Method and computer-readable medium for delivering hybrid static and dynamic content

• US 20040236842A1
• Filed: 04/14/2004
• Published: 11/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Marco Vachon, Vincent Bedard
• Original Assignee: Marco Vachon, Vincent Bedard
• Inventors: Vachon, Marco, Bedard, Vincent
• Granted Patent: US 7,546,341 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to software functional modules and, in particular, to such modules used for delivering hybrid static and dynamic content.

Claims

1. A method of delivering hybrid content to a user of a computer system, comprising:

(a) instantiating a first functional module on the computer system;

(b) commanding instantiation of a second functional module remote from the first functional module;

(c) receiving dynamic content from the second functional module;

(d) accessing a repository of static content; and

(e) delivering hybrid content on the basis of the static content in the repository and the dynamic content received from the second functional module.

2. The method defined in claim 1, further comprising executing a computer-readable storage medium into the computer system, the first functional module being located on the computer-readable storage medium.

3. The method defined in claim 2, wherein executing the computer-readable storage medium into the computer system automatically causes instantiation of the first functional module.

4. The method defined in claim 3, wherein the repository is located on the computer-readable storage medium.

5. The method defined in claim 4, wherein the second functional module is located on a server connected to the computer system via a network.

6. The method defined in claim 4, wherein commanding instantiation of a second functional module remote from the first functional module comprises accessing a third functional module remote from the first and second functional modules to determine an address and subsequently accessing the second functional module at the determined address.

7. The method defined in claim 6, wherein the third functional module is located at a second address known to the first functional module.

8. The method defined in claim 4, wherein delivering hybrid content comprises delivering selected portions of the static content in the repository on the basis of the dynamic content received from the second functional module.

9. The method defined in claim 8, wherein delivering hybrid content further comprises delivering part of the dynamic content received from the second functional module.

10. The method defined in claim 9, wherein instantiating, commanding, receiving, accessing and delivering are performed by the computer system.

11. The method defined in claim 10, wherein receiving dynamic content from the second functional module comprises receiving dynamic content from a plurality of web sites or network location.

12. The method defined in claim 4, further comprising instantiating a third functional module for determining whether the computer system meets hardware, software and connection requirements for delivering the hybrid content.

13. The method defined in claim 12, wherein instantiating the first functional module is performed only if instantiating the third functional module indicates that the computer system meets the hardware, software and connection requirements for delivering the hybrid content.

14. The method defined in claim 4, wherein delivering is achieved via a user interface defining at least one visual element defined by a set of parameters.

15. The method defined in claim 14, wherein operation of the computer system is governed by an operating system and wherein the first functional module interacts with the operating system to restrict manipulation of the parameters of the visual element by a user of the computer system.

16. The method defined in claim 15, wherein the dynamic content received from the second functional module includes new parameters for the visual element, the method further comprising changing the audiovisual component of the user interface in accordance with the new parameters.

17. The method defined in claim 16, wherein the visual element comprises at least one window.

18. The method defined in claim 8, wherein delivering hybrid content comprises triggering a multimedia application on the basis of the dynamic content, the multimedia application using the selected portions of the static content.

19. The method defined in claim 8, wherein delivering hybrid content comprises performing database management on the basis of the dynamic content, the database management using the selected portions of the static content.

20. The method defined in claim 8, wherein delivering hybrid content comprises creating a video stream on the basis of the dynamic content, the video stream using the selected portions of the static content.

21. The method defined in claim 8, wherein delivering hybrid content comprises running an ACTIONSCRIPT™

program on the basis of the dynamic content, the ACTIONSCRIPT™

program using the selected portions of the static content.

22. The method defined in claim 1, wherein the dynamic content comprises at least one of dynamic HTML content, database content, streaming video content, MACROMEDIA FLASH™

content and electronic commerce data.

32. The method defined in claim 5, wherein the network is selected from the group consisting of a local area network, the public switched telephone network and the internet.

23. A computer system configured and adapted to implement a method of delivering hybrid content to a user of a computer system, the method comprising:

(a) instantiating a first functional module on the computer system;

(b) commanding instantiation of a second functional module remote from the first functional module;

(c) receiving dynamic content from the second functional module;

(d) accessing a repository of static content; and

(e) delivering hybrid content on the basis of the static content in the repository and the dynamic content received from the second functional module.

24. The computer system defined in claim 23, wherein the repository is located on the computer-readable storage medium.

25. A software module configured and adapted to implement a method of delivering hybrid content to a user of a computer system, the method comprising:

(a) instantiating a first functional module on the computer system;

(b) commanding instantiation of a second functional module remote from the first functional module;

(c) receiving dynamic content from the second functional module;

(d) accessing a repository of static content; and

(e) delivering hybrid content on the basis of the static content in the repository and the dynamic content received from the second functional module.

26. The software module defined in claim 25, wherein the repository is located on the computer-readable storage medium.

27. A computer-readable storage medium comprising a program element for execution by a computing device to deliver hybrid content via a user interface, the program element comprising:

(a) program code means for commanding instantiation of a functional module remote from the computing device;

(b) program code means for receiving dynamic content from the remote functional module;

(c) program code means for accessing a repository of static content; and

(d) program code means for delivering hybrid content on the basis of the static content in the repository and the dynamic content received from the remote functional module.

28. The computer-readable storage medium defined in claim 27, further comprising program code means for detecting software components on the computer.

29. The computer-readable storage medium defined in claim 28, further comprising program code means for installing software components on the computer.

30. The computer-readable storage medium defined in claim 29, further comprising the repository of static content.

31. A computer-readable storage medium comprising:

(a) a repository of static content; and

(b) a program element for execution by a computing device to deliver hybrid content via a user interface, the program element comprising;

(i) program code means for commanding instantiation of a functional module remote from the computing device;

(ii) program code means for receiving dynamic content from the remote functional module;

(iii) program code means for accessing the repository of static content; and

(iv) program code means for delivering hybrid content on the basis of the static content in the repository and the dynamic content received from the remote functional module.