User-centric session management for client-server interaction using multiple applications and devices

摘要

A user-centric session management system and method are provided, in which a user remains authenticated and connected to a session while migrating between provisioning applications, protocols and/or client devices. Each user has a unique user identification (UI), and each session has a unique session identifier (USI). The USI supports anonymous users and maintains authentication without requiring authentication for each request. The system includes a session manager that accesses session state memory and virtual device memory. The session state memory provides short-term storage of records of all current client-server sessions, including USIs and associated Uls). The virtual device memory provides long-term storage of state mirroring the current state of a client device involved in a transaction during a session. Using the USI or UI and the virtual device associated therewith, the client device is synchronized at re-connect to an ongoing session or to an interrupted transaction associated with a terminated session.