Creating customized internet access client user interface

• US 6,934,697 B1
• Filed: 08/04/2000
• Issued: 08/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NetZero Incorporated (B. Riley Financial, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: NetZero Incorporated (B. Riley Financial, Inc.)
• Inventors: Warren, Terry
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANNAVAJJALA, SRIRAMA T
• Application Number:
  US09/632,318
• Time in Patent Office: 1,845 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707100-1041, 707200-206, 707/500.1, 707/501.1, 707512-513, 707107-109, 705 1- 10, 705 26- 27, 345718-719, 345727-728, 345/787, 725 43- 46, 725 51- 53, 709203-205, 709215-225, 709/227, 709/246, 715/501.1, 715512-513
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A customized Internet access client user interface is described. A template defines the basic layout of the user interface, and is typically stored at the local device and changed only for a major user interface upgrade. The template has various slots designated for receiving program components, which are made up of program objects and corresponding program resources. Each time a local device establishes a session with the server, the server sends the program objects and resources to the local device with rules assigning the components to appropriate slots within the template. Both the program objects and the corresponding program resources are selected by the server based in part upon profile data associated with the local device or with individual user'"'"'s of the local device. Some profile data is supplied by the user, and may include user preferences, demographics, and other personal data. Other profile data is derived from statistics gathered by the client application regarding the user'"'"'s use of the client application. The profile data can be updated at the beginning of each session, or during, or at the end of the session. By selecting the program objects and resources based in part upon the profile data which the client application can supply each time an Internet session is established, the program objects and resources may be customized for each session of each independent local device connecting to the server.

Claims

1. A method of creating a customized Internet access client user interface comprising:

selecting a first program object from a first set of available program objects based in part upon profile data associated with a local device;

selecting a first program resource from a first set of available program resources based in part upon the profile data;

sending the first program object to an Internet access client at the local device;

sending the first program resource to the Internet access client at the local device;

sending a first rule to the Internet access client at the local device to associate the first program object with the first program resource to form a first program component; and

sending a second rule to the Internet access client at the local device to assign the first program component to a first slot associated with a template for an Internet access client user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a third rule to the Internet access client at the local device defining the template and defining slots associated with the template for receiving program components, said slots comprising the first slot and a second slot.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

selecting a second program object from a second set of available program objects based in part upon the profile data;

selecting a second program resource from a second set of available program resources based in part upon the profile data;

sending the second program object to the Internet access client at the local device;

sending the second program resource to the Internet access client at the local device;

sending a fourth rule to the Internet access client at the local device to associate the second program object with the second program resource to form a second program component; and

sending a fifth rule to the Internet access client at the local device to assign the second program component to the second slot.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein sending the first and second rules to the Internet access client at the local device is performed during a first session, and sending the third rule to the Internet access client at the local device is performed during a second session, the second session occurring in time before the first session.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the profile data is received from the Internet access client at the local device during the second session.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a second program object from a second set of available program objects based in part upon the profile data;

selecting a second program resource from a second set of available program resources based in part upon the profile data;

sending the second program object to the Internet access client at the local device;

sending the second program resource to the Internet access client at the local device;

sending a third rule to the Internet access client at the local device to associate the second program object with the second program resource to form a second program component; and

sending a fourth rule to the Internet access client at the local device to assign the second program component to a second slot associated with the template.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second rules are sent as a single rule.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the profile data is received from the Internet access client at the local device during a session established with the local device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first program resource is an executable computer program programmed to cycle through available customized user interfaces.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the profile data comprises statistics regarding use of a client application associated with the local device.

11. A method of creating a customized Internet access client user interface in which an Internet access client performs actions comprising:

sending profile data to a server;

receiving a first program object from the server, said first program object having been selected from a first set of available program objects based in part upon the profile data;

receiving a first program resource from the server, said first program resource having been selected from a first set of available program resources based in part upon the profile data;

receiving a first rule from the server to associate the first program object with the first program resource to form a first program component;

receiving a second rule from the server to assign the first program component to a first slot associated with a template for an Internet access client user interface of the Internet access client; and

implementing the first and second rules by associating the first program object with the first program resource to form the first program component, assigning the first program component to the first slot, displaying the template on a display associated with a local device, and displaying the first program object on the display at a location corresponding to the first slot.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving a third rule from the server defining the template and defining slots associated with the template for receiving program components, said slots comprising the first slot and a second slot.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving a second program object from the server, said second program object having been selected from a second set of available program objects based in part upon the profile data;

receiving a second program resource from the server, said second program resource having been selected from a second set of available program resources based in part upon the profile data;

receiving a fourth rule from the server to associate the second program object with the second program resource to form a second program component;

receiving a fifth rule from the server to assign the second program component to the second slot; and

implementing the third, fourth, and fifth rules by associating the second program object with the second program resource to form the second program component, assigning the second program component to the second slot, displaying the template on a display associated with the local device, and displaying the second program object on the display at a location corresponding to the second slot.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving the first and second rules is performed during a first session between the Internet access client and the server, and receiving the third rule is performed during a second session between the Internet access client and the server, the second session occurring in time before the first session.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the Internet access client sends the profile data to the server during the second session.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a second program object from the server, said second program object having been selected from a second set of available program objects based in part upon the profile data;

receiving a second program resource from the server, said second program resource having been selected from a second set of available program resources based in part upon the profile data;

receiving a third rule from the server to associate the second program object with the second program resource to form a second program component;

receiving a fourth rule from the server to assign the second program component to a second slot associated with the template; and

implementing the third and fourth rules by associating the second program object with the second program resource to form the second program component, assigning the second program component to the second slot, and displaying the second program object on the display at a location corresponding to the second slot.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the first and second rules are received as a single rule.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the Internet access client sends the profile data to the server during a session established with the server.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the first program resource is an executable computer program programmed to cycle through available customized user interfaces.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the profile data comprises statistics regarding use of a client application.

21. A system for creating a customized Internet access client user interface, the system comprising:

an Internet server; and

computer software programmed to;

a) select a first program object from a first set of available program objects based in part upon profile data associated with a local device;

b) select a first program resource from a first set of available program resources based in part upon the profile data;

c) send the first program object to an Internet access client at the local device;

d) send the first program resource to the Internet access client at the local device;

e) send a first rule to the Internet access client at the local device to associate the first program object with the first program resource to form a first program component; and

f) send a second rule to the Internet access client at the local device to assign the first program component to a first slot associated with a template for an Internet access client user interface.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the software is further programmed to send a third rule to the Internet access client at the local device defining the template and defining slots associated with the template for receiving program components, said slots comprising the first slot and a second slot.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the software is further programmed to:

select a second program object from a second set of available program objects based in part upon the profile data;

select a second program resource from a second set of available program resources based in part upon the profile data;

send the second program object to the Internet access client at the local device;

send the second program resource to the Internet access client at the local device;

send a fourth rule to the Internet access client at the local device to associate the second program object with the second program resource to form a second program component; and

send a fifth rule to the Internet access client at the local device to assign the second program component to the second slot.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the software is further programmed to send the first and second rules to the Internet access client at the local device during a first session, and to send the third rule to the Internet access client at the local device during a second session, the second session occurring in time before the first session.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the software is further programmed to receive the profile data from the Internet access client at the local device during the second session.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the software is further programmed to:

select a second program object from a second set of available program objects based in part upon the profile data;

select a second program resource from a second set of available program resources based in part upon the profile data;

send the second program object to the Internet access client at the local device;

send the second program resource to the Internet access client at the local device;

send a third rule to the Internet access client at the local device to associate the second program object with the second program resource to form a second program component; and

send a fourth rule to the Internet access client at the local device to assign the second program component to a second slot associated with the template.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein the software is further programmed to send the first and second rules as a single rule.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein the software is further programmed to receive the profile data from the Internet access client at the local device during a session established with the Internet access client at the local device.

29. The system of claim 21, wherein the first program resource is an executable computer program programmed to cycle through available customized user interfaces.

30. The system of claim 21, wherein the profile data comprises statistics regarding use of a client application associated with the local device.

31. A system for displaying a customized Internet access client user interface, the system comprising:

a local device having a display; and

computer software programmed to implement an Internet access client, the computer software to;

a) send profile data to a server;

b) receive a first program object from the server, said first program object having been selected from a first set of available program objects based in part upon the profile data;

c) receive a first program resource from the server, said first program resource having been selected from a first set of available program resources based in part upon the profile data;

d) receive a first rule from the server to associate the first program object with the first program resource to form a first program component;

e) receive a second rule from the server to assign the first program component to a first slot associated with a template for an Internet access client user interface; and

f) implement the first and second rules by associating the first program object with the first program resource to form the first program component, assigning the first program component to the first slot, displaying the template on the display, and displaying the first program object on the display at a location corresponding to the first slot.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the software is further programmed to receive a third rule from the server defining the template and defining slots associated with the template for receiving program components, said slots comprising the first slot and a second slot.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the software is further programmed to:

receive a second program object from the server, said second program object having been selected from a second set of available program objects based in part upon the profile data;

receive a second program resource from the server, said second program resource having been selected from a second set of available program resources based in part upon the profile data;

receive a fourth rule from the server to associate the second program object with the second program resource to form a second program component;

receive a fifth rule from the server to assign the second program component to the second slot; and

implement the third, fourth, and fifth rules by associating the second program object with the second program resource to form the second program component, assigning the second program component to the second slot, displaying the template on the display, and displaying the second program object on the display at a location corresponding to the second slot.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the software is further programmed to receive the first and second rules during a first session with the server, and to receive the third rule during a second session with the server, wherein the second session occurs in time before the first session.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the software is further programmed to send the profile data to the server during the second session.

36. The system of claim 31, wherein the software is further programmed to:

receive a second program object from the server, said second program object having been selected from a second set of available program objects based in part upon the profile data;

receive a second program resource from the server, said second program resource having been selected from a second set of available program resources based in part upon the profile data;

receive a third rule from the server to associate the second program object with the second program resource to form a second program component;

receive a fourth rule from the server to assign the second program component to a second slot associated with the template; and

implement the third and fourth rules by associating the second program object with the second program resource to form the second program component, assigning the second program component to the second slot, and displaying the second program object on the display at a location corresponding to the second slot.

37. The system of claim 31, wherein the software is further programmed to receive the first and second rules as a single rule.

38. The system of claim 31, wherein the software is further programmed to send the profile data to the server during a session established with the server.

39. The system of claim 31, wherein the first program resource is an executable computer program programmed to cycle through available customized user interfaces.

40. The system of claim 31, wherein the profile data comprises statistics regarding use of a client application associated with the local device.

41. A method of creating a customized Internet access client user interface comprising:

selecting a first program object from a first set of available program objects based in part upon a brand name indicator associated with a local device;

selecting a first program resource from a first set of available program resources based in part upon the brand name indicator;

sending the first program object to an Internet access client at the local device;

sending the first program resource to the Internet access client at the local device;

sending a first rule to the Internet access client at the local device to associate the first program object with the first program resource to form a first program component;

sending a second rule to the Internet access client at the local device to assign the first program component to a first slot associated with a template for an Internet access client user interface; and

sending a third rule to the Internet access client at the local device defining the template and defining slots associated with the template for receiving program components, said slots comprising the first slot and a second slot.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the steps of selecting the first program object and the first program resource are further based in part upon profile data associated with the local device.