Method for providing a document with a button for a network service

• US 6,623,527 B1
• Filed: 11/19/1997
• Issued: 09/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hamzy, Mark J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Herndon, Heather R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Paula, Cesar B.
• Application Number:
  US08/974,575
• Time in Patent Office: 2,134 Days
• Field of Search: 707/501, 707/513, 709/203, 345/760
• US Class Current: 715/234
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/117 Tagging; Marking up details of markup languages G06F40/143; Designating a block; Setting of attributes style sheets, e.g. eXtensible Stylesheet Language Transformation [XSLT], G06F40/154
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/221 Parsing markup language streams streaming G06F40/149

Abstract

A document written in a markup language is intercepted and a markup language string inserted. When read by a browser which understands the markup language, a modified document is presented incorporating a button for a network service such as printing. The inserted markup language used to present the button also includes a path to a server to perform a network service related to the modified document.

Claims

1. A method for printing a document in a markup language, comprising the steps of:

requesting a document from a web server by a web client;

intercepting the requested document by an intermediate server;

parsing the markup language of the requested document;

inserting a markup language string in the requested document for a print button, including a path to a print server, to produce a modified document;

sending the modified document to the requesting client;

presenting the modified document at the requesting client on a display, including presenting the print button;

responsive to selection of the print button, sending a print request to the print server; and

printing the requested document at a printer associated with the print server.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the print button contains a list of selectable printers and further comprises the step of detecting which printer was selected by a user.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the inserted markup language string includes code for the appearance of the print button and code for an action which results from activation of the print button.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 wherein the parsing step includes the step of parsing for the appearance of controls in the requested document and the method further comprises the step of changing the code for the appearance of the print button so that the print button will resemble the controls in the requested document.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 wherein the parsing step includes the step of parsing for the appearance of controls in the requested document and the method further comprises the steps of:

evaluating the code for the appearance of the print button for similarity to controls in the requested document; and

if needed, adjusting the code for the appearance of the print button so that the print button will stand out from the controls in the requested document.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the intermediate server has a cache for recently requested documents and the method further comprises the steps of:

receiving the print request from the web client;

requesting a new copy of the requested document from the web server; and

sending the requested document to the printer.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the print server is the intermediate server and the method further comprises the steps of:

caching the requested document at the intermediate server before modification;

receiving the print request from the web client;

retrieving the cached copy of the requested document; and

sending the requested document to the printer.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

determining web client information about the requesting web client;

composing the markup language string according to the web client information.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein the web client information includes a location of the web client and the print button contains a list of selectable printers chosen according to the web client location.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein the web client information includes information on a web client display and the print button is chosen according to the display.

11. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the parsing step includes the step of parsing for a blank space in the requested document and the markup language string is inserted in the blank space of the requested document.

12. The method as recited in claim 1 the parsing step includes the step of parsing for a border to the requested document and the markup language string is inserted at the border of the requested document.

13. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the requested document is a web page in HTML.

14. A method for advertising a network service related to a document in a markup language, comprising the steps of:

intercepting a document by an intermediate process, the document from a web server and directed to a web client;

inserting a markup language string in the requested document for a button, including a path to a server providing a network service, to produce a modified document; and

sending the modified document to the web client;

so that when the modified document is presented at the web client on a display, the button is presented with the modified document.

15. The method as recited in claim 14 further comprising the steps of:

responsive to selection of the button, sending a request to the server providing the network service; and

providing the network service by the server.

16. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein the network service is printing the document at a printer associated with the server.

17. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein the button contains a list of selectable network services and further comprises the step of detecting which network service was selected by a user.

18. The method as recited in claim 14 wherein the inserted markup language string includes code for the appearance of the button and code for an action which results from activation of the button.

19. The method as recited in claim 14 wherein the intermediate process is resident at an intermediate server and the method further comprises the steps of:

receiving the network service request from the web client;

requesting a new copy of the document from the web server; and

providing the network service with the new copy of the document.

20. The method as recited in claim 14 wherein the intermediate process is on an intermediate server and the method further comprises the steps of:

caching the document at the intermediate server before modification;

receiving the network service request from the web client;

retrieving the cached copy of the document; and

providing the network service using the cached copy of the document.

21. The method as recited in claim 14 further comprising the steps of:

determining web client information about the web client;

composing the markup language string according to the web client information.

22. The method as recited in claim 21 wherein the web client information includes a location of the web client and the button contains a list of network services and paths to servers providing those network services chosen according to the web client location.

23. The method as recited in claim 21 wherein the web client information includes information on a web client capabilities and the markup language for the button is chosen according to the web client capabilities.

24. The method as recited in claim 14 further comprising the steps of:

parsing for a border to the document;

inserting the markup language string at the border of the document.

25. The method as recited in claim 15 wherein the document is a web page in HTML and the method further comprises the steps of:

issuing an HTTP request for the web page from the web client.

26. The method as recited in claim 14 wherein the intermediate process is an adjunct process to a browser application at the web client.

27. A network in which network services are provided to web clients by a server for documents in a markup language, comprising:

communication means for passing data and requests throughout the network;

a web client for requesting a document from a web server;

an intermediate server for intercepting the requested document and inserting a markup language string in the requested document for a button to produce a modified document;

a browser for presenting the modified document at the requesting client on a display and for detecting selection of the button, the browser sending a request for network services to a server listed in the inserted markup string; and

a server for providing the network service for the requested document.

28. The network as recited in claim 27 further comprising a set of printers and wherein the button contains a list of selectable printers and the server provides printing services by printing the requested document on a selected printer.

29. The network as recited in claim 27 further comprising a facsimile service and wherein actuation of the button causes the requested document to be sent by facsimile to a requested destination.

30. The network as recited in claim 27 further comprising storage associated with a service and wherein actuation of the button causes the requested document to be archived in the storage.

31. The network as recited in claim 27 wherein the inserted markup language string includes code for the appearance of the print button and code for an action which results from activation of the print button.

32. The network as recited in claim 27 wherein the intermediate server has a cache for recently requested documents and upon receiving a request from a web client for a network service retrieves the cached copy of the requested document associated with the request.

33. The network as recited in claim 27 further comprising:

means for determining web client information about the requesting web client;

means for composing the markup language string according to the web client information.

34. A proxy server in a network for providing access to a network service related to a document in a markup language, comprising:

means for intercepting requests and responses to and from a web server and a web client;

means for inserting a markup language string in an intercepted document for a button, including instructions for accessing a network service, to produce a modified document; and

means for sending the modified document to an intended recipient of the intercepted document;

so that when the modified document is presented on a display, the button is presented with the modified document.

35. The server as recited in claim 34 wherein the network service is printing the document at a printer associated with the server.

36. The server as recited in claim 34 wherein the button contains a list of selectable network services.

37. The server as recited in claim 34 further comprising a cache for caching recently intercepted documents.

38. The server as recited in claim 34 further comprising:

means for information about the intended recipient;

means for composing the markup language string according to the intended recipient information.

39. The server as recited in claim 38 wherein the intended recipient information includes a location of the intended recipient and the button contains a list of network services and paths to servers providing those network services chosen according to the location.

40. The server as recited in claim 38 wherein the intended recipient information includes information on intended recipient capabilities and the markup language string for the button is chosen according to the intended recipient capabilities.

41. A client system connectable to a network comprising:

a browser for requesting and presenting web documents on a client system display;

an interceptor for intercepting a requested document before reception by the browser;

an insertor for inserting a markup language string in the requested document to create a modified document, the markup language string for placing a button in the requested document which when activated will cause a request for a network service to be issued; and

means for sending the modified document to the browser.

42. The client as recited in claim 41 wherein the network service is printing the requested document at a printer associated with the network.

43. The client as recited in claim 41 wherein the button contains a list of selectable network services.

44. The client as recited in claim 41 further comprising:

means for determining network service information including a list of selectable services in a network and a network path to each of a set of network service providers; and

means for formatting the network service information into the markup language string so that the button includes the list of selectable services and selection of one of the services will cause a request to be issued to an appropriate network service provider.

45. The client as recited in claim 44 further comprising means for selecting which of the list of selectable services is to be formatted into the markup language string.

46. The client as recited in claim 44 further comprising wireless communication means to communicate with a network.

47. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for providing access to a network service related to a document in a markup language, comprising:

means for intercepting requests and responses to and from a web server and a web client;

means for inserting a markup language string in an intercepted document for a button, including instructions for accessing a network service, to produce a modified document; and

means for sending the modified document to an intended recipient of the intercepted document;

so that when the modified document is presented on a display, the button is presented with the modified document.

48. The product as recited in claim 47 wherein the network service is printing the document at a printer associated with the server.

49. The product as recited in claim 47 further comprising means for routing a request for a network service receiving from the intended recipient, wherein the request was issued as a result of actuation of the button.

50. The product as recited in claim 47 further comprising means for caching recently intercepted documents.

51. The product as recited in claim 47 further comprising:

means for creating user profiles for a set of clients;

means for composing the markup language string according to user profile information for the intended recipient.

52. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for use with a browser for requesting and presenting web documents on a client system display comprising:

an interceptor for intercepting a requested document before reception by the browser;

an insertor for inserting a markup language string in the requested document to create a modified document, the markup language string for placing a button in the requested document which when activated will cause a request for a network service to be issued; and

means for sending the modified document to the browser.

53. The product as recited in claim 52 wherein the network service is printing the requested document at a printer associated with the network.

54. The product as recited in claim 52 wherein the button contains a list of selectable network services.

55. The product as recited in claim 52 further comprising:

means for determining network service information including a list of selectable services in a network and a network path to each of a set of network service providers; and

means for formatting the network service information into the markup language string so that the button includes the list of selectable services and selection of one of the services will cause a request to be issued to an appropriate network service provider.

56. The product as recited in claim 55 further comprising means for selecting which of the list of selectable services is to be formatted into the markup language string.