Web portholes: using web proxies to capture and enhance display real estate

• US 7,509,397 B1
• Filed: 04/06/2000
• Issued: 03/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Roberts, Brian, Totty, Brian, Jha, Vikas, Padala, Sailendra
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdullahi; Salad
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOLD, AVI M
• Application Number:
  US09/544,356
• Time in Patent Office: 3,274 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 715/513, 715/517, 715/523
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for allowing a specialized proxy server called a “porthole engine” to deliver unrequested content to users browsing the Internet. In one embodiment, a user requests a web page. In response, the user receives the requested web page accompanied by unrequested information that an organization wishes the user to see. The requested web page and the unrequested information are displayed on the user'"'"'s display, either within the browser of the user, or as part of a separate window. In one embodiment, the requested web page and the unrequested information are displayed in frames. In an alternative embodiment, the unrequested information is implemented according the capabilities of the particular browser software, customized to the browsing consumer, targeted to explicit and inferred characteristics of the consumer, and branded to the organization providing access.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at a porthole engine an initial request for requested content;

wherein the initial request comes from a browser executing on a client;

wherein the initial request includes an address for the requested content, but does not include any embedded-item flag;

wherein said client is connected to a network through said porthole engine;

wherein said requested content resides on an origin server located separate from said porthole engine on said network;

said porthole engine responding to said initial request by sending to said client frame data that defines at least a first frame and at least a second frame, wherein said requested content is to be displayed as an embedded item in said first frame and wherein unrequested content is to be displayed as an embedded item in said second frame;

causing the client to decode the sent frame data, including decoding tags for embedded items;

causing the client to send to the porthole engine a second request for the requested content as an embedded item and the unrequested content as an embedded item;

wherein the second request includes said address for the requested content, and also includes an embedded-item flag that indicates to the porthole engine that the second request is for an embedded item;

in response to detecting that the second request includes the embedded-item flag, responding to the second request by obtaining the requested content from the origin server without sending additional frame data to said client; and

causing the client to display said requested content and said unrequested content as embedded items on a single display screen of said client.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the requested content includes a web page, and wherein the porthole engine causes the web page to be encapsulated within a paneled frame.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein:

said requested content appears on a first portion of a content display region of said browser; and

said unrequested content appears on a second portion of said content display region of said browser.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said porthole engine determines the format in which to display said requested content and said unrequested content based on one or more factors including at least one of differences in browsers, components of requested web pages, and versions of the browsers.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

the porthole engine receiving a series of subsequent requests from the browser in response to the browser decoding said frame data, said series of subsequent requests including the second request for said requested content; and

the porthole engine responding to said second request for said requested content by requesting said requested content from said origin server and delivering said requested content to said browser.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said porthole engine determines that said second request for said requested content is not an initial request for said requested content by using information contained in the URL associated with said initial request and with said second request.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein:

said porthole engine determines that said initial request is not a request for an embedded item by using information contained in the URL associated with said initial request and with said second request; and

the step of sending frame data is performed in response to determining that said initial request is not a request for an embedded item.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of sending frame data to said client includes the step of rewriting a link in an embedded frame document to affect frame behavior.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the step of rewriting a link includes the step of changing a target attribute of the link.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein:

said porthole engine determines that said initial request is not a request for an embedded item by using information contained in the URL associated with said initial request and with said second request; and

said porthole engine sends data that causes said unrequested content to appear on a portion of said content display region of said browser in response to determining that said initial request is not a request for an embedded item.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of using information about a particular user to tailor the unrequested content to that particular user.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the information about the particular user is selected from a group consisting of:

information available to owners of the porthole engine;

information about the requested content; and

a combination of the information available to the owners of the porthole engine and the information about the requested content.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of identifying the users to personalize the unrequested content.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of identifying the users is performed by a method selected in a group consisting of:

attaching cookies to web pages that are browsed by a particular user;

observing the radius authentication transactions and the resulting network address assigned to the client;

tracking network addresses assigned to the users; and

authenticating the users.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the requested content includes a web page form, and the unrequested content includes information that automatically fills in one or more fields of said web page form.

16. The method of claim 15 including the step of automatically filling in said one or more fields of said web page form upon determining that a web page being delivered through said porthole engine is associated with said web page form and is registered in the porthole engine as fillable.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the information that automatically fills in one or more fields of said web page form is provided by a database coupled to the porthole engine.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the porthole engine restricts access to particular web pages by using content filtering technology based on identities of the users.

19. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for allowing a porthole engine to deliver unrequested content to users that access requested content through the porthole engine, the computer-readable medium comprising instructions for performing the steps of:

receiving, at a porthole engine an initial request for requested content;

wherein the initial request comes from a browser executing on a client;

wherein said client is connected to a network through said porthole engine;

wherein said requested content resides on an origin server located separate from said porthole engine on said network;

said porthole engine responding to said initial request by sending to said client frame data that defines at least a first frame and at least a second frame, wherein said requested content is to be displayed as an embedded item in said first frame and wherein unrequested content is to be displayed as an embedded item in said second frame;

causing the client to decode the sent frame data, including decoding tags for embedded items

causing the client to send to the porthole engine a second request for the requested content as an embedded item and the unrequested content as an embedded item;

wherein the second request includes said address for the requested content, and also includes an embedded-item flag that indicates to the porthole engine that the second request is for an embedded item;

in response to detecting that the second request includes the embedded-item flag, responding to the second request by obtaining the requested content from the origin server without sending additional frame data to said client; and

causing the client to display said requested content and said unrequested content as embedded items on a single display screen of said client.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 wherein the requested content includes a web page, and wherein the porthole engine causes the web page to be encapsulated within a paneled frame.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 wherein:

said requested content appears on a first portion of a content display region of said browser; and

said unrequested content appears on a second portion of said content display region of said browser.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 wherein said porthole engine determines the format in which to display said requested content and said unrequested content based on one or more factors including at least one of differences in browsers, components of requested web pages, and versions of the browsers.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 further comprising instructions for performing the steps of:

the porthole engine receiving a series of subsequent requests from the browser in response to the browser decoding said frame data, said series of subsequent requests including the second request for said requested content; and

the porthole engine responding to said second request for said requested content by requesting said requested content from said origin server and delivering said requested content to said browser.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23 wherein said porthole engine determines that said second request for said requested content is not an initial request for said requested content by using information contained in the URL associated with said initial request and with said second request.

25. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 23 wherein:

said porthole engine determines that said initial request is not a request for an embedded item by using information contained in the URL associated with said initial request and with said second request; and

the step of sending frame data is performed in response to determining that said initial request is not a request for an embedded item.

26. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 wherein the step of sending frame data to said client includes the step of rewriting a link in an embedded frame document to affect frame behavior.

27. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 26 wherein the step of rewriting a link includes the step of changing a target attribute of the link.

28. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 wherein:

said porthole engine determines that said initial request is not a request for an embedded item by using information contained in the URL associated with said initial request and with said second request; and

said porthole engine sends data that causes said unrequested content to appear on a portion of said content display region of said browser in response to determining that said initial request is not a request for an embedded item.

29. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 further comprising instructions for performing the step of using information about a particular user to tailor the unrequested content to that particular user.

30. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 29 wherein the information about the particular user is selected from a group consisting of:

information available to owners of the porthole engine;

information about the requested content; and

a combination of the information available to the owners of the porthole engine and the information about the requested content.

31. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 further comprising instructions for performing the step of identifying the users to personalize the unrequested content.

32. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 31 wherein the step of identifying the users is performed by a method selected in a group consisting of:

attaching cookies to web pages that are browsed by a particular user;

observing the radius authentication transactions and the resulting network address assigned to the client;

tracking network addresses assigned to the users; and

authenticating the users.

33. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 wherein the requested content includes a web page form, and the unrequested content includes information that automatically fills in one or more fields of said web page form.

34. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 33 including instructions for performing the step of automatically filling in said one or more fields of said web page form upon determining that a web page being delivered through said porthole engine is associated with said web page form and is registered in the porthole engine as fillable.

35. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 33 wherein the information that automatically fills in one or more fields of said web page form is provided by a database coupled to the porthole engine.

36. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 wherein the porthole engine restricts access to particular web pages by using content filtering technology based on identities of the users.

37. A computer system comprising:

a client that includes memory operatively coupled to a processor;

at least one origin server; and

a porthole engine;

wherein said porthole engine is operatively coupled between the client and the at least one origin server through a network;

wherein said porthole engine is configured to deliver unrequested content to users of said client that access requested content that resides at said at least one origin server through said porthole engine; and

wherein upon a user using said client to initiate an initial request for said requested content through said porthole engine, said porthole engine is configured;

to receive said initial request from a browser executing on the client;

wherein said initial request includes an address for the requested content, but does not include any embedded-item flag;

to respond to said initial request by sending to said client frame data that defines at least a first frame and at least a second frame, wherein said requested content is to be displayed as an embedded item in said first frame and wherein unrequested content is to be displayed as an embedded item in said second frame;

to cause the client to decode the sent frame data, including decoding tags for embedded items;

to cause the client to send to the porthole engine a second request for the requested content as an embedded item and the unrequested content as an embedded item;

wherein the second request includes said address for the requested content, and also includes an embedded-item flag that indicates to the porthole engine that the second request is for an embedded item;

in response to detecting that the second request includes the embedded-item flag, responding to the second request by obtaining the requested content from the origin server without sending additional frame data to said client; and

to cause the client to display said requested content and said unrequested content as embedded items on a single display screen of said client.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein the requested content includes a web page, and wherein the porthole engine causes the web page to be encapsulated within a paneled frame.

39. The system of claim 37 wherein:

said requested content appears on a first portion of a content display region of said browser; and

said unrequested content appears on a second portion of said content display region of said browser.

40. The system of claim 37 wherein said porthole engine is further configured to determine the format in which to display said requested content and said unrequested content based on one or more factors including at least one of differences in browsers, components of requested web pages, and versions of the browsers.

41. The system of claim 37 wherein the porthole engine is further configured:

to receive a series of subsequent requests from the browser in response to the browser decoding said frame data, said series of subsequent requests including the second request for said requested content; and

to respond to said second request for said requested content by requesting said requested content from said at least one origin server and delivering said requested content to said browser.

42. The system of claim 41 wherein said porthole engine is further configured to determine that said second request for said requested content is not an initial request for said requested content by using information contained in the URL associated with said initial request and with said second request.

43. The system of claim 37 wherein:

said porthole engine is further configured to determine that said initial request is not a request for an embedded item by using information contained in the URL associated with said initial request and with said second request; and

said porthole engine sending frame data is performed in response to determining that said initial request is not a request for an embedded item.

44. The system of claim 37 wherein said porthole engine is further configured:

to determine that said initial request is not a request for an embedded item by using information contained in the URL associated with said initial request and with said second request; and

to send data that causes said unrequested content to appear on a portion of said content display region of said browser in response to determining that said initial request is not a request for an embedded item.

45. The system of claim 37 wherein said porthole engine is further configured to send data to said client to rewrite a link in an embedded frame document to affect frame behavior.

46. The system of claim 45 wherein rewriting a link includes changing a target attribute of the link.

47. The system of claim 37 wherein said porthole engine is further configured to use information about a particular user to tailor the unrequested content to that particular user.

48. The system of claim 47 wherein the information about the particular user is selected from a group consisting of:

information available to owners of the porthole engine;

information about the requested content; and

a combination of the information available to the owners of the porthole engine and the information about the requested content.

49. The system of claim 37 wherein said porthole engine is further configured to identify the users to personalize the unrequested content.

50. The system of claim 49 wherein said porthole engine to configured to identify the users by a method selected from a group consisting of:

attaching cookies to web pages that are browsed by a particular user;

observing the radius authentication transactions and the resulting network address assigned to the client;

tracking network addresses assigned to the users; and

authenticating the users.

51. The system of claim 37 wherein the requested content includes a web page form, and the unrequested content includes information that automatically fills one or more fields of said web page form.

52. The system of claim 51 wherein the porthole engine is further configured to automatically fill in said one or more fields of said web page form upon determining that a web page being delivered through the porthole engine is associated with said web page form and is registered in the porthole engine as fillable.

53. The system of claim 51 wherein the information that automatically fills in one or more fields of said web page is provided by a database coupled to the porthole engine.

54. The system of claim 37 wherein the porthole engine to further configured to restrict access to particular web pages by using content filtering technology based on identities of the users.