System, method, and article of manufacture for wireless enablement of the world wide web using a wireless gateway

• US 6,438,575 B1
• Filed: 06/16/2000
• Issued: 08/20/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NVIDIA International Inc. (NVIDIA Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Clickmarks, Inc. (Ealixir, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bokhari, Wasiq, Khan, Umair A., Zondervan, Quinton
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUONG, OANH
• Application Number:
  US09/595,781
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/200, 709/203, 709/219, 709/228, 370/410, 370/400, 370/313, 701/213, 701/201, 701/211, 704/270, 704/260
• US Class Current: 709/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/142 Managing session states for stateless protocols; Signalling session states; State transitions; Keeping-state mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/567 Integrating service provisioning from a plurality of service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for selection and formatting of web content for remote viewing. User-defined information is received and used to retrieve content from one or more web sites. The retrieved content is aggregated at a network server located remotely from the user. The aggregated content is formatted at the network server for display on a wireless device. The formatted content is transmitted to a wireless device for display on the wireless device.

Claims

1. A method for selection and formatting of web content for remote viewing, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving user-defined information specifying content to be retrieved from at least one web site;

(b) retrieving content from the at least one web site utilizing the user-defined information;

(c) aggregating the retrieved content at a network server located remotely from the user;

(d) formatting the aggregated content at the network server for display on multiple types of wireless devices;

(e) identifying a type of wireless device being used by the user;

(f) selecting aggregated content for output to the particular type of wireless device;

(g) transmitting the formatted content to the particular type of wireless device for display on the particular type of wireless device, wherein the selected content is formatted for output on the particular type of wireless device; and

(h) updating the retrieved content after a predetermined amount of time has expired and repeating steps (d)-(g).

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the user is allowed to interact with the content via the wireless device.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the user is allowed to submit the user-defined information from at least one of the wireless device and a hardwired device.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of sending an alert to the wireless device upon occurrence of a prespecified condition.

14. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the user-defined information is received from the wireless device, wherein the user-defined information includes a general request for content, wherein a search engine is used to retrieve content from the at least one web site based on the user-defined information.

15. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the user is allowed to specify whether a particular web page is retrieved upon detection that the web page has changed.

16. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the wireless device sends a request for content in a particular type of formatting.

17. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein a wireless transmission cost and reliability are customizable.

18. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein a wireless transmission time is customizable.

19. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein a formatting style of the content is specific to the wireless device used by a particular user.

20. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the wireless device is at least one of a personal digital assistant (PDA), a handheld computer, a wireless telephone, a device connected to a wireless modem, and a pager.

5. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for selection and formatting of web content for remote viewing, comprising:

(a) a code segment that receives user-defined information specifying content to be retrieved from at least one web site;

(b) a code segment that retrieves content from the at least one web site utilizing the user-defined information;

(c) a code segment that aggregates the retrieved content at a network server located remotely from the user;

(d) a code segment that formats the aggregated content at the network server for display on multiple types of wireless devices;

(e) a code segment that identifies a type of wireless device being used by the user;

(f) a code segment that selects aggregated content for output to the particular type of wireless device;

(g) a code segment that transmits the formatted content to the particular type of wireless device for display on the particular type of wireless device, wherein the selected content is formatted for output on the particular type of wireless device; and

(h) a code segment that updates the retrieved content after a predetermined amount of time has expired, formats the aggregated content at the network server for display on a wireless device, and transmits the formatted content to the wireless device for display on the wireless device.

6. A computer program as recited in claim 5, wherein the user is allowed to interact with the content via the wireless device.

7. A computer program as recited in claim 5, wherein the user is allowed to submit the user-defined information from at least one of the wireless device and a hardwired device.

8. A computer program as recited in claim 5, further comprising a code segment that sends an alert to the wireless device upon occurrence of a prespecified condition.

9. A system for selection and formatting of web content for remote viewing, comprising:

(a) logic that receives user-defined information specifying content to be retrieved from at least one web site;

(b) logic that retrieves content from the at least one web site utilizing the user-defined information;

(c) logic that aggregates the retrieved content at a network server located remotely from the user;

(d) logic that formats the aggregated content at the network server for display on multiple types of wireless devices;

(e) logic that identifies a type of wireless device being used by the user;

(f) logic that selects aggregated content for output to the particular type of wireless device;

(g) logic that transmits the formatted content to the particular type of wireless device for display on the particular type of wireless device, wherein the selected content is formatted for output on the particular type of wireless device; and

(h) logic that updates the retrieved content after a predetermined amount of time has expired, formats the aggregated content at the network server for display on a wireless device, and transmits the formatted content to the wireless device for display on the wireless device.

10. A system as recited in claim 9, wherein the user is allowed to interact with the content via the wireless device.

11. A system as recited in claim 9, wherein the user is allowed to submit the user-defined information from at least one of the wireless device and a hardwired device.

12. A system as recited in claim 9, further comprising logic that sends an alert to the wireless device upon occurrence of a prespecified condition.

13. A method for selection and formatting of web content for remote viewing, comprising:

(a) receiving user-defined information from at least one of a wireless device and a hardwired device;

(b) wherein the user-defined information specifies content to be retrieved from at least one web site;

(c) wherein the user-defined information being received in real time;

(d) wherein the user-defined information includes a general request for content;

(e) wherein a search engine is used to retrieve content from the at least one web site based on the user-defined information;

(f) retrieving content from the at least one web site utilizing the user-defined information;

(g) wherein the content includes at least one of;

text, secure account information, services, and financial transactions;

(h) aggregating the retrieved content on a portal page unique to the user at a network server located remotely from the user;

(i) formatting the aggregated content at the network server for display on multiple types of wireless devices;

(j) wherein the wireless device sends a request for content in a particular type of formatting;

(k) wherein a type of the wireless device being used by the user is identified based on the request;

(l) wherein the wireless device is at least one of a personal digital assistant (PDA), a handheld computer, a wireless telephone, a device connected to a wireless modem, and a pager;

(m) selecting aggregated content for output to the particular type of wireless device;

(n) transmitting the formatted content to the particular type of wireless device for display on the particular type of wireless device, wherein the selected content is formatted for output on the particular type of wireless device;

(o) updating the retrieved content after a predetermined amount of time has expired;

(p) wherein the user is allowed to interact with the content via the wireless device; and

(q) sending an alert to the wireless device upon occurrence of a prespecified condition;

(r) wherein the user is allowed to specify whether a particular web page is retrieved upon detection that the web page has changed;

(s) wherein a transmission cost and reliability are customizable;

(t) wherein a transmission time is customizable;

(u) wherein a formatting style of the content is specific to the wireless device used by the particular user.