Serving signals

• US 20060178992A1
• Filed: 03/30/2006
• Published: 08/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1995
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ablaise Limited
• Original Assignee: Ablaise Limited
• Inventors: Ritchie, Andrew MacGregor, Bradshaw, Jonathan Marsoen
• Application Number:
  US11/392,519
• Publication Number:
  US 20060178992A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/43
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• 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: G06F 40/186 Templates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1085 involving automatic teller machines [ATMs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users

Abstract

Output signals are served from a serving device to a plurality of browsing devices connected to a network. The output signals represent commands executable by each browsable device so as to display viewable data in accordance with specified page formatting. Requests from browsing clients are identified which contain information relating to the data itself and the display format for the data. The data is read and processed so as to combine a representation of the viewable data with executable instructions. The signals are then supplied to requesting browsing devices, after effectively being assembled as a real time o-line process.

Claims

1. A method of serving data to users over a network, comprising the steps of:

receiving requests for data from a user;

identifying a condition to the effect that said user is interested in a specified product;

generating output data for serving to said user in the form of an advertisement offering a discount for the purchase of said specified product.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said condition is identified by detecting that said user has viewed output data relating to said product for a predetermined period of time.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of maintaining a history of usage for said user, and wherein said condition is identified by analysing said history of usage to identify a product of interest to said user.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein said step of analysing said history of usage comprises the step of analysing the information provided by the viewable data requested by said user.

5. A method according to claim 3, wherein said history of usage includes preferences selected by said user.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said requests are HTTP requests.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein said requests are in the form of URLs.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said requests include a user identifier.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein said advertisement includes an offer to sell a limited edition.

18. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said requests include a user identifier.

10. A method of serving data to users over a network, comprising the steps of:

receiving HTTP requests for data from a user, wherein said requests include a user identifier;

identifying a condition to the effect that said user is interested in a specified product;

generating output data for serving to said user in the form of an advertisement offering a discount for the purchase of said specified product.

11. Apparatus for serving data to users over a network, comprising a processor and a network connection, wherein the processor is configured to:

receive requests for data from a user via said network connection;

identify a condition to the effect that said user is interested in a specified product;

generate output data in the form of an advertisement offering a discount for the purchase of said specified product; and

transmit said output data to said user via said network connection.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said condition is identified by detecting that said user has viewed output data relating to said product for a predetermined period of time.

13. Apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising the step of maintaining a history of usage for said user, and wherein said condition is identified by analysing said history of usage to identify a product of interest to said user.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said step of analysing said history of usage comprises the step of analysing the information provided by the viewable data requested by said user.

15. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said history of usage includes preferences selected by said user.

16. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said requests are HTTP requests.

17. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said requests are in the form of URLs.

19. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said advertisement includes an offer to sell a limited edition.