Componentized site engine services

• US 8,010,597 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2007
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Luk, Karen G., Steinbok, Jeffrey E., Perrin, Brian M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Salad; Abdullahi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran; Jimmy H
• Application Number:
  US11/857,904
• Publication Number:
  US 20090077177A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,441 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/203, 709/220, 717/107, 717/163, 717/164, 717/166
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

A plurality of modules which provide a user with tools for engaging in social networking are created. The plurality of modules are associated with a service. A server hosting the web space receives a selection from the user corresponding to a first module. In response to the selection, the server associates the service with the web space. The first module renders the web space on a client accessing the web space. The server enables a visitor to the web space to access a second module form the plurality of modules associated with the service. The accessed second module will display the web space in a second format on the client of the visitor.

Claims

1. A method for associating a service to a web space of a user, said web space being hosted on a server accessible via a data communication network, said method comprising:

creating, by the server, a plurality of computer-executable program modules, said plurality of modules providing the user with one or more tools for engaging in social networking via the web space of the user;

associating, by the server, selected modules of the plurality of modules with at least one service, wherein said associating creates at least one logical grouping of modules for providing functions of the at least one service, said at least one service and its associated modules being separate from the web space of the user;

receiving, by the server, a selection from the user corresponding to a first module from the at least one logical grouping of modules, the service being associated with the web space of the user in response to said selection, wherein said first module renders the web space in a first format to a visitor on a client accessing the web space via the data communication network and enables the visitor to the web space to select a second module from the at least one logical grouping of modules associated with the service for rendering the web space in a second format to the visitor without requiring the user to include said second module in the web space;

receiving, by the server, a selection from the visitor corresponding to a second module in the at least one logical grouping of modules, said second module and said first module being associated with the service, wherein the second module renders the web space of the user in a second format on the client of the visitor;

disassociating the first module from the web space of the user by the user;

determining if no modules associated with the service are associated with the web space of the user; and

disassociating the service from the web space of the user if no modules associated with the service are associated with the web space wherein the visitor to the web space is blocked from selecting a second module based on the first module, said second module and said first module being associated with the disassociated service.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of modules include one or more of the following:

small photo viewer, large photo viewer, blog writer, blog categories, blog archives, radio, guestbook, friends, profile, music list, music list index, custom list, book list, blog list, movie list.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user customizes the selected first module.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first selected module formats content for the web space of the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of computer-executable program modules is defined as a serialized XML object stored in a database.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the service includes one or more of the following:

photo sharing, blogging, people, advertising and lists.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of creating, associating, and receiving are performed by computer-executable instructions executing on the server, said computer-executable instructions being stored on one or more computer-readable storage device.

8. A method for associating a plurality of services to a web space of a user, said web space being hosted on a server accessible via a data communication network, said web space being used by said user for rendering content to a visitor of said web space, said method comprising:

creating, by the server, a first plurality of computer-executable program modules, said first plurality of modules providing the user with one or more tools for rendering content in the web space of the user;

creating, by the server, a second plurality of computer-executable program modules, said second plurality of modules also providing the user with one or more tools for rendering content in the web space of the user;

associating, by the server, selected modules of the first plurality of modules with a first service, wherein said associating creates a first logical grouping of modules for providing functions of the first service, said first service and its associated modules being separate from the web space of the user;

associating, by the server, selected modules of the second plurality of modules with a second service, wherein said associating creates a second logical grouping of modules for providing functions of the second service, said second service and its associated modules being separate from the web space of the user, wherein the second service is associated with the first service;

receiving, by the server, a selection from the user of a first module from the first logical grouping of modules, said first module being associated with said first service, said first service being associated with the web space of the user in response to said selection, said second service being associated with the web space of the user due to the second service being associated with the first service, wherein first module renders the web space in a first format to a visitor on a client accessing the web space via the data communication network and enables the visitor to the web space to select a second module from the first logical grouping of modules associated with said first service for rendering the web space in a second format to the visitor without requiring the user to include said second module in the web space;

receiving, from the visitor via the client accessing the web space, a selection corresponding to a second module in the first logical grouping of modules, said second module and said first module being associated with the first service, wherein the second module renders the web space of the user on the client of the visitor in a second format;

disassociating the first module from the web space of the user by the user;

determining if no modules associated with the service are associated with the web space of the user; and

disassociating the service from the web space of the user if no modules associated with the service are associated with the web space wherein the visitor to the web space is blocked from selecting a second module based on the first module, said second module and said first module being associated with the disassociated service.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first and second logical grouping of modules include one or more of the following:

small photo viewer, large photo viewer, blog writer, blog categories, blog archives, radio, guestbook, friends, profile, music list, music list index, custom list, book list, blog list, movie list.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the user customizes the selected first module.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the first and second plurality of modules provide the user with tools for engaging in social networking.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the first and second service include one or more of the following:

photo sharing, blogging, people, advertising and lists.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of computer-executable program modules is defined as a serialized XML object stored in a database.

14. A system for rendering a web space of a user to a visitor:

a server for hosting the web space of the user, said server being accessible via a data communication network, said server including a processor configured for executing instructions for;

creating a plurality of computer-executable program modules, said plurality of modules providing the user with one or more tools for engaging in social networking;

associating selected modules of the plurality of modules with a service, wherein said associating creates a logical grouping of modules for providing functions of the at least one service, said service and its associated modules being separate from the web space of the user;

identifying a first module in the logical grouping of modules selected by the user, the service associated with the logical grouping of modules also being associated with the web space of the user in response to the selection of the first module;

disassociating the first module from the web space of the user by the user;

determining if no modules associated with the service are associated with the web space of the user; and

disassociating the service from the web space of the user if no modules associated with the service are associated with the web space wherein the visitor to the web space is blocked from selecting a second module based on the first module, said second module and said first module being associated with the disassociated service;

a client for connecting the visitor to the web space of the user, said first module rendering the web space on the client, said client being configured for executing instructions for;

accessing the web space of the user by the client via the data communication network, wherein the first module renders the web space in a first format to the visitor on said client; and

receiving a selection of a second module in the logical grouping of modules from the visitor via the client, said second module and said first module being associated with the service, wherein the second module renders the web space of the user on the client of the visitor in a second format without requiring the user to include said second module in the web space.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first selected module formats content for the web space of the user.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of computer-executable program modules is defined as a serialized XML object stored in a database.