoded in HTML for display on the monitor as the corresponding HTML pages  501 A-1 through  502 A-N. HTML page 1,  501 A-1 is associated with Form 1,  502 A-1. Similarly, HTML page 2,  501 A-2 is associated with Form 2,  502 A-2. This relationship holds for each number of the correspondence  500 A, up to and including N, such that HTML page N,  501 A-N is associated with Form N,  502 A-N. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5B , a relationship  500 B is depicted between the series of forms  502 A-1 through  502 A-N and a corresponding series of servlets SV-1 through SV-N. It is seen that servlets SV-1 through SV-N reside in the backend of the relationship, e.g., are resident in a server (e.g., server  100 S,  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  6 ). In the present example, there are a number N of forms  502 A-1 through  502 A-N, wherein N may be any positive whole number. Thus, it is appreciated that relationship  500 B is reflective, in the present exemplary embodiment, to relationship  500 A ( FIG. 5A ). In other embodiments, there may be similarity between the relationships  500 A and  500 B, or there may be differences. 
     Each and every form  502 A-1 through  502 A-N is mapped to a servlet in the backend. As in relationship  500 A ( FIG. 5A ), the forms  502 A-1 through  502 A-N represent, in one embodiment, business forms as displayed on a user&#39;s monitor (e.g., display  112 C;  FIG. 2 ). The forms  502 A-1 through  502 A-N are encoded in HTML for display on the monitor (e.g., as the corresponding HTML pages  501 A-1 through  502 A-N;  FIG. 5A ). Form 1,  502 A-1 is associated with Servlet 1, SV-1. Similarly, Form 2,  502 A-2 is associated with Servlet 2, SV-2. This relationship holds for each number of the correspondence  500 B, up to and including N, such that Form N,  502 A-N is associated with Servlet N, SV-N. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5C , a relationship  500 C is depicted between a number of functions and actions, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. A user at a client computer  100 C views information displayed on a monitor  112 C, formatted as a virtual HTML page K,  502 A-K. HTML page K,  501 A-K corresponds to a form  502 A-K (not shown directly, but correspondingly similar to, and within the series of forms  502 A-1 through  502 A-N;  FIG. 5A ), which in one implementation is a business form, such as an e-commerce order form. Such an order form may have a number of fields, such as address fields, to be filled out electronically by a user input. 
     The user implements an action L,  555 L, such as to fill in a field on the on-screen displayed form with address information, by making some input to client computer  100 C. Such an input may be made in a number of ways. The input may be made through a GUI and a mouse click (e.g., using control  116 ;  FIG. 1 ). It may also be made via a touch-sensitive screen, if monitor  112 C and computer system  100 C is so capable, or by any other input-effectuating functionality. One common method of input is via an alphanumeric and/or character-based input functionality, such as keyboard  114 C in the present exemplary embodiment. 
     Action L,  555 L has a corresponding action object L,  556 L which communicates the object of action L,  555 L, to Servlet SV-L. In one embodiment, virtually each and every action  555  has a corresponding action object  556  which is communicated to a corresponding servlet SV. The servlet, in the present example Servlet SV-L, does an appropriate programmed action corresponding to the object of the action, here action object L,  556 L, thus based on the user input, e.g., upon the key or button pressed on keyboard  114 C. 
     In taking its corresponding action, Servlet SV-L calls a set of helper class methods. Importantly, the methods in these helper class methods  500 H are re-usable for a variety of actions. Advantageously, this reduces redundancy in code required to implement the programming for relationship  500 C. 
     Once the processing of the action  555 L is complete, Servlet SV-L calls a render method within render methods  566 . Render methods  566  are in helper class  500 H. Render methods  566  assist in promulgating a new HTML page L (e.g., HTML page L,  501 A-L;  FIG. 5D ) based on the processing of action  555 L of the “previous” screen, e.g., virtual HTML page K,  501 A-K. The promulgation assistance is provided by the render methods  566  in the following manner. 
     In render methods  566 , the specific render method called up by servlet SV-L internally calls related render methods also within render methods  566  to populate data in a name value pair (NTV)  577 . The NTV  577  formats the data required by the JSP JSP-S. JSP JSP-S then directly promulgates a new HTML page L,  501 A-L, using the data provided to it by NTV  577 . The newly promulgated HTML page L,  501 A-L, is then made available to client computer  100 C for display to the user (e.g.,  FIG. 5D ). 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5D , a relationship  500 D is depicted between a number of functions and actions, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In  FIG. 5D , it is seen that virtual HTML page L,  501 A-L, is displayed on monitor  112 C, having replaced virtual HTML page K,  502 A-K ( FIG. 5C ). Virtual HTML page L,  501 A-L corresponds to a form  502 A-L (not shown directly, but correspondingly similar to, and within the series of forms  502 A-1 through  502 A-N;  FIG. 5A ), which in one implementation is also a business form, such as an e-commerce order form. Like the previous corresponding form  502 A-K discussed above, such an order form may also have a number of fields, such as address fields, to be filled out electronically by a user input. 
     In the present example, viewing HTML page L,  501 A-L a user at client computer  100 C inputs another action, action M,  557 M, such as through a keystroke on keyboard  114 C, or by any other effective means (e.g., GUI and control  116 ;  FIG. 1 , etc.). Action M,  557 M has another action object M,  558 , which may be to fill in another address data field, different perhaps from the field filled out by action object L ( FIG. 5C ). This can reflect, in the present example, the different address field business forms require, such as the differing addresses for shipping, billing, paying, sending, etc. (e.g., shipTo, billTo, payTo, sendTo, etc.), or different lines of data, such as number, unit, street, city, state, zip code, country, etc. 
     The action object M,  556 M, corresponding to action M,  555 M communicates the object of action M,  555 M, to corresponding Servlet SV-M. The servlet, in the present example Servlet SV-M, does an appropriate programmed action corresponding to the object of the action, here action object M,  556 M, thus based on the user input, e.g., upon the key or button pressed on keyboard  114 C. 
     In taking its corresponding action, Servlet SV-M calls a set of helper class methods. Importantly, the methods in these helper class methods  500 H are re-usable from the previous (e.g.,  FIG. 5C ) and other actions. Advantageously, this reduces redundancy in code required to implement the programming for relationship  500 D, and others. 
     Once the processing of the action  555 M is complete, Servlet SV-M calls a render method within render methods  566 . Render methods  566  are in helper class  500 H. Render methods  566  assist in promulgating a new HTML page M (e.g., HTML page M,  501 A-M;  FIG. 5D ) based on the processing of action  555 M of the “previous” screen, e.g., virtual HTML page L,  501 A-L. The promulgation assistance is provided by the render methods  566  in the following manner, in one embodiment, in the manner discussed above. 
     In render methods  566 , the specific render method called up by servlet SV-M internally calls related render methods also within render methods  566  to populate data in a name value pair (NTV)  577 . The NTV  577  formats the data required by the JSP JSP-S. JSP JSP-S then directly promulgates a new HTML page M,  501 A-M, using the data provided to it by NTV  577 . The newly promulgated HTML page M,  501 A-M is then made available to client computer  100 C for display to the user. 
     The reduction in code redundancy is evident in the similarities between the schemes discussed with reference to  FIGS. 5C and 5D , and the use of the same helper classes, render methods, NTVs, and JSPs. 
     With reference to  FIG. 6 , a client computer  100 C on a user&#39;s end has a number of HTML pages 1-N,  601 C1 through  601 CN, respectively. In one embodiment, user actions on these HTML pages  601 C1 through  601 CN are conveyed to corresponding servlets, shown in the present example as a single generic servlet SV6. Servlet SV6 resides on server  100 S. 
     Every HTML page 1-N,  601 C1 through  601 CN, respectively, has a form (e.g., forms  502 A-1 through  502 AN, respectively;  FIG. 5A ) associated with it. These forms represent, in one embodiment, business forms. The forms are encoded in HTML for display (e.g., as the corresponding HTML pages  501 A-1 through  502 A-N;  FIG. 5A ; e.g., displayed upon a monitor such as monitor  112 C,  FIGS. 1 ,  5 C,  5 D). The forms are each mapped to corresponding servlets, represented in the present example by generic servlet SV6 in the backend, e.g., on server  100 S. 
     The servlet SV6 takes appropriate action based upon a user input. Each such action calls a set of helper class methods H6, also on server  100 S. The methods in these helper classes are re-usable for various actions. In one embodiment, among the helper class methods H6 are a number R of business class objects BO1 through BOR. Business objects BO1 through BOR are associated, in one embodiment, with independent object-oriented Java program modules. In anther embodiment, business objects BO1 through BOR may be written in any object-oriented programming language. Business objects BO1 through BOR, as modules, work together at runtime with no prior linking and/or precompilation as a group. Business objects BO1 through BOR work together on the platform running various embodiments of the present invention, and interoperate strictly via the messages passed between them. 
     Business objects BO1 through BOR, in one embodiment, may be associated and/or identified with render methods (e.g., render methods  566 ;  FIGS. 5C ,  5 D). Upon completion of processing associated with the action based on the user input, servlet SV6 calls upon a render method used to create a new HTML page, based upon the processing of a foregoing HTML page, previously displayed to the user at client computer  100 C, e.g., upon a monitor (e.g., monitor  112 C,  FIGS. 1 ,  5 C,  5 D). The render method calls other render methods in helper classes H6, as necessary, to populate data in an NTV, NTV6. 
     These data may include information important to completion of order forms and other business forms, such as address data, including, for example, “city,” “state,” “zip code,” etc. Such data is required and used by JSP JSP6 for generating a new HTML page called for by the user input. The HTML so generated is fed to client computer  100 C in an HTML format for display to the user as the new HTML page. 
     Exemplary Method 
     An embodiment of the present invention is discussed in terms of a process, e.g., the implementation and/or execution of a method.  FIG. 7 , a flowchart, and the text herein rendering an accompanying discussion thereof, refers to a process  700  performed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention for generating a webpage or similar page coded in HyperText markup language, hereinafter referred to in abbreviation as HTML. Flowchart  7 , its depicted process  700 , and the text herein rendering an accompanying discussion thereof, includes exemplary processes of an embodiment of the present invention which, in one embodiment, are carried out by processors and electrical/electronic components under the control of computer readable and computer executable instructions. 
     The computer readable and computer executable instructions reside, for example, in data storage features such as computer usable volatile memory  104  and/or computer usable non-volatile memory  106  of  FIG. 1 . However, the computer readable and computer executable instructions may reside in any type of computer readable medium. Although specific processes are disclosed in flowchart  7  and its Process  700 , and the text rendering an accompanying discussion thereof herein, such processes are exemplary. That is, embodiments of the present invention is well suited, to performing various other processes or variations of the processes recited in  FIG. 7 , and the text rendering an accompanying discussion thereof. Within the present embodiment, it should be appreciated that the process of flowchart  700 , and the text rendering an accompanying discussion thereof, may be performed by, e.g., executed upon software, firmware, and/or hardware or any combination of software, firmware, and/or hardware. 
     With reference now to  FIG. 7 , a process  700  for generating HTML pages, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, is described. Process  700  begins with step  701 , wherein an HTML page (e.g., HTML page 2,  501 A2;  FIG. 5A ) is associated with a form (e.g., form 2,  502 A2;  FIG. 5A ). These forms represent, in one embodiment, business forms. The forms are encoded in HTML for display (e.g., as the corresponding HTML pages  501 A-1 through  502 A-N;  FIG. 5A ; e.g., displayed upon a monitor such as monitor  112 C,  FIGS. 1 ,  5 C,  5 D). 
     In step  702 , the forms, corresponding to the HTML pages are mapped to servlets (e.g., servlets SV-1 through SV-N) in the backend, e.g., deployed upon a server (e.g., server  100 S;  FIGS. 2 ,  6 ). 
     An action (e.g., actions  555 L,  555 M;  FIGS. 5C ,  5 D, respectively) is selected and indicated, e.g., inputted; step  703 . For example, a user implements an action, such as to fill in a field on an on-screen displayed form with address information, by making some input to a computer (e.g., client computer  100 C,  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  5 C,  5 D,  6 ). 
     The action is communicated to the corresponding servlet. The servlet performs an appropriate programmed action, as selected and indicated by the user in step  704 . 
     In step  705 , the action calls helper class methods (e.g., helper class methods  500 H, H6;  FIGS. 5C ,  5 D, and  FIG. 6 , respectively). 
     One major advantage of embodiments of the present invention is that modularity and re-usability of resources reduces code redundancy, with a variety of concomitant benefits. Thus, in step  706 , it is determined whether the helper class methods called apply to more relevant actions. 
     If it is decided in step  706  that the helper class methods called apply to more relevant actions, the methods are re-used accordingly; step  707 . Step  706  is then repeated. 
     If, on the other hand, it is determined in step  706  that either no more relevant actions are necessary, or that the previously selected (step  705 ) helper class methods are not, for some reason, further applicable, process  700  proceeds to step  708 , wherein processing based on the action taken (step  703 ) on the previously displayed screen associated with a form (step  701 ) is complete. 
     Then, in step  709 , the servlet calls a render method (e.g., render methods  566 ;  FIGS. 5C ,  5 D). 
     The render method called then internally calls other render methods in helper classes (e.g., helper class  500 H;  FIGS. 5C ,  5 D; helper classes H6;  FIG. 6 ); step  710 . 
     In step  711 , the render methods in the helper classes populate name value pairs (NTV), e.g., NTV1,  577 ;  FIGS. 5C ,  5 D; NTV6;  FIG. 6 ). 
     In step  712 , it is decided whether the render methods apply to more relevant places. 
     If it is decided in step  712  that the render methods apply to more relevant places, the render methods are re-used accordingly. Step  711  is then repeated accordingly. 
     If, on the other hand, it is determined in step  712  that the previously selected (step  710 ) render methods are not, for some reason, further applicable, process  700  proceeds to step  713 , wherein a JSP (e.g., Java Server Page) or equivalent technology (e.g., ASP) uses data in the NTV to generate a new HTML page. At this point, process  700  is complete. 
     In summary, an embodiment of the present invention modularizes various parts of an HTML page. This modularization effectuates the re-use of certain portions of code. Advantageously, re-use of code portions needed to implement the HTML page reduces redundancy, which would otherwise be inherent in the coding. Reduction in coding redundancy achieves significant reductions in burdens imposed on implementing systems, such as computer systems implementing the order operations and other aspects of electronic commerce. This achievement improves the efficiency of these implementing systems, increasing the speed with which they can handle the order operations, and their capacity for data handling and other functions. 
     In one embodiment, the present invention associates each HTML page with an electronically based form. In one embodiment, the form associated with the HTML page is mapped to a servlet in a system backend. The form associated with the HTML page may also be mapped to any other similarly effective Java application running in a web server or application server providing server-side processing accessing a database and/or performing electronic commerce processing. 
     The servlet performs appropriate action based on a corresponding user action on the front side, e.g., at a client computer, such as certain keyboard or GUI inputs. In one embodiment, each user action calls a set of helper class methods. Advantageously, the methods in these helper classes are re-usable for various other actions, as well. 
     Upon completion of processing associated with the corresponding operation of the helper classes, the servlet calls a render method. The render method called correspondingly creates a new page in HTML, based on the processing of the previous screen, by which the user actions were inputted. 
     In one embodiment, the active render method internally calls render methods in helper classes. The render methods in the helper classes so called populate data in a name value pair (NTV). The NTV promulgate data, which are utilized by a JSP for generating a new HTML page, one which will effectuate the order operation, accordingly. Advantageously, the render methods in helper classes are re-used in a number of other places. 
     Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications can be made without departing from the present invention in its broader aspects. For example, a variety of programming languages can be used to implement the present invention, such as the well-known JAVA programming language, C++ programming language, C programming language, PERL, other languages, or any combination thereof. Also, the present invention can be used with a variety of multimedia communication environments, such as the well-known HTML or VRML environments, and a variety of protocols, such as the standard HTTP or SSL protocols. Therefore, the pending claims are to encompass within their scope all such changes and modifications that fall within the true scope of the present invention. 
     The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto and their equivalents.