Appliance metaphor for adding media function to a web page

• US 20070299934A1
• Filed: 08/03/2007
• Published: 12/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Upland Software, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Modavox Incorporated (Upland Software, Inc.)
• Inventors: Burgess, Andrew, McCollum, Charles
• Granted Patent: US 7,831,690 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/218
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

A media appliance metaphor (111) for adding a media function to a Web page (34) downloaded at a processor platform (24) includes a software device of a graphic representation representing a real world counterpart for display in connection with the Web page (34). The metaphor (111) is formed by a server system (26) as a service response (162, 176, 186) in response to information provided by the processor platform (24) to the server system (26).

Claims

1. A media appliance metaphor for adding a media function to a Web page downloaded at a processor platform, said metaphor comprising a software device of a graphic representation representing a real world counterpart for display in connection with said Web page.

2. A media appliance metaphor as claimed in claim 1 wherein said metaphor is formed by a server system as a service response in response to information provided by said processor platform to said server system.

3. A media appliance metaphor as claimed in claim 1 wherein said metaphor is automatically provided from said server system when said Web page is downloaded at a processor platform.

4. A media appliance metaphor as claimed in claim 1 wherein said media appliance metaphor is customized by said server system in accordance with information content of said Web page.

5. A media appliance metaphor as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said graphic representation comprises a radio image; and

said metaphor further comprises streaming audio complimenting an information content of said Web page.

6. A media appliance metaphor as claimed in claim 5 further comprising a user control software device for allowing a user to control at least one of a volume and an audio content of said streaming audio.

7. A media appliance metaphor as claimed in claim 1 comprising a user control software device for allowing a user to activate a portable mode of said metaphor, said portable mode enabling detachment of said media appliance metaphor from said Web page.

8. A media appliance metaphor as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a user control software device for allowing a user to control a content of said media appliance metaphor.

9. A media appliance metaphor as claimed in claim 1 wherein said metaphor further comprises video complimenting an information content of said Web page.