Application service provider delivery system

• US 7,930,363 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2006
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PowerReviews OC LLC (Powerreviews Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Powerreviews Incorporated
• Inventors: Morris, James, Prabhu, Gautam, Chea, Robert S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Serrao; Ranodhi N
• Application Number:
  US11/546,541
• Publication Number:
  US 20070169096A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,651 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/249, 709/218, 717/173, 717/174, 717/168, 705/347
• US Class Current: 709/218
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0282 Rating or review of business operators or products
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/59 Providing operational support to end devices by off-loading in the network or by emulation, e.g. when they are unavailable

Abstract

In one embodiment, a display engine and one or more data files are determined. They are then sent to a website provider'"'"'s network. The display engine and data are used to provide ASP functionality without contacting the ASP network for every user request. So even if the ASP network is not available, the ASP functionality provided by the display engine and data is always accessible to the website provider. For example, the website provider'"'"'s network may provide the ASP functionality by displaying data in one or more data files at a user'"'"'s display device. This is performed without relying on the availability of the ASP network.

Claims

1. A method for providing application service provider functionality, the method comprising the following acts performed by one or more hardware digital processors:

receiving, at a website provider network, an engine and one or more data files associated with an application service provider (ASP) having an ASP network;

transferring a web page for display on a user device, wherein the web page includes code to access the engine to provide ASP functionality without requiring contacting the ASP network, wherein the web page is included in an application to provide product reviews;

in response to a signal from the user device to select an item on the web page and activate the code, using the engine, the website provider network and at least a portion of data in the one or more data files to display at least a portion of data in the data files on the user device without requiring contacting the ASP network;

receiving review data from the ASP network at a frequency defined by a first interval; and

sending review data to the ASP network at one or more second intervals that are shorter than the first interval.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the engine is configured to provide advanced display functionality using features of an application at the user device including an asymmetrical ASP interaction with the ASP network.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the engine is configured to provide the advanced display functionality without integrating the one or more data files and/or engine into an application server system or database system at the second network.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the asymmetrical ASP interaction comprises not contacting the ASP network every time a user request is received for ASP functionality for performing an action for the user device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the data comprises user review data.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an updated engine and/or updated one or more data files, wherein the updated one or more data files include different data and the updated engine is configured to display the different data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the action comprises displaying the at least a portion of the data in the one or more data files.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the engine and one or more data files in an accessible directory such that the engine and one or more data files can be accessed upon receiving the request.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending the engine to the user device, wherein the engine performs the action at the user device by accessing at least a portion of the data in the one or more data files.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the second interval is designed to provide data to the ASP in real-time.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the review data is sent to the ASP in a batch.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the engine provides a pagination function.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the engine provides a sorting function.

14. An apparatus configured to provide application service provider functionality, the apparatus comprising:

one or more hardware processors; and

logic for execution by the one or more hardware processors and when executed operable to;

receive an engine and one or more data files associated with an Application Service Provider (ASP);

provide a web page to a user device, wherein the web page includes code that is activated by a selection of an item on the web page in response to a signal from the user device, wherein the web page is included in an application to provide product reviews;

receive a request for performing an action from the user device, in response to activation of the code;

use the engine and a second network in response to the activation of the code to display data from at least a portion of the one or more data files on the user device without requiring contacting the ASP;

receive review data from the ASP at a frequency defined by a first interval; and

send review data to the ASP at one or more second intervals that are shorter than the first interval.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the engine is configured to provide advanced display functionality using features of an application at the user device using an asymmetrical ASP interaction with the ASP network.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the engine is configured to provide the advanced display functionality without integrating the one or more data files and/or engine into an application server system or database system at the second network.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein asymmetrical ASP interaction comprises not contacting the ASP every time a user request is received for ASP functionality for performing an action for the user device.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein at least a portion of the data comprises user review data.

19. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the logic, when executed, is further operable to receive an updated engine and/or updated one or more data files, wherein the updated one or more data files include different data and the updated engine is configured to display the different data.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the action comprises displaying the at least a portion of the data in the one or more data files.

21. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the logic, when executed, is further operable to store the file system in an accessible directory such that the engine and/or one or more data files can be accessed upon receiving the request.

22. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the logic, when executed, is further operable to send the engine to the user device, wherein the engine performs the action at the user device by accessing at least a portion of the data in the one or more data files.