Strategies for transforming markup content to code-bearing content for consumption by a receiving device

• US 20060224690A1
• Filed: 04/01/2005
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Pettit, Bradley R., Falkenburg, Steven J., Chan, Ada Y.
• Granted Patent: US 7,761,601 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561

Abstract

Proxy functionality is described for receiving a request for markup content from a receiving device, retrieving the markup content, converting the markup content to code-bearing content, and transferring the code-bearing content to the receiving device. The receiving device can then consume the code-bearing content without the use of conventional browser functionality. The proxy functionality can convert the markup content to code-bearing content by identifying a set of features that captures the characteristics of the markup language content, and then translating those features into to the code-bearing content (in association with identified data resources). The converting can also include identifying features that are contingent on focusable elements (e.g., links) having focus (or not having focus), and formulating this dependency in conditional statements within the code-bearing content. Finally, the markup content can also include code content embedded therein or referenced therein.

Claims

1. A method for providing consumable content to a receiving device, comprising:

receiving a request for document content associated with the consumable content;

loading the requested document content from a source of the document content;

identifying at least one feature of the document content, to thereby form an identified feature set;

forming code that can be executed by the receiving device to provide the identified feature set, to thereby provide code-bearing content; and

forwarding the code-bearing content to the receiving device in response to the request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving device executes the code-bearing content to provide the consumable content without the use of mark-up language processing functionality or scripting functionality.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the document content comprises markup content.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying of said at least one feature comprises identifying at least one or more of the following features in the document content:

a text-related feature;

an image-related feature;

a link-related feature; and

a form-related feature.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the document content includes code content or a reference to code content.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying of said at least one feature comprises:

identifying a base feature set in the document content based on a state in which any focusable elements in the consumable content does not receive focus;

identifying an on-focus feature set in the document content based on states in which the focusable elements in the consumable content successively receive focus;

forming difference information that reflects a difference between the base feature and the on-focus feature set; and

adding the difference information to the base feature set to form the identified feature set.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the difference information reflects that at least one feature in the identified feature set is presented when a focusable element receives focus.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the difference information reflects that at least one feature in the identified feature set is removed when a focusable element receives focus.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the forming of the code comprises:

forming non-conditional code content for at least one feature in the identified feature set having behavior that is not dependent on whether or not a focusable element receives focus; and

forming conditional code content for at least one other feature in the identified feature set having behavior that is dependent on whether or not a focusable element receives focus.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the code-bearing content comprises code content, and one or more of the following data resources:

image content;

font content;

or link content.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the request for document content comprises a search request generated by the receiving device, and wherein the code-bearing content expresses a search result.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the search request comprises a first search term input via a user interface input mechanism provided by the receiving device, and further comprising, in response to the search request, modifying the user interface input mechanism such that a second search term input via the user interface input mechanism will incorporate the first search term as a component thereof.

13. One or more machine readable media containing instructions for implementing the method of claim 1.

14. Proxy functionality for interacting with the receiving device, comprising logic configured to implement the method of claim 1.

15. A method for receiving and consuming consumable content, comprising:

transmitting a request for document content associated with the consumable content;

receiving a reply from a proxy entity that contains code-bearing content that expresses the document content; and

consuming the code-bearing content to provide the consumable content.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the consuming comprises executing the code-bearing content to provide the consumable content without the use of mark-up language processing functionality or scripting functionality.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the document content comprises markup content.

18. One or more machine readable media containing instructions for implementing the method of claim 15.

19. Receiving device functionality for interacting with the proxy entity, comprising logic configured to implement the method of claim 15.

20. Proxy functionality for providing consumable content to a receiving device, comprising:

proxy management logic configured to manage the operation of the proxy functionality, including logic configured to receive and process a request for document content;

content loader logic, in cooperation with the proxy management logic, configured to;

load the requested document content from a source of the document content; and

identify at least one feature of the document content to form an identified feature set; and

content builder logic, in cooperation with the proxy management logic, configured to form code that can be executed by the receiving device to provide the identified feature set, to thereby provide code-bearing content,

wherein the proxy management logic is configured to forward the code-bearing content to the receiving device in response to the request.