Method and apparatus for providing conditional customization for generating a web site

• US 8,136,027 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2006
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Decentrix, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Decentrix, Inc.
• Inventors: Slaney, Darren, Evesson, Gary, Underwood, John, Neilson, Paul, Char, Hanson, Shing, David, Horner, Peter, Underwood, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUDWIG, MATTHEW J
• Application Number:
  US11/416,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20060200751A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,143 Days
• Field of Search: 715/202, 715/204, 715/221, 715/222, 715/273, 715/701, 715/760
• US Class Current: 715/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking

Abstract

A technique for generating a web site in accordance with received data entry by: presenting a prompt for data entry; receiving a data entry in response to the prompt; presenting at least one additional prompt for data entry that is determined at least in part based upon the received data entry; receiving an additional data entry in response to each of the at least one additional prompts; determining at least one characteristic of at least one web site dimension of the web site based on the data entry; generating a multi-dimensional description of the web site based on the determined characteristics; retrieving web site data according to the generated multi-dimensional description of the web site; and generating the web site based upon the generated multi-dimensional description of the web site and the retrieved web site data.

Claims

1. A method of generating a web site, comprising the steps of:

presenting a prompt for data entry;

receiving a data entry in response to the prompt;

presenting at least one additional prompt for data entry that is determined at least in part based upon the received data entry;

receiving an additional data entry in response to each of the at least one additional prompts;

determining one or more characteristics for each of one or more web site dimensions in response to the data entry and the additional data entry in response to each of the at least one additional prompt;

generating a description of the web site based upon the one or more determined characteristics for each of the one or more web site dimensions, the description containing one or more attributes selected from the group consisting of colors, layout, navigation, images, text, resolution, and combinations thereof,

wherein changes to the one or more attributes are maintained within one or more predetermined ranges;

retrieving web site data in accordance with the generated description of the web site;

designating one or more web page component applications for the web site in accordance with at least one of the data entry and the additional data entry in response to each of the at least one additional prompt;

generating one or more pages of the web site based upon the description of the web site and the retrieved web site data; and

presenting the generated web site.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the prompt asks for a general industry and the at least one additional prompt asks for a specific industry.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the web site data is positioned on the web site based upon at least one of the data entry and the additional data entry in response to each of the at least one additional prompts.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one of each of the data entry and additional data entry results in modifications to at least one of the characteristics of at least one of the web site dimensions.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of generating a new web page for the web site in accordance with at least one of the data entry and the additional data entry in response to each of the at least one additional prompts.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the new web page includes one or more web site component applications.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein one of the web site component applications is a calculator.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein one of the web site component applications is an e-commerce application.

9. The method as claimed in claim 6, wherein one of the web site component applications is a calendar application.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of generating a new web page for the web site in accordance with the additional data entry in response to each of the at least one additional prompt.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of generating multiple new web pages for the web site in accordance with at least one of the data entry and the additional data entry in response to each of the at least one additional prompts.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the multiple new web pages are related in a tree structure.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the multiple new web pages include one or more web site component applications.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein one of the web site component applications is a calculator.

15. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein one of the web site component applications is an e-commerce application.

16. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein one of the web site component applications is a calendar application.

17. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of designating one or more web page component applications for the web site in accordance with at least one of the data entry and the additional data entry in response to each of the at least one additional prompt.

18. A method of generating a web site, comprising the steps of:

presenting a prompt for data entry;

receiving a data entry in response to the prompt;

presenting at least one additional prompt for data entry based upon the received data entry;

receiving an additional data entry in response to each of the at least one additional prompts;

determining one or more characteristics for each of one or more web site dimensions in response to the data entry and the additional data entry in response to each of the at least one additional prompt;

generating a description of the web site defining at least one interrelationship between at least two dimensions based upon the one or more determined characteristics for each of the one or more web site dimensions, the description containing one or more attributes selected from the group consisting of colors, layout, navigation, images, text, resolution, and combinations thereof, wherein changes to the one or more attributes are maintained within one or more predetermined ranges;

retrieving web site data in accordance with the generated description of the web site pseudo-randomly from a predetermined web site data subset corresponding to at least a portion of the description;

designating one or more web page component applications for the web site in accordance with at least one of the data entry and the additional data entry in response to each of the at least one additional prompt;

generating one or more pages of the web site based upon the description of the web site and the retrieved web site data; and

presenting the generated web site.

19. A system for generating a web site, comprising:

an output for presenting a prompt for data entry;

an input for receiving a data entry in response to the prompt, the output presenting at least one additional prompt for data entry based upon the received data entry and the input receiving an additional data entry in response to each of the at least one additional prompts; and

a multi-purpose computing device adapted to perform the steps of;

determining one or more characteristics for each of one or more web site dimensions in response to the data entry and the additional data entry in response to each of the at least one additional prompt;

generating a description of the web site based upon the one or more determined characteristics for each of the one or more web site dimensions, the description containing one or more attributes selected from the group consisting of colors, layout, navigation, images, text, resolution, and combinations thereof, wherein changes to the one or more attributes are maintained within one or more predetermined ranges;

retrieving web site data in accordance with the generated description of the web site;

designating one or more web page component applications for the web site in accordance with at least one of the data entry and the additional data entry in response to each of the at least one additional prompt;

generating one or more pages of the web site based upon the description of the web site and the retrieved web site data; and

presenting the generated web site.

20. The system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the prompt asks for a general industry and the at least one additional prompt asks for a specific industry.

21. The system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the web site data is positioned on the web site based upon at least one of the data entry and the additional data entry in response to each of the at least one additional prompts.

22. The system as claimed in claim 21, wherein at least one of each of the data entry and additional data entry results in modifications to at least one of the characteristics of at least one of the web site dimensions.

23. The system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the multi-purpose computing device is adapted to further perform the step of generating a new web page for the web site in accordance with at least one of the data entry and the additional data entry in response to each of the at least one additional prompts.

24. The system as claimed in claim 23, wherein the new web page includes one or more web site component applications.

25. The system as claimed in claim 24, wherein one of the web site component applications is a financial calculator.

26. The system as claimed in claim 24, wherein one of the web site component applications is an e-commerce application.

27. The system as claimed in claim 24, wherein one of the web site component applications is a scientific calculator.

28. The system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the multi-purpose computing device is adapted to further perform the step of generating a new web page for the web site in accordance with the additional data entry in response to each of the at least one additional prompt.

29. The system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the multi-purpose computing device is adapted to further perform the step of generating multiple new web pages for the web site in accordance with at least one of the data entry and the additional data entry in response to each of the at least one additional prompts.

30. The system as claimed in claim 29, wherein the multiple new web pages are related in a tree structure.

31. The system as claimed in claim 29, wherein the multiple new web pages include one or more web site component applications.

32. The system as claimed in claim 31, wherein one of the web site component applications is a financial calculator.

33. The system as claimed in claim 31, wherein one of the web site component applications is an e-commerce application.

34. The system as claimed in claim 31, wherein one of the web site component applications is a scientific calculator.

35. The system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the multi-purpose computing device is adapted to further perform the step of designating one or more web page component applications for the web site in accordance with at least one of the data entry and the additional data entry in response to each of the at least one additional prompt.

36. A system for generating a web site, comprising:

a multi-purpose computing device adapted to perform the steps of;

means for presenting a prompt for data entry;

means for receiving a data entry in response to the prompt;

means for presenting at least one additional prompt for data entry based upon the received data entry;

means for receiving an additional data entry in response to each of the at least one additional prompts;

means for determining one or more characteristics for each of one or more web site dimensions in response to the data entry and the additional data entry in response to each of the at least one additional prompt;

means for generating a description of the web site based upon the one or more determined characteristics for each of the one or more web site dimensions, the description containing one or more attributes selected from the group consisting of colors, layout, navigation, images, text, resolution, and combinations thereof, wherein changes to the one or more attributes are maintained within one or more predetermined ranges;

means for retrieving web site data in accordance with the generated description of the web site;

means for generating one or more pages of the web site based upon the description of the web site and the retrieved web site data; and

means for presenting the generated web site.

37. A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with a set of computer program instructions that when executed, causes a computer to generate a web site, the computer program instructions comprising:

an instruction for presenting a prompt for data entry;

an instruction for receiving a data entry in response to the prompt;

an instruction for presenting at least one additional prompt for data entry that is determined at least in part based upon the received data entry;

an instruction for receiving an additional data entry in response to each of the at least one additional prompts;

an instruction for determining one or more characteristics for each of one or more web site dimensions in response to the data entry and the additional data entry in response to each of the at least one additional prompt;

an instruction for generating a description of the web site based upon the one or more determined characteristics for each of the one or more web site dimensions, the description containing one or more attributes selected from the group consisting of colors, layout, navigation, images, text, resolution, and combinations thereof, wherein changes to the one or more attributes are maintained within one or more predetermined ranges;

an instruction for retrieving web site data in accordance with the generated description of the web site;

an instruction for generating one or more pages of the web site based upon the description of the web site and the retrieved web site data; and

an instruction for presenting the generated web site.

38. A method of generating multimedia information, comprising the steps of:

presenting a prompt for data entry;

receiving a data entry in response to the prompt;

presenting at least one additional prompt for data entry that is determined at least in part based upon the received data entry;

receiving an additional data entry in response to each of the at least one additional prompts;

determining one or more characteristics for each of one or more multimedia information dimensions in response to the data entry and the additional data entry in response to each of the at least one additional prompt;

generating a description of the multimedia information based upon the one or more determined characteristics for each of the one or more multimedia information dimensions, the description containing one or more attributes selected from the group consisting of colors, layout, navigation, images, text, resolution, and combinations thereof, wherein changes to the one or more attributes are maintained within one or more predetermined ranges;

retrieving multimedia information data in accordance with the generated description of the multimedia information;

generating one or more pages of the multimedia information based upon the description of the multimedia information and the retrieved multimedia information data; and

presenting the generated multimedia information.

39. A system for generating multimedia information, comprising:

an output for presenting a prompt for data entry;

an input for receiving a data entry in response to the prompt, the output presenting at least one additional prompt for data entry based upon the received data entry and the input receiving an additional data entry in response to each of the at least one additional prompts; and

a multi-purpose computing device adapted to perform the steps of;

determining one or more characteristics for each of one or more multimedia information dimensions in response to the data entry and the additional data entry in response to each of the at least one additional prompt;

generating a description of the multimedia information based upon the one or more determined characteristics for each of the one or more multimedia information dimensions, the description containing one or more attributes selected from the group consisting of colors, layout, navigation, images, text, resolution, and combinations thereof, wherein changes to the one or more attributes are maintained within one or more predetermined ranges;

retrieving multimedia information data in accordance with the generated description of the multimedia information;

generating one or more pages of the multimedia information based upon the description of the multimedia information and the retrieved multimedia information data; and

presenting the generated multimedia information.