Apple's abstract of the patent, filed Feb. 9, says: "The present invention provides a method and apparatus for integrating applets running on a client with the application logic for applications running on a server. The mechanism of the present invention provides two significant advantages over the prior art: the synchronization of state, and the recognition of user actions in the browser including the invocation of the appropriate application logic in the server. Instead of using the FORM element available in HTML, individual active applets are available and may be created that obtain user input (e.g. a checkbox, textbox, button, etc.). A hidden applet called the Applet Group Controller is created which handles communication between the applets on the browser and the application logic on the server. The Applet Group Controller maintains an association with each applet that maintains the keys and values of any parameters and variables for the applet. In a preferred embodiment, upon the invocation of an event, the association instructs an Action Coordinator to invoke an action. The Action Coordinator obtains and transmits a list of all of the keys and their values to the server. The server invokes the appropriate application logic and transmits the keys and their values (as updated during the execution of the application logic) back to the Action Coordinator. The Action Coordinator then pushes the updated values out to the applets (through their Associations) at which time the browser's display is updated with the new values."

Apple says the patent relates to a method for synchronizing information between a client and a server comprising the steps of: initializing a communication system, said communication system comprising a plurality of objects, said objects capable of: maintaining keys and values; displaying a means to accept user input; and determining when to invoke an action; constructing a first package; transmitting said first package to said server; constructing a second package; transmitting said second package to said client; and updating said keys and said values.

The Internet is a client/server system. A "client" is the computer that you use to access the Internet. When you log onto the World Wibe Web portion of the Internet, you view "web pages" that are stored on a remote "server" computer. Sometimes it'ss possible for a client to make a change or enter data on a web page. A problem with the Internet is that the whole page needs to be resent from the server to the client with the changed or new data, and this is slow and cumbersome, Apple says.

And here's Apple's summary of the invention:

"The present invention provides a method and apparatus for integrating applets running on a client with applications running on a server (the client and server can be on the same or different computer systems). The mechanism of the present invention provides significant advantages over the prior art including the synchronization of information between a client and server, the recognition of user events in the browser, and the invocation of appropriate action logic in a server.

"The prior art provides for the use of HTML (a programming language used to define a Web page on the Internet). The Web page definition (written in HTML) consists of numerous elements that are combined to produce the entire page. One such element provides for a fill-in form (a HTML FORM element) that allows a user (client) to input information onto a form displayed by the client. The FORM element has many limitations that the present invention addresses using individual applications or applets that run on a client. The applets are defined outside of a Web page and can be programmed to produce an unlimited number of input mechanisms to a user (e.g., checkboxes, textboxes, buttons, etc.).

"In the present invention, a hidden applet called the Applet Group Controller is created which handles the communication between the applets and the server. In one embodiment, upon the invocation of an event in the browser (e.g., the pressing of a button created by an applet), an 'Association' (located in the Applet Group Controller) instructs an Action Coordinator (located in the Applet Group Controller) to invoke an action (e.g., search a database on the server containing user specified values). In response, the Action Coordinator obtains and transmits a list of all of the values received from the user, and the action to be invoked to the server.

"The server invokes the appropriate functions utilizing the values transmitted from the Action Coordinator and retransmits the values (including any values that may have changed as a result of the invoked action) back to the Action Coordinator. The Action Coordinator then pushes the updated values out to the applets (through their Associations). The applets update their displays in the browser's display using the new values. In this manner, the information between the client and the server is synchronized quickly without the need to display a new HTML document."