Method and apparatus for dynamically forming customized web pages for web sites

• US 6,442,577 B1
• Filed: 11/03/1998
• Issued: 08/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pagmelding Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Front Porch, Inc.
• Inventors: Maxson, Derek S., Britton, Zachary E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph H.
• Application Number:
  US09/185,145
• Time in Patent Office: 1,393 Days
• Field of Search: 707/513, 707/501.1, 705/26-27, 705/14, 345/760, 709/203, 709/217-219
• US Class Current: 715/230
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation

Abstract

To attract traffic flow from other web sites, such as Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and organizations that have direct access to the Internet, an Internet Content Provider (ICP) dynamically forms customized web pages for its participating web sites. Specifically, the ICP stores web page files designed for itself and its participating web sites. Upon receiving a service request from a participating web site, the ISP dynamically forms customized web pages for the participating web site by combining the page files designed for itself and the page files designed for the participating web site.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically forming customized web pages for a first type network node at a second type network node, comprising the steps of:

forming at least a page file for the first type network node;

forming at least a page file for the second type network node;

receiving a service request from the first type network node;

identifying the first type network node based on the service request; and

forming a customized page file formed for the first type network node by including the page file formed for the first type network node within the page file for the second type network node.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first type network node is an ISP node, and the second type network node is an ICP node.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first type network node is an organization node, and the second type network node is an ICP node.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the customized page file includes customized graphics, sounds, applets, links, and text.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the customized page file includes customized advertisements.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the service request includes an IP address for identifying the first type network node, and

identifying the first type network node based on the service request comprises using the IP address included in the service request to identify the first type network node.

7. A method for providing web page customization service to a plurality of first type network nodes at a second type network node, comprising the steps of:

forming at least a page file for each of the first type network nodes;

forming at least a page file for the second type network node;

receiving a service request from one of the first type network nodes;

determining whether the first type network node participates in the web page customization service;

if the first type network node participates in the web page customization service, forming a customized page file for the service request by including the page file formed for the first type network node within the page file formed for the second type network node; and

if the first type network node does not participate in the web page customization service, forming a page file for the service request by using the page file formed for the second type network node.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first type network nodes are ISP nodes, and the second type network node is an ICP node.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first type network nodes are organization nodes, and the second type network node is an ICP node.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the customized page file includes customized graphics, sounds, applets, links, and text.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the customized page file includes customized advertisements.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein:

the service request from one of the first type network nodes includes an IP address for identifying the first type network node, and

determining whether the first type network node participates in the web page customization service comprises using the IPI address included in the service request to identify the first type network node.

13. A method for providing web page customization service to a plurality of first type network nodes at a second type network node, comprising the steps of:

forming a plurality of advertisements for the first type network nodes;

forming at least a page file for the second type network node;

receiving a service request from one of the first type network nodes;

identifying advertisements for the first type network node; and

forming a customized page file for the first type network node by including the identified advertisements within the page file formed for the second type network node.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first type network nodes are ISP nodes, and the second type network node is an ICP node.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the first type network nodes are organization nodes, and the second type network node is an ICP node.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the identified advertisements do not cause negative impact on the owner of the first type network node.

17. An apparatus for dynamically forming a customized web page for a first type network node at a second type network node, comprising:

means for forming at least a page file for the first type network node;

means for forming at least a page file for the second type network node;

means for receiving a service request from the first type network node;

means for identifying the first type network node based on the service request; and

means for forming a customized page file formed for the first type network node by including the page file formed for the first type network node within the page file for the second type network node.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first type network node is an ISP node, and the second type network node is an ICP node.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first type network node is an organization node, and the second type network node is an ICP node.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the customized page file includes customized graphics, sounds, applets, links, and text.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the customized page file includes customized advertisements.

22. An apparatus for providing web page customization service to a plurality of first type network nodes at a second type network node, comprising:

means for forming at least a page file for each of the first type network nodes;

means for forming at least a page file for the second type network node;

means for receiving a service request from one of the first type network nodes;

means for determining whether the first type network node participates in the web page customization service;

means for forming a customized page file for the service request by including the page file formed for the first type network node within the page file formed for the second type network node, if the first type network node participates in the web page customization service; and

means for forming a page file for the service request by using the page file formed for the second type network node, if the first type network node does not participate in the web page customization service.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the first type network nodes are ISP nodes, and the second type network node is an ICP node.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the first type network nodes are organization nodes, and the second type network node is an ICP node.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the customized page file includes customized graphics, sounds, applets, links, and text.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the customized page file includes customized advertisements.

27. An apparatus for providing web page customization service to a plurality of first type network nodes at a second type network node, comprising:

means for forming a plurality of advertisements for the first type network nodes;

means for forming at least a page file for the second type network node;

means for receiving a service request from one of the first type network nodes;

means for identifying advertisements for the first type network node; and

means for forming a customized page file for the first type network node by including the identified advertisements within the page file formed for the second type network node.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the first type network nodes are ISP nodes, and the second type network node is an ICP node.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the first type network nodes are organization nodes, and the second type network node is an ICP node.

30. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the identified advertisements do not cause negative impact on the owner of the first type network node.