Patent ID: 6842779

Claim:
An agent accessory tool communicating through HTTP with web server-integrated applications to keep a client informed of changes in said applications, comprising: an agent program embedded in a client computer and using HTTP, said client computer having at least one general application stored therein; a web server having HTTP communication software connected to said client computer and a common gateway interface to execute an external web application; said agent program accessing data of a CGI program through said web server and interlocking with said external web application according to a rule defined in said agent program so that said agent program regularly and automatically accesses external web application data through said common gateway interface using HTTP and, in response to a change in said external web application, self-activating a display function on said client computer to notify said client of said change without browser software activation, said display function including a plurality of display formats defined by said embedded agent program according to data type, at least one of said display formats being produced by said general application in response to activation thereof by said agent program.