Client-server methods for dynamic content configuration for microbrowsers

• US 20050197924A1
• Filed: 02/11/2005
• Published: 09/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AirBNB Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dutta, Rabindranath, Janakiraman, Janani
• Granted Patent: US 7,403,914 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0239 Online discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0264 based upon schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass

Abstract

A microbrowser such as web-enabled wireless telephones and personal digital assistants allows a user to configure types of objects to be blocked from download including object memory consumption, display area, download time, and restrictions on animated images and executable scripts. Microbrowser state conditions such as battery level and network connection mode are considered when providing said limitations such that more restrictions may be placed during low battery periods to maximize battery life. For example, during low battery conditions or analog connection mode, a user may configure an enhanced microbrowser not to download advertisements, run scripts or animated objects in order to maximize remaining battery life. In another example, a user may configure an enhanced microbrowser to block the download of objects containing audio, or which will occupy more than a certain percentage of the available display area.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically selecting web objects for delivery to a resource-limited microbrowser based upon user preferences and the state of the microbrowser, said web objects having one or more associated characteristics, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a data set of at least one microbrowser receiving limitation including a microbrowser state condition;

selecting one or more web objects having characteristics which meet said receiving limitation and microbrowser state condition; and

transmitting said selected web objects to a microbrowser.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of selecting one or more web objects comprises consulting an index of web object characteristics.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said step of receiving a data set comprises receiving a limitation indication selected from the group of a maximum transmission time, a maximum number of display colors, a maximum display area, a maximum memory consumption, a restriction on executable code, a restriction on animated images, battery condition indication, and network connection mode.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

determining by a web server the condition of a battery in a networked client device from said received data set;

selecting only essential web objects in a web page for transmission by said web server to said client device if said battery condition is low, otherwise selecting all web objects in a web page for transmission by said web server to said client device; and

transmitting said selected web objects to said networked client device.

5. The method as set forth in claim 4 wherein said step of selecting only essential web objects in a web page for transmission by said web server to said client device if said battery condition is low comprises restricting from transmission advertisement web objects.

6. A method for dynamically selecting web objects for delivery to a resource-limited microbrowser, said web objects having one or more associated characteristics, said method comprising the steps of:

sending a data set of at least one microbrowser receiving limitation and one microbrowser state condition to a web object server;

receiving a set of web objects having characteristics which meet said limitation and state condition; and

displaying, playing, or otherwise executing said received web objects in a microbrowser.

7. The method as set forth in claim 6 wherein said step of sending a data set comprises sending a limitation indication selected from the group of a maximum transmission time, a maximum number of display colors, a maximum display area, a maximum memory consumption, a restriction on executable code, a restriction on animated images, battery condition indication and network connection mode.

8. The method as set forth in claim 6 wherein said step of sending a data set comprises sending a cookie to a server.

9. The method as set forth in claim 6 further comprising the steps of:

determining by a web server the condition of a battery in a networked client device from said sent data set;

selecting only essential web objects in a web page for transmission by said web server to said client device if said battery condition is low, otherwise selecting all web objects in a web page for transmission by said web server to said client device; and

transmitting said selected web objects to said networked client device.

10. The method as set forth in claim 9 wherein said step of selecting only essential web objects in a web page for transmission by said web server to said client device if said battery condition is low comprises restricting from transmission advertisement web objects.

11. A computer readable medium encoded with software for dynamically selecting web objects for delivery to a resource-constrained microbrowser based upon user preferences and the state of the microbrowser, said web objects having one or more associated characteristics, said software causing a server to perform the steps of:

receiving a data set of at least one microbrowser receiving limitation and one microbrowser state indication;

selecting one or more web objects having characteristics which meet said receiving limitation and state indication; and

transmitting said selected web objects to a microbrowser.

12. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 11 wherein said software for selecting one or more web objects comprises software for consulting an index of web object characteristics.

13. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 12 wherein said software for receiving a data set comprises software for receiving a limitation indication selected from the group of a maximum transmission time, a maximum number of display colors, a maximum display area, a maximum memory consumption, a restriction on executable code, a restriction on animated images, battery condition indication, and a network connection mode.

14. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 11 further comprising software for performing the steps of:

determining by a web server the condition of a battery in a networked client device from said received data set;

selecting only essential web objects in a web page for transmission by said web server to said client device if said battery condition is low, otherwise selecting all web objects in a web page for transmission by said web server to said client device; and

transmitting said selected web objects to said networked client device.

15. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 14 wherein said software for selecting only essential web objects in a web page for transmission by said web server to said client device if said battery condition is low comprises software for restricting advertisement web objects from transmission.

16. A computer readable medium encoded with software for dynamically selecting web objects for delivery to a resource-limited microbrowser based upon user preferences and the state of the microbrowser, said web objects having one or more associated characteristics, said software causing a microbrowser to perform the steps of:

sending a data set of at least one microbrowser receiving limitation and at least one microbrowser state condition to a web object server;

receiving a set of web objects having characteristics which meet said limitation and state condition; and

displaying, playing, or otherwise executing said received web objects in a microbrowser.

17. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 16 wherein said software for sending a data set comprises software for sending a limitation indication selected from the group of a maximum transmission time, a maximum number of display colors, a maximum display area, a maximum memory consumption, a restriction on executable code, a restriction on animated images, battery condition indication, and network connection mode.

18. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 16 wherein said software for sending a data set comprises software for sending a cookie to a server.

19. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 16 further comprising software for performing the steps of:

determining by a web server the condition of a battery in a networked client device from said sent data set;

selecting only essential web objects in a web page for transmission by said web server to said client device if said battery condition is low, otherwise selecting all web objects in a web page for transmission by said web server to said client device; and

transmitting said selected web objects to said networked client device.

20. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 19 wherein said software for selecting only essential web objects in a web page for transmission by said web server to said client device if said battery condition is low comprises software for restricting advertisement web objects from transmission.