Client-based objectifying of text pages

• US 7,426,513 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2001
• Issued: 09/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sap Portals, Inc. (SAP SE)
• Original Assignee: Sap Portals Israel Ltd (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Gvily, Yaniv
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Miranda
• Application Number:
  US09/797,401
• Publication Number:
  US 20020065955A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,756 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707/104.1, 707100-102, 707200-201, 715/513, 715/515, 715/501.1, 715/205, 715/215, 715/234, 715/235, 709201-203, 709217-219
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/38 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/80 of semi-structured data, e.g. markup language structured data such as SGML, XML or HTML content-based retrieval of web data G06F16/95
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/12 Use of codes for handling textual entities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/134 Hyperlinking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/137 Hierarchical processing, e.g. outlines
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

The invention relates to providing embedded meta-data into HTML pages by means of a plug-in residing on a user computer. The plug-in analyzes the unstructured data of a hypertext page, understands the meaning behind the data, associates meta-data with some of the unstructured data and stores this meta-data back into the original hypertext page. The plug-in stores meta-data in a location that is hidden from the user'"'"'s view so that it is unobtrusive but easily retrievable.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for embedding meta-data in a resource, the method comprising:

at a client machine, intercepting a request for the resource;

at the client machine, extracting a resource identifier from the request;

forwarding the request for said resource from said client machine to a location external to said client machine having the resource;

transmitting said resource identifier to a server remote from and external to said client machine, wherein the server is also remote from the location having the resource;

at said server remote from and external to said client machine, using said resource identifier to locate a meta-data template;

returning said meta-data template to said client machine from said server remote from and external to said client machine;

receiving the resource at the client machine;

at the client machine, using said meta-data template to search the resource and identify one or more recognized elements in the resource,

wherein said search and identify said one or more recognized elements comprises a pattern search, wherein said pattern search is a search for a pre-determined pattern of links,

wherein said search and identify said one or more recognized elements further comprises a location search, said location search comprising locating text based on the position of said text in said resource;

at the client machine, embedding meta-data into the resource based on the one or more recognized elements, wherein the meta-data is embedded so as to describe the one or more recognized elements, wherein said embedded meta-data does not alter a rendering of the resource, and further wherein the meta-data is not to be transmitted to the location having the resource; and

at the client machine, providing at least one contextual navigation option to a user based on an action by the user relative to a recognized element and the meta-data embedded with respect to that element.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein said method is performed by a module operating within a web browser.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein said embedded meta-data comprises a script.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein said embedded meta-data comprises a link.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein said request for a resource is an HTTP request for an HTML document.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein said resource identifier is a URL.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein said request for a resource is a request for a document from a document management database.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising the step of storing detected element data in a log file coupled to said client machine, said detected element data representing at least said one or more recognized elements.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein said search and identify said one or more recognized elements further comprises a dictionary search, wherein said dictionary search comprises locating recognized words or phrases in said resource from computer memory coupled to said client machine.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein said search and identify said one or more recognized elements further comprises a pattern search, said pattern search comprising locating known patterns in said resource.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein said storing a resource identifier comprises storing said resource identifier in computer readable memory coupled to said client machine.

12. A computer implemented method for adding meta-data to a hypertext page, the method comprising:

at a client machine, intercepting an HTTP request for a resource;

at the client machine, extracting a URL from said HTTP request and storing the URL in computer readable memory coupled to said client machine, the URL identifying the requested resource;

forwarding the HTTP request from said client machine to a network external to said client machine having the requested resource;

receiving the requested resource at the client machine in the form of an HTTP response;

at the client machine, extracting content out of the HTTP response;

sending the URL to a server remote from and external to said client machine;

at the server remote from and external to said client machine, locating a meta-data template that corresponds to the URL;

returning the meta-data template from the server to the client machine;

at the client machine, using the meta-data template to search the content and identify recognized elements within the content,

wherein said meta-data template assists a pattern search, wherein said pattern search is a search for a pre-determined pattern of links,

wherein said meta-data template assists a location search, wherein said location search comprises recognizing elements in said resource based on the location of said element in said resource;

at the client machine, embedding meta-data relating to the recognized elements into the content, wherein the meta-data is embedded so as to describe the one or more recognized elements, wherein said embedded meta-data does not alter a rendering of the resource, and further wherein the meta-data is not transmitted to the network having the resource; and

at the client machine, providing at least one contextual navigation option based at least in part on a user selection associated with a recognized element and the embedded meta-data associated with that element.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 12, wherein said client machine comprises a web browser and a module operating within said web browser.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 12, wherein said step of embedding meta-data further comprises:

building a document object model (DOM) using an HTML text stream from said HTTP response;

adding meta-data into the DOM by creating new DOM elements and attributes; and

serializing the DOM with the added meta-data into the HTML text stream.

15. The computer implemented method of claim 12 wherein said resource is an HTML stream.

16. The computer implemented method of claim 12 wherein said network is an intranet network.

17. The computer implemented method of claim 12 wherein said network is the Internet.

18. The computer implemented method of claim 12 wherein said network is a document management system.

19. The computer implemented method of claim 12 wherein said meta-data template is obtained from a meta-data template database, said meta-data template is selected based on said URL.

20. The computer implemented method of claim 19 wherein said meta-data template database is coupled to a location having up-to-date meta-data templates, wherein said meta-data template database receives said up-to-date meta-data templates from said location.

21. The computer implemented method of claim 20 wherein said meta-data template database is coupled to a location having said up-to-date meta-data templates, and receives said up-to-date meta-data templates using the Internet.

22. The computer implemented method of claim 12 wherein said meta-data template assists a dictionary search, wherein said dictionary search comprises recognizing elements in said resource by a word or a phrase.

23. The computer implemented method of claim 12 wherein said meta-data template assists a pattern search, said pattern search comprising locating known patterns in said resource.

24. A computer implemented method for adding a script to a hypertext page, comprising:

intercepting a resource request at a client machine, said resource request identifying a resource;

at the client machine, extracting a resource request identifier from the resource request and storing the resource request identifier in computer readable memory, the resource request identifier associated with the resource;

forwarding the resource request from the client machine to a network external to said client machine and thereafter locating the resource;

forwarding said resource request identifier to a server remote from and external to said client machine;

at said server remote from and external to said client machine, using said resource request identifier to locate a meta-data template that corresponds to the resource request identifier;

returning said meta-data template from said server external to said client machine;

at the client machine, using the meta-data template to identify at least one element within the resource,

wherein said meta-data template assists a pattern search, wherein said pattern search is a search for a pre-determined pattern of links,

wherein said meta-data template assists a location search, wherein said location search comprises recognizing elements in said resource based on the location of said element in said resource;

at the client machine, embedding at least one script into said resource, wherein the script is embedded so as to describe the at least one recognized element, wherein said embedded script does not alter a rendering of the resource, and further wherein the script is not transmitted to the network having the resource; and

at the client machine, providing at least one contextual navigation option to a user based at least in part on the embedded script and a user action performed in connection with the element associated with that script.

25. The computer implemented method of claim 24, wherein said step of embedding at least one script further comprises:

building a document object model (DOM) out of an HTML text stream from said resource;

adding at least one script into the DOM by creating new DOM nodes, elements or attributes; and

serializing the DOM with the at least one added script back into the HTML text stream.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein said network is the Internet.

27. The method of claim 24 wherein said network is an intranet.

28. The method of claim 24 wherein said network is a document management database.

29. The method of claim 24 wherein said document request identifier is a URL.

30. The method of claim 24 wherein said resource is generated from at least one of spreadsheet software, presentation software or word processing software.

31. A computer implemented method for providing navigation options, said method comprising:

receiving a request for a resource at said client machine;

extracting and storing a resource identifier from said request at said client machine;

forwarding said request for said resource from said client machine to a location external to said client machine having said resource;

forwarding the resource identifier from said client machine to a server remote from said client machine and the location having said resource,

at said server, using said resource identifier to locate a meta-data template;

returning the meta-data template to said client machine from said server external to said client machine;

receiving said resource at said client machine and thereafter parsing said resource based on said identifier;

at said client machine, using said meta-data template to search said resource and identify one or more recognized elements in said resource,

wherein said meta-data template assists a pattern search, wherein said pattern search is a search for a pre-determined pattern of links,

wherein said meta-data template assists a location search, wherein said location search comprises recognizing elements in said resource based on the location of said element in said resource;

embedding meta-data into said resource at said client machine based on said one or more recognized elements, wherein the meta-data is embedded so as to describe the one or more recognized elements, wherein said embedded meta-data does not alter a rendering of the resource, and further wherein the meta-data is not to be transmitted to the location having the resource; and

recognizing said meta-data at said client machine and thereafter providing a contextual navigation option at said client machine based on (1) a user action relative to a recognized element and (2) said meta-data associated with that element.

32. The computer implemented method of claim 31 wherein said navigation option comprises a single click hypertext link.

33. The computer implemented method of claim 31 wherein said navigation option comprises an HRNP link, wherein said HRNP link can be clicked at a first location and dragged to a second location.

34. The computer implemented method of claim 31 wherein said navigation option comprises a pop-up menu having a list of links.

35. The computer implemented method of claim 31 wherein said navigation option comprises a list of icons.