Configuring a content document for users and user groups

• US 8,185,830 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2007
• Issued: 05/22/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Saha, Shoumen, Snitow, Jon, Yang, Jun, Shieh, Jesse
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, MYLINH T
• Application Number:
  US11/756,852
• Publication Number:
  US 20080034441A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,817 Days
• Field of Search: 715/762, 715/763, 715/764, 715/741, 715/742, 715/743, 715/744, 715/751, 715/753, 709/217, 709/203
• US Class Current: 715/762
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking

Abstract

A computer-implemented system and method to distribute a content document with security, customization, and scalability is provided. One or more servers provides a customizable content document associated with a first entity, enables a second entity to specify content to be included for users associated with the entity in the customizable content document, and delivers the customized content document incorporating the specified content in a secure manner to users associated with the second entity.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving an identification of user group configuration settings for a user group comprising a plurality of users, the user group configuration settings identifying a first plurality of content items to be retrieved from a first plurality of remote content provider servers and to be provided in a user group container document;

generating the user group container document based on the user group configuration settings, the user group container document comprising a first plurality of content modules that provide the first plurality of content items from the first plurality of remote content provider servers;

sending the user group container document over a public network to each of a plurality of client devices;

receiving from the client devices data identifying personal configuration settings for each of the plurality of users in the user group, each of the personal configuration settings specifying a second plurality of content items to be retrieved from a second plurality of remote content provider servers and to be included in personal container documents;

generating a first personal container document based on the user group configuration settings and the personal configuration settings for a first user, the container document comprising;

one or more of the first plurality of content modules that provide the first plurality of content items from the first plurality of remote content provider servers; and

a second plurality of content modules that provide the second plurality of content items from a second plurality of remote content provider servers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the personal configuration settings for the first user comprise a modification to the user group configuration settings, and generating the first personal container document comprises generating the first personal container document based on the personal configuration settings for a first user and the user group configuration settings as modified by the personal configuration settings for a first user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user group configuration settings include a freeze setting that prevents the users from selecting personal configuration settings that modify the user group configuration settings.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a software application to a client, wherein execution of the software application by the client provides a graphical user interface that allows selection of user group configuration settings, and the received identification of user group configuration settings includes data generated based on a user interaction with the graphical user interface.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the software application comprises at least one of a standalone application or a web application.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the user group configuration settings specify an authentication method to authenticate the users in the user group.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein sending the user group container document over a public network to each of a plurality of client devices comprises authenticating users of the client devices according to the authentication method.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the user group configuration settings specify a domain name to be associated with the user group.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing at least a portion of the user group configuration settings in a dynamic table.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending the generated first personal container document to a client device over a public network in a secure manner.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing at least a portion of the user group configuration settings using a scalable storage system platform.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the first personal container document comprises retrieving at least one of the user group configuration settings or the personal configuration settings for the first user from a configuration server.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving an identification of user group configuration settings comprises using a configuration server to store the identification of user group configuration settings, the configuration server including:

a first layer to provide a user interface to a client and receive data from the user interface;

a second layer to verify the data received by the first layer from the user interface and to convert the verified data into a predetermined format;

a third layer to receive the converted data from the second layer and provide instructions to a fourth layer;

a fourth layer to upload the converted data to a data storage system based on interactions with the third layer.

14. A system comprising one or more computing devices operable to perform operations including:

receiving an identification of user group configuration settings for a user group comprising a plurality of users, the user group configuration settings identifying a first plurality of content items to be retrieved from a first plurality of remote content provider servers and to be provided in a user group container document;

generating the user group container document based on the user group configuration settings, the user group container document comprising a first plurality of content modules that provide the first plurality of content items from the first plurality of remote content provider servers;

sending the user group container document over a public network to each of a plurality of client devices;

receiving from the client devices data identifying personal configuration settings for each of the plurality of users in the user group, each of the personal configuration settings specifying a second plurality of content items to be retrieved from a second plurality of remote content provider servers and to be included in personal container documents;

generating a first personal container document based on the user group configuration settings and the personal configuration settings for a first user, the container document comprising;

one or more of the first plurality of content modules that provide the first plurality of content items from the first plurality of remote content provider servers; and

a second plurality of content modules that provide the second plurality of content items from a second plurality of remote content provider servers.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the personal configuration settings for the first user comprise a modification to the user group configuration settings, and generating the first personal container document comprises generating the first personal container document based on the personal configuration settings for a first user and the user group configuration settings as modified by the personal configuration settings for a first user.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the user group configuration settings include a freeze setting that prevents the users from selecting personal configuration settings that modify the user group configuration settings.

17. The system of claim 14, the operations further comprising sending a software application to a client, wherein execution of the software application by the client provides a graphical user interface that allows selection of user group configuration settings, and the received identification of user group configuration settings includes data generated based on a user interaction with the graphical user interface.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the software application comprises at least one of a standalone application or a web application.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the user group configuration settings specify an authentication method to authenticate the users in the user group.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein sending the user group container document over a public network to each of a plurality of client devices comprises authenticating users of the client devices according to the authentication method.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the user group configuration settings specify a domain name to be associated with the user group.

22. The system of claim 14, the operations further comprising storing at least a portion of the user group configuration settings in a dynamic table.

23. The system of claim 14, the operations further comprising sending the generated first personal container document to a client device over a public network in a secure manner.

24. The system of claim 14, further comprising storing at least a portion of the user group configuration settings using a scalable storage system platform.

25. The system of claim 14, wherein generating the first personal container document comprises retrieving at least one of the user group configuration settings or the personal configuration settings for the first user from a configuration server.

26. The system of claim 14, wherein receiving an identification of user group configuration settings comprises using a configuration server to store the identification of user group configuration settings, the configuration server including:

a first layer to provide a user interface to a client and receive data from the user interface;

a second layer to verify the data received by the first layer from the user interface and to convert the verified data into a predetermined format;

a third layer to receive the converted data from the second layer and provide instructions to a fourth layer;

a fourth layer to upload the converted data to a data storage system based on interactions with the third layer.

27. An article comprising a non-transitory computer-accessible medium storing instructions that are operable when executed to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations including:

receiving an identification of user group configuration settings for a user group comprising a plurality of users, the user group configuration settings identifying a first plurality of content items to be retrieved from a first plurality of remote content provider servers and to be provided in a user group container document;

generating the user group container document based on the user group configuration settings, the user group container document comprising a first plurality of content modules that provide the first plurality of content items from the first plurality of remote content provider servers;

sending the user group container document over a public network to each of a plurality of client devices;

receiving from the client devices data identifying personal configuration settings for each of the plurality of users in the user group, each of the personal configuration settings specifying a second plurality of content items to be retrieved from a second plurality of remote content provider servers and to be included in personal container documents;

generating a first personal container document based on the user group configuration settings and the personal configuration settings for a first user, the container document comprising;

one or more of the first plurality of content modules that provide the first plurality of content items from the first plurality of remote content provider servers; and

a second plurality of content modules that provide the second plurality of content items from a second plurality of remote content provider servers.

28. The article of claim 27, wherein the personal configuration settings for the first user comprise a modification to the user group configuration settings, and generating the first personal container document comprises generating the first personal container document based on the personal configuration settings for a first user and the user group configuration settings as modified by the personal configuration settings for a first user.

29. The article of claim 27, wherein the user group configuration settings include a freeze setting that prevents the users from selecting personal configuration settings that modify the user group configuration settings.

30. The article of claim 27, the operations further comprising sending a software application to a client, wherein execution of the software application by the client provides a graphical user interface that allows selection of user group configuration settings, and the received identification of user group configuration settings includes data generated based on a user interaction with the graphical user interface.

31. The article of claim 30, wherein the software application comprises at least one of a standalone application or a web application.

32. The article of claim 27, wherein the user group configuration settings specify an authentication method to authenticate the users in the user group.

33. The article of claim 32, wherein sending the user group container document over a public network to each of a plurality of client devices comprises authenticating users of the client devices according to the authentication method.

34. The article of claim 27, wherein the user group configuration settings specify a domain name to be associated with the user group.

35. The article of claim 27, the operations further comprising storing at least a portion of the user group configuration settings in a dynamic table.

36. The article of claim 27, the operations further comprising sending the generated first personal container document to a client device over a public network in a secure manner.

37. The article of claim 27, further comprising storing at least a portion of the user group configuration settings using a scalable storage system platform.

38. The article of claim 27, wherein generating the first personal container document comprises retrieving at least one of the user group configuration settings or the personal configuration settings for the first user from a configuration server.

39. The article of claim 27, wherein receiving an identification of user group configuration settings comprises using a configuration server to store the identification of user group configuration settings, the configuration server including:

a first layer to provide a user interface to a client and receive data from the user interface;

a second layer to verify the data received by the first layer from the user interface and to convert the verified data into a predetermined format;

a third layer to receive the converted data from the second layer and provide instructions to a fourth layer;

a fourth layer to upload the converted data to a data storage system based on interactions with the third layer.