Abstract: Methods and extended URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) schemes for advanced web applications. In one aspect, the extended URI scheme enables an application to employ multiple resources to service a request, wherein parameters corresponding to each of the resources may be passed via a URI string from a client to an application used to service the client. In accordance with other aspects, the extended URI scheme achieves (a) natural external reference-ability of internal application resources, eliminating the need for intermediate mapping, (b) separation of functional and data navigation states, and (c) separation of parameters of individual resources involved in request processing, de-risking name conflicts and increasing usability.

Abstract: A system for utilizing an object library to dynamically match the type structures of a client and a server to determine compatibility. Once compatibility has been established, the client and server can communicate through a secure connection. Information can be sent asynchronously between the client and the server, and a flow control provides a buffer at the flow origin to ensure that there is no overflow of information to the recipient of the flow.

Abstract: An execution unit comprising a runlet and execution environments and methods for using runlets. According to one aspect, abstract parameters comprising function arguments defined for child runlet functions may be bound to corresponding real variables in a parent runlet. As a result, when a function corresponding to a child runlet gets invoked, it uses the current values of the parent runlet variables as the function arguments. According to another aspect, each runlet execute in an execution context comprising an instance of variables and parameters declared by that runlet. A context manager, typically implemented by an application server, may be used to manage execution of the runlets so as to prevent anomalies, such as race conditions. According to another aspect, abstract parameters for a runlet may be bound to corresponding application parameters for an application.

Abstract: A method and apparatus that allow business users to dynamically add, modify, and delete business rules and associated constraints, and then to apply these changes in a very efficient manner without needing to recompile and/or restart e-business applications, is disclosed. According to one embodiment, hybrid use of the business rules and constraints with multiple decision-support engines provides the practical solution for the described problems. Rules are used to define the generic search space only, without needing to describe all special cases. Then an optimization (not rule-based) engine can automatically create and analyze all possible branches of the tree specified by the rules to select the best one. Because one universal rule engine is not sufficient to handle online decision support, in one embodiment there is a family of intelligent engines (including the rule engine) that can resolve the optimization problem generated automatically based on the applicable dynamic rules.