Function-based object model for use in website adaptation

• US 7,458,017 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2001
• Issued: 11/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Zhang, Hong-Jiang, Yang, Yudong, Chen, Jin-Lin
• Primary Examiner(s): RIES, LAURIE ANNE
• Application Number:
  US09/893,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20030101203A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,709 Days
• Field of Search: 715/513, 715/760, 715/523, 715/526, 715/234, 715/249, 715/273
• US Class Current: 715/234
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking

Abstract

By understanding a website author'"'"'s intention through an analysis of the function of a website, website content can be adapted for presentation or rendering in a manner that more closely appreciates and respects the function behind the website. Various inventive systems and methods analyze a website'"'"'s function so that its content can be adapted to different client environments, e.g. devices, network conditions, or user preferences. A novel function-based object model automatically identifies objects associated with a website, and analyzes those objects in terms of their functions. The function-based object model permits consistent, informed decisions to be made in the adaptation process, so that web content is displayed not only in an organized manner, but in a manner that reflects the author'"'"'s intention.

Claims

1. A web content adaptation method comprising:

analyzing one or more functions associated with a webpage that is configured for presentation on a first device type, the analyzing being performed by generating one or more function-based object models that represent objects comprising the webpage,

the objects comprising;

one or more basic objects associated with the webpage, basic objects comprising a smallest information body that cannot be further divided, the one or more basic objects being configured to perform one or more of the following functions;

(1) providing semantic information, (2) navigating to other objects, (3) providing a visual effect on the webpage, and (4) enabling user interaction; and

one or more composite objects associated with the webpage, composite objects comprising objects that contain other objects, the one or more composite objects having a clustering function that is associated with a webpage author'"'"'s intention;

the generating of the one or more function-based object models comprising generating at least one function-based object model for a basic object, the at least one function-based object model being generated as a function of one or more of the following properties;

(1) a presentation property that defines a way in which the object is presented, (2) a semanteme property associated with content of an object, (3) a decoration property pertaining to an extent to which the basic objects serves to decorate the webpage, (4) a hyperlink property pertaining to an object to which the basic object l)points via a hyperlink, and (5) a interaction property pertaining to an interaction method of the basic object;

the generating at least one function-based object model for a composite object. said at least one function-based object model for the composite object being generated as a function of one or more of the following properties;

(1) a clustering relationship property pertaining to a relationship among root children of the composite object, and (2) a presentation relationship property pertaining to a presentation order associated with the root children of the composite object;

the generating further comprising generating at least one specific function-based object model that serves to categorize an object by;

for a basic object, generating the at least one specific function-based object model based upon properties of the basic object and properties associated with any father or brother objects; and

for a composite object, generating the at least one specific function-based object model based upon properties of the composite object and any of its root children; and

based on the analyzing, adapting the webpage for presentation on a second device typo that is different from the first device type.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said generating of said at least one specific function-based object model comprises using a rule-based decision tree to ascertain a category of an object.

3. One or more computer-readable storage media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

analyze one or more functions associated with a webpage that is configured for presentation on a first device type by generating one or more function-based object models that represent objects comprising the webpage,

said objects comprising;

one or more basic objects associated with the webpage, basic objects comprising a smallest information body that cannot be further divided, said one or more basic objects being configured to perform one or more of the following functions;

(1) providing semantic information, (2) navigating to other objects. (3) providing a visual effect on the webpage, and (4) enabling user interaction; and

one or more composite objects associated with the webpage, composite objects comprising objects that contain other objects, said one or more composite objects having a clustering function that is associated with a webpage author'"'"'s intention;

said generating of the one or more function-based object models comprising generating at least one function-based object model for a basic object, said at least one function-based object model being generated as a function of one or more of the following properties;

(1) a presentation property that defines a way in which the object is presented, (2) a semanteme property associated with content of an object, (3) a decoration property pertaining to an extent to which the basic objects serves to decorate the webpage, (4) a hyperlink property pertaining to an object to which the basic object points via a hyperlink, and (5) a interaction property pertaining to an interaction method of the basic object;

said generating further comprising generating at least one function- based object model for a composite object, said at least one function-based object model for the composite object being generated as a function of one or more of the following properties;

(1) a clustering relationship property pertaining to a relationship among root children of the composite object, and (2) a presentation relationship property pertaining to a presentation order associated with the root children of the composite object;

said generating further comprising generating at least one specific function-based object model that serves to categorize an object by;

for a basic object, generating said at least one specific function-based object model based Upon properties of the basic object and properties associated with any father or brother objects; and

for a composite object, generating said at least one specific function-based object model based upon properties of the composite object and any of its root children; and

based upon an analysis of said one or more functions, adapt the webpage for presentation on a second device type that is different from the first device type.

4. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 3, wherein said instructions cause the one or more processors to adapt the webpage for presentation on a WAP (Wireless Application Protocol)-enabled device.

5. A web content adaptation method comprising:

receiving multiple web pages that are configured for display on a first device type;

processing the multiple web pages to provide multiple different objects associated with the webpages, wherein the objects are classified according to the number of component objects an individual object contains, and wherein the individual object has one or more properties that relates to the one or more functions of the individual object; and

applying one or more rules to the objects sufficient to provide multiple different webpages that an configured for display on a second device type that is different from the first device type.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the individual objects can have a presentation property that defines away in which the object is presented.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the individual objects can have a semanteme property associated with the content of an object

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the individual objects can have a decoration property pertaining to the extent to which object serve to decorate a webpage.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the individual objects can have a hyperlink property pertaining to an object to which another object points via a hyperlink.

10. The method of claim 5, what the individual objects can have a interaction property pertaining to an interaction method of an object

11. The method of claim 5, wherein the individual objects can have a clustering relationship property pertaining to a relationship among any root children of an object.

12. The method of claim 5, wherein the individual objects can have a presentation relationship property pertaining to a presentation order associated with any root children of an object.

13. The method of claim 5, wherein said processing comprises defining a representation of an object that includes any children of said object.

14. The method of claim 5, wherein said processing comprises assigning a category to one or more objects.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said assigning comprises using a rule-based decision tree to ascertain a category for said one or more objects.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said assigning comprises assigning a category from a set of object categories comprising:

(1) an information object that presents content information, (2) a navigation object that provides a navigation function, (3) an interaction object that provides for user interaction, (4) a decoration object that serves a decoration function, (5) a special function object that performs a defined function, and (6) a page object that is associated with presentation of related information.