Methods and systems for providing customized web pages to users of a website

• US 10,108,733 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2016
• Issued: 10/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Salesforce.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Jacob, Anil, Hardikar, Amol, Sethuraman, Archana
• Primary Examiner(s): Stork, Kyle R
• Application Number:
  US15/165,079
• Publication Number:
  US 20170344568A1
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/123 Storage facilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/14 Tree-structured documents parsing G06F40/205; validation G06F40/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/177 of tables; using ruled lines

Abstract

Computer implemented methods and systems are provided for providing customized web pages that are customized for each user. A database can store first entries each being configured to store user information for each user, and second entries each being configured to store an identifier and customized content for each user (or alternatively a way to retrieve such customized content). A tree-like data structure is stored in cache and includes nodes that each store an identifier that refers to one of the second entries. After log in, the server system retrieves user information associated with the particular user and uses it to retrieve a particular identifier stored by a particular node. Using a corresponding one of the second entries that includes the particular identifier, particular customized content for the particular user can be retrieved and sent to a user system where it is used to display a particular customized web page for that particular user.

Claims

1. A method for providing customized web pages to users of a website that are customized for the users based on details about the users, wherein each web page is customized for a given user, the method comprising:

at a logic layer of a server system comprising at least one hardware-based processor;

retrieving, from a user information store stored at a database of the server system in response to a login request from a particular user, user information associated with the particular user, wherein the user information store comprises;

a plurality of first entries each being configured to store user information for each user;

retrieving, based on the user information, a particular identifier stored by a particular node in a tree-like data structure that is stored in a cache that resides in memory at the server system, wherein the particular identifier has a particular value, wherein the tree-like data structure comprises;

a plurality of branches comprising a plurality of nodes each being configured to store a name that matches a detail specified by the user information and a value that serves as an identifier that refers to a second entry in a content store maintained at the database of the server system separate from the user information store, and wherein the content store comprises a plurality of second entries each being configured to store an identifier and either;

customized content for a user that is used to render a customized web page customized for that user, an attached file that comprises the customized content, or a link to access the customized content, wherein the particular node is a lowest-level node in the tree-like data structure that is determined to have a name that matches one of the details specified by the user information associated with the particular user, and wherein the particular identifier serves as a primary key that the logic layer can use to access a corresponding one of the second entries in the content store that also includes the particular identifier having the particular value; and

retrieving particular customized content for the particular user from the corresponding one of the second entries in the content store that includes the particular identifier having the particular value that was retrieved from the particular node in the tree-like data structure based on the user information; and

communicating the particular customized content for the particular user from the server system to a particular user system associated with the particular user.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the server system comprises a user interface layer, and further comprising:

at the user interface layer of the server system;

receiving the login request from the particular user system for a web page of the website, wherein the login request comprises credentials for the particular user; and

establishing, upon accepting the login request, a connection to the logic layer; and

further comprising;

processing, at the logic layer, the login request from the user interface layer to generate the query to retrieve the user information.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, at the particular user system, a particular customized web page of the website that includes the particular customized content for that particular user.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the user information for the particular user comprises:

one or more details that are associated with that particular user, wherein each of the details have a name, and

wherein the nodes of the tree-like data structure are arranged into a plurality of n different levels, wherein each node has a name and a corresponding identifier associated with that node, and wherein each detail of the user information corresponds to one of the nodes of the tree-like data structure.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the step of retrieving, based on the user information, the particular identifier, comprises:

at the logic layer;

issuing a call to the cache for each detail of the user information to determine whether there is a corresponding node in the tree-like data structure that has a name that matches that detail of the user information, wherein the logic layer issues the one or more calls starting with a first call for a first detail specified in the user information that is associated with a first level and ending with a last call for a last detail specified in the user information; and

retrieving, based on the user information, the particular identifier from the lowest-level node in the tree-like data structure that is determined to have the name that matches the one of the details specified by the user information.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of nodes comprise:

a root level node configured to store a default identifier; and

a plurality of first level nodes each being configured to store a first level name and a first level identifier that corresponds to an identifier in the content store that is associated with customized content in the content store.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the plurality of nodes further comprise:

one or more nth level nodes, where each nth level node is configured to store an nth level name and an nth level identifier that corresponds to an identifier in the content store that is associated with customized content in the content store, wherein n is an integer greater than or equal to two.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the user information store is a user table, and wherein each first entry in the user table comprises:

a row that stores user information for a user, wherein each row comprises properties fields that each store a detail about that user, and

wherein the content store is content table, and wherein each second entry in the content table comprises;

a row that stores an identifier and a binary large object (BLOB) that comprises customized content that is used to generate a customized web page.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the database is a tenant database that stores data for multiple tenants, and wherein the logic layer is a tenant management process layer, wherein the user information store is a user object, and wherein each first entry of the user object comprises:

a record that stores user information for a user, wherein each record comprises properties fields that each store a detail about that user, and

wherein the content store is a content custom object, and wherein each second entry of the content custom object comprises;

a record that stores an identifier and an attached file that comprises customized content that is used to generate a customized web page.

10. A server system configured to provide web pages to users of a web site that are customized for the users based on details about the users, wherein each web page is customized for a given user, the server system comprising:

a database comprising;

a user information store comprising a plurality of first entries each being configured to store user information for a user; and

a content store separate from the user information store, and comprising a plurality of second entries each being configured to store an identifier and either;

customized content for a user that is used to render a customized web page customized for that user, an attached file that comprises the customized content, or a link to access the customized content;

a cache that resides in memory and that is configured to store a tree-like data structure comprising;

a plurality of branches comprising a plurality of nodes, wherein each node is configured to store a name that matches a detail specified by the user information, and an identifier that refers to one of the second entries in the content store;

a processing system comprising one or more hardware-based processors being configured to control execution of a logic layer and a user interface layer, wherein, upon execution by the one or more hardware-based processors, the logic layer is configured to;

retrieve, in response to a login request from a particular user, user information associated with the particular user from the user information store;

retrieve, based on the user information, a particular identifier stored by a particular node in the tree-like data structure, wherein the particular identifier has a particular value, wherein the particular node is a lowest-level node in the tree-like data structure that is determined to have a name that matches one of the details specified by the user information associated with the particular user, and wherein the particular identifier serves as a primary key that the logic layer can use to access a corresponding one of the second entries in the content store that also includes the particular identifier having the particular value;

access a corresponding one of the second entries in the content store that includes the particular identifier having the particular value;

retrieve, from the content store, particular customized content for the particular user using the corresponding one of the second entries in the content store that includes the particular identifier having the particular value that was retrieved from the particular node in the tree-like data structure based on the user information; and

wherein the user interface layer is configured to;

communicate the particular customized content for the particular user to a particular user system associated with the particular user.

11. A server system according to claim 10, wherein the user interface layer is further configured to:

receive the login request from the particular user system for a web page of the website, wherein the login request comprises credentials for the particular user; and

upon accepting the login request, establish a connection to the logic layer, and

wherein the logic layer is further configured to;

process the login request from the user interface layer to generate the query to retrieve the user information.

12. A server system according to claim 10, wherein the particular user system is configured to:

display a particular customized web page of the website that includes the particular customized content for that particular user.

13. A server system according to claim 10, wherein the user information for the particular user comprises:

one or more details that are associated with that particular user, wherein each of the details have a name, and

wherein the nodes of the tree-like data structure are arranged into a plurality of n different levels, wherein each node has a name and a corresponding identifier associated with that node, and wherein each detail of the user information corresponds to one of the nodes of the tree-like data structure, and

wherein the logic layer is further configured to;

for each detail of the user information that is associated with the particular user;

issue a call to the cache to determine whether there is a corresponding node in the tree-like data structure that has a name that matches that detail of the user information, wherein the logic layer issues the one or more calls to the cache starting with a first call for a first detail specified in the user information that is associated with a first level, and ending with a last call for a last detail specified in the user information;

retrieve the particular identifier from the lowest-level node in the tree-like data structure that is determined to have the name that matches the one of the details specified by the user information.

14. A server system according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of nodes comprise:

a root level node configured to store a default identifier;

a plurality of first level nodes each being configured to store a first level name and a first level identifier that corresponds to an identifier in the content store that is associated with customized content in the content store; and

one or more nth level nodes, where each nth level node is configured to store an nth level name and an nth level identifier that corresponds to an identifier in the content store that is associated with customized content in the content store.

15. A server system according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of nodes comprise:

a root level node configured to store a default identifier;

a plurality of first level nodes each being configured to store a first level name that corresponds to a particular country and a first level identifier that corresponds to an identifier in the content store that is associated with customized content in the content store;

a plurality of second level nodes each being configured to store a second level name that corresponds to a particular state or region and a second level identifier that corresponds to an identifier in the content store that is associated with customized content in the content store; and

a plurality of third level nodes each being configured to store a third level name that corresponds to a particular business type and a third level identifier that corresponds to an identifier in the content store that is associated with customized content in the content store; and

one or more fourth level nodes, where each fourth level node is configured to store a fourth level name that corresponds to a particular channel of the particular business type and a fourth level identifier that corresponds to an identifier in the content store that is associated with customized content in the content store.

16. A server system according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of nodes comprise:

a root level node that corresponds to a particular state and that is configured to store a default identifier;

a plurality of first level nodes each being configured to store a first level name that corresponds to a particular school district within the particular state and a first level identifier that corresponds to an identifier in the content store that is associated with customized content in the content store;

a plurality of second level nodes each being configured to store a second level name that corresponds to a particular school within the particular school district and a second level identifier that corresponds to an identifier in the content store that is associated with customized content in the content store; and

a plurality of third level nodes each being configured to store a third level name that corresponds to a particular grade within a particular school and a third level identifier that corresponds to an identifier in the content store that is associated with customized content in the content store.

17. A server system according to claim 10, wherein the user information store is a user table, and wherein each first entry in the user table comprises:

a row that stores user information for a user, wherein each row comprises properties fields that each store a detail about that user, and

wherein the content store is content table, and wherein each second entry in the content table comprises;

a row that stores an identifier and a binary large object (BLOB) that comprises customized content that is used to generate a customized web page.

18. A server system according to claim 10, wherein the database is a tenant database that stores data for multiple tenants, and wherein the logic layer is a tenant management process layer, wherein the user information store is a user object, and wherein each first entry of the user object comprises:

a record that stores user information for a user, wherein each record comprises properties fields that each store a detail about that user, and

wherein the content store is a content custom object, and wherein each second entry of the content custom object comprises;

a record that stores an identifier and an attached file that comprises customized content that is used to generate a customized web page.

19. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein that is readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions capable of execution by the processing circuit to perform a method, the method comprising;

retrieving from a user information store stored at a database of the server system, in response to a login request from a particular user, user information associated with the particular user, wherein the user information store comprises;

a plurality of first entries each being configured to store user information for each user;

retrieving, based on the user information, a particular identifier stored by a particular node in a tree-like data structure that is stored in a cache that resides in memory at the server system, wherein the particular identifier has a particular value, and wherein the tree-like data structure comprises;

a plurality of branches comprising a plurality of nodes each being configured to store a name that matches a detail specified by the user information and a value that serves as an identifier that refers to a second entry in a content store maintained at the database of the server system separate from the user information store, and wherein the content store comprises a plurality of second entries each being configured to store an identifier and either;

customized content for a user that is used to render a customized web page customized for that user, an attached file that comprises the customized content, or a link to access the customized content, wherein the particular node is a lowest-level node in the tree-like data structure that is determined to have a name that matches one of the details specified by the user information associated with the particular user, and wherein the particular identifier serves as a primary key that the logic layer can use to access a corresponding one of the second entries in the content store that also includes the particular identifier having the particular value; and

retrieving particular customized content for the particular user from the corresponding one of the second entries in the content store that includes the particular identifier having the particular value that was retrieved from the particular node in the tree-like data structure based on the user information, wherein the particular customized content is to be displayed as part of a particular customized web page of a web site that is customized for that particular user.

20. A computer program product according to claim 19, wherein the user information for the particular user comprises:

one or more details that are associated with that particular user, wherein each of the details have a name, and

wherein the nodes of the tree-like data structure are arranged into a plurality of n different levels, wherein each node has a name and a corresponding identifier associated with that node, and wherein each detail of the user information corresponds to one of the nodes of the tree-like data structure.