Method and system for inserting web content through intermediation between a content server and a client station

• US 7,801,945 B1
• Filed: 07/03/2002
• Issued: 09/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Lowrey, Neil E., Anderson, David J., Vacanti, Daniel S., Geddes, Martin, Conley, Todd M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bates; Kevin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Van Kim T
• Application Number:
  US10/189,892
• Time in Patent Office: 3,002 Days
• Field of Search: 709200-203, 709/212, 709217-219, 709224-228
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

A method and system for inserting web content through intermediation between a content server and a client station. An intermediation system within an HTTP communication path between a content server and a client station receives a markup language that is being transmitted via the HTTP communication path from the content server to the client station. The intermediation system then detects a markup-insertion instruction within the markup language and responsively inserts new markup language into the set of markup language, so as to establish a modified set of markup language. The intermediation system then sends the modified markup language along the HTTP communication path to the client station.

Claims

1. A method comprising carrying out the following functions within an HTTP communication path between a content server and a client station:

at an intermediary, receiving a message that is being transmitted via the HTTP communication path from the content server to the client station, the message carrying a set of markup language that defines web content;

detecting a markup-insertion instruction within the set of markup language;

responsive to the markup-insertion instruction, inserting new markup language into the set of markup language, so as to establish a modified set of markup language, the new markup language defining at least a breadcrumb trail that indicates web navigation history of a user of the client station, the web navigation history being stored at the intermediary; and

sending the message carrying the modified set of markup language along the HTTP communication path to the client station, whereby a web browser on the client station presents the breadcrumb trail to the user and presents the web content to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the content server included the markup-insertion instruction in the markup language.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the markup-insertion instruction is interpretable.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the markup-insertion instruction is non-interpretable.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the content server sits on a packet-switched network, and the client station is linked by an access channel to the packet switched network, the method further comprising:

carrying out the receiving, detecting, inserting and sending functions within the access channel.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the client station is a mobile station, and the access channel comprises an air interface and a radio access network.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to the markup-insertion instruction, deleting the markup-insertion instruction from the set of markup language, so that the modified set of markup language sent to the client station does not include the markup-insertion instruction.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to the markup-insertion instruction, commenting-out the markup-insertion instruction from the set of markup language, so that the modified set of markup language sent to the client station includes the markup-insertion instruction as a comment.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the new markup language further defines a list of information.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the list of information comprises an instant messaging buddy list associated with a user of the client station.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the new markup language further defines a location of the client station.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising dynamically generating the new markup language.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein dynamically generating the new markup language comprises:

determining a location of the client station; and

generating the new markup language based at least in part on the location.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the new markup language further defines an establishment nearby the location.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising customizing the new markup language based on one or more interface capabilities of the client station.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the markup-insertion instruction designates an object to be inserted, and wherein the new markup language further comprises markup language that defines the object.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the object comprises a list of information.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the HTTP communication path extends via an access channel to the client station, the access channel being operated by an access-channel provider, and wherein the object bears at least one characteristic that reflects a marketing identity of the access-channel provider.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

consulting data to determine the new markup language to insert, based on the markup-insertion instruction.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the message carrying the modified set of markup language along the HTTP communication path to the client station comprises:

sending the message carrying the modified set of markup language to a web portal, wherein the web portal aggregates the modified set of markup language with other markup language so as to establish an aggregated set of markup language, and the web portal sends the aggregated set of markup language via the HTTP communication path to the client station.

21. A method comprising:

outputting from a content server, for transmission to a client station, a set of markup language that includes a markup-insertion instruction and that defines web content; and

within a communication path between the content server and the client station;

at an intermediary, receiving the set of markup language,

detecting the markup-insertion instruction in the set of markup language,

in response to the markup-insertion instruction, inserting new markup language into the set of markup language, so as to establish a modified set of markup language, the new markup language defining at least a breadcrumb trail that indicates web navigation history of a user of the client station, the web navigation history being stored at the intermediary, and

sending a message carrying the modified set of markup language along the communication path to the client station, whereby a web browser on the client station presents the breadcrumb trail to the user and presents the web content to the user.

22. In a wireless communication system of the type including an access channel between a mobile station and a packet-switched network, wherein the mobile station communicates, via a path comprising the access channel and the packet-switched network, with a content server on the packet-switched network, and wherein the mobile station includes a web browser for requesting, receiving and presenting web content, a method comprising:

at an intermediation system in the access channel between the mobile station and the packet-switched network, receiving a set of markup language being transmitted over the path from the content server to the mobile station, the set of markup language defining web content for receipt and presentation by the web browser;

at the intermediation system, detecting a markup-insertion instruction in the set of markup language and responsively inserting new markup language into the set of markup language, so as to establish a modified set of markup language defining modified web content, wherein the new markup language defines at least a breadcrumb trail that indicates web navigation history of a user of the mobile station, the web navigation history being stored at the intermediation system; and

sending the modified set of markup language from the intermediation system, along the access channel, to the mobile station, whereby the web browser on the mobile station presents the modified web content, including the breadcrumb trail, to the user.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein a web portal is disposed in the access channel between the intermediation system and the client station, and wherein sending the modified set of markup language from the intermediation system, along the access channel, to the client station comprises:

sending the modified set of markup language from the intermediation system to the web portal,

at the web portal, aggregating the modified set of markup language with other markup language so as to establish aggregated markup language; and

sending the aggregated markup language from the web portal, along the access channel, to the client station.

24. An intermediation system disposed within a communication path between a content server and a client station, the intermediation system comprising:

a network interface for receiving and sending communications along the communication path;

message-detection logic for detecting a message received by the network interface, the message carrying a set of markup language defining web content;

instruction-detection logic for detecting in the set of markup language a markup-insertion instruction; and

markup-insertion logic for inserting new markup language into the set of markup language, in response to the markup-insertion instruction, so as to establish a modified set of markup language defining modified web content, the new markup language defining at least a breadcrumb trail that indicates web navigation history of a user of the client station, the web navigation history being stored at the intermediation system;

wherein the network interface sends the modified set of markup language along the communication path for ultimate receipt and presentation of the modified web content, including the breadcrumb trail, to the user by a web browser running on the client station.

25. The intermediation system of claim 24, wherein:

the message-detection logic comprises a set of machine language instructions executable by a processor; and

the instruction-detection logic comprises a set of machine language instructions executable by a processor; and

the markup-insertion logic comprises a set of machine language instructions executable by a processor.

26. The intermediation system of claim 24, wherein the communication path extends via an access channel to the client station, the intermediation system being disposed within the access channel.

27. The intermediation system of claim 26, wherein the client station is a mobile station, and the access channel comprises an air interface and a radio access network.

28. The intermediation system of claim 24, wherein the markup-insertion logic further deletes the markup-insertion instruction, in response to the markup-insertion instruction, so that the modified set of markup language sent to the client station does not include the markup-insertion instruction.

29. The intermediation system of claim 24, wherein the markup-insertion logic further comments-out the markup-insertion instruction from the set of markup language, so that the modified set of markup language sent to the client station includes the markup-insertion instruction as a comment.

30. The intermediation system of claim 24, wherein the new markup language further defines information selected from the group consisting of (i) an instant messaging buddy list associated with the user of the client station and (ii) a location of the client station.

31. The intermediation system of claim 24, wherein the communication path extends via an access channel to the client station, the access channel being operated by an access-channel provider, and wherein the new markup language further defines an object that bears at least one characteristic that reflects a marketing identity of the access-channel provider.

32. A system comprising the intermediation system of claim 24 and further comprising a web portal disposed in the communication path between the intermediation system and the client station, wherein:

the network interface sends the modified set of markup language along the communication path to the web portal;

the web portal aggregates the modified set of markup language with other markup language so as to establish aggregated markup language; and

the web portal sends the aggregated markup language along the communication path to the client station.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the communication path extends via an access channel to the client station, the web portal being disposed within the access channel.

33. A system comprising, within an HTTP communication path between a content server and a client station:

means for receiving, at an intermediary, a message that is being transmitted via the HTTP communication path from the content server to the client station, the message carrying a set of markup language that defines web content;

means for detecting a markup-insertion instruction within the set of markup language;

means, responsive to the markup-insertion instruction, for inserting new markup language into the set of markup language, so as to establish a modified set of markup language, the new markup language defining at least a breadcrumb trail that indicates web navigation history of a user of the client station, the web navigation history being stored at the intermediary; and

means for sending the message carrying the modified set of markup language along the HTTP communication path to the client station, whereby a web browser on the client station presents the breadcrumb trail to the user and presenting the web content to the user.