Dynamically determining the most appropriate location for style sheet application

• US 6,589,291 B1
• Filed: 04/08/1999
• Issued: 07/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Boag, Scott A., Hind, John R., Wesley, Ajamu A., Topol, Brad B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huynh, Thu V.
• Application Number:
  US09/287,989
• Time in Patent Office: 1,552 Days
• Field of Search: 707/501.1, 707/500, 707/513, 707/511, 715/513, 715/501.1, 715/500, 715/511, 715/522, 715/516
• US Class Current: 715/235
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]

Abstract

A method, system, and computer-readable code for dynamically determining the most appropriate location for applying style sheets. The style sheets may be applied on a server (and/or Web proxy), or on a client, or when multiple style sheets are to be applied, some may be applied at the server while others are applied at the client. Application at the client depends on the capabilities of the client device. If the client device cannot apply style sheets, then they are applied at the server, and the resulting document is sent to the client; otherwise, the document may be sent to the client, where the client will perform the application process. Optionally, the document may be trimmed before it is sent to the client, using a style sheet preprocessing technique. General-purpose style sheets may be leveraged advantageously where a device-specific style sheet is not available, increasing the applicability of such style sheets. The style sheets may be encoded in Extensible Stylesheet Language (XSL), Document Style Semantics and Specification Language (DSSSL), or any other style sheet language having equivalent semantics.

Claims

1. In a computing environment capable of having a connection to a network, computer readable code readable by a computer system in said environment, for dynamically determining the most appropriate location for applying style sheets, comprising:

a subprocess for selecting, at a server or proxy, one or more style sheets to transform a particular input document;

a subprocess for determining, at said server or proxy, whether a client device is capable of applying said selected style sheets;

a first subprocess for processing said particular input document when said subprocess for determining has a positive result, further comprising;

a subprocess for caching said selected style sheets at said server or proxy;

a subprocess for modifying said particular input document to refer to said cached style sheets;

a subprocess for trimming said modified input document using a style sheet preprocessor, further comprising;

a subprocess for using said cached style sheets at said server or proxy to search for elements of said particular input document that will be omitted upon application of said cached style sheets; and

a subprocess for removing said elements that will be omitted from said particular input document, yielding a trimmed input document;

a subprocess for sending said trimmed input document to said client device; and

a subprocess for applying said cached style sheets to said trimmed input document at said client device; and

a second subprocess for processing said particular input document when said subprocess for determining has a negative result, further comprising;

a subprocess for applying said selected style sheets to said particular input document at said server or proxy; and

a subprocess for sending a result of said subprocess for applying to said client device following completion of said subprocess for applying at said server or proxy.

2. Computer readable code for dynamically determining the most appropriate location for applying style sheets according to claim 1, wherein:

said subprocess for determining determines a first subset of said selected style sheets that said client device is capable of applying, and a second subset that said client device is not capable of applying;

said subprocess for applying at said client device applies said first subset; and

said subprocess for applying at said server or proxy applies said second subset.

3. Computer readable code for dynamically determining the most appropriate location for applying style sheets according to claim 1, wherein said subprocess for determining further comprises:

a third subprocess for determining, at said server or proxy, whether one or more of said selected style sheets requires resolution of variable factors specified in said one or more selected style sheets; and

a fourth subprocess for determining whether said client device is capable of resolving said variable factors when (i) said third subprocess has a positive result and (ii) said subprocess for determining has a positive result; and

further comprising;

a fifth subprocess for resolving said variable factors, prior to operation of said first subprocess, when said fourth subprocess has a negative result, further comprising;

a subprocess for translating said style sheets at said server or proxy to resolve said variable factors; and

wherein said subprocess for caching caches said translated style sheets at said server or proxy.

4. Computer readable code for dynamically determining the most appropriate location for applying style sheets according to claim 1, wherein said input document is encoded in Extensible Markup Language (XML) and said style sheets are encoded in Extensible Stylesheet Language (XSL).

5. Computer readable code for dynamically determining the most appropriate location for applying style sheets according to claim 1, wherein said input document is encoded in Extensible Markup Language (XML) and said style sheets are encoded in Document Style Semantics and Specification Language (DSSSL).

6. A system for dynamically determining the most appropriate location for applying style sheets in a computing environment capable of having a connection to a network, comprising:

means for selecting, at a server or proxy, one or more style sheets to transform a particular input document;

means for determining, at said server or proxy, whether a client device is capable of applying said selected style sheets;

first means for processing said particular input document when said means for determining has a positive result, further comprising;

means for caching said selected style sheets at said server or proxy;

means for modifying said particular input document to refer to said cached style sheets;

means for trimming said modified input document using a style sheet preprocessor, further comprising;

means for using said cached style sheets at said server or proxy to search for elements of said particular input document that will be omitted upon application of said cached style sheets; and

means for removing said elements that will be omitted from said particular input document, yielding a trimmed input document;

means for sending said trimmed input document to said client device; and

means for applying said cached style sheets to said trimmed input document at said client device; and

second means for processing said particular input document when said means for determining has a negative result, further comprising;

means for applying said selected style sheets to said particular input document at said server or proxy; and

means for sending a result of said means for applying to said client device following completion of said means for applying at said server or proxy.

7. The system for dynamically determining the most appropriate location for applying style sheets according to claim 6, wherein:

said means for determining determines a first subset of said selected style sheets that said client device is capable of applying, and a second subset that said client device is not capable of applying;

said means for applying at said client applies said first subset; and

said means for applying at said server or proxy applies said second subset.

8. The system for dynamically determining the most appropriate location for applying style sheets according to claim 6, wherein said means for determining further comprises:

third means for determining, at said server or proxy, whether one or more of said selected style sheets requires resolution of variable factors specified in said one or more selected style sheets; and

fourth means for determining whether said client device is capable of resolving said variable factors when (i) said third means has a positive result and (ii) said means for determining has a positive result; and

further comprising;

fifth means for resolving said variable factors, prior to operation of said first means, when said fourth means has a negative result, further comprising;

means for translating said style sheets at said server or proxy to resolve said variable factors; and

wherein said means for caching caches said translated style sheets at said server or proxy.

9. The system for dynamically determining the most appropriate location for applying style sheets according to claim 6, wherein said input document is encoded in Extensible Markup Language (XML) and said style sheets are encoded in Extensible Stylesheet Language (XSL).

10. The system for dynamically determining the most appropriate location for applying style sheets according to claim 6, wherein said input document is encoded in Extensible Markup Language (XML) and said style sheets are encoded in Document Style Semantics and Specification Language (DSSSL).

11. A method for dynamically determining the most appropriate location for applying style sheets in a computing environment capable of having a connection to a network, comprising the steps of:

selecting, at a server or proxy, one or more style sheets to transform a particular input document;

determining, at said server or proxy, whether a client device is capable of applying said selected style sheets;

a first step of processing said particular input document when said determining step has a positive result, further comprising the steps of;

caching said selected style sheets at said server or proxy;

modifying said particular input document to refer to said cached style sheets;

trimming said modified input document using a style sheet preprocessor, further comprising steps of;

using said cached style sheets at said server or proxy to search for elements of said particular input document that will be omitted upon application of said cached style sheets; and

removing said elements that will be omitted from said particular input document, yielding a trimmed input document;

sending said trimmed input document to said client device; and

applying said cached style sheets to said trimmed input document at said client device; and

a second step of processing said particular input document when said determining step has a negative result, further comprising the steps of;

applying said selected style sheets to said particular input document at said server or proxy; and

sending a result of said applying step to said client device following completion of said applying at said server or proxy step.

12. The method for dynamically determining the most appropriate location for applying style sheets according to claim 11, wherein:

said determining step determines a first subset of said selected style sheets that said client device is capable of applying, and a second subset that said client device is not capable of applying;

said applying at said client step applies said first subset; and

said applying at said server or proxy step applies said second subset.

13. The method for dynamically determining the most appropriate location for applying style sheets according to claim 11, wherein said determining step farther comprises the steps of:

a third step of determining, at said server Or proxy, whether one or more of said selected style sheets requires resolution of variable factors specified in said one or more selected style sheets;

a fourth step of determining, at said server or proxy, whether said client device is capable of resolving said variable factors when (i) said third step has a positive result and (ii) said a determining step has a positive result; and

further comprising the step of;

a fifth step of resolving said variable factors, prior to operation of said first step, when said fourth step has a negative result, further comprising the step of;

translating said style sheets at said server or proxy to resolve said variable factors; and

wherein said step of caching caches said translated style sheets at said server or proxy.

14. The method for dynamically determining the most appropriate location for applying style sheets according to claim 11, wherein said input document is encoded in Extensible Markup Language (XML) and said style sheets are encoded in Extensible Stylesheet Language (XSL).

15. The method for dynamically determining the most appropriate location for applying style sheets according to claim 11, wherein said input document is encoded in Extensible Markup Language (XML) and said style sheets are encoded in Document Style Semantics and Specification Language (DSSSL).