Remote web site editing in a web browser without external client software

• US 7,624,342 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2005
• Issued: 11/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CDK Global Incorporated
• Original Assignee: The Cobalt Group Incorporated (Automatic Data Processing Incorporated)
• Inventors: Matveyenko, Wade A., Krishnamurty, Rajan, Uyeno, Stella, Benson, Bryan, Worsham, Brian T.
• Primary Examiner(s): HUYNH, CONG LAC T
• Application Number:
  US11/149,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20050229101A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,628 Days
• Field of Search: 715/200, 715/243, 715/255, 715/838
• US Class Current: 715/255
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]

Abstract

A visual WYSIWYG method of editing a web site in a remote user'"'"'s client web browser without employing any external code on the user'"'"'s computer, including designating an editable feature in a web page and responding to a request from the user'"'"'s web browser to edit the web page. The response includes downloading the requested web page in an editable form which allows the user to edit the web page in the browser. The web browser then submits an identifier of the web site, a version of the web site, an identifier of the web page edited, an identifier of an editable feature, and indicia of a new selection for the identified editable feature. The web site stored on the server is then updated to incorporate the new selection for the editable feature. The revised web page is then downloaded to the user'"'"'s web browser.

Claims

1. A visual, WYSIWYG method of editing a web page in a user'"'"'s client web browser without employing any external code on the user'"'"'s computer, comprising:

in a web page, designating at least one of a plurality of locally editable features, wherein one of said plurality of locally editable features is a web page layout feature and one of said plurality of locally editable features is web page content feature;

responsive to a request from the user'"'"'s client web browser to edit the web page;

transmitting an editable web page to the user'"'"'s client web browser without generating an executable code on a server associated with the downloaded web page, wherein editing said web page in the user'"'"'s web browser is carried out without the use of additional software on the web browser;

receiving a submission from the web browser that includes an identifier of the web page edited, an identifier of an editable feature, and indicia of a new value of the identified editable feature;

updating the web page stored on the server to incorporate the indicated new value of the identified editable feature; and

transmitting an updated web page to the user'"'"'s web browser.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the submission from the web browser includes an identifier of a web site and a version of the web site.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the editable web page has embedded editing logic for at least one of the editable features and editing the web page locally includes executing the embedded editing logic by the user'"'"'s client web browser.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the execution of the embedded editing logic by the user'"'"'s client web browser does not send a request to the server.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the submission from the web browser includes a new color scheme value site and the method further includes updating the entire web site to reflect the new color scheme value.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the submission from the web browser includes a new layout design for the web site and the method further includes updating the entire web site to reflect the selected layout design.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said downloading a web page of the requested web site to the browser in an editable form includes embedding a plurality of thumbnail images illustrating alternative layout designs for the web page.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the new value for the identified editable feature comprises new text.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the indicia of a new value for the identified editable feature comprises an identifier of a new image file.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the submission is transmitted to the web server as a Hyper Text Transfer Protocol POST.

11. A computer-readable storage media comprising instructions to cause the computing device to perform a method of editing a web page of a web site, the method comprising:

generating, at a server, an editable web page comprising embedded editing logic for editing at least one of a plurality of editable features of the web page, wherein one of the plurality of editable features is a web page layout feature and one of the editable features is web page content feature, and wherein the embedded editing logic is executable by a web browser to enable local editing of the web page without executing additional software on the web browser and without communicating with the server;

receiving a form payload submission from the web browser, the form payload submission including an identifier of the web site, a version of the web site, an identifier of the web page edited, an identifier of the editable feature, and indicia of a new value of the editable feature;

updating the web page, incorporating the new value of the identified editable feature, on the server; and

sending the updated web page to the web browser for re-rendering.

12. The computer-readable storage media according to claim 11, wherein the local editing of the web page is performed on a computer.

13. The computer-readable storage media according to claim 11, wherein the local editing of the web page is performed on a server.

14. The computer-readable storage media according to claim 11, wherein the local editing of the web page is performed on a handheld device.

15. The computer-readable storage media according to claim 14, wherein the handheld device is a cellular telephone.

16. The computer-readable storage media according to claim 11, wherein the editable feature includes a master template, the master template being capable of updating a plurality of web pages.

17. The computer-readable storage media according to claim 11, wherein the embedded editing logic generates an editing icon for each editable feature when executed by the browser.

18. The computer-readable storage media according to claim 11, wherein the embedded editing logic generates an editing window when executed by the browser, the editing window being operable to capture changes to the editable feature.

19. The computer-readable storage media according to claim 11, wherein the editable web page is part of a web site.

20. The computer-readable storage media according to claim 16, wherein the plurality of web pages capable of being updated are part of a web site.