System and method for a uniform website platform that can be targeted to individual users and environments

• US 6,966,028 B1
• Filed: 04/18/2001
• Issued: 11/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Charles Schwab & Company Incorporated (Charles Schwab Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Charles Schwab & Company Incorporated (Charles Schwab Corporation)
• Inventors: Beebe, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CHAU T
• Application Number:
  US09/837,641
• Time in Patent Office: 1,672 Days
• Field of Search: 715/501.1, 715/508, 715/513, 715/517, 709/217, 709/236
• US Class Current: 715/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking

Abstract

A system and method for a uniform website platform are provided. For a representative embodiment, a website is created so that one or more of its web pages are subdivided into a series of panels. Each panel is associated with a collection of inserts. Each insert can include any combination of the objects that are normally found on web pages, including content and applications. Users request pages from the website using their browser programs. The responding web server dynamically selects inserts for each of the panels included in each requested page. The selection process may be based on any number of different selection criteria including user preferences and the country or region associated with the web site. The web server renders the selected panels to create each requested page. The dynamically created pages are then returned to the requesting browser.

Claims

1. A method for defining a web page, the method comprising the steps of:

subdividing the web page into a plurality of panels, where each panel is a fixed portion of the web page, and is of a uniform size and a uniform shape, such that each of the panels are of the same size and shape which is suited for display on a targeted personal data assistant;

defining one or more inserts for each panel, each insert renderable to produce code for the corresponding panel;

wherein for a first panel of the plurality of panels at least two inserts are defined for the first panel, and a first insert of the at least two inserts for the first panel provides for display of secure content, and is displayed only where a user has been authenticated, and a second insert of the at least two inserts provides for display of non-secure content and is displayed instead of the first insert, when a user has not been authenticated;

wherein for a second panel of the plurality of panels at least two inserts are defined for the second panel and a first insert of the at least two inserts for the second panel is displayed when a user is determined to be from a first geographic region, and the first insert includes content which is required by a first set of laws governing the first geographic region, and a second insert of the at least two inserts for the second panel is displayed when a user is determined to be from a second geographic region, and the second insert includes content which is required by a second set of laws governing the second geographic region, and

wherein for a third panel of the plurality of panels at least two inserts are defined for the third panel, and a first insert of the at least two inserts for the third panels provides an advanced level of detailed information corresponding to a stock ticker symbol, and a second insert of the at least two inserts for the third panel provides a novice level of information for a stock ticker symbol, wherein a determination is made to display either the first insert or the second insert for the third panel, based on one factor selected from the following group of factors a user indicated preference as to whether the user wants advanced or novice level of information for the stock ticker symbol, and the user'"'"'s previous usage pattern with a website.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein each panel is sized so that a series of panels may be simultaneously viewed on a standard sized computer display.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least some of the inserts are user-specific.

4. A method for responding to a request for a web page the method comprising the steps of:

retrieving a profile corresponding to a user requesting the web page;

retrieving a definition corresponding to the requested web page, the definition describing locations for a plurality of panels included in the web page, wherein each panel is of a uniform size and shape such that each of the panels are suited for display on a targeted personal data assistant;

selecting from at least two inserts for a first panel for the web page based on the definition and the profile, wherein a first insert of the at least two inserts for the first panel provides an advanced level of detailed information corresponding to a stock ticker symbol, and a second insert of the at least two inserts for the first panel provides a novice level of information for a stock ticker symbol, wherein a determination is made to display either the first insert or the second insert for the first panel, based on one factor selected from the following group of factors a user indicated preference as to whether the user wants advanced or novice level of information for the stock ticker symbol, and the user'"'"'s previous usage pattern with a website;

providing at least a first insert and second insert for a second panel of the web page, wherein the first insert for the second panel is selected if the user is from a first geographic region, and the first insert includes content which is required by a first set of laws governing the first geographic region, and wherein the second insert for the second panel is selected if the user from a second geographic region, and the second insert includes content which is required by second set of laws governing the second geographic region;

providing at least a first insert and a second insert for a third panel of the webpage, wherein the first insert for third panel includes secure data and is selected if the user has been authenticated, and the second insert for the third panel includes only non-secure data, and is selected if the user is not authenticated;

rendering the selected panels to produce code for the web page; and

returning the code.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein each panel is sized so that a series of panels may be simultaneously viewed on a standard sized computer display.

6. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein at least some of the inserts are user-specific.

7. A data storage medium having machine-readable code stored thereon, the machine-readable code comprising instructions executable by an array of logic elements, the instructions defining a method, comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for a web page;

retrieving a profile corresponding the user requesting the web page;

retrieving a definition corresponding to the requested web page, the definition describing locations for a plurality of panels which make up the the web page, wherein each panel of the plurality of panels is of a uniform size and shape such that each of the panels are suited for display on a targeted personal data assistant;

selecting from at least two inserts for a first panel for the web page based on the definition and the profile wherein a first insert of the at least two inserts for the first panel provides an advanced level of detailed information corresponding to a stock ticker symbol, and a second insert of the at least two inserts for the first panel provides a novice level of information for a stock ticker symbol, wherein a determination is made to display either the first insert or the second insert in the first panel, based on one factor selected from the following group of factors a user indicated preference as to whether the user wants advanced or novice level of information for the stock ticker symbol, and the user'"'"'s previous usage pattern with a website;

providing at least a first insert and second insert for a second panel of the web page, wherein the first insert for the second panel is selected if the user is from a first geographic region, and the first insert includes content which is required by a first set of laws governing the first geographic region, and wherein the second insert for the second panel is selected if the user from a second geographic region, and the second insert includes content which is required by a second set of laws governing the second geographic region;

providing at least a first insert and a second insert for a third panel of the webpage, wherein the first insert for third panel includes secure data and is selected if the user has been authenticated, and the second insert for the third panel includes only non-secure data, and is selected if the user is not authenticated;

rendering the selected panels to produce code for the web page; and

returning the code.

8. A data storage medium as recited in claim 7, wherein each panel is sized so that a series of panels may be simultaneously viewed on a standard sized computer display.

9. A data storage medium as recited in claim 7, wherein at least some of the inserts are user-specific.