Event-triggered notification over a network

A method for notifying the occurrence of an event by one or more servers to one or more client processes over a communication network, the method comprising the steps of:

• said one or more client processes registering a set of said events of interest and, when said clients are currently active, registering their respective address identifiers;
• forming a first record of said client processes and their respective events of interest;
• forming a second record containing current active ones of all said client processes and their respective address identifiers, said first and second records being available to said servers;
• detecting the occurrence of an event;
• identifying from said first record which of said client processes are interested in notification of said event;
• causing a real-time connection over said network to transmit said notification to each interested client process using the address identifiers stored in said second record;
• said servers transmitting updated data to said identified client process relating to said occurrence of an event, wherein said updated data comprises changed data of said occurrence of an event;
• and
• terminating a connection between said servers and said identified client process when a period of inactivity of detecting said occurrence of an event exists.

A communications system providing notification of the occurrence of an event, comprising:

• a communication network;
• one or more client processes coupled to said network;
• and
• one or more server processes coupled to said network;
• and wherein said one or more client processes register a set of said events of interest and, when currently active, their respective address identifiers with one or more of said server processes, and one or more of said server processes detect the occurrence of an event, identify which of said client processes are interested in notification of said event and are currently active, cause a real-time connection over said network to transmit said notification to each identified client process, transmit updated data to said identified client process relating to said occurrence of an event, wherein said updated data comprises changed data of said occurrence of an event, and terminate a connection between said server processes and said identified client process when a period of inactivity of detecting said occurrence of an event exists.

A communications system providing notification of the occurrence of an event, comprising:

• a communication network;
• one or more client processes coupled to said network;
• and
• one or more server processes coupled to said network;
• and wherein said one or more client processes register a set of said events of interest and, when currently active, register their respective address identifiers with one or more of said server processes, and said server processes form a first record of said client processes and their respective events of interest, form a second record containing current active ones of all said client processes and their respective address identifiers, said first and second records being available to a plurality of said server processes, detect the occurrence of an event, identify, from said first record, which of said client processes are interested in notification of said event and are currently active, cause a real-time connection over said network to transmit said notification to each identified client using the address identifiers stored in said second record, transmit updated data to said identified client process relating to said occurrence of an event, wherein said updated data comprises changed data of said occurrence of an event, and terminate a connection between said server processes and said identified client process when a period of inactivity of detecting said occurrence of an event exists.

A notification server for notifying the occurrence of an event to one or more client processes over a communications network, the notification server comprising:

• a data store storing registration data from said client processes regarding events of interest to said client processes and, when said clients are currently active, their respective address identifiers;
• a processor linked to said data store, receiving notification of an event having occurred, and searching said data store for those of the currently active client processes interested in said event;
• and
• network connection means, linked to said processor, whereby a notification of said event is output to be sent to said interested client processes;
• said notification server operable for transmitting undated data to said active client process relating to said event, wherein said updated data comprises changed data of said event;
• and terminating a connection between said notification server and said active client process when a period of inactivity of detecting said event exists.

A computer program product having a computer usable medium having a computer program embodied therein, for providing notification of the occurrence of an event over a network, said computer program product including:

• computer program code means for registering a set of events of interest to one or more clients and, when said one or more clients are ready to receive notification, registering their respective address identifiers with a server;
• computer program code means for detecting the occurrence of an event;
• computer program code means for identifying which of said clients are interested in notification of said event and are currently active;
• and
• computer program code means for causing a real-time connection over said network to transmit said notification to each identified client;
• computer program a code means for transmitting updated data to said identified client process relating to said occurrence of an event, wherein said updated data comprises changed data of said occurrence of an event;
• and
• computer program code means for terminating a connection between said server and said identified client process when a period of inactivity of detecting said occurrence of an event exist.