System for web content management based on server-side application

• US 6,560,639 B1
• Filed: 02/12/1999
• Issued: 05/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 3565 Acquisition Corporation, International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: 3565 Acquisition Corporation
• Inventors: Brown, Albert C., Dan, Noah
• Primary Examiner(s): El-Hady, Nabil
• Application Number:
  US09/249,061
• Time in Patent Office: 1,544 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217-219, 709/223-225, 709/229-233, 707/10, 707/102, 707/103, 707/513, 707/515
• 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: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure

Abstract

A web management system including a database having a directory structure associating each web page of a web site with attributes thereof. The web site management system may include a web server for displaying each web page, and a server-side front end daemon communicatable with the web server and the database. The front end daemon may identify the attributes of any user-changed web page and store the attributes of any user-changed web page in that database. The identifying and/or the storing may be automatic or user-initiated. In addition to, or in the alternative, the web management system may include a file system caching all web pages in a web site. The web pages so cached may be static. The web management system may include a server-side back end daemon communicatable with the database and the file system. The back end daemon may parse the attributes to generate the at least partially static web pages and store the generated, at least partially static web pages in the file system.

Claims

1. A web management system based on server-side application comprising:

a file system caching all web pages in a web site, the web pages so cached being at least partially static;

a web server communicating with said file system for retrieving the cached web pages from the file system;

a database having a directory structure associating each web page of a web site with attributes thereof; and

a server-side front end daemon communicatable with said web server and said database, said server-side front end daemon identifying the attributes of any user-changed web page and storing the attributes of any user-changed web page in said database, wherein said server-side front end daemon includes at least one of;

a user manager for creating a hierarchy of at least one of group access and user access to at least one of the web pages and available editing options for the web pages;

an asset manager for at least one of finding, uploading, and organizing at least one asset including a binary file;

a page manager for one of creating new web pages, modifying existing web pages with available web page attributes, and tying the web pages to web site architecture and navigation;

a sub-directory navigation manager for displaying the web pages in one of a collapsible, indented, and tabular directory;

a forum manager for at least one of creating, attaching, and managing at least one interactive posting environment;

a help manager for at least one of creating, modifying, attaching, and managing at least one local help link to one of a command and field name;

a utilities manager including at least one management utility;

a knowledge base manager for addressing user problems;

a preferences manager for at least one of defining site-wide configuration defaults, and applying a desired object to the entire web site;

an object manager for one of creating and modifying at least one of a definition of an object and an instance of the object;

a code table manager for at least one of creating at least one code table, in said database, having at least one entry and one of creating and deleting one of the at least one entry, wherein said directory structure includes said at least one code table, and

an error report manager for reporting any error in intended user changes to a requested web page.

2. The web management system according to claim, 1, further comprising a server-wide back end daemon communicatable with said database and said file system, said back end daemon parsing the attributes to generate the at least partially static web pages and store the generated, at least partially static web pages in said file system.

3. A web management system based on server-side application comprising:

a database having a directory structure associating each web page of a web site with attributes thereof; and

at least one of;

(a) a web server for displaying each web page, and

a server-side front end daemon communicatable with said web server and said database, said front end daemon identifying the attributes of any user-changed web page and storing the attributes of any user-changed web page in said database, at least one of the identifying and the storing being one of automatic and user-initiated, and wherein said front end daemon includes at least one of;

a user manager for creating a hierarchy of at least one of group access and user access to at least one of the web pages and available editing options for the web pages;

an asset manager for at least one of finding, uploading and organizing at least asset including a binary file;

a page manager for one of creating new web pages, modifying existing web pages with available web page attributes, and trying the web pages to web site architecture and navigation;

a sub-directory navigation manager for displaying the web pages in one of a collapsible, indented, and tabular directory;

a forum manager for at least one of creating, attaching, and managing at least one interactive posting environment;

a help manager for at least one of creating, modifying, attaching, and managing at least one local help link to one of a command field name;

a utilities manager including at least one management utility;

a knowledge base manager for addressing user problems;

a preferences manager for at least one of defining site-wide configuration defaults, and applying a desired object to the entire web site;

an object manager for one of creating and modifying at least one of a definition of an object and an instance of the object;

a code manager for at least one of creating at least one code table, in said database, having at least one entry and one of creating and deleting one of the at least one entry, wherein said directory structure including said at least one code table, and

an error report manager for reporting any error in intended user changes to a requested web page; and

(b) a file system caching all web pages in a web site, the web pages so cached being at least partially static, and

a server-side back end daemon communicatable with said database and said file system, said back end daemon parsing the attributes to generate the at least partially static web pages and store the generated, at least partially static web pages in said file system.

4. The web management system according to claim 3, wherein said user manager is capable of assigning at least one access specification to at least one web page in a web site.

5. The web management system according to claim 3, wherein said asset manager is capable of at least one of:

browsing existing assets in the web site;

creating a new asset;

creating a new asset folder; and

listing, via an asset panel, all files containing a user-specified asset.

6. The web management system according to claim 3, wherein said assets include at least one of a text file, a graphical image, a video, data and an audio file.

7. The web management system according to claim 3, wherein said page manager is capable of at least one of:

listing, via a page panel, web pages in hierarchical order;

providing a form for updating content of a selected, listed web page;

adding a new web page;

viewing the selected, listed web page;

deleting the selected, listed web page; and

cloning the selected, listed web page.

8. The web management system according to claim 3, wherein said sub-directory navigation manager is capable of one of:

creating a new sub-directory navigation template;

modifying an existing subnavigation template; and

switching between a previous sub-directory and a successive sub-directory navigation template, if more than one subnavigation template exists, so that one of all web pages having the previous sub-directory navigation template will have the successive sub-directory navigation template, and all web pages in a selected hierarchy and having the previous sub-directory navigation template will have the successive sub-directory navigation template.

9. The web management system according to claim 3, wherein the object includes one of:

a global object, applicable to an entire web site;

a page-specific object applicable to a user-specified web page; and

a widget being user-designed and applicable to one of the entire web site and the user-specified web page depending upon user determination.

10. The web management system according to claim 3 wherein said at least one web site management utility includes at least one of:

a calendar for coordinating work and availability among a website management team;

a clone utility for cloning at least one of a web page, a plurality of web pages, and an entire web site;

a color calculator for aiding a user in selecting one of a background color and a text color;

an info utility for tracking version numbers of a web site configuration;

a multiple edits command for transferring one of the web page, the plurality of web pages, and the entire web site into a text file downloadable to a word processor;

a regenerate utility for regenerating the static web pages in the file system by user initiation;

a regenerate navigation utility for the directory structure of the web site;

an upgrade administrative directory utility for one of periodically and aperiodically one of upgrading existing managers and introducing new managers.

11. The web management system according to claim 3, wherein said knowledge base manager includes at least one of a listing of past user problems and solutions therefor, and a user-entry for posting a new problem.