Systems and methods for automatically providing alerts of web site content updates

• US 20050050460A1
• Filed: 10/08/2004
• Published: 03/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bedingfield, James C. Sr.
• Granted Patent: US 8,990,678 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]

Abstract

Methods of automatically updating content on a web site, allowing web site visitors to request notification of updates to the content of a web site, and notifying persons of updated content on a web site are disclosed. Update alert tables and systems for implementing the foregoing methods also are disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for alerting users of updates to web site content, comprising the steps of:

receiving a request from a user to be notified of updates to web site content;

detecting an update to web site content; and

sending an alert message notifying the user of updates to web site content.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the request contains a universal resource locator (URL) of a web page and an address to which to send alerts when the content at the URL is updated.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the address is an email address.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the address is an instant messaging address.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the request is created in response to a user clicking on an element on a web page.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the alert message is an email.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the alert message is an instant message.

8. A machine-readable medium, having stored thereon data and instructions, which, when executed:

receive a request from a user to be notified of updates to web site content;

detect an update to web site content; and

send an alert message notifying the user of updates to web site content.

9. The machine-readable medium according to claim 8., wherein the request contains a universal resource locator (URL) of a web page and an address to which to send alerts when the content at the URL is updated.

10. The machine-readable medium according to claim 9, wherein the address is an email address.

11. The machine-readable medium according to claim 9, wherein the address is an instant messaging address.

12. The machine-readable medium according to claim 8, wherein the request is created in response to a user clicking on an element on a web page.

13. The machine-readable medium according to claim 8, wherein the alert message is an email.

14. The machine-readable medium according to claim 8, wherein the alert message is an instant message.

15. An apparatus for alerting users of updates to web site content, comprising:

an updating server including an updating process module and an update alerting process module;

an interface to a web hosting server that hosts a web site having content resident thereon; and

an interface to a user, wherein the updating server receives a request from a user to be notified of updates to the web site content, detects an update to the content of the web site, and sends an alert message notifying the user of updates to web site content.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the update alerting process module comprises a database of universal resource locators (URLs) and associated alert addresses.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the alert addresses are email addresses.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the alert addresses are instant message addresses.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the alert message is sent to a wireline device.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the alert message is sent to a wireless device.