System providing methods for dynamic customization and personalization of user interface

• US 7,908,221 B2
• Filed: 09/08/2008
• Issued: 03/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: VeriSign, Inc.
• Inventors: McCanlies, Elizabeth, Egli, Paul, Bodmer, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEUNG, MARY DA ZHI WANG
• Application Number:
  US12/206,727
• Publication Number:
  US 20090013037A1
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 705 26- 27, 705/51, 705 64- 67, 705/74, 707 1- 10, 707100-104, 709/201, 715/500
• US Class Current: 705/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A system providing methods for dynamically generating personalized content is described. Specific items of content which may be personalized or customized are identified. Subdirectories are created for each value of such personalized content. Files specific to each value of personalized content are created and placed in these subdirectories. When a user requests a particular web page or item of content, a token is retrieved identifying the personalized content to be generated for that particular user. Personalized content is then dynamically generated by construction of a path to at least one subdirectory containing personalized content. The path to such subdirectory containing personalized content is dynamically constructed based upon the token identifying such personalized content.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a request for information by a server, the request being associated with a unique identifier that corresponds to an internet site from which the request was received;

identifying a web page template having a core portion that includes content that remains uniform regardless of the internet site from which the request was received and a customizable portion that includes partner specific content that changes based upon an identity of the internet site from which the request was received, wherein the core portion is larger than the customizable portion;

using the unique identifier to retrieve partner specific settings and preferences to include in the customizable portion of the template; and

generating a web page (or user interface) using the core portion, the customizable portion and the partner specific settings and preferences.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface includes an email.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the web page has a personalized look and feel consistent with the internet site from which the request was received.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving new partner specific settings and preferences that are associated with the unique identifier; and

generating a new web page (or new user interface) using the core portion, the customizable portion and the new partner specific settings and preferences.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is received by the server subsequent to the internet site receiving a service request for a service provided by the server.

6. A computer readable medium including instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving a request for information by a server, the request being associated with a unique identifier that corresponds to an internet site from which the request was received;

identifying a template having a core portion that includes content that remains uniform regardless of the internet site from which the request was received and a customizable portion that includes partner specific content that changes based upon an identity of the internet site from which the request was received, wherein the core portion is larger than the customizable portion;

using the unique identifier to retrieve partner specific settings and preferences to include in the customizable portion of the template; and

generating user viewable content using the core portion, the customizable portion and the partner specific settings and preferences.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the user viewable content includes a web page, and wherein the template is a web page template.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the user viewable content has a personalized look and feel consistent with the internet site from which the request was received.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving new partner specific settings and preferences that are associated with the unique identifier; and

generating new user viewable content using the core portion, the customizable portion and the new partner specific settings and preferences.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the request is received by the server subsequent to the internet site receiving a service request for a service provided by the server.

11. A computing apparatus comprising:

a memory including instructions for generating user viewable content; and

a processor, connected with the memory, to execute the instructions, wherein the instructions cause the processor to perform a method comprising;

receiving a request for information by a server, the request being associated with a unique identifier that corresponds to an internet site from which the request was received;

identifying a template having a core portion that includes content that remains uniform regardless of the internet site from which the request was received and a customizable portion that includes partner specific content that changes based upon an identity of the internet site from which the request was received, wherein the core portion is larger than the customizable portion;

using the unique identifier to retrieve partner specific settings and preferences to include in the customizable portion of the template; and

generating the user viewable content using the core portion, the customizable portion and the partner specific settings and preferences.

12. The computing apparatus of claim 11, wherein the user viewable content includes a web page, and wherein the template is a web page template.

13. The computing apparatus of claim 11, wherein the user viewable content has a personalized look and feel consistent with the internet site from which the request was received.

14. The computing apparatus of claim 11, the method further comprising:

receiving new partner specific settings and preferences that are associated with the unique identifier; and

generating new user viewable content using the core portion, the customizable portion and the new partner specific settings and preferences.

15. The computing apparatus of claim 11, wherein the request is received by the server subsequent to the internet site receiving a service request for a service provided by the server.

16. A computing apparatus comprising:

a network interface to receive a request for information, the request being associated with a unique identifier that corresponds to an internet site from which the request was received;

a memory to store a plurality of templates, each of the plurality of templates having a core portion that includes content that remains uniform regardless of the internet site from which the request was received and a customizable portion that includes partner specific content that changes based upon an identity of the internet site from which the request was received, wherein the core portion is larger than the customizable portion, the memory further to store instructions for generating user viewable content; and

a processor, connected with the memory and the network interface, to execute the instructions, wherein the instructions cause the processor to perform a method comprising;

identifying one of the plurality of templates;

using the unique identifier to retrieve partner specific settings and preferences to include in the customizable portion of the identified one of the plurality of templates; and

generating user viewable content using the core portion, the customizable portion and the partner specific settings and preferences.