METHOD AND DEVICE TO MODIFY AN ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT FROM A MOBILE ENVIRONMENT WITH SERVER ASSISTANCE

• US 20110154225A1
• Filed: 12/21/2009
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: MARTIN, Daryl Joseph
• Application Number:
  US12/642,957
• Publication Number:
  US 20110154225A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/760
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting

Abstract

Methods and devices to modify an electronic document written in a markup language on a mobile communications device with assistance from a server. Objects referenced by the electronic document are evaluated by the server based on predefined object identifying criteria, identifying removable objects which, when rendered on a mobile communications device, may cause readability problems for a mobile user. The server creates a modified electronic document by inserting markup tags around at least one segment of the markup language corresponding to the removable object, and then transmits the modified electronic document to the mobile communications device. The mobile communications device initially displays the document with all objects included. In response to a user input instructing removal of one or more of the removable objects, the mobile device re-displays the document without displaying the one or more removable objects.

Claims

1. A method of providing a mobile communications device with an electronic document modified by a server to permit dynamic removal of objects by the mobile communications device, wherein the electronic document is written in a markup language, comprising:

identifying an object within the electronic document as a removable object based on predefined object identifying criteria;

creating a modified electronic document by inserting markup tags around at least one segment of the markup language corresponding to the removable object, wherein the inserted markup tags indicate that the removable object is removable; and

transmitting the modified electronic document from the server to the mobile communications device.

2. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein identifying includes selecting a renderer associated with the mobile communications device, rendering the electronic document using the selected renderer, and applying the predefined object identifying criteria to the rendered electronic document to identify one or more removable objects.

3. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the predefined object identifying criteria are based upon a characteristic of the mobile communications device.

4. The method claimed in claim 1, wherein the predefined object identifying criteria include layout thresholds and objects which exceed the layout thresholds when rendered are identified as removable objects.

5. A method of dynamically removing objects by the mobile communications device, the method comprising the method claimed in claim 1 and further comprising:

receiving the modified electronic document at the mobile communications device;

displaying the modified electronic document on a display screen of the mobile communications device;

receiving a user input instructing removal of the removable object from the display screen; and

re-displaying the modified electronic document on the display screen without displaying the removable object, in response to the user input.

6. The method claimed in claim 5, wherein the modified electronic document is re-displayed without displaying the removable object by ignoring the at least one segment of the markup language enclosed within the markup tags during a rendering operation.

7. The method claimed in claim 5, wherein the user input includes selection of the removable object displayed on the display screen.

8. The method claimed in claim 5, wherein the user input includes a touchscreen gesture.

9. The method claimed in claim 5, wherein displaying include displaying the removable object with a visual cue associated with the removable object indicating that the removable object may be removed.

10. A method of dynamically removing objects from the display of an electronic document on a mobile communications device, comprising:

sending a request for the electronic document from the mobile communications device to a server, the electronic document containing markup language;

receiving a modified electronic document at the mobile communications device from the server, wherein the modified electronic document includes markup tags inserted around at least one segment of the markup language of the electronic document corresponding to a removable object identified by the server, and wherein the inserted markup tags indicate that the removable object is removable;

displaying the modified electronic document on a display screen of the mobile communications device;

receiving a user input instructing removal of the removable object from the display screen; and

re-displaying the modified electronic document on the display screen without displaying the removable object, in response to the user input.

11. The method claimed in claim 10, wherein the modified electronic document is re-displayed without displaying the removable object by ignoring the at least one segment of the markup language enclosed within the markup tags during a rendering operation.

12. The method claimed in claim 10, wherein the user input includes selection of the removable object displayed on the display screen.

13. The method claimed in claim 10, wherein the user input includes a touchscreen gesture.

14. The method claimed in claim 10, wherein displaying include displaying the removable object with a visual cue associated with the removable object indicating that the removable object may be removed.

15. A mobile communications device, comprising:

a communication subsystem configured to communicate with a server to send a request for an electronic document to the server, the electronic document containing markup language, and to receive a modified electronic document at the mobile communications device from the server, wherein the modified electronic document includes markup tags inserted around at least one segment of the markup language of the electronic document corresponding to a removable object identified by the server, and wherein the inserted markup tags indicate that the removable object is removable;

a display screen for displaying the modified electronic document;

a memory;

a user input device for receiving a user input instructing removal of the removable object from the display screen;

a processor;

a browsing application executable by the processor and configured to

re-display the modified electronic document on the display screen without displaying the removable object, in response to the user input.

16. The mobile communications device claimed in claim 15, wherein the browsing application is configured to re-display the modified without displaying the removable object by ignoring the at least one segment of the markup language enclosed within the markup tags during a rendering operation.

17. The mobile communications device claimed in claim 15, wherein the user input includes selection of the removable object displayed on the display screen.

18. The mobile communications device claimed in claim 15, wherein the user input device comprises a touchscreen and wherein the user input includes a touchscreen gesture.

19. The mobile communications device claimed in claim 15, wherein the browsing application is further configured to cause the display screen to display the modified electronic document with a visual cue associated with the removable object indicating that the removable object may be removed.

20. A server for providing a mobile communications device with an electronic document modified by the server to permit dynamic removal of objects by the mobile communications device, wherein the electronic document is written in a markup language, the server comprising:

a communication subsystem to send and receive the electronic document over at least one communications network;

a memory;

a processor;

an object identifier component executable by the processor and configured to identify an object within the electronic document as a removable object based on predefined object identifying criteria; and

a markup language modifier component executable by the processor and configured to create a modified electronic document by inserting markup tags around at least one segment of the markup language corresponding to the removable object, wherein the inserted markup tags indicate that the removable object is removable,

and wherein the communication subsystem is configured to send the modified electronic document to the mobile communications device in response to a request from the mobile communications device for the electronic document.

21. The server claimed in claim 20, wherein the server includes a plurality of renderers, and the object identifier is configured to select a renderer associated with the mobile communications device, render the electronic document using the selected renderer, and apply the predefined object identifying criteria to the rendered electronic document to identify one or more removable objects.

22. The server claimed in claim 20, wherein the predefined object identifying criteria are based upon a characteristic of the mobile communications device.

23. The server claimed in claim 20, wherein the predefined object identifying criteria include layout thresholds and objects which exceed the layout thresholds when rendered are identified as removable objects.