A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to computer systems, and more particularly but not exclusively to the processing of documents received over a computer network.
2. Description of the Background Art
Large computer networks, such as the Internet, allow for relatively widespread and fast dissemination of information. On the Internet, for example, websites providing online services or information on various topics are readily accessible. A user having a computer and a web browser may navigate to one or more websites to access news, maps, computer programs, video, music, products, e-mail, and so on.
Websites typically run on one or more server computers that store downloadable documents referred to as “web pages.” As is well known, a web page may comprise textual and graphical data, as well as computer-readable program code to be executed in the client computer. A web page may also include advertisements for various products. Advertisements have the same role on the Internet as in radio and television. Generally speaking, advertisements generate revenue that allows a website to provide free or low cost access to information or service. For example, advertisements allow some websites to offer free e-mail service or access to the latest news.
A website may form a partnership with another website or another party providing products (i.e., goods or services) on the Internet. For example, websites may cooperatively display links to one another. As another example, a website may agree to display advertisements for another party, such as an online marketing company. Although these partnerships are generally good for a website, performing actions for other parties may require changes to existing web pages. A website may be hesitant to enter into a partnership that would entail significant changes to its web pages.
In one embodiment, a web page stored in a first server computer includes a reference to a wrapping code stored in a second server computer. The wrapping code may be pulled into a client computer when the page is downloaded to the client computer. Upon execution in the client computer, the wrapping code may add a functionality to the web page. The functionality added by the wrapping code may be activated along with a pre-existing functionality of the web page in response to a user interaction with the web page.
These and other features of the present invention will be readily apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the entirety of this disclosure, which includes the accompanying drawings and claims.
The use of the same reference label in different drawings indicates the same or like components.
In the present disclosure, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples of systems, components, and methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. Persons of ordinary skill in the art will recognize, however, that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details. In other instances, well-known details are not shown or described to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.
Being computer-related, it can be appreciated that the components disclosed herein may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software (e.g., firmware). Software components may be in the form of computer-readable program code stored in a computer-readable storage medium, such as memory, mass storage device, or removable storage device. For example, a computer-readable storage medium may comprise computer-readable program code for performing the function of a particular component. Likewise, computer memory may be configured to include one or more components, which may then be executed by a processor. Components may be implemented separately in multiple modules or together in a single module.
Referring now to
A client computer 101 is typically, but not necessarily, a personal computer such as those running the Microsoft Windows™ operating system. A user employs a suitably equipped client computer 101 to get on network 100 and access computers coupled thereto. For example, a user on a client computer 101 may employ a web browser 116 to access web pages on a web server computer 102. A web browser 116 may be a commercially available web browser. In one embodiment, web browser 116 comprises the Microsoft Internet Explorer™ web browser.
A web server computer 102 may be a website containing information designed to attract users surfing on the Internet. A web server computer 102 includes one or more web pages 110 containing various types of information. A web page 110 may also include advertisements, links to other web pages, products available for online purchase, and so on. As is well known, a web page 110 may comprise viewable and non-viewable portions. The viewable portions of a web page 110 are those that are displayed on the screen of a client computer 101. The viewable portions of a web page 110 may include pictures, animations, texts, displayed links, buttons, entry fields, graphics, white space, background, and the like. The non-viewable portions of a web page 110 are those that are not displayed on a screen but are nonetheless downloaded to a client computer 101. Examples of non-viewable portions of a web page 110 include computer-readable program code (e.g., scripts, code to display viewable portions) and comments. In one embodiment, a web page 110 includes a reference 112. A reference 112 may comprise computer-readable program code pointed to a wrapping code 114 of a partner server computer 103. A reference 112 pulls a wrapping code 114 from a partner server computer 103 into a client computer 101 when a web page 110 is received in the client computer 101.
A partner server computer 103 may be a server computer or another website on a web server computer 102. In one embodiment, a partner server computer 103 is in partnership with a web server computer 102. Note that the partnership may involve a contractual agreement between the entities (e.g., individuals or companies) operating the partner server computer and the web server computer. Thus, any reference to a partnership between computers or websites should be understood as a partnership between the entities operating the computers or websites. In one embodiment, a partner server computer 103 includes a wrapping code 114, which may comprise computer-readable program code for modifying the behavior of a web page 110. When executed, a wrapping code 114 “wraps” a layer of functionality over a web page 110. As will be more apparent below, a wrapping code 114 allows activation of additional functionality not present in a web page 110 in a web server computer 102. For example, a wrapping code 114 may be configured to display an advertisement in a separate browser window, such as in a so-called pop-up browser window. The advertisement may be a coupon, special offer, an invitation to download software, information about a product (i.e., goods or services) or other websites, and so on. This functionality (displaying of a pop-up browser window) does not have to be present in a web page 110 as stored in a web server computer 102. The wrapping code 114 may add this functionality to the web page 110 after the web page 110 is received in a client computer 101.
The partnership between a web server computer 102 and a partner server computer 103 may involve the web server computer 102 performing some actions for the partner server computer 103. The partnership may entail allowing the partner server computer to display a pop-up or pop-under window to users accessing the web server computer 102. To make it relatively simple for the web server computer 102, a wrapping code 114 modifies the behavior of a web page 110 after the web page 110 is received in a client computer 101. A web page 110 as stored in the web server computer 102 may only require the addition of a reference 112 (which may be a single line of code) to be able to perform actions pursuant to the partnership. The reference 112 pulls the wrapping code 114 into the client computer 101 where the wrapping code is executed. Thus, a partner server computer 103 may contract with several web server computers 102 to run a wrapping code 114. The web server computers 102 may include a reference 112 to their web pages 110 to pull the same wrapping code 114 into client computers 101. As can be appreciated, this simplifies the maintenance and integration of a wrapping code 114.
In the above example, “http://webpdp.gator.com/0/placement/000/” specifies the storage location of the wrapping code 114 on the Internet. When reference 112 is executed in client computer 101, wrapping code 114 is thus pulled from partner server computer 103 to client computer 101 (see arrow 293).
Turning now to
In one embodiment, wrapping code 114 modifies the behavior of a web page such that when a user interacts with the web page (e.g., by using her mouse to click on a portion of the web page), a new functionality added by the wrapping code is activated along with a pre-existing functionality of the web page. The new functionality added by wrapping code 114 may be the displaying of an advertisement, playing of a streaming audio, opening a new browser window for another web page, downloading files to the client computer, running another program in the client computer, and so on. The pre-existing functionality of the web page may be linking to another web page, opening another window, displaying an advertisement, and other functions capable of being performed by a web page.
Still referring to
In one embodiment, a wrapping code 114 is written in the JavaScript programming language. Other programming languages may also be used without detracting from the merits of the present invention.
In one embodiment, a wrapping code 114 locates all objects of a web page 110 and redefines the OnClick events of the objects to an event handler that performs the functionality added by the wrapping code. Put another way, the wrapping code 114 traps mouse clicks on the objects, and invokes an event handler in response. An example pseudo code for a wrapping code 114 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is shown in Table 1.
In the above example, the wrapping code 114 waits for the web page to fully load. The wrapping code 114 then looks for the objects that make up the web page 110. Clicking on any of the objects activates the new functionality added by the wrapping code 114, which opens a pop-up browser window that may contain an advertisement. In the example of Table 1, the pre-existing functionality of the web page 110 for the OnClick event is activated after the completion of newFunctionalityMethod. That is, any pre-existing functionality of the web page 110 normally executes after the newFunctionalityMethod. Note that functionalities other than the displaying of a pop-up browser window may also be added by the wrapping code 114. As is well known, a web page “object” may be a link, a white space, a text, a picture, etc. Appendix A shows an example JavaScript implementation of the pseudo code of Table 1.
In one embodiment, a wrapping code 114 locates all anchor objects of the web page 110 and redefines the OnClick events of the anchor objects to an event handler that performs the functionality added by the wrapping code. This technique is similar to that of Table 1, except limited to anchor objects rather than to objects in general. As is well known, an “anchor object” is a web page object that initiates navigation to another web page. An example of an anchor object is a link. Limiting the activation of the new functionality to anchor objects is advantageous in situations where the new functionality is only important in cases where the user would leave the web page for another web page. An example pseudo code for a wrapping code 114 that traps user interaction with an anchor object, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, is shown in Table 2.
The pseudo code of Table 2 is similar to that of Table 1 except for redefining the OnClick events of anchor objects rather than objects in general. Appendix B shows an example JavaScript implementation of the pseudo code of Table 2.
In the example of Table 3, the wrapping code 114 waits for the web page 110 to fully load. Thereafter, the wrapping code 114 places a transparent layer underneath a mouse cursor over the viewable portions of the web page 110. When the user clicks on the web page 110, the click is actually registered as being on the transparent layer. An event handler, which is assigned to monitor for mouse clicks on the transparent layer, activates the new functionality added by the wrapping code 114. The new functionality opens a separate browser window and records the coordinates of the affected portion (i.e. the portion clicked on by the user) of the transparent layer. The transparent layer is then removed. Thereafter, the object of the web page 110 at the recorded coordinates is clicked on to allow the pre-existing functionality assigned to that object, if any, to be activated. Appendix C shows an example JavaScript implementation of the pseudo code of Table 3.
Note that in the aforementioned embodiments, the user may click on a portion of the web page (e.g., a white space) having no corresponding pre-existing functionality. In that case, only the new functionality added by the wrapping code may be activated.
In step 602, a document stored in a first server computer includes a reference to a wrapping code stored in a second server computer. The document may be a web page, while the first and second server computers may be coupled over the Internet.
In step 604, the document is provided to a client computer coupled to the first and second server computers. For example, the first server computer may be a website providing web pages to client computers accessing the web site.
In step 606, the wrapping code is pulled from the second server computer to the client computer. The wrapping code may be pulled from the second server computer as a result of the reference being executed in the client computer.
In step 608, the wrapping code is executed to add a new functionality to the document. As can be appreciated, the wrapping code may also remove functionality from the document depending on the application. For example, the “new functionality” may be blocking or removal of pre-existing functionalities of the document. The “new functionality” may also be a modification to a pre-existing functionality. The new functionality may be the displaying of an advertisement in a separate browser window. For example, the advertisement may comprise an invitation to download an application program to the client computer. The advertisement may also comprise a coupon, special offer, information about a product (i.e., goods or services) or other websites, and so on.
In step 610, the wrapping code detects a user interaction with the document. The user interaction may be a mouse click on the document or a mouseover on the document, for example. Other user interactions are also possible without detracting from the merits of the present invention. The interaction with the document may be directly or indirectly, as is the case when a transparent layer is overlaid over the document.
In step 612, in response to the user interaction with the document, the wrapping code activates the new functionality and may also allow activation of a pre-existing functionality of the document.
Embodiments of the present invention provide advantages heretofore unrealized. Embodiments of the present invention advantageously allow a website to partner with another entity with minimum changes to its web pages. This facilitates formation of partnerships among providers on the Internet. Embodiments of the present invention allow new functionalities to be added to a web page after the web page has been received in a client computer.
While specific embodiments of the present invention have been provided, it is to be understood that these embodiments are for illustration purposes and not limiting. Many additional embodiments will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art reading this disclosure.