Importance

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Abstract

An extensible, bi-directional function calling protocol tunnels function call requests and responses through the HTTP (HyperText Transport Protocol) message stream of a standard Web browser and a standard Web server. In a preferred embodiment, the protocol is used to exchange information between an electronic commerce client application ('commerce client') which runs on the computer of a World Wide Web user, and an electronic commerce server application ('commerce server') which runs on a Web site. The protocol specifies a format for embedding a generic client-to-server function call within HTML (HyperText Markup Language) content such that a user can initiate the function call while viewing an HTML document via the standard Web browser. Specialized functions such as 'get price,' 'get inventory,' and 'calculate tax' can thereby be placed within standard Web documents, such as electronic catalog documents used by online merchants to sell products. Client-to-server function calls are passed as HTTP POST messages from the Web browser to the Web server; server-to-client function calls are passed as MIME messages returned to the Web browser. Because all information is passed using standard HTTP messages, end users can access the electronic commerce system from behind Internet firewalls that permit the passage of HTTP traffic.

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First Claim