Pass-Through Object for Active X Control Event Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing HTML pages with embedded Active X controls face issues such as increased operational time for loading, event loss when pages are closed, and security concerns due to control accessibility.
Innovation Solution
A data processing apparatus with a controlled browser and a pass-through object that manages events and controls, ensuring only one pass-through object exists, returning events to initiating pages and buffering them if the page is no longer active, while containing Active X controls within a container to reduce accessibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If Active X controls are embedded within HTML pages, then functionality is enhanced, but page loading time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by initializing and loading Active X controls into a container object before the HTML page is requested. The container pre-loads all necessary controls and maintains them in a ready state, so when an HTML page needs a control, it is already available immediately without adding to page loading time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts Active X controls from the HTML page context and places them in a separate container object. This separation allows controls to be managed independently from page lifecycle, enabling pre-initialization without affecting page loading performance while maintaining functionality.
2Adaptability or versatility
If HTML pages are closed to enable new pages, then navigation is enabled, but events are lost when pages are destroyed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by establishing a persistent event return mechanism through the container object. Events generated by controls are routed back through the container which maintains the association with the originating page context, ensuring events are delivered even after page navigation occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The container object serves multiple functions: it manages controls, maintains event routing, and persists across page navigations. This multi-functionality allows the same container to handle both control initialization and event return routing, preventing event loss during navigation.
3Ease of operation
If controls are contained within HTML pages, then accessibility is improved, but security concerns increase due to control exposure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a container object as an intermediary layer between controls and HTML pages. This intermediary provides controlled access to controls while hiding their internal implementation details, maintaining accessibility for legitimate operations while preventing direct exposure that creates security vulnerabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
A process is defined by HTML pages (406 to 408) called and executed by a browser control. Operations are implemented via dynamically linked operational objects (441) that are called by a control object (417) and a called object may return an event back to the calling control object (417). The HTML pages are selectively displayed and executed by a controlled browser (407) that is itself controlled by a controlling container object (410). Active control objects (411 to 417) for calling the operational objects (411) are contained within the container object (410). A single passthrough object (431) is created and each of the HTML pages includes a page embedded control object (423). An initiating object within a page calls its embedded object. An initiating embedded object (423) calls the passthrough object (431) and passes to the passthrough object output information detailing a desired call to a specified operational object (441). This passthrough object (431) interprets the output information received from the embedded object (423) and generates a communication to a contained object (414), via a decoder (424) so as to call the desired operational object (441). The pathway object (431) receives event data from a called operational object and returns input data to the initiating embedded object (423) indicative of the returned event.