Dynamic content customization in a clientserver environment

• US 6,470,378 B1
• Filed: 03/31/1999
• Issued: 10/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Tracton, Kenneth, Jaff, Kosar, Shands, Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Geckil, Mehmet B.
• Application Number:
  US09/283,114
• Time in Patent Office: 1,301 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227, 709/228, 709/230, 709/231, 709/233, 709/235, 709/203
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/45 Network directories; Name-to-address mapping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0407 wherein the identity of one or more communicating identities is hidden cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for anonymous credentials or for identity based cryptographic systems H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

The invention provides for servicing a client. A request is received from a client having certain capabilities. This request is automatically satisfied in a manner tailored to the capabilities of the client.

Claims

1. A web server, comprising:

a first set of program instructions, which when executed by the web server, results in the web server performing;

receiving an identifier from a client;

transmitting the identifier to a central registry containing characteristic profiles for plural clients;

receiving a characteristic profile from the central registry that includes a processing potential for the client; and

a second set of program instructions, which when executed by the web server, results in transmitting content to the client over a network, such content scaled according to the characteristic profile.

2. A method comprising:

receiving a request from a client comprising an identifier of the client;

transmitting the identifier to a central registry containing characteristic profiles for plural clients;

dynamically receiving a characteristic profile from the central registry that includes a processing potential for the client; and

transmitting content to the client over a network, such content scaled according to the characteristic profile.

3. A method comprising:

receiving a request from a client comprising an identifier of the client;

transmitting the Identifier to a central registry containing characteristic profiles for plural clients;

receiving a characteristic profile from the central registry that includes a processing potential for the client; and

transmitting content to the client over a network, such content scaled according to the characteristic profile.

4. An article of manufacture, comprising a machine accessible medium having instructions encoded thereon for enabling a processor to perform the operations of claim 3.

5. A method according to claim 3, wherein the client characteristic profile includes information selected from a group consisting of:

processor configuration, available client memory, available client disk space, and client network connection speed.

6. An article of manufacture, comprising a machine accessible medium having instructions associated therewith, which when executed, results in performing the operations of claim 3.

7. A method according to claim 3, further comprising:

requesting the client to transmit the client characteristic profile to a server.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein requesting the client to transmit the client characteristic profile includes:

determining client characteristics of interest to the server; and

transmitting a code sequence to the client for processing by the client, where such code sequence instructs the client to identify the client characteristics of interest to the server.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the code sequence is programmed in a binary-type format immediately executable by the client upon receipt of such sequence.

10. A method according to claim 8, wherein the code sequence is programmed in an interpretable format immediately executable by the client upon receipt of such sequence.

11. A method according to claim 3, in which characteristic profiles have two portions, a first portion including the processing potential for the client, and a second portion including identity information for the client, the method further comprising:

receiving from the central registry only the first portion of the characteristic profile, so that the client may anonymously contact the server.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the identifier comprises an encrypted identifier for the client.

13. A method according to claim 3, wherein scaling content transmitted to the client comprises:

providing an unscaled source content;

determining client processing potential from the characteristic profile;

scaling the unscaled source content according to the client processing potential; and

causing the scaled source content to be delivered to the client over the network.

14. A method according to claim 13, in which the client connects to the server at a first network address with a network application program, and wherein causing delivery of the scaled source to the client is effected by redirecting the network application program to a second network address.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein scaling the unscaled source content is performed dynamically according to the client processing potential.

16. A method according to claim 13, in which scaling the unscaled source content is performed in advance of client contact with the server, the method further comprising:

determining a plurality of typical client characteristic profiles;

providing, for each of the plurality of typical profiles, a transmittable data stream by scaling the unscaled source according to each such typical profile;

comparing the client characteristic profile to the plurality of typical profiles to identify a most-compatible characteristic profile; and

transmitting to the client the transmittable data stream corresponding to the most-compatible profile.

17. A method according to claim 13, in which the unscaled source includes compressible and uncompressible portions, and the client characteristic profile includes an indicator of the client network-connection speed, the method further comprising:

determining a scaling factor, for a compressible portion of the unscaled source, according to the indicator of the client network-connection speed; and

scaling the compressible portion by the scaling factor.

18. A method of distributing scalable content between a server in communication over a network with a client computer having a processor, where scalability includes delivery of data having a complexity determined, In part, on characteristics of the client, the method comprising:

determining a characteristic profile Including a processor characteristic of the processor, and at least one item selected from a group consisting of;

available client memory, available client disk space, client identifier, and client network connection speed;

providing the processor characteristic data to the server;

receiving scaled content from the server corresponding to an original source content scaled according to the processor characteristic;

transmitting the characteristic profile to a central registry for later retrieval by the server.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the scaled content includes advertising targeted according to the client identifier.