Technique for changing views of web content

• US 20040167933A1
• Filed: 02/24/2003
• Published: 08/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Lomelin-Stoupignan, Mauricio, Calbucci, Marcelo Aizenstein Furman
• Granted Patent: US 7,487,185 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users

Abstract

A system for presenting web content that allows the user to select and change the view of the content. A page of content, which is viewable on a web browser, contains a user-operable element, such as a pull-down menu, that allow the user to select a view for that content. The page is generated in a default view, by using a content-generation program that receives parameters from a first configuration file. The page includes a user-operable element such as a pull-down menu that allows the user to select a different view for the content. The user'"'"'s selection is transmitted to the content provider. The content provider then re-runs the content-generation program using a second configuration file that corresponds to the selected view. The second configuration file contains different parameters from the first configuration file. The re-generated content is then re-delivered to the user'"'"'s computer for display on the web browser.

Claims

1. A method of offering plural content views to a user comprising:

running a program to generate an item of content in a first view;

transmitting said item of content for display on a user'"'"'s machine, said item of content including a user-operable element that allows said user to select from a plurality of views;

receiving, from said user, a selection of a second view different from said first view; and

re-running the program to generate said item of content in said second view.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said item of content in said first view comprises an HTML web page.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said item of content comprises a plurality of web pages responsive to a search query.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said item of content in said first view comprises information relating to a first set of said plurality of web pages, and wherein said item of content in said second view comprises information relating to a second set of said plurality of web pages, said second set not being identical to said first set.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said program receives one or more input parameters and produces output based on said input parameters.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein a first set of input parameters corresponds to said first view, wherein a second set of input parameters corresponds to said second view, and wherein said program generates said item of content in said first view or said second view according to whether said program receives as input said first set of input parameters or said second set of input parameters.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said first set of input parameters is stored in a first configuration file, wherein said second set of input parameters is stored in a second configuration file, wherein said program is caused to generate said content item in said first view by directing said content program to receive input from said first configuration file, and wherein said program is caused to generate said content item in said second view by directing said content program to receive input from said second configuration file.

8. A system for generating a content item comprising:

a plurality of configuration files;

a content-generation program that generates the content item in a first view based on a first of said configuration files, receives a selection of a second view from a user, and generates the content item in the second view based on a second of said configuration files, said second of said configuration files corresponding to said second view.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the content item in said first view comprises a user operable element that, when the content item in said first view is rendered on a browser, allows the user to select from one or more views including said second view.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the content item in each of said first and second views comprises a Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) web page.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the content item comprises results that are responsive to a search query, wherein the first and second views comprise information based on said results, said first and second views not being identical to each other.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said results comprise information relating to a plurality of web pages, wherein said first view comprises information relating to a first set of said plurality of web pages, wherein said second view comprises information relating to a second set of said plurality of web pages, said first set and said second set not being identical to each other.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein each of the configuration files corresponds to a view, a first of said configuration files corresponding to said first view, a second of said configuration files corresponding to said second view, said content-generation program receiving input from a one of said configuration files according to which view said content item is to be rendered in.

14. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions to perform a method of allowing a user to change content views, the method comprising:

creating a view-change menu;

receiving an indication, based on said view-change menu, that a user desires to receive a content item in a first one of a plurality of views; and

generating said content item in said first view based on said indication.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein a plurality of configuration files correspond to different views, a first of said configuration files corresponding to said first view, and wherein the method further comprises:

selecting said first configuration file from among said plurality of configuration files based on said indication.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein said content item in said first view comprises said view-change menu.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, further comprising:

delivering the content item to the user in a second view different from the first view, wherein the content item in said second view comprises said view-change menu.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein said content item comprises information about web pages that are responsive to a query, wherein said content item in said first view comprises first information about said web pages, wherein said content item in said second view comprises second information about said web pages, said first information being different from said second information.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein said first information is based on a first set of said web pages, wherein said second information is based on a second set of said web pages, and wherein said first set is not identical to said second set.

20. A method of changing the view of content comprising:

receiving a content item in a first view, including a user-operable element that allows a user to select a second view from among one or more views;

selecting said second view; and

receiving said content item in said second view.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

entering a query,

wherein said content item comprises results responsive to said query.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said content item in said first view comprises first information about said results, and wherein said content item in said second view comprises second information about said results, said second information not being identical to said first information.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said first information comprises titles of at least some of the results, and wherein said second information comprises graphics relating to at least some of the results.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein said first information is based on a first set of said results, wherein said second information is based on a second set of said results, and wherein said first set is not identical to said second set.