Patent ID: 8671159

Claim:
A client device communicating with a server device, the client device comprising: a transmitter adapted to transmit a processing request to the server device in response to an event where at least one display object receives an input operation by a user; and a processor executing instructions stored on a memory, the memory comprising: a display section adapted to display a page including the at least one display object on a screen, wherein the at least one display object receives a selection operation by the user, and further receives the input operation by the user; an obtaining section adapted to obtain from the server device, before either the selection operation or the input operation by the user, an estimate of time required for processing that will be executed by the server device in response to the processing request, wherein the obtaining section transmits a return request to the server device, the return request causing the server device to return the estimate of required time for processing to the client device, and further wherein the obtaining section is adapted to determine, prior to receiving the selection operation by the user, an elapsed amount of time following obtaining of the estimate of time required for processing, the obtaining section adapted to obtain an updated estimate of time required for processing when said elapsed amount of time exceeds a predetermined amount of time, and further wherein the obtained estimate of the required time is not displayed to the user until the at least one display object on the screen receives the selection operation by the user; and an output section adapted to output the obtained estimate of required time in association with the at least one display object, wherein the output section outputs the obtained estimate of the required time in response to the event where the at least one display object on the screen receives the selection operation by the user.