Using interactive scripts to facilitate web-based aggregation

• US 9,563,718 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Issued: 02/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Fong, Spencer W., Ng, Richard M., Dockman, Thomas E., Robinson, Rodney A., Mah, Marvin
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Heffington, John M
• Application Number:
  US11/771,217
• Publication Number:
  US 20090006985A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,511 Days
• Field of Search: 715/760, 715/825, 715/743, 716/825
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/068 using credential vaults, e.g. password manager applications or one time password [OTP] applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/08 Access security
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

Some embodiments of the present invention provide a system that facilitates interactivity during automated web-site accesses. During operation, the system executes a script which automatically accesses one or more websites. While executing the script, the system retrieves user-specific data associated with a user. The system then uses the user-specific data to access a target website. While accessing the target website, the system receives an interactivity request which the system presents to the user. The system then receives a response to the interactivity request from the user, and forwards the response to the website.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating interactivity during automated web-site accesses on behalf of a user, comprising:

selecting, for execution at a computer, a first script from a set of scripts;

executing, at a computer, the first script which accesses one or more websites, wherein executing the first script initially comprises;

retrieving previously stored authentication credentials associated with the user;

automatically navigating to a target website on behalf of the user;

in response to receiving a request for authorization information from the target website, sending the retrieved authorization credentials to the target website;

prior to the getting logged onto the target website on behalf of the user, receiving an interactivity request generated by the target website, wherein the interactivity request specifies information that requires a response from the user by using an object and requiring that the user interact with the object, and wherein the specified information requiring a response is in addition to the previously sent authorization credentials, wherein the response is based on the interaction with the object, and wherein the object includes at least one of an image to be viewed by the user, an audio file to be listened to by the user, a question in text form to be presented to the user, or HTML or XML code to generate a presentation for the user;

presenting the interactivity request to the user; and

suspending execution of the first script to wait for the response from the user to the interactivity request;

subsequent to suspending execution of the first script, and prior to receiving a response to the interactivity request from the user, selecting, for execution, a second script from the set of scripts, wherein the second script is not the first script;

executing, at the computer, the selected second script;

upon receiving a response to the interactivity request from the user,

forwarding the response from the user to the target website;

suspending the execution of the second script; and

subsequently resuming execution of the first script.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein resuming execution of the first script involves:

logging the user onto the target website;

accessing the target website; and

performing navigation operations through web pages in the target website.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein accessing the target website involves performing parsing operations to extract data from web pages in the target website.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein accessing the target website involves aggregating account information for the user from the target website.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactivity object encapsulates different data types associated with different types of interactivity requests.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the previously stored authentication credentials include an identifier and a password for the user.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for facilitating interactivity during automated web-site accesses on behalf of a user, comprising:

selecting, for execution at a computer, a first script from a set of scripts;

executing the first script which accesses one or more websites, wherein executing the first script initially comprises;

retrieving previously stored authentication credentials associated with the user;

automatically navigating to a target website on behalf of the user;

in response to receiving a request for authorization information from the target website, sending the retrieved authorization credentials to the target website;

prior to getting logged onto the target website on behalf of the user, receiving an interactivity request generated by the target website, wherein the interactivity request specifies information that requires a response from the user by using an object and requiring that the user interact with the object, and wherein the specified information requiring a response is in addition to the previously sent authorization credentials, wherein the response is based on the interaction with the object, and wherein the object includes at least one of an image to be viewed by the user, an audio file to be listened to by the user, a question in text form to be presented to the user, or HTML or XML code to generate a presentation for the user;

presenting the interactivity request to the user; and

suspending execution of the first script to wait for the response from the user to the presented interactivity request;

subsequent to suspending execution of the first script, and prior to receiving a response to the interactivity request from the user, selecting, for execution, a second script from the set of scripts, wherein the second script is not the first script;

executing, at the computer, the selected second script;

upon receiving a response to the interactivity request from the user,

forwarding the response from the user to the target website;

suspending the execution of the second script; and

subsequently resuming execution of the first script.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein resuming execution of the first script involves:

logging the user onto the target website;

accessing the target website; and

performing navigation operations through web pages in the target website.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein accessing the target website involves performing parsing operations to extract data from web pages in the target website.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein accessing the target website involves aggregating account information for the user from the target website.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the interactivity object encapsulates different data types associated with different types of interactivity requests.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the previously stored authentication credentials include an identifier and a password for the user.

13. An apparatus that facilitates interactivity during automated web-site accesses on behalf of a user, comprising:

a memory;

a processor;

a selection engine configured to select, for execution at a computer, a first script from a set of scripts;

an execution engine configured to execute the first script which accesses one or more websites, wherein executing the first script initially comprises;

retrieving previously stored authentication credentials associated with a user;

automatically navigating to a target website on behalf of the user;

in response to a receiving a request for authorization information from the target website, sending the retrieved authorization credentials to the target website;

prior to getting logged onto the target website on behalf of the user, receiving an interactivity request generated by the target website, wherein the interactivity request specifies information that requires a response from the user by using an object and requiring that the user interact with the object, and wherein the specified information requiring a response is in addition to the previously sent authorization credentials, wherein the response is based on the interaction with the object, and wherein the object includes at least one of an image to be viewed by the user, an audio file to be listened to by the user, a question in text form to be presented to the user, or HTML or XML code to generate a presentation for the user;

presenting the interactivity request to the user; and

suspending execution of the first script to wait for the response from the user to the presented interactivity request;

the selection engine further configured to, subsequent to suspending execution of the first script, and prior to receiving a response to the interactivity request from the user, select, for execution, a second script from the set of scripts, wherein the second script is not the first script;

the execution engine further configured to execute, at the computer, the selected second script;

the execution engine further configured to, upon receiving a response to the interactivity request from the user,

forward the response from the user to the target website;

suspend the execution of the second script; and

subsequently resume execution of the first script.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein resuming execution of the first script involves:

logging the user onto the target website;

accessing the target website; and

performing navigation operations through web pages in the target website.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein while accessing the target website, the script performs parsing operations to extract data from web pages in the target website.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein while accessing the target website, the script aggregates account information for the user from the target website.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein while receiving the interactivity request, the execution engine and the script are configured to receive an interactivity object which can encapsulate different data types associated with different types of interactivity requests.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the previously stored authentication credentials include an identifier and a password for the user.