System and Method for Providing and Displaying Information Content

• US 20100228880A1
• Filed: 05/18/2010
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Matlin, Igor, Patterson, Sean, McHugh, Cecile, Hayosh, Thomas, Wallace, Kevin, Dafforn, Brent, Wiatrak, Bruce, Hunt, Simon
• Application Number:
  US12/782,361
• Publication Number:
  US 20100228880A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/246
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents

Abstract

A system and method is provided for enabling an electronic device to efficiently access information content. A server browser accesses the information content over a network. The accessed information content is retrieved and adapted for presentation for the electronic device. A serializer dynamically formats the adapted information content according to a client browser. The client browser receives and presents the information content on the electronic device. An event translator is included to provide additional compatibility with commercially available client browsers. The information content is formatted to selectively minimize the horizontal scrolling required to view the content. The need for horizontal scrolling is selectively removed where not necessary to preserve the context. Each component or sub-component of the original area, such as a frame, table row, table cell or nested table, is considered separately and may be preserved, resized, or replaced. Where the context requires that the content be wider than the viewable area of the screen, horizontal scrolling is preserved.

Claims

1. A method, wherein a server-browser is operable to communicate with a client device via a first wireless link, the method comprising:

the server-browser receiving a first information content in a first data format from an information source;

the server-browser using an adaptation mode to transmit the first information content to the client device via the first wireless link, wherein when using the adaptation mode the server-browser modifies at least a portion of the first information content into a second data format prior to transmission;

the server-browser determining to switch from the adaptation mode to a transparent non-adaptation mode;

the server-browser receiving a second information content in the first data format from the information source; and

the server-browser using the transparent non-adaptation mode to transmit the second information content to the client device, wherein when using the transparent non-adaptation mode the server-browser does not modify the second information content into the second data format prior to transmission.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the client device includes a client-browser that operates in conjunction with the server browser to deliver the first information content to the client device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining to switch from the adaptation mode to the transparent non-adaptation mode comprises:

the server-browser determining that the client device has switched to using a second wireless link.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the adaptation mode is preset to be operable when the client device uses the first wireless link, and wherein the transparent non-adaptation mode is preset to be operable when the client device uses the second wireless link.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining to switch from the adaptation mode to the transparent non-adaptation mode comprises:

the server-browser determining that the second information content is to be transmitted to the client device in the second data format.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to receiving the first information content, the server-browser using the transparent non-adaptation mode to authenticate the client device; and

in response to the authentication completing, the server browser switching from the transparent non-adaptation mode to the adaptation mode.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining to switch from the adaptation mode to the transparent non-adaptation mode comprises:

determining times required to convert the second information content from the first data format to the second data format.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining to switch from the adaptation mode to the transparent non-adaptation mode comprises:

determining times required to transmit the second information content via the first wireless link in the first data format and in the second data format.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining to switch from the adaptation mode to the transparent non-adaptation mode comprises:

determining times required to render the second information content on the client device in the first data format and in the second data format.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the adaptation mode uses a proxy server and the transparent non-adaption mode does not use a proxy server.

11. A method, wherein a server-browser is operable to communicate with a client device via a wireless link, the method comprising:

the server-browser determining a first capability of the client device to display information content using a desktop layout;

the server-browser determining a second capability of the client device to display information content using a handheld layout, wherein both the desktop layout and the handheld layout use a data format, and wherein when using the data format the desktop layout requires more data content than the handheld layout;

the server-browser determining transmission capabilities of the wireless link; and

based on the first capability, the second capability, and the transmission capabilities, the server-browser determining whether to transmit the information content to the client device in the desktop layout or the handheld layout.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein determining whether to transmit the information content to the client device in the desktop layout or the handheld layout comprises:

determining that the information content contains a block element;

determining whether the client device supports the block element;

if the client device supports the block element, transmitting the information content in the desktop layout; and

if the client device does not support the block element, transmitting the information content in the handheld layout.

13. A method, wherein a client device communicates using a first wireless link, wherein the client device is operable to be in a proxy server mode or a proxyless mode, wherein the client device communicates via the server-browser when in the proxy server mode, and wherein the client device bypasses the server-browser when in the proxyless mode, the method comprising:

the client device requesting, via the server-browser, a first information content from an information source, wherein the client device is in the proxy server mode;

the client device receiving the first information content from the server-browser, wherein at least a portion of the first information content was modified by the server-browser from a first data format to a second data format, wherein the second data format is adapted for the client device;

the client device switching from the proxy server mode to the proxyless mode;

the client device bypassing the server-browser to request a second information content from the information source;

the client device receiving the second information content without modification from the information source; and

the client device presenting the first information and the second information content, wherein the first information content is presented as modified by the server browser and the second information content is presented as received from the information source.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the client device includes a client-browser that operates in conjunction with the server browser to deliver the first information content to the client device.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein switching from the proxy server mode to the proxyless mode is performed in response to the client device switching to using a second wireless link.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the proxy server mode is preset to be operable when the client device uses the first wireless link, and wherein the proxyless mode is preset to be operable when the client device uses the second wireless link.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

prior to receiving the first information content, the client device conducting an authentication transaction using the proxyless mode; and

in response to the authentication transaction completing, the client device switching from the proxyless mode to the proxy server mode.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein switching from the proxy server mode to the proxyless mode is performed in response to determining times required to convert the second information content from the first data format to the second data format.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein switching from the proxy server mode to the proxyless mode is performed in response to determining times required to transmit the second information content via the first wireless link in the first data format and in the second data format.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein switching from the proxy server mode to the proxyless mode is performed in response to determining times required to render the second information content on the client device in the first data format and in the second data format.