Techniques for updating live objects at clients using a dynamic routing network

• US 7,043,525 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2001
• Issued: 05/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Ventures I LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Bang Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: Sorensen, Paul A., Dreyer, Robert S., Cano, Charles E., Tuttle, Timothy, Lueck, Jeremy S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barot, Bharat
• Application Number:
  US10/017,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20060031282A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,607 Days
• Field of Search: 709203-205, 709217-218, 709227-228, 709/246, 709/238, 709/242, 718104-105, 719/315, 719/318, 719328-332, 717153-154, 707/10, 707/100
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context

Abstract

A dynamic content routing network routes update messages containing updates to properties of live objects from input sources to clients having the objects. Certain objects served to clients by a server are indicated as “live.” When the clients receive live objects, the clients identify the object IDs associated with the objects and register the object IDs with the routing network. The routing network maintains a registry of object IDs and clients. An input source provides an update message to the routing network containing the object ID and data specifying an update to a property of the object. The routing network routes the message to each client that has registered for the object ID contained in the message. Upon receipt of the message, a client updates the specified property of the live object.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically updating a property of a live object at one or more clients coupled to a network, comprising:

receiving a first message from a remote input source, the first message identifying the live object and containing data for updating a property of the live object;

identifying a client in the one or more clients that has registered for updates to the live object, wherein the client is coupled to the network; and

routing a second message via the network to the registered client, the second message identifying the live object and containing the data for updating the property of the live object;

wherein the registered client is configured to process the data to cause the update to the property of the live object,

wherein the live object is included in a data representation at the client.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the live object is identified by an object ID.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the object ID comprises a hierarchical namespace.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the live object is identified as a point in a document object model.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data for updating the property of the live object identify the property relative to a point in a document object model.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a registration request from the client, the registration request identifying the live object with an object ID.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request from the client for an activation module, the activation module adapted to identify any live objects at the client; and

providing the activation module to the client.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the client is configured to generate a registration request registering for updates to properties of live objects at the client.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the registered client is configured to generate executable code responsive to the data in the second message and execute the executable code to cause the update to the property of the live object.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the data for updating a property of the live object comprise an executable script and wherein the registered client is configured to execute the executable script.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second message identifies a handler for updating the property of the live object responsive to the data in the second message.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the second message implicitly identifies the handler.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the second message explicitly identifies the handler.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the change to the property of the identified live object is associated with a visual representation of the object at the client.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the change to the property of the identified live object is not associated with a visual representation of the object at the client.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

processing the first message from a first format to a second format to produce the second message.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message and the second message are identical.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the data representation comprises a web page or an application program.

19. A dynamic content routing network for enabling updating a property of a live object at a client coupled to the network, comprising:

a node configured to receive a message from a remote input source, the message identifying the live object and containing data for updating a property of the live object, configured to determine the client coupled to the network, the client having registered to receive updates to properties of the live object, and configured to route the message to the registered client;

wherein the registered client is configured to process the data to cause the update to the property of the live object, wherein the live object is included in a data representation at the registered client.

20. The routing network of claim 19, further comprising:

a gateway in communication with the node and the input source and adapted to receive the message from the input source and deliver the message to the node.

21. The routing network of claim 20, wherein there are a plurality of gateways, further comprising:

a load balancer for balancing a load on the routing network by distributing messages from the input source among the plurality of gateways.

22. The routing network of claim 20, wherein there are a plurality of gateways and a plurality of nodes in each of a plurality of clusters and wherein each gateway within a cluster maintains a communications link with each node within the cluster and wherein each gateway within a cluster maintains a communication link with at least one gateway in each of the other clusters.

23. The routing network of claim 19, wherein the node is further adapted to receive registration request messages from the client, the registration request messages registering for updates to properties of the live object.

24. The routing network of claim 23, wherein there are a plurality of nodes, further comprising:

a load balancer for balancing a load on the routing network by distributing the registration request messages from the client and one or more additional clients among the plurality of nodes.

25. The routing network of claim 19, further comprising:

an application server for serving an activation module to the client, the activation module adapted to enable identification of the live object at the client.

26. The routing network of claim 25, wherein the activation module is further adapted to generate a registration request from the client to the node for registering to receive updates to properties of the live object.

27. The routing network of claim 25, wherein the activation module is further adapted to receive the message routed to the registered client and process the data to cause the update to the property of the live object.

28. The routing network of claim 19, further comprising:

a queue module for holding messages from the input source that have been received but not yet processed by the node.

29. The routing network of claim 19, further comprising a registry maintained by the node, wherein the registry comprises:

a data structure identifying live objects for which the client has registered, and an address of the registered client.

30. The routing network of claim 19, wherein there are a plurality of nodes and wherein at least some of the nodes receive the message from the input source.

31. The routing network of claim 19, wherein the data representation comprises a web page or an application program.

32. A computer-readable medium having computer program code embodied therein for updating a property of a live object at a client coupled to the network, the computer program code configured to cause a computing device to perform the steps of:

identifying the live object at the client;

receiving via the network an update message identifying the live object at the client and containing data for updating the property of the live object; and

processing the data to cause the update to the property of the live object, wherein the live object is included in a data representation at the client.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein the step of identifying the live object at the client comprises the step of:

analyzing a web page displayed at the client to identify object IDs of live objects on the web page.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein the step of identifying the live object at the client comprises the step of:

receiving data responsive to a solicitation of input, the data identifying the live object at the client.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein the program code is further configured to cause the computing device to perform the step of:

sending via the network a registration message indicating the live objects identified at the client to a remote routing network;

wherein the update message is received from the remote routing network.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein the program code is further configured to cause the computing device to perform the step of:

maintaining a connection with a remote routing network;

wherein the update message is received from the remote routing network.

37. The computer readable medium of claim 36, wherein the program code is further configured to cause the computing device to perform the step of:

terminating the connection with the remote routing network responsive to an action occurring at the client.

38. The computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein the live object is identified as a point in a document object model.

39. The computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein the step of processing the data to cause the update to the property of the live object comprises the step of:

changing a property of a point in a document object model.

40. The computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein the processing step comprises the steps of:

generating executable code responsive to the data in the update message; and

executing the executable code to cause the update to the property of the live object.

41. The computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein the data for updating a property of the live object comprise an executable script and wherein the processing step comprises the step of:

executing the executable script.

42. The computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein the update message specifies a handler for changing the property of the live object responsive to the data in the update message.

43. The computer readable medium of claim 42, wherein the update message implicitly specifies the handler.

44. The readable medium product of claim 42, wherein the update message explicitly specifies the handler.

45. The readable medium product of claim 32, wherein the step of processing the data to cause the update to the property of the live object comprises the step of:

changing a property associated with a visual representation of the identified live object.

46. The computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein the step of processing the data to cause the update to the property of the live object comprises the step of:

changing a property not associated with a visual representation of the identified live object.

47. The computer readable medium of claim 32, wherein the data representation comprises a web page or an application program.

48. A system for updating properties of live objects at a plurality of clients coupled to a routing network, comprising:

the routing network in communication with the plurality of clients, the routing network configured to enable the plurality of clients to register to receive updates to properties of live objects, to receive an update message from a remote input source including data for updating a property of an identified live object, and to route the update message to a client in the plurality of clients that has registered for the identified live object;

wherein the registered client is configured to process the data to cause the update to the property of the live object, wherein the live object is included in a data representation at the client.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein each of the plurality of clients is configured to execute an activation module adapted to enable identification of live objects at each client and register for updates to properties of the identified live objects with the routing network.

50. The system of claim 49, the routing network is further adapted to provide the activation module to each of the clients.

51. The system of claim 48, wherein the remote input source is adapted to utilize a director console module to provide the update message to the routing network.

52. The system of claim 48, wherein the input source is adapted to utilize a content management system module to provide the update message to the routing network.

53. The system of claim 48, wherein the data representation comprises a web page or an application program.

54. A device for dynamically updating a property of a live object at one or more clients coupled to a network, comprising:

logic configured to receive a first message from an input source, the first message identifying the live object and containing data for updating a property of the live object;

logic configured to identify a client in the one or more clients that has registered for updates to the live object, wherein the client is coupled to the network; and

logic configured to route a second message via the network to the registered client, the second message identifying the live object and containing the data for updating the property of the live object;

wherein the registered client is configured to process the data to cause the update to the property of the live object,

wherein the live object is included in a data representation at the client.

55. The device of claim 54, wherein the live object is identified by an object ID.

56. The device of claim 55, wherein the object ID comprises a hierarchical namespace.

57. The device of claim 54, wherein the live object is identified as a point in a document object model.

58. The device of claim 54, wherein the data for updating the property of the live object identify the property relative to a point in a document object model.

59. The method of claim 54, wherein the data for updating a property of the live object comprise an executable script and wherein the client is configured to execute the executable script.

60. The device of claim 54, wherein the change to the property of the identified live object is associated with a visual representation of the object at the client.

61. The device of claim 54, wherein the change to the property of the identified live object is not associated with a visual representation of the object at the client.

62. The device of claim 54, further comprising:

logic configured to process the first message from a first format to a second format to produce the second message.

63. The device of claim 54, wherein the first message and the second message are identical.

64. The device of claim 54, wherein the data representation comprises a web page or an application program.

65. A method for dynamically updating a property of a live object at clients coupled to a network, comprising:

receiving a first message from an input source, the first message identifying the live object and containing data for updating a property of the live object;

identifying a plurality of clients that have registered for updates to the live object, wherein the plurality of clients are distributed on the network; and

routing a second message via the network to the registered plurality of clients, the second message identifying the live object and containing the data for updating the property of the live object;

wherein the registered plurality of clients are configured to process the data to cause the update to the property of the live object,

wherein the live object is included in a data representation at each of the plurality of registered clients.