Client-side data scraping for open overlay for social networks and online services

• US 20070282980A1
• Filed: 05/31/2006
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Red Hat, Inc. (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Fischer, Donald, Penington, Havoc, Clark, Bryan, Taylor, Owen, Walters, Colin
• Granted Patent: US 8,615,550 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 90/00 Systems or methods specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial or supervisory purposes, not involving significant data processing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and system for allowing an open overlay service for a social network to interface with other online services. In particular, the open overlay service configures its clients to make requests on behalf of the social network. Responses to the requests are routed back to the open overlay service and the information is then provided to the social network. Since the requests come from the client the online services will simply treat them as normal requests, and thus, the open overlay service can seamlessly integrate with a user'"'"'s online services.

Claims

1. A method of retrieving information for a client from an online service by an open overlay service for a social network, said method comprising:

sending a request for information to the client that is destined to the online service;

receiving a response to the request at the open overlay service from the online service via the client; and

distributing information in the response to the social network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the request for information to the client is based on a predetermined time interval.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the request for information comprises sending a HTTP request to the client.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein distributing information to the social network comprises sending a notification to the client.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein distributing information to the social network comprises sending a notification to the client for a user of the social network.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein distributing information to the social network comprises sending notifications to the client for a user of the social network and to at least one additional user of the social network.

7. An apparatus comprising means configured to perform the method of claim 1.

8. A computer readable medium comprising executable code configured to perform the method of claim 1.

9. A method of detecting activity for a user in an online service by an open overlay service, said method comprising:

sending a web page request to a client operated by the user that is destined to the online service;

receiving a response to the web page request at the open overlay service from the online service via the client;

identifying activity for the user at the online service based on the web page refresh; and

notifying the user at the client when activity for the user has been identified.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein sending the web page request to the client is based on a predetermined time interval.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein identifying activity for the user at the online service based on the web page refresh comprises comparing the response to the web page refresh with a previous state of the web page at the online service.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein identifying activity for the user at the online service based on the web page refresh comprises identifying when the user has received a posting from another user at the online service.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein identifying activity for the user at the online service based on the web page refresh comprises identifying when the user has received a message from another user at the online service.

14. An apparatus comprising means configured to perform the method of claim 9.

15. A computer readable medium comprising executable code configured to perform the method of claim 9.

16. A client system configured to retrieve information on behalf of an open overlay system for a social network, said client system comprising:

an interface coupled to a set of online services subscribed to by a user of the client system and the social network;

an application client configured to communicate with at least one of the online services via the interface; and

an overlay client configured to receive requests from the open overlay system and route the requests through the application client to the at least one online service.

17. The client system of claim 16, wherein the application client is a web browser.

18. The client system of claim 16, wherein the application client is an instant messaging client.

19. The client system of claim 16, wherein the application client is multi-media content player.