Customization of information from web sites
First Claim
1. A method of facilitating customization of information presented by web sites for display to an Internet user based on preferences of the Internet user, the method comprising:
- storing, in response to input of the Internet user, a user specification comprising data which indicates, for each of a plurality of predefined preference elements, each of which may have a plurality of predefined values corresponding to respective user preferences, a value corresponding to that user'"'"'s preference; and
on establishment of a connection by the Internet user to any one of a plurality of web sites, supplying at least some of the user specification data to the web site to allow the information presented for display to the user by the web site to be customized based on the user preferences indicated by the data supplied.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus are provided to facilitate customization of information presented by web sites for display to an Internet user based on his preferences. In a customization system connectable to web sites via the Internet, a user specification is stored in response to input of the Internet user. The user specification comprises data which indicates, for each of a plurality of predefined preference elements, each of which may have a plurality of predefined values corresponding to respective user preferences, a value corresponding to the user'"'"'s preference. On establishment of a connection by the Internet user to any one of a plurality of web sites, at least some of the user specification data is supplied to the web site by the customization system. When the user establishes the connection to the web site, at least some of the prestored user specification data is supplied to the web site. Web sites which are able to interpret the specification data can thus use the data to customize the user'"'"'s web session according to the particular user preferences indicated by the data supplied. Since the preference elements and associated values for expression of user preferences are predefined, web sites can be configured to interpret the specification data based on the known elements and values and use the expressed preferences in their customization processes. The user specification can also be updated in response to information received from a web site indicative of new user preferences expressed during connection of the user to that site.
62 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method of facilitating customization of information presented by web sites for display to an Internet user based on preferences of the Internet user, the method comprising:
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storing, in response to input of the Internet user, a user specification comprising data which indicates, for each of a plurality of predefined preference elements, each of which may have a plurality of predefined values corresponding to respective user preferences, a value corresponding to that user'"'"'s preference; and
on establishment of a connection by the Internet user to any one of a plurality of web sites, supplying at least some of the user specification data to the web site to allow the information presented for display to the user by the web site to be customized based on the user preferences indicated by the data supplied. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of customizing information presented by a web site for display to an Internet user based on preferences of the Internet user, the method comprising:
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in a customization system connectable to the web site via the Internet, storing, in response to input of the Internet user, a user specification comprising data which indicates, for each of a plurality of predefined preference elements, each of which may have a plurality of predefined values corresponding to respective user preferences, a value corresponding to that user'"'"'s preference, and, on establishment of a connection by the Internet user to the web site, supplying at least some of the user specification data to the web site; and
at the web site, customizing the information presented for display to the user based on the user preferences indicated by the user specification data supplied by the customization system.
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13. An apparatus for facilitating customization of information presented by web sites for display to an Internet user based on preferences of the Internet user, the apparatus comprising memory, communications circuitry for communication of data with web sites, and control logic, the control logic being configured to:
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generate, in response to input of the Internet user, a user specification comprising data which indicates, for each of a plurality of predefined preference elements, each of which may have a plurality of predefined values corresponding to respective user preferences, a value corresponding to that user'"'"'s preference;
store the user specification in said memory; and
on establishment of a connection by the Internet user to any one of a plurality of web sites, supply at least some of the user specification data to the web site via said communications circuitry to allow the information presented for display to the user by the web site to be customized based on the user preferences indicated by the data supplied. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An apparatus for customizing information presented by a web site for display to an Internet user based on preferences of the Internet user, the apparatus comprising:
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a customization system connectable to web sites via the Internet, the customization system comprising memory, communications circuitry for communication of data with web sites via the Internet, and control logic configured to generate, in response to input of the Internet user, a user specification comprising data which indicates, for each of a plurality of predefined preference elements, each of which may have a plurality of predefined values corresponding to respective user preferences, a value corresponding to that user'"'"'s preference, to store the user specification in said memory, and, on establishment of a connection by the Internet user to any one of a plurality of web sites, supply at least some of the user specification data to the web site via said communications circuitry; and
a server system providing one of said plurality of web sites, the server system being arranged, on establishment of a connection by the Internet user to that web site, to customize the information presented for display to the user based on the user preferences indicated by the user specification data supplied by the customization system.
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25. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium having embodied therein computer readable program code means for causing a processor of customization apparatus to perform a method of facilitating customization of information presented by web sites for display to an Internet user based on preferences of the Internet user, the method comprising:
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storing, in response to input of the Internet user, a user specification comprising data which indicates, for each of a plurality of predefined preference elements, each of which may have a plurality of predefined values corresponding to respective user preferences, a value corresponding to that user'"'"'s preference; and
on establishment of a connection by the Internet user to any one of a plurality of web sites, supplying at least some of the user specification data to the web site to allow the information presented for display to the user by the web site to be customized based on the user preferences indicated by the data supplied.
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Specification