U.S. patent application number 11/134153 was filed with the patent office on 2005-09-22 for network-based bookmark management and web-summary system.
Invention is credited to Rajan, Sreeranga P., Wu, Jonathan.
Application Number | 20050210297 11/134153 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34987758 |
Filed Date | 2005-09-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050210297 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Wu, Jonathan ; et
al. |
September 22, 2005 |
Network-based bookmark management and WEB-summary system
Abstract
A network-based URL management and data gathering system is
provided. The system utilizes a client-side utility for capturing
URLs during normal Web browsing, and a server-side utility for
organizing and managing the captured URLs on the network. The
server-side utility periodically sends a request to a proxy
browsing and data gathering utility for navigating to and
retrieving data from Web pages associated with the captured URLs.
Data retrieved from the Web pages is returned in summary form for
presentation to subscribing users. In preferred embodiments, the
system is practiced on the Internet network between users operating
an Internet-capable appliance having an Internet connection, and an
Internet portal service.
Inventors: |
Wu, Jonathan; (Mountain
View, CA) ; Rajan, Sreeranga P.; (Santa Clara,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CENTRAL COAST PATENT AGENCY
PO BOX 187
AROMAS
CA
95004
US
|
Family ID: |
34987758 |
Appl. No.: |
11/134153 |
Filed: |
May 19, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11134153 |
May 19, 2005 |
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09575491 |
May 18, 2000 |
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09575491 |
May 18, 2000 |
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09323598 |
Jun 1, 1999 |
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6199077 |
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09323598 |
Jun 1, 1999 |
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09208740 |
Dec 8, 1998 |
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6412073 |
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09575491 |
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09550348 |
Apr 14, 2000 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
726/19 ;
707/E17.114 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 16/9562 20190101;
H04L 67/02 20130101; H04L 67/2838 20130101; H04L 63/083
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
713/202 |
International
Class: |
H04L 009/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A software application for network-based management and data
summarization of user-selected URLs comprising: a client-side
utility for capturing a URL displayed in a browser window during
Internet navigation; a server-side utility for receiving URLs
captured by the client-side utility; and a navigation and
data-gathering utility for navigating to and gathering data from
Web pages associated with the captured URLs; characterized in that
a user operating the client-side utility captures a URL during Web
browsing wherein the URL is sent to the server-side utility at
which time it may be utilized by the navigation and data gathering
utility for proxy navigation to and data gathering from a WEB page
associated with the URL.
2. The software application of claim 1, wherein the network is the
Internet network.
3. The software application of claim 2, wherein the client-side
utility is a network-capable utility separate from a standard
book-marking utility.
4. The software application of claim 3, wherein the client-side
utility is integrated with a standard book-marking utility.
5. The software application of claim 2, wherein the client-side
utility is a plug-In adapted to a Web browser.
6. The software application of claim 2, wherein the navigation and
data-gathering utility navigates to a WEB page associated with the
URL and returns an HTML summary.
7. A method for practicing network-based management and data
summarization of user-selected URLs comprising the steps of: (a)
initiating capture of a URL associated with a Web page presented in
a browser window while browsing the Internet; (b) sending the
captured URL information over a network connection to a Web-based
server; (c) associating the captured URL information with other URL
information contained in a list of URL data; (d) initiating a
request containing the URL data and sending the request to a proxy
navigation and data-gathering utility; and (e) upon approval of the
request, navigating to the Web page or pages associated with the
URL data for the purpose of obtaining information from the Web page
and returning the information in summary form to a user.
8. The method of client 7 wherein in step (a), the URL data is sent
both to the network and to a machine cache residing on a user's
machine.
9. The method of claim 7 wherein in step (b), the Web-based server
is a proxy server.
10. The method of claim 7 wherein a step is added between steps (d)
and (e) enabling a user to edit a navigation request.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED DOCUMENTS
[0001] The present invention is a continuation in part (CIP) to a
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/323,598 entitled "Method and
Apparatus for Obtaining and Presenting WEB Summaries to Users"
filed on Jun. 1, 1999, which is a CIP to a U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 09/208,740 entitled "Method and Apparatus for Providing
and Maintaining a User-Interactive Portal System Accessible via
Internet or other Switched-Packet-Network" filed on Dec. 8, 1998,
disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety herein
by reference. It is also a CIP to U.S. patent application Ser. No.
09/550,348, filed Apr. 14, 2000, entitled "Method and Apparatus for
Providing Auto-Registration and Service Access to Internet Sites
for Internet Portal Subscribers".
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention is in the field of Internet navigation
including various communication means and connection technologies
and pertains more particularly to methods and apparatus, including
software, for facilitating network-based management of URL
bookmarks and periodic content summarization of managed bookmarks
on behalf of users.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The information network known as the World Wide Web (WWW),
which is a subset of the well-known Internet, is arguably the most
complete source of publicly accessible information available.
Anyone with a suitable Internet appliance such as a personal
computer with a standard Internet connection may access (go
on-line) and navigate to information pages (termed web pages)
stored on Internet-connected servers for the purpose of garnering
information and initiating transactions with hosts of such servers
and pages.
[0004] Many companies offer various subscription services
accessible via the Internet. For example, many people now do their
banking, stock trading, shopping, and so forth from the comfort of
their own homes via Internet access. Typically, a user, through
subscription, has access to personalized and secure WEB pages for
such functions. By typing in a user name and a password or other
personal identification code, a user may obtain information,
initiate transactions, buy stock, and accomplish a myriad of other
tasks.
[0005] One problem that is encountered by an individual who has
several or many such subscriptions to Internet-brokered services is
that there are invariably many passwords and/or log-in codes to be
used. Often a same password or code cannot be used for every
service, as the password or code may already be taken by another
user. A user may not wish to supply a code unique to the user such
as perhaps a social security number because of security issues,
including quality of security, that may vary from service to
service. Additionally, many users at their own volition may choose
different passwords for different sites so as to have increased
security, which in fact also increases the number of passwords a
user may have.
[0006] Another issue that can plague a user who has many passworded
subscriptions is the fact that they must bookmark many WEB pages in
a computer cache so that they may quickly find and access the
various services. For example, in order to reserve and pay for
airline travel, a user must connect to the Internet, go to his/her
book-marks file and select an airline page. The user then has to
enter a user name and password, and follow on-screen instructions
once the page is delivered. If the user wishes to purchase tickets
from the WEB site, and wishes to transfer funds from an on-line
banking service, the user must also look for and select the
personal bank or account page to initiate a funds transfer for the
tickets. Different user names and passwords may be required to
access these other pages, and things get quite complicated.
[0007] Although this preceding example is merely exemplary, it is
generally known that much work related to finding WEB pages,
logging in with passwords, and the like is required to successfully
do business on the WEB.
[0008] A service known to the inventor, and described in the
related case Ser. No. 09/208,740 listed under the cross-reference
to related documents section, provides a WEB service that allows a
user to store all of his password protected pages in one location
such that browsing and garnering information from them is much
simplified. A feature of the above service allows a user to program
certain tasks into the system such that requested tasks are
executed by an agent (software) based on user instruction. The
service stores user password and log-in information and uses the
information to log-in to the user's sites, thus enabling the user
to navigate without having to manually input log-in or password
codes to gain access to the links.
[0009] The above-described service uses a server to present a
user-personalized application that may be displayed as an
interactive home page that contains all of his listed sites
(hyperlinks) for easy navigation. The application lists the user's
URL's in the form of hyperlinks such that a user may click on a
hyperlink and navigate to the page wherein login, if required, is
automatic, and transparent to the user.
[0010] The application described above also includes a software
agent that may be programmed to perform scheduled tasks for the
user including returning specific summaries and updates about
user-account pages. A search function is provided and adapted to
cooperate with the software agent to search user-entered URL's for
specific content if such pages are cached somewhere in their
presentable form such as at the portal server, or on the client's
machine.
[0011] An enhancement to the system described above and known to
the inventors is taught in Ser. No. 09/323,598, also included in
the cross-reference section. In this teaching a summary software
agent is provided to execute on the Portal server. The summary
software agent is adapted to access Internet destinations, retrieve
information according to pre-programmed criteria, and summarize the
retrieved information for delivery to the subscriber.
[0012] In addition to the summary agent, a configuration and
initiation interface is provided for a subscriber to set up and
start a summary search. Summary searches may be configured for
individual clients as templates stored and retrieved at the
Internet-connected server. In some cases summary information is
stored to be later downloaded at request of the subscriber, and in
others the information is immediately pushed to the
client/subscriber. Also in some embodiments automatic log-ins are
performed for the subscriber at each Internet site according to a
data stored for the subscriber at the Portal server.
[0013] It has occurred to the inventor that in addition to ordering
WEB-summaries from a service through an interactive configuration
and initiation interface, a user may desire that certain URLs be
periodically summarized for content without the prerequisite of
user configuration of the site for obtaining the information.
Further, a user may desire to be empowered with control ability to
effect or cancel such action without having to navigate to a
special section of the service's Portal server for the purpose of
deleting or editing information stored in user-profiled sites.
[0014] What is clearly needed is a network-based bookmark
management and WEB-summary system that may be controlled from a
single user interface while a user is actively browsing the
Internet. Such a system would empower users with an efficient
method for ordering periodic and automatic WEB-summaries for
certain WEB-sites without the pre-requisite of
pre-configuration.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0015] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a
software application for network-based management and data
summarization of user-selected URLs is provided. The software
application includes a client-side utility for capturing a URL
displayed in a browser window during Internet navigation, a
server-side utility for receiving URLs captured by the client-side
utility, and a navigation and data-gathering utility for navigating
to and gathering data from Web pages associated with the captured
URLs.
[0016] In preferred embodiments, a user operating the client-side
utility captures a URL during Web browsing wherein the URL is sent
to the server-side utility at which time it may be utilized by the
navigation and data-gathering utility for proxy navigation to a Web
page associated with the URL and gathering data therefrom.
[0017] In one aspect, the client-side utility is a network-capable
utility separate from a standard book-marking utility. In other
embodiments, the client-side utility is a network-capable utility
that is integrated with a standard book-marking utility available
in most Web browsers. In a preferred embodiment, the client-side
utility is a Java-based plug-in adapted to a Web browser. In this
mode, captured URLs are sent to the server-side utility where they
are included in a list of URLs managed by the service. In all
aspects, the navigation and data-gathering utility navigates to a
WEB page associated with the URL and returns an HTML summary.
[0018] In another aspect of the present invention, a method for
practicing network-based management and data summarization of
user-selected URLs is provided. The method includes the steps of,
(a) initiating capture of a URL associated with a Web page
presented in a browser window while browsing the Internet; (b)
sending the captured URL information over a network connection to a
Web-based server; (c) associating the captured URL information with
other URL information contained in a list of URL data; (d)
initiating a request containing the URL data and sending the
request to a proxy navigation and data-gathering utility; and (e)
upon approval of the request, navigating to the Web page or pages
associated with the URL data for the purpose of obtaining
information from the Web page and returning the information in
summary form back to a requesting user.
[0019] In one aspect, the URL data is sent both to the network and
to a machine cache residing on a user's machine in step a. In
another aspect, a step is added between steps d and e enabling a
user to edit a navigation request before it is initiated. In all
aspects of the present invention, the method is automated once a
user has selected a URL using the client-side utility. The method
and apparatus of the present invention enables a user to receive
periodic data updates associated with favorite Web pages without
having to pre-configure each URL for data search and return.
Various embodiments of the present invention are detailed
below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES
[0020] FIG. 1 is an overview of an Internet portal system and
network according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 2 is an exemplary plan view of a personalized Portal
home page application as it may be seen on a display monitor
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0022] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating user interaction with
the Internet portal of FIG. 1.
[0023] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a summarization
software agent and capabilities thereof according to an embodiment
of the present invention.
[0024] FIG. 5 is a logical flow chart illustrating an exemplary
summarization process performed by the software agent of FIG. 4
operating in a user-defined mode.
[0025] FIG. 6 is a logical flow chart illustrating an exemplary
summarization process performed by the software agent of FIG. 4 in
a User-independent smart mode with minimum user input.
[0026] FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating function of a
bookmark management and WEB-summary system according to an
embodiment of the present invention.
[0027] FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating components and
function of an active bookmark application according to an
embodiment of the present invention.
[0028] FIG. 9 is a flow diagram illustrating user and server side
steps for practicing active book-marking and WEB-summarization of
book-marked URLs.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0029] According to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention, a unique Internet portal is provided and adapted to
provide unique services to users who have obtained access via an
Internet or other network connection from an Internet-capable
appliance. Such an interface provides users with a method for
storing many personal WEB pages and further provides search
function and certain task-performing functions. The methods and
apparatus of the present invention are taught in enabling detail
below.
[0030] FIG. 1 is an overview of an Internet portal system 11 and
Internet network 13 according to an embodiment of the present
invention. Portal system 11, in this embodiment, operates as an ISP
in addition to a unique network portal, but may, in other
embodiments be implemented as a stand-alone Internet server. In yet
other embodiments the service and apparatus described herein may
also be provided by such as a search and listing service
(AltaVista.TM., Yahoo.TM.) or by any other enterprise hosting a
WEB-connected server.
[0031] Internet 13 is representative of a preferred use of the
present invention, but should not be considered limiting, as the
invention could apply in other networks and combinations of
networks.
[0032] ISP 15 in this embodiment comprises a server 31, a modem
bank 33, represented here by a single modem, and a mass storage
repository 29 for storing digital data. The modem bank is a
convenience, as connection to the server could be by another type
of network link. ISP 15, as is typical in the art, provides
Internet access services for individual subscribers. In addition to
well-known Internet access services, ISP 15 also provides a unique
subscription service as an Internet portal for the purpose of
storing many WEB pages or destinations along with any passwords and
or personal codes associated with those pages, in a manner
described in more detail below. This unique portal service is
provided by execution of Portal Software 35, which is termed by the
inventors the Password-All suite. The software of the invention is
referred to herein both as the Portal Software, and as the
Password-all software suite. Also, in much of the description
below, the apparatus of the invention is referred to by the
Password-All terminology, such as the Password-All Server or
Password-All Portal.
[0033] ISP 15 is connected to Internet 13 as shown. Other equipment
known in the art to be present and connected to a network such as
Internet 13, for example, IP data routers, data switches, gateway
routers, and the like, are not illustrated here but may be assumed
to be present. Access to ISP 15 is through a connection-oriented
telephone system as is known in the art, or through any other
Internet/WEB access connection, such as through a cable modem,
special network connection (e.g. T1), ISDN, and so forth. Such
connection is illustrated via access line 19 from Internet
appliance 17 through modem bank 33.
[0034] In a preferred embodiment a user has access to Internet
Password-All Portal services by a user name and password as is well
known in the art, which provides an individualized WEB page to the
subscriber. In another embodiment wherein a user has other
individuals that use his or her Internet account, then an
additional password or code unique to the user may be required
before access to portal 31 is granted. Such personalized Portal WEB
pages may be stored in repository 29, which may be any convenient
form of mass storage.
[0035] Three Internet servers 23, 25, and 27, are shown in Internet
13, and represent Internet servers hosted by various enterprises
and subscribed to by a user operating appliance 17. For example,
server 23 may be a bank server wherein interactive on-line banking
and account managing may be performed. Server 25 may be an
investment server wherein investment accounts may be created and
managed. Server 27 may be an airline or travel server wherein
flights may be booked, tickets may be purchased, and so on. In this
example, all three servers are secure servers requiring user ID and
password for access, but the invention is not necessarily limited
to just secure services.
[0036] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a
subscribing user operating an Internet-capable appliance, such as
appliance 17, connects to Password-All Portal system 11 hosted by
ISP 15, and thereby gains access to a personalized, interactive WEB
page, which in turn provides access to any one of a number of
servers on Internet 13 such as servers 23, 25, and 27, without
being required to enter additional passwords or codes. In a
preferred embodiment the software that enables this service is
termed Password-All by the inventors. Password-All may be
considered to be a software suite executing on the unique server,
and in some instances also on the user's station (client).
Additional interactivity provided by portal software 35 allows a
connected user to search his listed pages for information
associated with keywords, text strings, or the like, and allows a
user to program user-defined tasks involving access and interaction
with one or more Internet-connected servers such as servers 23, 25,
and 27 according to a pre-defined time schedule. These functions
are taught in enabling detail below.
[0037] FIG. 2 is an illustration of a personalized portal page as
may be seen on a display monitor according to an embodiment of the
present invention, provided by Password-All Portal software 35
executing on server 31, in response to secure access by a
subscriber. Page 32 presents an interactive listing 34 of
user-subscribed or member WEB pages, identified in this example by
URL, but which may also be identified by any convenient pseudonym,
preferably descriptive, along with user name and typically
encrypted password information for each page. Listed in a first
column under destination, are exemplary destinations LBC.com, My
Bank.com, My Stocks.com, My shopping.com, Mortgage.com, and
Airline.com. These are but a few of many exemplary destinations
that may be present and listed as such on page 33. In order to view
additional listings listed but not immediately viewable from within
application 33, a scroll bar 35 is provided and adapted to allow a
user to scroll up or down the list to enable viewing as is known in
the art.
[0038] Items listed in list 34 in this example may be considered
destinations on such as servers 23, 25, and 27 of FIG. 1. Typically
the URL associated with an item on this list will not take a user
to a server, per se, but to a page stored on a server. User names
and password data associated with each item in list 34 are
illustrated in respective columns labeled user name, and password,
to the right of the column labeled destination. Each listing, or at
least a portion of each listing, is a hyperlink invoking, when
selected, the URL to that destination. In some instances a
particular service may have more than one associated URL. For
example, My Bank.com may have more than one URL associated for such
as different accounts or businesses associated also with a single
subscriber. In this case there may be a sub-listing for different
destinations associated with a single higher-level listing. This
expedient is not shown, but given this teaching the mechanism will
be apparent to those with skill in the art.
[0039] In some embodiments one page 33 may be shared by more than
one user, such as a husband and wife sharing a common account and
subscription. An instance of this is illustrated herein with
respect to the server labeled Mortgage.com wherein both a John and
a Jane Doe are listed together under the column labeled user name.
In another embodiment, a network of individuals, perhaps business
owners, authorized co-workers, investment parties, or the like may
share one application. In this way, system 11 may be adapted for
private individuals as well as business uses.
[0040] After gaining access to application 33 which is served via
Internet portal server 31 of FIG. 1, a user may scroll, highlight,
and select any URL in his or her list 34 for the purpose of
navigation to that particular destination for further interaction.
Application 33 already has each password and user name listed for
each URL. It is not necessary, however, that the password and user
name be displayed for a user or users. These may well be stored
transparently in a user's profile, and invoked as needed as a user
makes selections. Therefore, a user is spared the need of entering
passwords and user names for any destinations enabled by list 34.
Of course, each list 34 is built, configured and maintained by a
subscribing user or users, and an editing facility is also provided
wherein a user may edit and update listings, including changing
URL's adding and deleting listings, and the like.
[0041] In another aspect of the invention new listings for a user's
profile, such as a new passthrough to a bank or other enterprise
page, may be added semi-automatically as follows: Typically, when a
user opens a new account with an enterprise through interaction
with a WEB page hosted by the enterprise, the user is required to
provide certain information, which will typically include such as
the user's ID, address, e-mail account, and so forth, and typically
a new user name and password to access the account. In this process
the user will be interacting with the enterprise's page from
his/her browser. A Password-All plug-in is provided wherein, after
entering the required information for the new enterprise, the user
may activate a pre-determined signal (right click, key stroke,
etc.), and the Password-All suite will then enter a new passthrough
in the user's Password. All profile at the Password-All Portal
server.
[0042] In a related method for new entries, the enterprise hosting
the Password-All Portal may, by agreement with other enterprises,
provide log-in and sign-up services at the Password-All Portal,
with most action transparent to the user. For example, there may
be, at the Password-All Portal, a selectable browser list of
cooperating enterprises, such as banks, security services, and the
like, and a user having a Password-All Portal subscription and
profile may select among such cooperating enterprises and open new
accounts, which will simultaneously and automatically be added to
the Password-All Portal page for the user and to the server hosted
by the cooperating enterprise. There may be some interactivity
required for different accounts, but in the main, much information
from the user's profile may be used directly without being
re-entered.
[0043] The inventors have anticipated that many potential users may
well be suspicious of providing passwords and user names to an
enterprise hosting a Password-All Portal Server executing a service
like Password-All according to embodiments of the present
invention. To accommodate this problem, in preferred embodiments,
it is not necessary that the user provide the cleartext password to
Password. All. Instead, an encrypted version of each password is
provided. When a user links to his passthrough page in Password-All
at the Password-All Portal server, when he/she invokes a hyperlink,
the encrypted password is returned to the user's system, which
then, by virtue of the kept encryption key or master password,
invokes the true and necessary password for connection to the
selected destination. It is thus not necessary that cleartext
passwords be stored at the Password-All Portal server, where they
may be vulnerable to attack from outside sources, or to perceived
misuse in other ways as well.
[0044] In a related safety measure, in a preferred embodiment of
the invention, a user's complete profile is never stored on a
single server, but is distributed over two or more, preferably
more, servers, so any problem with any one server will minimize the
overall effect for any particular user.
[0045] Password-All, as described above, allows a user to access a
complete list of the user's usual cyberspace destinations, complete
with necessary log-on data, stored in an encrypted fashion, so a
user may simply select a destination (a hyperlink) in the
Password-All list, and the user's browser then invokes the URL for
the selected destination. In an added feature, Password-All may
display banner ads and other types of advertisement during the
navigation time between a hyperlink being invoked and the time the
destination WEB page is displayed.
[0046] In yet another embodiment of the invention, a
user/subscriber need not access the Password-All page to enjoy the
advantages of the unique features provided. In this variation, a
Plug-In is provided for the subscriber's WEB browser. If the
subscriber navigates by use of the local browser to a WEB page
requiring a secure log-in, such as his/her on-line banking
destination, when the subscriber is presented with an input window
for ID and Password, the plug in may be activated by a
predetermined user input, such as a hot key or right click of the
mouse device. The plug-in then accesses, transparently, the
Password-All page (which may be cached at the client), and
automatically accesses and provides the needed data for log-on.
[0047] In yet another aspect of the invention a search option 37
allows a user to search list 34 for specific URL's based on typed
input such as keywords or the like. In some cases, the number of
URL's stored in list 34 can be extensive making a search function
such as function 37 an attractive option. A criteria dialog box 51
illustrated as logically separated from and below list 34 is
provided and adapted to accept input for search option 37 as is
known in the art. In one embodiment, search option 37 may bring up
a second window wherein a dialog box such as box 51 could be
located.
[0048] In another aspect of the invention the search function may
also be configured in a window invoked from window 33, and caused
to search all or selected ones of listed destinations, and to
return results in a manner that may be, at least to some extent,
configured by a user. For example, a dialog box may be presented
wherein a user may enter a search criteria, and select among all of
the listed destinations. The search will then be access each of the
selected destinations in turn, and the result may be presented to
the user as each instance of the criteria is found, or results may
be listed in a manner to be accessed after the search.
[0049] Preferably the search function is a part of the Password-All
Portal software, available for all users, and may be accessed by
hyperlinks in user's personal pages. In some embodiments users may
create highly individualized search functions that may be stored in
a manner to be usable only by the user who creates such a
function.
[0050] In many aspects of the present invention, knowledge of
specific WEB pages, and certain types of WEB pages, is highly
desirable. In many embodiments characteristics of destination WEB
pages are researched by persons (facilitators) maintaining and
enhancing Password-All Portal software 35, and many characteristics
may be provided in configuration modules for users to accomplish
specific tasks. In most cases these characteristics are invoked and
incorporated transparent to the user.
[0051] In yet another aspect of the present invention, the
Password-All suite is structured to provide periodic reports to a
user, in a manner to be structured and timed by the user, through
the user's profile. For example, reports of changes in account
balances in bank accounts, stock purchases, stock values, total
airline travel purchases, frequent-flier miles, and the like may be
summarized and provided to the users in many different ways.
Because the Password-All Portal server with the Password-All
software site handles a broad variety of transactional traffic for
a user, there is an opportunity to summarize and collect and
process statistics in many useful ways. In preferred embodiments of
the invention such reports may be furnished and implemented in a
number of different ways, including being displayed on the user's
secure personal WEB page on the Password-All Portal.
[0052] In addition to the ability of performing tasks as described
above, task results including reports, and hard documents such as
airline tickets may be sent over the Internet or other data
packet-networks to user-defined destinations such as fax machines,
connected computer nodes, e-mail servers, and other
Internet-connected appliances. All tasks may be set-up and caused
to run according to user-defined schedules while the user is doing
something else or is otherwise not engaged with the scheduled
task.
[0053] In another embodiment of the present invention, recognizing
the increasing use of the Internet for fiscal transactions, such as
purchasing goods and services, a facility is provided in a user's
profile to automatically track transactions made at various
destinations, and to authorize payment either on a
transaction-by-transaction basis, or after a session, using access
to the user's bank accounts, all of which may be pre-programmed and
authorized by the user.
[0054] Other functions or options illustrated as part of
application 35 include a last URL option 41, an update function 43,
and an add function 45. Function 41 allows a user to immediately
navigate to a last visited URL. Update function 43 provides a means
of updating URL's for content and new address. An add function
enables a user to add additional URL's to list 34. Similarly,
function 45 may also provide a means to delete entries. Other ways
to add accounts are described above. It should be noted that the
services provided by the unique Password-All Portal in embodiments
of the present invention, and by the Password-All software suite
are not limited to destinations requiring passwords and user names.
The Password-All Portal and software in many embodiments may also
be used to manage all of a user's bookmarks, including editing of
bookmarks and the like. In this aspect, bookmarks will typically be
presented in indexed, grouped, and hierarchical ways.
[0055] There are editing features provided with Password-All for
adding, acquiring, deleting, and otherwise managing bookmarks. As a
convenience, in many embodiments of the invention, bookmarks may be
downloaded from a user's Password-All site, and loaded onto the
same user's local browser. In this manner, additions and
improvements in the bookmark set for a user may be used without the
necessity of going to Password-All. Further, bookmarks may be
uploaded from a user's local PC to his/her home page on the
Password-All site by use of one or more Password-All plug-ins.
[0056] It will be apparent to the skilled artisan, given the
teaching herein, that the functionality provided in various
embodiments of the invention is especially applicable to
Internet-capable appliances that may be limited in input
capability. For example, a set-top box in a WEB TV application may
well be without a keyboard for entering IDs and Passwords and the
like. In practice of the present invention keyboard entry is
minimized or eliminated. The same comments apply to many other
sorts of Internet appliances.
[0057] In preferred embodiments of the invention, once a
subscriber-user is in Password-All, only an ability to
point-and-click is needed for all navigation. To get into the
Password-All site, using a limited apparatus, such as an appliance
without a keyboard or keypad, a Smartcard or embedded password may
be used, or some other type of authentication.
[0058] It will be apparent to one with skill in the art that an
interactive application such as application 33 may be provided in a
form other than a WEB page without departing from the spirit and
scope of the present invention. For example, an application such as
application 33 may be provided as a downloadable module or program
that may be set-up and configured off-line and made operational
when on-line.
[0059] FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrating user interaction with
the Internet Password-All Portal of FIG. 1. The following process
steps illustrated, according to an embodiment of the present
invention, are intended to illustrate exemplary user-steps and
automated software processes that may be initiated and invoked
during interaction with an Internet portal of the present invention
such as portal 31 of FIG. 1. In step 53 a user connects to the
Internet or another previously described switched-packet network
via a compatible appliance such as Internet appliance 17 of FIG.
1.
[0060] At step 55, a user enters a user-name and password, which,
in one embodiment, may simply be his ISP user name and password. In
another embodiment, a second password or code would be required to
access an Internet portal such as portal server 31 of FIG. 1 after
logging onto the Internet through the ISP. In some cases, having a
special arrangement with the ISP, there may be one password for
both Internet access through the ISP and for Password-All. At step
57 a personal WEB page such as page 32 of FIG. 2 is displayed via
Internet portal server 31. At minimum, the personalized WEB page
will contain all user configured URL's, and may also be enhanced by
a search function, among other possibilities.
[0061] In step 58 a user will, minimally, select a URL from his or
her bookmarked destinations, and as is known by hyperlink
technology, the transparent URL will be invoked, and the user will
navigate to that destination for the purpose of normal user
interaction. In this action, the Password-All Portal software
transparently logs the user on to the destination page, if such
log-on is needed.
[0062] At step 60 the user invokes a search engine by clicking on
an option such as described option 37 of FIG. 2. At step 62, the
user inputs search parameters into a provided text field such as
text field 51 of FIG. 2. After inputting such parameters, the user
starts the search by a button such as button 52. The search engine
extracts information in step 64. Such information may be, in one
option, of the form of URL's fitting the description provided by
search parameters. A searched list of URL's may be presented in a
separate generated page in step 66 after which a user may select
which URL to navigate to. In an optional search function, the user
may provide search criteria, and search any or all of the possible
destinations for the criteria.
[0063] In another embodiment wherein WEB pages are cached in their
presentable form, information extracted in step 64 may include any
information contained in any of the stored pages such as text,
pictures, interactive content, or the like. In this case, one
displayed result page may provide generated links to search results
that include the URL associated with the results. Perhaps by
clicking on a text or graphic result, the associated WEB page will
be displayed for the user with the result highlighted and in view
with regards to the display window.
[0064] Enhanced Agent for WEB Summaries
[0065] In another aspect of the present invention, a software
agent, termed a gatherer by the inventors, is adapted to gather and
return summary information about URL's according to user request or
enterprise discretion. This is accomplished in embodiments of the
present invention by a unique scripting and language parsing method
provided by the inventor wherein human knowledge workers associated
with the service provide written scripts to such a gatherer
according to subscriber or enterprise directives. Such a software
gatherer, and capabilities thereof, is described in enabling detail
below.
[0066] Referring now to FIG. 1, there is illustrated an exemplary
architecture representing a portal service-network which, in this
case is hosted by ISP 15. Portal software 35 in this embodiment
executes on portal server 31 set-up at the ISP location. Mass
repository 29 is used for storing subscriber information such as
passwords, login names, and the like. Internet servers 23, 25, and
27 represent servers that are adapted to serve WEB pages of
enterprises patronized by a subscriber to the portal service such
as one operating Internet appliance 17.
[0067] The main purpose of portal software 35 as described above
with reference to FIG. 2, is to provide an interactive application
that lists all of the subscriber's WEB sites in the form of
hyperlinks. When a user invokes a hyperlink from his personal list,
software 35 uses the subscriber's personal information to provide
an automatic and transparent login function for the subscriber
while jumping the subscriber to the subject destination.
[0068] Referring again to FIG. 2, an interactive list 34 containing
user-entered hyperlinks and a set of interactive tools is displayed
to a subscriber by portal software 35 of FIG. 1. One of the tools
available to a subscriber interacting with list 34 is agent
(software) 39. Agent 39 may be programmed to perform certain tasks
such as obtaining account information, executing simple
transactions, returning user-requested notification information
about upcoming events, and so on. Search function 37 and update
function 43 may be integrated with agent 39 as required to aid in
functionality.
[0069] It is described in the above disclosure that agent 39 may,
in some embodiments, search for and return certain summary
information contained on user-subscribed WEB pages, such as account
summaries, order tracking information and certain other information
according to user-defined parameters. This feature may be
programmed by a user to work on a periodic time schedule, or on
demand.
[0070] In the following disclosure, enhancements are provided to
agent 39. Such enhancements, described in detail below, may be
integrated into agent 39 of portal software 35 (FIGS. 1 and 2); and
may be provided as a separate agent or gatherer to run with portal
software 35; or may, in some embodiments, be provided as a
standalone service that is separate from portal software 35.
[0071] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a summarization
software agent 67 and various capabilities and layers thereof
according to an embodiment of the present invention. Summarization
agent 67, hereinafter termed gatherer 67, is a programmable and
interactive software application adapted to run on a network
server. Gatherer 67 may, in one embodiment, be integrated with
portal software 35 of FIG. 1 and be provided in the form of a
software module separate from agent 39 FIG. 2). In another
embodiment, gatherer 67 may be a part of agent 39 as an enhancement
to the function of that agent as previously described. In still
another embodiment, gatherer 67 may be provided as a parent or
client-side application controlled by a separate service from the
portal service described above.
[0072] In this exemplary embodiment gatherer 67 is a multi-featured
software application having a variety of sub-modules and interface
modules incorporated therein to provide enhanced function. Gatherer
67 has a client/service interface layer 69 adapted to enable
directive input from both a client (user) and a knowledge worker or
workers associated with the service. A browser interface 77 is
provided in layer 69, and adapted to provide access to application
67 from a browser running on a client's PC or other Internet or
network appliance. Interface 77 facilitates bi-directional
communication with a user's browser application (not shown) for the
purpose of allowing the user to input summary requests into
gatherer 67 and receive summary results. Interface 77 supports all
existing network communication protocols such as may be known in
the art, and may be adapted to support future protocols.
[0073] Layer 69 also comprises a unique input scripting module 79
that is adapted to allow a human knowledge worker to create and
supply directive scripts containing the site logic needed by
gatherer 67 to find and retrieve data from a WEB site. In this
case, gatherer 67 executes and runs on a network server such as
server 31 of FIG. 1. However, this is not required in order to
practice the present invention.
[0074] It is assumed in this example that gatherer 67 is part of
the portal software suite 35 running on server 31 of FIG. 1.
Gatherer 67 may be provided as several dedicated agents, or as one
multi-functional agent without departing from the spirit and scope
of the present invention. For example, one gatherer 67 may be
scripted and programmed to execute a single user request with
additional gatherers 67 called upon to perform additional
user-requests. Alternatively, one gatherer 67 may be dedicated and
assigned to each individual user and adapted to handle all requests
from that user.
[0075] Interface layer 69 facilitates exchange of information from
both a client and a knowledge worker. A client operating a WEB
browser with an appropriate plug-in is enabled to communicate and
interact with gatherer 67. For example, a user may enter a request
to return a summary of pricing for all apartments renting for under
$1000.00 per month located in a given area (defined by the user)
from apartments.com (one of user's registered WEB sites). The just
mentioned request would be categorized as either a periodic
request, or a one time (on demand) request. The communicated
request initiates a service action wherein a knowledge worker
associated with the service uses module 79 to set up gatherer 67 to
perform it's function. Module 79 is typically executed from a
network-connected PC operated by the knowledge worker.
[0076] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a
unique scripting method facilitated by module 79 is provided to
enable gatherer 67 to obtain the goal information requested by a
user. For example, the above mentioned example of WEB-site
apartments.com has a specific HTML (hyper-text-markup-language)
logic that it uses to create its site and post its information.
Such site logic is relatively standard fare for a majority of
different sites hosted by different entities. Using this knowledge,
a knowledge worker creates a site-specific script or template for
gatherer 67 to follow. Such a template contains descriptions and
locations of the appropriate fields used, for example, at
apartments.com. Apartment description, location, deposit
information, rental information, agent contact information, and
other related fields are matched in terms of location and label
description on the template created with module 79. Completed
templates are stored in a database contained in a storage facility
such as, perhaps, repository 29 of FIG. 1. Such templates may be
reused and may be updated (edited) with new data.
[0077] In one embodiment, one script may contain site logics for a
plurality of WEB pages, and instructions for specific navigational
instruction and password or login information may be contained
therein and executed serially, such as one site at a time. It is
important to note that the knowledge worker or workers may perform
much of their scripting via automatic controls such as by object
linking and embedding (OLE) and a minor portion of scripting may be
performed manually in an appropriate computer language, many of
which are known in the art).
[0078] Gatherer 67 also has a process layer 71 adapted for internal
information gathering and parameter configuration. An optional
portal server interface 81 is provided and adapted to allow gather
67 to provide updated information to a user's list of hyperlinks
and also to obtain data from portal server 31 if required. For
example, required hyperlinks may be mirrored from a user's home
page to a scripting template for navigational purposes. In an
embodiment wherein gatherer 67 is part of a standalone service, a
convention for providing user login information may be supplied at
the client's end when a request is made. For example, an encrypted
password may be supplied by a client plug-in and gatherer 67 may
temporarily borrow the user's encryption key when auto login is
performed.
[0079] An appliance configuration module 83 is provided and adapted
to allow a user to define and configure an Internet appliance to
communicate with the service and receive summary information. Such
appliances may include but are not limited to palm top PC's, lap
top PC's, cellular telephones, WEB TV's, and so on. Typically, a
user will be presented a configuration WEB page from a network
server that displays in his browser window on his desktop PC. The
page contains an interface for communicating device parameters and
communication protocol types to module 83. In this way, a user may
configure a preferred device for receipt of summary information.
Device parameters and communication protocols inherent to such a
device are incorporated into the scripting of the site template and
are used as instructions for WEB summary delivery.
[0080] A navigation layer 73 is provided and adapted to perform the
function of external site navigation and data gathering for
gatherer 67. To this end, a communication interface/browser control
module 85 is provided and adapted to function as a WEB browser to
access WEB sites containing WEB data. Control 85 receives it's
instruction from the scripted template created by the knowledge
worker.
[0081] A parsing engine 87 is provided and adapted to parse
individual WEB sites according to a template created via scripting
module 79. Parsing engine 87 may be a Pearl engine, an IE HTML
engine, or any other or combination of known parsing engines. The
template (not shown) tells control 85 and parsing engine 87 where
to go and what fields at the destination site to look for to access
desired data. Once the data fields are located, parsing engine 87
gathers current data in the appropriate field, and returns that
data to the service for further processing such as data conversion,
compression and storage, and the like.
[0082] Because WEB sites use tools that use consistent logic in
setting up their sites, this logic may be used by the summarization
service to instruct control 83 and parsing engine 87. The inventor
provides herein an exemplary script logic for navigating to and
garnishing data from amazon.TM..com. The hyperlinks and/or actual
URLs required for navigation are not shown, but may be assumed to
be included in the template script. In this example, a company name
Yodlee (known to the inventors) is used in the script for naming
object holders and object containers, which are in this case Active
X.TM. conventions. In another embodiment, Java.TM. script or
another object linking control may be used. The scripted template
logic example is as follows:
1 # Site amazon.orders.x - shows status of orders from Amazon
login( 7 ); get( "/exec/obidos/order-list/" ); my @tables =
get_tables_containing_text( "Orders:" ); my $order_list = new
Yodlee::ObjectHolder( `orders` ); $order_list->source( `amazon`
); $order_list->link_info( get_link_info( ) ); my @href_list; my
@container_list; foreach my $table ( @tables ) { my @rows =
get_table_rows( ); foreach my $i ( 0 .. $#rows ) { select_row( $i
); my $text = get_text( $rows[ $i ] ); next if $text =.about.
/Orders:.vertline.Status/; my @items = get_row_items( ); next
unless @items >= 4; my( $order_num, $date, $status );
select_cell( 1 ); $order_num = get_cell_text( ); my $href =
get_url_of_first_href( get_cell( ) ); select_cell( 2 ); $date =
get_cell_text( ); select_cell( 3 ); $status = get_cell_text( );
next unless defined $order_num and defined $date and defined
$status; my $order = new Yodlee::Container( `orders` );
$order->order_number( $order_num ); $order->date( $date );
$order->status( $status ); $order_list->push_object( $order
); if( defined $href) { push( @href_list, $href ); push(
@container_list, $order ); foreach my $i ( 0 .. $#href_list ) {
get( $href_list[ $i ] ); @tables = get_tables_containing_text(
"Items Ordered:" ); foreach my $table ( @tables ) { my @rows =
get_table_rows( ); foreach my $j ( 0 .. $#rows ) { select_row( $j
); my $href = get_url_of_first_href( get_row( ) ); next unless
defined $href; my @child_list = get_children( get_row( ), `a` );
next unless defined $child_list[ 0 ]; my $text = get_text(
$child_list[ 0 ] ); $container list[ $i ]->description( $text );
} } } result( $order_list );
[0083] The above example is a script that instructs control 85 and
parser 87 to navigate to and obtain data from Amazon.TM..com,
specifically that data that reflects the user's current order
status. Scripts may also be written to obtain virtually any type of
text information available from any site. For example, a user may
wish to obtain the New York Times headlines, the top ten performing
stocks, a comparative list of flights from San Francisco to New
York, etc. In one embodiment, metadata may be associated with and
used in-place of the actual scripted language for the purpose of
reducing complication in the case of many scripts on one
template.
[0084] A data processing layer 75 is provided and adapted to store,
process, and present returned data to users according to enterprise
rules and client direction. A database interface module 89 is
provided and adapted to provide access for gatherer 67 to a mass
repository such as repository 29 of FIG. 1, for the purpose of
storing and retrieving summary data, templates, presentation
directives, and so on. Gatherer agent 67 may also access data
through interface 89 such as profile information, user account and
URL information, stored site logics and so on. Data scanned from
the WEB is stored in a canonical format in a database such as
repository 29, or in another connected storage facility. All stored
data is, of course, associated with an individual who requested it,
or for whom the data is made available according to enterprise
discretion.
[0085] A summarization page module 91 is provided and adapted to
organize and serve a WEB summary page to a user. Module 91, in some
embodiments, may immediately push a WEB summary to a user, or
module 91 may store such summarized pages for a user to access via
a pull method, in which case a notification may be sent to the user
alerting him of the summary page availability. Summarization module
91 includes an HTML renderer that is able to format data into HTML
format for WEB page display. In this way, e-mail messages and the
like may be presented as HTML text on a user's summarization page.
Moreover, any summary data from any site may include an embedded
hyperlink to that site. In this way, a user looking at an e-mail
text in HTML may click on it and launch the appropriate e-mail
program. Other sites will, by default, be linked through the
summary page.
[0086] Many users will access their summary data through a WEB page
as described above, however, this is not required in order to
practice the present invention. In some embodiments, users will
want their summary information formatted and delivered to one of a
variety of Internet-capable appliances such as a palm top or,
perhaps a cell phone. To this end, the renderer is capable of
formatting and presenting the summary data into a number of formats
specific to alternative devices. Examples of different known
formats include, but are not limited to XML, plain text, VoxML,
HDML, audio, video, and so on.
[0087] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, gather
67 is flexible in such a way as it may act according to enterprise
rules, client directives, or a combination of the two. For example,
if a user makes a request for summary data about a user/subscribed
WEB page to be periodically executed and presented in the form of a
HTML document, then gather 67 would automatically access and
analyze the required internal information and user provided
information to formulate a directive. Using scripting module 79, a
knowledge worker provides a template (if one is not already created
for that site) that contains the "where to go" and "what to get"
information according to site logic, user input, and known
information.
[0088] Alternatively, if a user requests a summary about data on
one of his sites such as, perhaps, current interest rates and
re-finance costs at his mortgage site, the service may at it's own
discretion provide an additional unsolicited summary from an
alternate mortgage site for comparison. This type of summarization
would be designed to enhance a user's position based on his profile
information. In this case, updated data about latest interest
rates, stock performances, car prices, airline ticket discounts,
and so on would be stored by the service for comparative purposes.
If a user request for a summary can be equaled or bettered in terms
of any advantage to the user, such summary data may be
included.
[0089] In many cases, created templates may be re-used unless a WEB
site changes it's site logic parameters, in which case, the new
logic must be accessed and any existing templates must be updated,
or a new template may be created for the site. The templates
contain site-specific script obtained from the site and stored by
the knowledge workers. In one embodiment, companies hosting WEB
pages automatically provide their site logics and any logic updates
to the service by virtue of an agreement between the service and
the WEB hosts.
[0090] In an alternative embodiment gatherer 67 may be implemented
as a client application installed on a user's PC. In this
embodiment, a user would not be required to supply log-in or
password codes. Summarization scripts may be sent to the client
software and templates may be automatically created with the
appropriate scripts using log-in and password information encrypted
and stored locally on the user's machine.
[0091] In addition to providing WEB summary information, gatherer
67 may also be used to provide such as automatic registration to
new sites, and for updating old registration information to
existing sites. For example, if a user whishes to subscribe, or
register at a new site, only the identification of the site is
required from the user as long as his pertinent information has not
changed. If a new password or the like is required, gatherer 67
through control module 73 may present login or password codes from
a list of alternative codes provided by a user. In another
embodiment, a database (not shown) containing a wealth of password
options may be accessed by gatherer 67 for the purpose of trying
different passwords until one is accepted by the site. Once a
password or log-in code is accepted, it may be sent to a user and
stored in his password list and at the network level.
[0092] It will be apparent to one with skill in the art that a
software application such as gatherer 67 may be implemented in many
separate locations connected in a data network. For example, a
plurality of gatherer applications may be distributed over many
separate servers linked to one or more mass repositories. Client
applications include but are not limited to a WEB-browser plug-in
for communicating to the service. Plug-in extensions may also be
afforded to proxy servers so that auto-login and data access may
still be performed transparent to a user.
[0093] In another embodiment, plug-ins enabling communication with
gatherer 67 may be provided and configured to run on other network
devices for the purpose of enabling such a device to initiate a
request and get a response without the need for a desktop
computer.
[0094] In most embodiments a user operating a desktop PC will order
a one time or periodic summary related to some or all of his
subscribed WEB sites. A logical flow of an exemplary
request/response interaction is provided below.
[0095] FIG. 5 is a logical flow chart illustrating an exemplary
summarization process performed by the software agent of FIG. 4
operating in a user-defined mode. In step 93, a user has initiated
a new request for a summary (summary order). It is assumed for the
purpose of discussion, that the request of step 93 involves a site
wherein no template has been created. In step 95, the request is
received and analyzed. A knowledge worker will likely perform this
step. The new request may be posted to the user's portal home page,
sent directly to gatherer 67, or even communicated through e-mail
or other media to the service.
[0096] In step 97 a knowledge worker accesses particular site logic
associated with the request URLs. For example, if the request
involves a plurality of URLs, then all site logics for those URLs
are accessed. Logic may be available in a repository such as
repository 29 of FIG. 1 if they were obtained at the time of user
registration to a particular URL, or sent in by WEB-site hosts
shortly after registration. If it is a completely new URL, then the
logic must be obtained from the site. In most cases however, the
logic will be known by virtue of a plurality of users accessing
common URLs. Therefore cross-linking in a database of logic/user
associations may be performed to access a logic for a site that is
new to one particular user, but not new to another.
[0097] In step 99, the knowledge worker creates a template by
virtue of scripting module 79 (FIG. 4) containing all site logic,
URLs, log-in and password information, and the user request
information. As described previously, templates may be re-used for
a same request. In most cases, scripting may be mostly automated
with minimum manual input performed by the knowledge worker. In
many cases, an existing template will match a new request exactly,
and may be re-used. In that case steps 97, 99, and 101 would not be
required.
[0098] In step 101 the template is stored and associated with the
requesting user. The stored template may now be retrieved at a
scheduled time for performing the summary gathering. At step 103, a
browser control such as module 85 of FIG. 4 is activated to access
the stored template and navigate to specified URLs for the purpose
of gathering summary data. If a timing function is attributed to
the template stored in step 101, then the template may self execute
and call up the browser function. In another embodiment, the
knowledge worker may notify the browser control to get the template
for it's next task. In some embodiments, a plurality of controls
may be used with one template as previously described.
[0099] In step 105, automatic log-in is performed, if required, to
gain access to each specified URL. In step 107, a specified
WEB-page is navigated to and parsed for requested data according to
the logic on the template. If there are a plurality of WEB-pages to
parse, then this step is repeated for the number of pages. A
variety of parsing engines may be used for this process such as an
IE.TM. parser, or a Pearl.TM. parser. Only the requested data is
kept in step 107.
[0100] A request may be an on-demand request requiring immediate
return, or a scheduled request wherein data may be posted. At step
109, such logic is confirmed. If the data is to be presented
according to a periodic schedule, then summary data parsed in step
107 is stored for latter use in step 111. In step 113, the summary
data is rendered as HTML if not already formatted, and displayed in
the form of a summary WEB-page in step 115. The summary page may be
posted for access by a user at a time convenient to the user
(pull), or may be pushed as a WEB-page to the user and be made to
automatically display on the user's PC. Notification of summary
page availability may also be sent to a user to alert him of
completion of order.
[0101] If the summary data is from a one-time on-demand request and
required immediately by a user, then a network appliance and data
delivery method (configured by the user) is confirmed, and the data
is rendered in the appropriate format for delivery and display in
step 117. In step 119, the summary data is delivered according to
protocol to a user's designated appliance. In step 121 a user
receives requested information in the appropriate format.
[0102] It will be apparent to one with skill in the art that there
may be more or fewer logical steps as well as added sub-steps than
are illustrated in this example. For example, step 105 may in other
embodiments include sub-steps such as getting an encryption key
from a user. In still another embodiment, part of a request may be
rendered as HTML as in step 113 while certain other portions of the
same request data might be rendered in another format and delivered
via alternative methods. There are many possibilities.
[0103] The method and apparatus of the present invention may be
used to present summaries to users without user input. Process
logic such as this is detailed below.
[0104] FIG. 6 is a logical flow chart illustrating an exemplary
summarization process performed by the software agent of FIG. 4 in
a User-independent smart mode with minimum or no user input. In
step 117 an enterprise-initiated summary process begins. In this
case, the enterprise may be assisting a user in finding a better
deal or, perhaps presenting the individual with summaries from and
links to alternative pages not yet subscribed to by a user.
[0105] In step 119, a database containing user information and
parameters is accessed and reviewed. Certain information specific
to a user may be required to initiate an enterprise-sponsored
summary report. At step 121, the knowledge worker accesses the site
logic specific to the specified target site or sites for
summarization. In step 123, the knowledge worker modifies an
existing user template, or creates a new one if necessary. At step
125 the template is stored in a repository such as repository 29
and associated with the user.
[0106] As described in FIG. 5, the template either self-executes
according to a timed function and invokes a browser control such as
control 85 (FIG. 4), or is accessed by control 85 as a result of
task notification. In step 127, the browser control begins
navigation. Auto logins are performed, if required, in step 129 to
gain access to selected sites. If the WEB pages are new to a user,
and the user has no registration with the WEB site, then through
agreement, or other convention, the service may be provided access
to such sites. Such an agreement may be made, for example, if the
host of the WEB site realizes a possibility of gaining a new
customer if the customer likes the summary information presented.
In many other situations, no password or login information is
required to obtain general information that is not personal to a
client.
[0107] In step 131, all sites are parsed for summary data and
stored in canonical fashion in step 133. At step 135, the data is
compiled and rendered as HTML for presentation on a summary page.
In step 137, a WEB summary containing all of the data is made
available to a user and the user is notified of it's existence.
[0108] Providing certain information not requested by a user may
aid in enhancing a user's organization of is current business on
the WEB. Moreover, unsolicited WEB summaries may provide better
opportunities than the current options in the user's profile. Of
course, assisting a user in this manner will require that the
enterprise (service) have access to the user's profile and existing
account and service information with various WEB sites on the
user's list. A user may forbid use of a user's personal
information, in which case, no enterprise-initiated summaries would
be performed unless they are conducted strictly in an offer mode
instead of a comparative mode.
[0109] The method and apparatus also may be practiced in a language
and platform independent manner, and be implemented over a variety
of scalable server architectures.
[0110] Active Bookmark
[0111] According to one aspect of the present invention, a novel,
network-based method for managing user-selected bookmarks is
provided. Active book-marking, as termed by the inventor, involves
selecting URLs during Web browsing and adding them to a favorites
list managed on the World Wide Web. Part of the management system
includes providing Web summaries on a periodic basis for subscribed
users. The present invention including various aspects thereof is
described in enabling detail below.
[0112] FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating function of a
bookmark-management and WEB-summary system 140 according to an
embodiment of the present invention. System 140 comprises an
Internet backbone 139, a service domain 141, and an exemplary user
domain 143. Internet backbone 139 represents all the lines and
connection points making up the Internet as a whole, including
sub-networks. Equipment illustrated as connected to Internet
backbone 139 may be assumed to be equipment associated within the
Internet network as a whole. In this sense, there are no geographic
limitations to the scope of the present invention.
[0113] Service domain 141, illustrated within a dotted rectangle,
represents an Internet-portal service as described in documents
Ser. No. 09/323,598 and Ser. No. 09/208,740 listed in the
cross-reference section of the specification. Service domain 141
provides Internet portal services and Web-summary services to
users, typically subscribers to the portal service. In this
example, domain 141 is hosted on the Internet, or more
specifically, on backbone 139. In another embodiment, domain 141
may exist within an ISP analogous to ISP 15 of FIG. 1 described
above.
[0114] Within service domain 141 there are two servers illustrated,
servers 145 and 147. Server 145 is a portal server (PS) adapted to
provide portal services to subscribing users as described in the
cross-referenced patent applications listed under the cross
reference section. Server 147 is adapted as a navigation server
(NS) for proxy browsing and data gathering on behalf of subscribing
users. Both PS 145 and NS 147 are connected to Internet backbone
139. In one embodiment of the present invention, the functions of
both servers 145 and 147 may be provided within one more powerful
server. The inventor chooses to separate function for illustrative
purpose only. In this example, servers 145 and 147 are additionally
connected by way of a dedicated data link 148. Data link 148 is
adapted to allow faster communication between the two servers than
may be available by the Internet connection between the two. In
another embodiment server 145 and server 147 may communicate with
each other over Internet backbone 139.
[0115] Also connected to backbone 139 are Web servers (WS) 151a-n.
Web servers 151a-n are adapted as Internet file servers as are
known in the art. For example, Web server 151a may be a news
server, Web server 151b may be a sports server, and Web server 151n
may be an entertainment server. Servers 151a-n serve electronic
information pages, also known in the art as Web pages, to users
connected to them during Internet navigation. Each Web page has a
universal resource locator (URL) associated with it that identifies
an addressed location of that page within any of WEB servers
151a-n.
[0116] A user domain illustrated herein within a dotted rectangle
labeled with the element number 143 represents a user subscribing
to portal services offered through domain 141. User domain 143,
hereinafter termed user 143, operates a PC 149 running an Internet
browser application (IBA) 151, to browse Internet 139 over an
Internet connection line 150. Internet connection 150 may be a
dial-up connection, a wireless connection, or any other known
Internet connection. An Internet service provider (ISP) is not
illustrated in this example, but may be assumed to be present. PC
149 may be any type of Internet appliance capable of Internet
navigation.
[0117] An instance of gathering software (GS) 157 is provided to
run on navigation server 147. Software 157 is adapted to navigate
to each URL present on a list of URLs stored in server 145 for the
purpose of obtaining summary information from each URL and
presenting such information in the form of an HTML document that
may be presented in the form of an electronic display to a user
operating PC 149. This function is generally described in
application Ser. No. 09/323,598 listed under the cross-reference
section.
[0118] In an embodiment of the present invention the inventor
provides a novel application termed active browser software (ABS)
153, illustrated herein, as a plug-In to IBA 151. ABS 153 is
adapted as a client-side book-marking software. An enhancement over
prior art applications includes a capability of sending selected
URLs over Internet connection 150 to portal server 145 for
network-based management. ABS 153 is, in a preferred embodiment, a
Java-based application. However, other known programming languages
may be used to implement ABS 153. ABS 153 may be a standalone
book-marking application, or it may be integrated with a standard
book-marking application provided in most Web-browser
applications.
[0119] A server-side software component, illustrated herein as
software component 155, is provided to run on PS 145. Software 155
is adapted to manage URLs received from ABS 153 over Internet
connection 150 during normal Internet navigation and selection of
the URLs by user 143. Software 155 is integrated with GS 157 such
that at periodic intervals, a navigation command is sent to GS 157
for the purpose of proxy navigation and data gathering from Web
pages associated with each URL held in a list of URLs enabled by
software 155. Listed URL's are links, often referred to in the art
as shortcuts, to WEB pages associated with them and identified by
them.
[0120] In practice of the present invention, user 143, operating PC
149, connects to portal server 145 by way of Internet connection
line 150 and begins browsing the Internet. Web servers 151a-n
represent servers containing Web pages accessed by user 143
operating PC 149 as previously described. When a Web page is
accessed and presented in IBA 151, a user may invoke ABS 153 for
the purpose of capturing the URL associated with that Web page.
Once captured, the URL it is automatically sent over connection
line 150 to portal server 145 where it is added to a list of URLs
managed by software 155. At periodic intervals, to be determined by
a user, software 155 generates a navigation command, which is sent
over data link 148 to GS 157 in NS 147.
[0121] GS 157 may navigate to all of, or a portion of, the Web
pages associated with each URL listed in software 155. Summary data
includes any new updates to each of the Web pages associated with
URLs listed by software 155. In this example, automatic log-in and
second-level data searching services are not performed. Those
services are performed with respect to URLs that are pre-configured
for specific data summary searches as described in application Ser.
No. 09/323,598.
[0122] It is presumed in this example that user 143, during the
course of normal Internet navigation through servers 151a-n, will
select desired Web pages once they are presented in IBA 151 for
addition to the URL list stored in portal server 145. The specific
class of Web pages a user will select to add, are Web pages wherein
no log-ins or passwords are required. After user 143 has selected
URLs and they are entered into a list at PS 145, the Web pages
associated with those URLs are automatically browsed and parsed for
data by GS 157 at periodic intervals to be determined by user 143.
For example, if WS 151a contains a Web page that is a news page,
periodic updates of the latest headlines may be provided on behalf
of user 143. More detail about ABS 153 and software 155 is provided
below.
[0123] FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating components and
function of ABS 153 and software 155 according to an embodiment of
the present invention. As described in FIG. 7 above, ABS 153 is a
client application adapted to reside within an Internet browser
application analogous to IBA 151 of FIG. 7. It was also described
in FIG. 7 above, that software 155 is a server-side application for
network management of bookmarks sent thereto by ABS 153. This
division is illustrated herein by a dividing double-arrow labeled
server-side above the arrow and client-side below the arrow.
Therefore, it will be apparent by one with skill in the art that
both applications cooperate with each other to achieve the goal of
the present invention, which is to manage URLs and to periodically
navigate to and obtain summary data from the Web pages associated
with listed URLs for eventual presentation to users.
[0124] Referring now to FIG. 8, server application 155 has a
communication module 159 provided therein and adapted for
communication with a like communication module 171 provided within
client application 153. Bi-directional data communication
capability between module 159, within application 155, and module
171, within application 153, is illustrated by a double-bracketed
arrow connecting the two modules.
[0125] A URL capture module 167 is provided within client
application 153 and is adapted to capture URL information during
presentation of any visited Web page during normal Internet
navigation. In an embodiment wherein client application 153 is a
standalone application from a standard book-marking utility,
invocation of module 167 causes a captured URL to be automatically
sent to server application 155 through communication modules 171,
in client application 153, and 159 in server application 155.
[0126] In an alternate embodiment, invocation of module 167 causes
a captured URL to be sent to server application 155 and to a list
of bookmarks stored at the client location. A link to favorites
module 169 is provided within client application 153 and adapted to
display, upon invocation of a user, the listed bookmarks stored
either at server side, client side, or both, depending on the
embodiment. In an embodiment wherein application 153 is integrated
with a standard book-marking utility, there may be an option (not
shown) associated with module 167 that allows a user to decide if a
selected URL will be sent to server application 155 and to internal
cache on a client machine, or to either of the above. In this way,
an integrated utility may be provided that offers client-side
book-marking as well as network-based book-marking and summary
gathering.
[0127] A favorite list 161 is provided within server application
155 and adapted to store URLs sent thereto by a user operating
client application 153. Some or all of the URLs contained in list
161 may be subject to periodic proxy navigation and data gathering
performed on behalf of a user operating application 153. Upon
invocation of module 169 all of the URLs contained in list 161 may
be viewed. In one embodiment, a provision (not shown) may be
provided that allows a user to manually delete URLs from, or to
manually add URLs to list 161. There are many possibilities.
[0128] A retrieve summaries module 173 is provided within
application 153 and adapted to allow a user to retrieve the latest
summary data associated with URLs stored in list 161. By invoking
module 173, a user may receive an HTML document in the form of a
Web page that lists all of the URLs stored in list 161 and their
associated summaries. A link to Web summaries module 165 is
provided within server application 155 and adapted to allow all the
summaries associated with the URLs and list 161 to be presented to
a user upon invocation of module 173. In one embodiment, a user
invoking module 173 may first receive an HTML display of URLs held
in list 161 where upon selecting a portion of the URLs causes only
the summaries associated with the selected URLs to be
displayed.
[0129] A navigation command module 163 is provided within server
application 155 and adapted to communicate with navigation server
147 of FIG. 1 as illustrated by a double arrow labeled NS. At
periodic intervals, module 163 will request navigation services
from GS 157 within NS 147 of FIG. 7. GS 157, upon granting of a
request from module 163 will obtain all of the URLs included in the
request and navigate to each URL and obtain the most recent data
associated with each URL. In many cases, Web pages will already
have summary information presented in HTML format. In these
instances, no summarization is required. The data is simply
transferred back to domain 141 and stored on behalf of subscribing
users. In many cases, detailed information from Web pages will be
summarized before presentation to users.
[0130] It will be apparent to one with skill in the art that
applications 155 and 153 may contain more or fewer modules that are
illustrated in this example without departing from the spirit and
scope of the present invention. For example, a module may be added
to application 153 that allows a user to categorize and organize
URLs such that they may be stored in specific categories within
list 161 as well as on a user's Internet appliance. Furthermore, a
module may be added to server application 155 that allows a user to
instantly navigate to any of the URLs listed in list 161. All of
the modules illustrated in both server application 155 and in
client application 153 may be accessed through traditional
drop-down menus as are known in the art. The inventor intends that
this example illustrate just one possible configuration of client
application 153 and server application 155. As previously
described, application 153 may be a standalone application provided
within an Internet browser, or it may be integrated with a standard
book-marking utility located within an Internet browser. There are
many possibilities.
[0131] FIG. 9 is a flow diagram illustrating user and server side
steps for practicing active book-marking and WEB-summarization of
book-marked URLs. At step 175, a user logs into a portal server
analogous to portal server 145 of FIG. 7. At step 177, a user
browses the Internet through the portal server of step 175. During
normal browsing described in step 177, a user activates
active-bookmark software in step 179 each time he or she desires to
add a URL to a list of stored URLs. This function may be generally
described by a user invoking module 167 from within application 153
of FIG. 8 at the time a Web page is displayed in the associated
browser window.
[0132] At step 181, ABS automatically sends the associated URL to
list 161 within server application 155 described in FIG. 8. At step
183 the URL is added to list 161 according to enterprise rules. In
and integrated embodiment, the same URL may also be included in a
user's standard bookmarks held on his or her own Internet
appliance. Step 181 may optionally include a sub-routine for
allowing a user to categorize the sent URL such that it is added to
list 161 of FIG. 8 according to specific criteria. For example, if
the URL is associated with a sports page, a user may elect to
insert it under a headline of sports present in list 161. In one
embodiment of the present invention, a parsing function may be
utilized to automatically insert a sent URL under an appropriate
heading present or created in list 161 at the time of receipt of
the URL.
[0133] At step 185, a navigation command is updated to include a
new URL. In one embodiment, URLs managed in list 161 are
automatically added to the navigation command, which is executed on
a periodic basis. In another embodiment, a user may select which
URLs will be included in any navigation command. At step 187 the
portal server of step 175 sends a navigation command to a
navigation system server analogous to an NS 147 of FIG. 7. This
occurs on a periodic basis with the frequency of occurrence to be
determined by a user. At step 189, NS 147 of FIG. 7 navigates to
each included URL for the purpose of obtaining and returning Web
summaries. Web summaries are held for users an association with the
URLs connected to them.
[0134] At step 191, a user may order summary information. Step 191
occurs at the discretion of a user. Web summaries may be ordered
through simple activation of a module such as module 173 of FIG. 8.
At step 193, ordered summaries are presented to a requesting user.
Summaries may be presented in the form of HTML on a Web page
created for a user. Such a Web page may contain listed URLs and
summary information inserted beneath each associated URL.
Inter-activity may also be present such that a user may click on a
summary heading presented in the Web page described above to
automatically navigate to the URL and view detailed information
summarized by the heading.
[0135] It will be apparent to one with skill in the art that the
steps illustrated herein may be added to or subtracted from without
departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For
example, a subroutine may be inserted between steps 179 and 181
wherein a user may direct how-to organize the URL sent in step 181.
A routine may be inserted between step 185 and step 187 wherein a
pop-up window or the like may appear on a user's display asking the
user to confirm the URLs included in the navigation command. At
this point, a user may manually delete or add URLs to the
navigation command. The inventor intends that the process
illustrated herein represents just one possible process for
practicing the present invention. The process steps illustrated
herein may change in order and description depending on the
specific embodiment for which the processes created.
[0136] In practicing the present invention, in yet another aspect,
the system of the invention has been integrated with the automatic
registration aspects of the patent application cross-referenced
above, specifically U.S. Ser. No. 09/550,348. In the
cross-referenced application a method and apparatus is provided for
populating and submitting electronic forms by proxy over a
data-packet-network. The apparatus comprises a software application
running on a system of network-connected servers that enables a
user, connected in session with one of the servers, to navigate to
a site containing an electronic form and obtain data about the site
and about the form. The data obtained is used in conjunction with
data about the user to construct a machine readable job order upon
user request that may be executed for the purpose of automatic form
population and submission to a host sponsoring the site. Upon
acceptance of the submitted form, data used for passwords, log-in
codes and user-names is returned to a data repository where it is
entered along with specific site data as a new registered site item
for a registering user such that future navigation to the site,
auto log-in and data return may be performed automatically on
behalf of the user. For those sites added for data-gathering in
embodiments of the present invention that require log-in, the auto
log-in features disclosed are provided in a preferred
embodiment.
[0137] The method and apparatus of the present invention may be
practiced via private individuals on the Internet, businesses
operating on a WAN connected to the Internet, businesses operating
via private WAN, and so on. There are many customizable
situations.
[0138] The present invention as taught herein and above should be
afforded the broadest of scope. The spirit and scope of the present
invention is limited only by the claims that follow.
* * * * *