Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
1997-09-24
2001-02-20
Hong, Stephen S. (Department: 2776)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C707S793000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06192382
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to Web site or page construction and distribution via an Internet server, and more particularly to an arrangement for allowing user personalization of a Web site.
BACKGROUND ART
Generally, the dramatic growth in use of the Internet has likewise seen a dramatic growth in the amount of information which can be distributed from a Web server to a user. As such, a key factor in optimizing distribution efficiency is reducing the amount of time required by a server to construct or generate a particular Web page requested by a user.
In the past, this factor has acted as a barrier to allowing users the ability to personalize or tailor their individual Web pages with specialized information because the need for the server to constantly retrieve the specialized information every time a page was generated significantly increased server response time. Increased response time adds cost to the operation of the system, and also taxes limited system resources.
While caching has been utilized in an attempt to decrease the server response time, such caching arrangements do not improve efficiency of distributing personalized or customized Web pages. More specifically, both caching of the information stored in a database accessed by a server based on classification or categorization of content, i.e., “object caching,” and caching of previously constructed pages which are likely to be distributed again have been employed to improve distribution efficiency.
In both instances, any specialized information added by way of page personalization would still need to be retrieved from the database each time the page were distributed to the user. Thus, a need still exists for improving distribution efficiency and server response time so that a user can have the option of personalizing individual Web pages.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method and system for Web page construction and distribution which allows a user the ability to personalize individual pages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and system for Web page construction and distribution which includes a tag cache located in a server, and associated tags which can be selectively embedded into stored pages to allow personalization of individual pages.
In accordance with these and other objects, the present invention provides a method and system for specifying fragments of HTML text using specialized tags, holding these fragments in a tag cache, and rapidly rendering personalized HTML pages using the cached fragments.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a method for selectively distributing information including personalized Web pages on a network such as the Internet is characterized by the steps of storing in a tag cache at least one HTML fragment derived from information stored in a database as determined from a user's input preference information, and associating the at least one HTML fragment stored in the tag cache with a particular tag to be selectively embedded in an HTML document or file stored in a server. Each tag is subsequently replaced with the associated HTML fragment(s) during construction of a requested HTML file. In the preferred embodiment, topic information supplied by the user is used to form a key through which the content is retrieved from the tag cache. The method also includes creating tag cache entries as needed from data held in an object cache or a database.
More specifically, the step of retrieving content from the tag cache can be performed by forming a hash key from a current user's topic information. Topic information is composed of data specifying categories and locations of interest to a particular user. The topic information can be entered as preferences for a registered user, can be obtained from selections made by a user during the session, or both.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a system for constructing and selectively distributing Web pages comprises a server processor for translating user requests into HTML page requests, and a tag cache containing a plurality of predetermined HTML fragments stored therein. A first storage device is provided for storing a plurality of HTML files, one or more of which are selectively augmented with a plurality of particular tags each associated with one or more of the predetermined HTML fragments. A second storage device is provided for storing user preference information represented as topics. A mapping logic processor communicates with the first storage device, second storage device and the tag cache so as to construct an HTML file by substituting one or more predetermined HTML fragments for each particular tag embedded in a requested HTML file based on the stored user preference information. The server processor is further operative to distribute the constructed HTML files to the user.
The above objects and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best mode for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5572643 (1996-11-01), Judson
patent: 5649186 (1997-07-01), Ferguson
patent: 5799298 (1998-08-01), Bingham et al.
patent: 5870737 (1999-02-01), Dockter et al.
patent: 5878218 (1999-03-01), Maddalozzo, Jr. et al.
patent: 5894554 (1999-04-01), Lowery et al.
patent: 5897622 (1999-04-01), Blinn et al.
patent: 5950200 (1999-09-01), Sudai et al.
patent: 5961603 (1999-10-01), Kunkel et al.
patent: 5973972 (1998-08-01), Shane
patent: 5983227 (1999-11-01), Nazem et al.
patent: 5987480 (1999-11-01), Donohue et al.
patent: 5999912 (1999-12-01), Wodarz et al.
patent: 6009441 (1999-12-01), Mathieu et al.
patent: 6012074 (2000-01-01), Lucas et al.
patent: 6029182 (2000-02-01), Nehab et al.
patent: 6038601 (2000-03-01), Lambert et al.
patent: 6076166 (2000-06-01), Moshfeghi et al.
Maher, R. C., Simple but useful tools for interactive WWW development, Nov. 6-9, 1996, Proceedings of Frontiers in Education Conference 26th annual conference, p. 1035-1038, vol. 3.
O'Krafka et al, An empirical evaluation of two memory-efficient directory methods, May 28-31, 1990, Computer Architecture, Proceedings, 17th Annual International Symposium on, p. 138-147.
Peir et al, Improving cache performance with balance tag and data paths, Oct. 1-5, 1996, 7th International Conference on Architectural Support for Programming Languages and Operating Systems, ACM, vol. 31, No. 9, p. 268-78.
Wexler, J., Relay races to cache pages, Sep. 2, 1996, Network World, p. 17.
Diener Glendon Ross
Faust John E.
Lafer John P.
Riggs Curtis
Brooks & Kushman P.C.
Hong Stephen S.
MediaOne Group Inc.
Paula Cesar B.
LandOfFree
Method and system for web site construction using HTML... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method and system for web site construction using HTML..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and system for web site construction using HTML... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2606782