Contextual data communication platform

• US 8,156,206 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2010
• Issued: 04/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: 3PMobile
• Inventors: Kiley, Kevin J., Cranstone, Peter J., Coker, Elizabeth A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Khanh
• Application Number:
  US12/960,027
• Publication Number:
  US 20120042006A1
• Time in Patent Office: 494 Days
• Field of Search: 709/220, 709/224, 709/229, 455/310
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Systems and methods for a contextual data platform are provided. According to one embodiment, an Internet-enabled mobile device is provided, including a storage device having embodied thereon instructions and one or more processors operable to execute the instructions. An HTTP request relating to a service supported by the server device and contextual information including (a) information regarding an end user, (b) information regarding the mobile device and (c) information regarding a location of the mobile device are concurrently transmitted to the server device. Responsive to the request and the contextual information, an HTML file within which contextual menu information based on the service and the contextual information is embedded is received from the server device. Contextual menu information is extracted from the HTML file. End user interaction with the service is customized by dynamically reconfiguring a browser menu of the mobile device based on the contextual menu information.

Claims

1. An Internet-enabled mobile device comprising:

a non-transitory storage device having tangibly embodied thereon instructions associated with a context management routine; and

one or more processors coupled to the non-transitory storage device and operable to execute the instructions associated with the context management routine to perform a method comprising;

concurrently transmitting to a server device (i) a HyperText Transport Protocol (HTTP) request relating to a service supported by the server device and (ii) contextual information including data indicative of one or more of (a) information regarding an end user of the Internet-enabled mobile device, (b) information regarding the Internet-enabled mobile device and (c) information regarding a location of the Internet-enabled mobile device;

responsive to the request and the contextual information, receiving from the server device a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) file within which contextual menu information based on the service and the contextual information is embedded;

extracting the contextual menu information from the HTML file; and

customizing end user interaction with the service by dynamically reconfiguring a browser menu of the Internet-enabled mobile device based on the contextual menu information.

2. The Internet-enabled mobile device of claim 1, wherein the information regarding an end user of the Internet-enabled mobile device includes selectively enabled personal information configurable via an owner information screen.

3. The Internet-enabled mobile device of claim 1, wherein the information regarding the Internet-enabled mobile device includes characteristics, settings or parameters of an operating system installed on the Internet-enabled mobile device.

4. The Internet-enabled mobile device of claim 1, wherein the information regarding a location of the Internet-enabled mobile device includes a geographic location reported by a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver associated with the Internet-enabled mobile device.

5. The Internet-enabled mobile device of claim 1, wherein the reconfigured browser menu promotes ease-of-use of the service by the end user by at least in part shifting navigation away from one or more web pages associated with the service and into the browser menu.

6. The Internet-enabled mobile device of claim 1, wherein the Internet-enabled mobile device comprises a game console.

7. The Internet-enabled mobile device of claim 1, wherein the Internet-enabled mobile device comprises a pocket personal computer.

8. The Internet-enabled mobile device of claim 1, wherein the Internet-enabled mobile device comprises a mobile phone.

9. The Internet-enabled mobile device of claim 1, wherein the HTTP request comprises an augmented HTTP request and the contextual information is embedded within the augmented HTTP request.

10. The Internet-enabled mobile device of claim 1, wherein said extracting the contextual menu information from the HTML file comprises identifying and extracting contextual data from one or more HTTP header fields associated with the HTTP request.

11. A server device comprising:

a non-transitory storage device having tangibly embodied thereon instructions associated with a context management routine; and

one or more processors coupled to the non-transitory storage device and operable to execute the instructions associated with the context management routine to perform a method comprising;

concurrently receiving from an Internet-enabled mobile device (i) a HyperText Transport Protocol (HTTP) request relating to a service supported by the server device and (ii) contextual information including data indicative of one or more of (a) information regarding an end user of the Internet-enabled mobile device, (b) information regarding the Internet-enabled mobile device and (c) information regarding a location of the Internet-enabled mobile device;

generating contextual menu information based on the contextual information; and

causing the Internet-enabled mobile device to dynamically reconfigure a browser menu of the Internet-enabled mobile device by returning to the Internet-enabled mobile device, responsive to the HTTP request, a HyperText Markup Language (HTML) file having embedded therein the contextual menu information.

12. The server device of claim 11, wherein the information regarding an end user of the Internet-enabled mobile device includes selectively enabled personal information configurable via an owner information screen of the Internet-enabled mobile device.

13. The server device of claim 11, wherein the information regarding the Internet-enabled mobile device includes characteristics, settings or parameters of an operating system installed on the Internet-enabled mobile device.

14. The server device of claim 11, wherein the information regarding a location of the Internet-enabled mobile device includes a geographic location reported by a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver associated with the Internet-enabled mobile device.

15. The server device of claim 11, wherein the reconfigured browser menu promotes ease-of-use of the service by the end user by at least in part shifting navigation away from one or more web pages associated with the service and into the browser menu.

16. The server device of claim 11, wherein the Internet-enabled mobile device comprises a game console.

17. The server device of claim 11, wherein the Internet-enabled mobile device comprises a pocket personal computer.

18. The server device of claim 11, wherein the Internet-enabled mobile device comprises a mobile phone.

19. The server device of claim 11, wherein the HTTP request comprises an augmented HTTP request and the contextual information is embedded within the augmented HTTP request.

20. The server device of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises identifying and extracting contextual data from one or more HTTP header fields associated with the augmented HTTP request.

21. The server device of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises embedding the contextual menu information into a script comment of the HTML file.

22. A computer-implemented method comprising:

providing an end user of an Internet-enabled device with an ability to selectively enable a current web browser privacy setting from among a plurality of web browser privacy settings by presenting a user interface containing options regarding the plurality of web browser privacy settings to the end user via a display of the Internet-enabled device;

receiving, by a web browser running on the Internet-enabled device, a navigation request relating to a web server;

responsive to the navigation request, causing a HyperText Transport Protocol (HTTP) request to be generated, wherein a value associated with an HTTP header field of the HTTP request is set based on the current web browser privacy setting; and

directing the web server to return to the web browser content associated with the navigation request tailored in accordance with the current web browser privacy setting by transmitting the HTTP request to the web server.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the plurality of web browser privacy settings represent enablement of various subsets of contextual information relating to one or both of the Internet-enabled device and the end user to be shared with the web server.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the plurality of web browser privacy settings represent enablement of various subsets of one or more of (i) personal information regarding the end user of the Internet-enabled device, (ii) device information regarding capabilities or characteristics of the Internet-enabled device, and (iii) a geographical location of the Internet-enabled device to be shared with the web server.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising receiving, by the web browser, a response to the HTTP request from the web server, wherein the response represents a contextual response in which content associated with the response is based at least in part on the value associated with the HTTP header field of the HTTP request.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the Internet-enabled device comprises a mobile device.

27. The method of claim 23, further comprising receiving, by the web browser, a response to the HTTP request from the web browser, wherein the response includes embedded therein contextual menu information based at least in part on the contextual information.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising responsive to receipt of the contextual menu information facilitating interaction with the web server by causing menu information/structure presented by the web browser to be dynamically reconfigured.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the menu information/structure comprises part of a browser menu of the web browser and is intended at least in part to shift navigation away from one or more web pages associated with the web server and into the browser menu.

30. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium tangibly embodying a set of instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of an Internet-enabled device, cause the one or more processors to perform a method for protecting privacy of an end user of the Internet-enabled device, the method comprising:

providing the end user of the Internet-enabled device with an ability to selectively enable a current web browser privacy setting from among a plurality of web browser privacy settings by presenting a user interface containing options regarding the plurality of web browser privacy settings to the end user via a display of the Internet-enabled device;

receiving a navigation request relating to a web server;

responsive to the navigation request, causing a HyperText Transport Protocol (HTTP) request to be generated, wherein a value associated with an HTTP header field of the HTTP request is set based on the current web browser privacy setting; and

directing the web server to return to a web browser, running on the Internet-enabled device, content associated with the navigation request tailored in accordance with the current web browser privacy setting by transmitting the HTTP request to the web server.

31. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein the plurality of web browser privacy settings represent enablement of various subsets of contextual information relating to one or both of the Internet-enabled device and the end user to be shared with the web server.

32. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein the plurality of web browser privacy settings represent enablement of various subsets of one or more of (i) personal information regarding the end user of the Internet-enabled device, (ii) device information regarding capabilities or characteristics of the Internet-enabled device, and (iii) a geographical location of the Internet-enabled device to be shared with the web server.

33. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein the method further comprises receiving, by the web browser, a response to the HTTP request from the web browser, wherein the response represents a contextual response in which content associated with the response is based at least in part on the value associated with the HTTP header field of the HTTP request.

34. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein the Internet-enabled device comprises a mobile device.

35. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 31, wherein the method further comprises receiving a response to the HTTP request from the web server, wherein the response includes embedded therein contextual menu information based at least in part on the contextual information.

36. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 35, wherein the method further comprises responsive to receipt of the contextual menu information facilitating interaction with the web server by causing menu information/structure presented by the web browser to be dynamically reconfigured.

37. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 36, wherein the menu information/structure comprises part of a browser menu of the web browser and is intended at least in part to shift navigation away from one or more web pages associated with the web server and into the browser menu.