System and method for accessing customized information over the internet using a browser for a plurality of electronic devices Number:7,072,984 from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) owispatent

Title: System and method for accessing customized information over the internet using a browser for a plurality of electronic devices

Abstract: A system and method is provided for enabling an electronic device to efficiently access information content. A server browser accesses the information content over a network. The accessed information content is retrieved and adapted for presentation for the electronic device. A serializer dynamically formats the adapted information content according to a client browser. The client browser receives and presents the information content on the electronic device. An event translator is included to provide additional compatibility with commercially available client browsers.

Patent Number: 7,072,984 Issued on 07/04/2006 to Polonsky,   et al.

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Inventors:	Polonsky; Leonid (Wilmette, IL); Hunt; Francis Edward Simon (Naperville, IL); Werwath; James Richard (Schaumburg, IL); Wallace; Kevin Nigel (Bartlett, IL); Trapani; Matthew Frank (Deerfield, IL)
Assignee:	Novarra, Inc. (Arlington Heights, IL)
Appl. No.:	842474
Filed:	April 25, 2001

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Current U.S. Class:	709/246 ; 709/217; 715/523
Current International Class:	G06F 15/16 (20060101); G06F 15/00 (20060101)
Field of Search:	709/246,240,230,245,217-229,200-207,238 707/10,1 345/866,864,804,744,746,1.1,156 713/171 455/414,435,412.1 715/517-523 370/229-240

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Primary Examiner: Najjar; Saleh
Assistant Examiner: Nawaz; Asad Muhammad
Attorney, Agent or Firm: McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff LLP

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Parent Case Text

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REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/199,858 filed on Apr. 26, 2000.

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Claims

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What is claimed is:

1. A system for accessing information content, the system comprising: a server browser for accessing the information content; a client browser for navigating the accessed information content, wherein the client browser is hosted on a wireless device; and a serializer for dynamically formatting the accessed information content according to an appropriate markup language for the client browser and according to capabilities of the client browser, wherein the server browser and the client browser distribute a set of tasks to format the information content so that both the client browser and the server browser format portions of the information content for display on the client browser, wherein the server browser determines which tasks are performed by the client browser by determining if the server browser can perform the tasks more efficiently, and wherein the server browser performs more formatting tasks than the client browser thereby accelerating delivery of the information content to the client browser.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the serializer dynamically customizes the format of the information content as appropriate for the specific client browser and applications that run on the client browser.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the serializer dynamically formats the accessed information content for a second client browser that utilizes a markup language different from the client browser.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the serializer dynamically formats a portion of the accessed information content, and wherein the portion of accessed information content is requested by the client browser.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a network between the serializer and the client browser; wherein the serializer partitions the information content into groups of information content appropriate for transmission over the network.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a network between the serializer and the client browser; wherein the serializer partitions the information content into groups of information content appropriate for receiving at the client browser.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the client browser interacts with an application, wherein the application comprises an email application, instant messaging, address book, bar-code device interface, calendar, or radio coverage.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the client browser navigates the information content according to specific abilities of the wireless device comprising navigational tools.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the information content is dynamically generated.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the server browser temporarily stores the accessed information.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the client browser temporarily stores a requested portion of the accessed information content.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the server browser and client browser are hosted on separate platforms.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the server browser is hosted on a server.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the server browser and the client browser are hosted on the same platform.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the client browser and the server browser are hosted on the wireless device.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein the wireless device comprises a personal digital assistant (PDA), mobile telephone, or a home appliance.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the client browser can present folderized portions of the accessed information.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein the client browser can process an audio input signal to accesses information content.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein the client browser utilizes a markup language comprising wireless markup language (WML), extensible markup language (XML), or voiceXML.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein information content utilizes a markup language comprising wireless markup language (WML), hypertext markup language (HTML), extensible markup language (XML), or voiceXML.

21. The system of claim 1 wherein the information content information comprises image, video, or audio content.

22. The system of claim 1 wherein the server browser supports scripting code comprising Java Script or Jscript.

23. The system of claim 1 wherein the client browser comprises a microgateway, and wherein other browsers can utilize the microgateway to access the information content.

24. The system of claim 1 wherein the server browser can send information content to the client browser.

25. The system of claim 1, further comprising: an event translator for converting a request from the client browser into an event recognizable by the server browser.

26. The system of claim 1, further comprising: an event translator for converting a response from the server browser into an event recognizable by the client browser.

27. The system of claim 1 wherein the server browser determines which tasks are performed by the client browser by determining which tasks the client browser may perform.

28. The system of claim 1 wherein the server browser determines which tasks are performed by the client browser based on a type of transmission network used for delivery of the information content to the client browser.

29. A system for accessing information content, the system comprising: a server browser for accessing the information content; a client browser for navigating the accessed information content, wherein the client browser is hosted on a wireless device; and a serializer for dynamically formatting the accessed information content according to an appropriate markup language for the client browser and according to capabilities of the client browser, wherein the server browser and the client browser distribute a set of tasks to format the information content so that both the client browser and the server browser format portions of the information content for display on the client browser, wherein the server browser determines which tasks are performed by the client browser by determining if formatting of the information content by the server browser lessens an amount of bandwidth needed to deliver the information content to the client browser, and wherein the server browser performs more formatting tasks than the client browser thereby accelerating delivery of the information content to the client browser.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the serializer dynamically customizes the format of the information content as appropriate for the specific client browser and applications that run on the client browser.

31. The system of claim 29 wherein the serializer dynamically formats the accessed information content for a second client browser that utilizes a markup language different from the client browser.

32. The system of claim 29 wherein the serializer dynamically formats a portion of the accessed information content, and wherein the portion of accessed information content is requested by the client browser.

33. The system of claim 29 further comprising a network between the serializer and the client browser; wherein the serializer partitions the information content into groups of information content appropriate for transmission over the network.

34. The system of claim 29 further comprising a network between the serializer and the client browser; wherein the serializer partitions the information content into groups of information content appropriate for receiving at the client browser.

35. The system of claim 29 wherein the client browser interacts with an application, wherein the application comprises an email application, instant messaging, address book, bar-code device interface, calendar, or radio coverage.

36. The system of claim 29, wherein the client browser navigates the information content according to specific abilities of the wireless device comprising navigational tools.

37. The system of claim 29 wherein the information content is dynamically generated.

38. The system of claim 29 wherein the server browser temporarily stores the accessed information.

39. The system of claim 29 wherein the client browser temporarily stores a requested portion of the accessed information content.

40. The system of claim 29 wherein the server browser and client browser are hosted on separate platforms.

41. The system of claim 29 wherein the server browser is hosted on a server.

42. The system of claim 29 wherein the server browser and the client browser are hosted on the same platform.

43. The system of claim 29 wherein the client browser and the server browser are hosted on the wireless device.

44. The system of claim 29 wherein the wireless device comprises a personal digital assistant (PDA), mobile telephone, or a home appliance.

45. The system of claim 29 wherein the client browser can present folderized portions of the accessed information.

46. The system of claim 29 wherein the client browser can process an audio input signal to accesses information content.

47. The system of claim 29 wherein the client browser utilizes a markup language comprising wireless markup language (WML), extensible markup language (XML), or voiceXML.

48. The system of claim 29, wherein information content utilizes a markup language comprising wireless markup language (WML), hypertext markup language (HTML), extensible markup language (XML), or voiceXML.

49. The system of claim 29 wherein the information content information comprises image, video, or audio content.

50. The system of claim 29 wherein the server browser supports scripting code comprising Java Script or Jscript.

51. The system of claim 29 wherein the client browser comprises a microgateway, and wherein other browsers can utilize the microgateway to access the information content.

52. The system of claim 29 wherein the server browser can send information content to the client browser.

53. The system of claim 29, further comprising: an event translator for converting a request from the client browser into an event recognizable by the server browser.

54. The system of claim 29, further comprising: an event translator for converting a response from the server browser into an event recognizable by the client browser.

55. The system of claim 29 wherein the server browser determines which tasks are performed by the client browser by determining which tasks the client browser may perform.

56. The system of claim 29 wherein the server browser determines which tasks are performed by the client browser based on a type of transmission network used for delivery of the information content to the client browser.

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Description

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FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This present invention relates generally to the field of network communications. More specifically, it relates to a system and method for accessing, adapting, and presenting information content for electronic devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Today, an abundant amount of meaningful and feature rich information content is truly at one's fingertips. Currently, using a personal computer (PC) and PC-based browser, one can find information online regarding just about anything they desire. One can communicate with people on the other side of the U.S. or world, set up a teleconference call, tap into the resources of other computers across the earth, search through the world's finest libraries, and visit images from the world's most remarkable museums. One can even use the PC-based browser to watch videos and listen to their favorite music, monitor the financial markets, find the local weather forecast, go shopping, download application software, and so on. Currently, all of this can be done with a personal computer and a PC-based browser that is tapped into a feature rich network of computers such as the Internet, Intranet, or Extranet.

At the same time, the field of communications, and more specifically wireless telecommunications, is currently undergoing a radical expansion. This technological expansion allows an electronic device, such as mobile personal digital assistant (PDA), cellular phone, pager, and other electronic devices to connect to the same information sources, such as a web server or database, as one could with the PC and a PC-based browser.

Unfortunately, this feature rich information content was developed for a standard PC-based browser, not a mobile or portable electronic device that might be limited in memory, screen size, bandwidth, navigation capabilities, power consumption, processing power, etc. For example, an electronic device, such as portable PDA, with a small screen size may be inappropriate to display the same information content originally intended for a PC-based browser, and viewed on a 15-inch or greater size display monitor. Consequently, the PDA can not be able to faithfully access and display information content as it was originally intended to be viewed. Therefore, it would be desirable to access, organize, and navigate information content including applications.

In another example, a mobile or wireless device with only low bandwidth capability may be unable to view information content intended for only high bandwidth applications. Parameters such as the mobile or wireless device's network connection, memory capacity, power restrictions, or other limitations of the device may require customization of information content that is delivered to or from the device. Therefore, it would be desirable to streamline the information content such that the desired content is received and presented at the mobile device as it was intended to be viewed.

In yet another example, current electronic devices cannot take full advantage of dynamically generated content and interactive Web sites that are typically hosted on today's Web servers. According to this example, scripting languages like JavaScript or Jscript allow a user on a PC-based browser to interact with markup language such as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) source code, thus enabling the use of dynamic content. However, it would be desirable for a portable electronic device, although possibly having limited abilities, to also utilize the modern and current scripting languages.

Currently, information content is sent to the device, but often in a format that the appliance, user, or network cannot conveniently accommodate, which produces undesirable results. For example, the data content might be unreadable on the display, displayed in an unorganized fashion, be too voluminous or bandwidth intensive to be received or displayed, and so on.

Thus, it would be desirable to transparently extend internet and intranet technologies to an electronic device over a wired or wireless domain.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A system and method is provided that enables electronic devices with limited hardware or network capability to successfully access the same feature rich information content as full featured PC-based browsers with a large display screen, extensive user input facilities (e.g., mouse, keyboard, etc), high CPU power, large memory, reliable network connections, a reliable power supply, and so on.

In an aspect of the present embodiment, the system enables an electronic device to access a number of different information sources including, but not limited to, marked up content like HTML, XML, WML, voice and multimedia. In the exemplary embodiment, a script execution engine is utilized to support scripting technologies such as JavaScript that dynamically generate content.

According to another aspect of the present embodiment, a distributed browser includes separable components, a server browser and a client browser, that enable an electronic device with a small display to efficiently access information content. In the exemplary embodiment, the server browser and the client browser work together to access the information content by separating functionality between the browsers, irrespective of the component's location. Preferably, the functionality applied to optimize information content access, arrangement, transmission, and navigation can be performed by the server browser rather than the client browser hosted on the portable or mobile device. In this manner the client browser and server browser work together to access the information content, with the server browser performing a majority of the required tasks.

According to another aspect of the present embodiment, a QDOM converts data content into a document object tree represented by a mutable object having an array structure. Based on the nodes of the object tree, the QDOM generates an array of primitive data types for efficiently developing an optimized standard structure for use by a normalizer or other processing modules. In the manner, the QDOM extends the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) DOM interface definition to an efficient model that provides high speed parsing, storage, and access while minimizing memory resource requirements.

In another aspect of the present embodiment, a normalizer adaptively tailors and folderizes markup based information content to accommodate an electronic device's particular software, hardware, and network characteristics. In the exemplary embodiment, the normalizer organizes any markup based information content into folders of interest. The user of the electronic device can then further explore the folders of interest as desired.

In yet another aspect of the present embodiment, metatags embedded in a markup language at the information source can provide instructions to the normalizer to take appropriate actions. Use of metatags can allow customization of original information content if a modified outcome is desired at the electronic device. In the exemplary embodiment, the metatags provide instruction to an automatic normalizer including, but not limited to, direct output of information content without normalization, the promotion of content into or out of folders, and dropping or filtering information content from the serialized output to an electronic device.

In another aspect of the present embodiment, pattern-matching templates are utilized to normalize the presentation of accessed information content. In the exemplary embodiment, a template normalizer utilizes regular expression pattern-matching to impose a template over a document and attempts to match the template to the document.

In another aspect of the present invention, an event translator provides additional compatibility with commercially available client browsers or end user applications that employ standardized protocols. In the exemplary embodiment, the event translator can be utilized on the server browser or the client browser to provide compatibility with standard client browsers.

In an aspect of the present embodiment, a serializer dynamically formats normalized content to a form that is optimized for a particular electronic device. The serialized output can be formatted to suit industry standard browsers, or targeted to an electronic device using the client side browser. The serializer may also dynamically format the same accessed information or normalized content for a second client side browser.

The present embodiments allow for electronic devices with limited hardware capability to access, on the fly, feature rich static and dynamic content, and applications. The server browser enables a client browser that utilizes a particular markup language to access information content that is of any type of markup language or technology. The distributed browser minimizes the functionality required on the device and implements the CPU and memory intensive functions on a server in the network, thus allowing wireless devices, with intermittent, limited connectivity, processing power capability etc. to provide a similar experience achieved with a desktop PC.

Multiple components including a serializer, normalizer, client browser, and/or the event translator work in conjunction with each other to convert user events within one markup domain into another markup domain while staying in the transaction to translate the meaning of the interaction appropriately. Thus, for example, user events such as scrolling, clicking, voice commands interact with the QDOM to result in a change in presentation of the content.

Additionally, the present embodiments provide significantly higher speed and an efficient use of network bandwidth as desired information content can be cached on the server browser and on the client browser, if so desired, to enable quick access to the desired portions of the information content.

The present embodiments also provide for server browser-centric access to user profile and client browser state information (such as cookies), thereby facilitating the use of multiple devices by a single user.

The present embodiments provide a number of advantages and applications as will be more apparent to those skilled in the art. The exemplary embodiments utilize distributed architecture for adaptively tailoring information content to electronic device's hardware and network characteristics.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a high-level diagram illustrating an exemplary system for accessing, adapting, and presenting information content to electronic devices;

FIG. 2 is a diagram further illustrating the server browser of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram further illustrating the event translator of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a diagram further illustrating the client browser of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an events message utilized in the exemplary system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a transmission ACK/NAK message utilized in the exemplary system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a security handshake request/response and ACK/NAK message utilized in the exemplary system of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary process of the QDOM of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a diagram further illustrating the process of the QDOM of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the process of the normalizer of FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a diagram further illustrating the process of FIG. 10; and

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an exemplary conversion of output from the system of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a high-level block diagram illustrating an exemplary system 100 for accessing and adapting feature rich information content for presentation on an electronic device 104. The accessed and adapted information content is transmitted between an information source 102 and the electronic device 104.

The information source 102 includes any type of device such as a web server, application server, database or other backend system, or any interface to an information provider. Preferably, the information source 102 provides information content expressed in a markup language, such as those markup languages known in the art including Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Extensible Markup Language (XML) with or without Extensible Style Sheets (XSL), VoiceXML, Extensible Hypertext Markup Language (XHTML), or Wireless Markup Language (WML). Furthermore, the information content can store images, video, audio information. Preferably, the information source 102 can be accessed through an information access network 106 such as a local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN).

The electronic device 104 includes any type of device such as a personal computer (PC), wireless telephone, personal digital assistant (PDA), hand-held computer, network appliance, and a wide variety of other types of electronic devices that might have navigational capability (e.g., keyboard, touch screen, mouse, etc.) and an optional display for viewing downloaded information content. Furthermore, the electronic device 104 can also include a device such as a set-top box, internet access appliance, infra-red remote control used with a set-top box, and so forth. Moreover, the electronic device 104 can include any type of device that has the capability to utilize speech synthesis markups such as W3C (www.w3.org) Voice Extensible Markup Language (VoiceXML).

Information content from the information source 102 is preferably retrieved and tailored for use on the electronic device 104 by a distributed browser 108. The distributed browser 108 is generally made up of a server browser 110 and a client browser 112. By utilizing the distributed browser 108, smaller electronic devices with limited hardware capability can access feature rich information or data. Moreover, the distributed browser 108 allows for efficient use of the communications network 114 bandwidth. Of course, electronic devices with high processing power, fast network connection, and large memory can also use the present embodiments.

In the exemplary embodiment, the server browser 110 and the client browser 112 are hosted on separate platforms. For example, the server browser 110 might be hosted on a back-end server, and the client browser 112 might be hosted on the electronic device 104. However, it should be understood that the server browser 110 and client browser 112 can be hosted on the same platform such as on an electronic device, especially if the platform or electronic device has the appropriate hardware and network capabilities.

The server browser 110 can access information content at the information source 102 via the information access network 106. In the exemplary embodiment, the server browser 110 operates as a client of the information source 102. For example, using a known suite of communications protocols such as Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), the server browser 110 can issue a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request to the information source 102 over the information access network 106. By utilizing HTTP requests, such as is known in the art, the server browser 110 can access information content, including applications, static and dynamic content, at the information source 102. Dynamic content can include script codes such as JavaScript, developed by Netscape (www.netscape.com), and Jscript, developed by Microsoft (www.microsoft.com).

Preferably, communications between the client and server browsers 112 and 110, respectively, are via a defined application protocol implemented on top of a wired or wireless transport layer depending on the nature of the electronic device 104 and communications network 114.

Therefore, the communications network 114 might include a wired network such as those that utilize Ethernet or similarly IEEE 802.3 protocols. The communications network 114 might also include a wireless network such as a local area wireless network (LAWN) or wireless local area network (WLAN). Moreover, the communications network 114 might include wireless networks that utilize other known protocols and technologies such as Bluetooth, wireless application protocol (WAP), time division multiple access (TDMA), or code division multiple access (CDMA). Furthermore, the communications network 114 is not limited to terrestrial networks, but can utilize other forms of transmission, as is known in the art, such as a satellite connection.

To provide an exemplary illustration, assume that a PDA hosts a client browser, a PC hosts a server browser, and the PDA and PC are both connected to an Ethernet network. Then, the client browser and the server browser could perform information transactions over the Ethernet network. Such transactions would utilize Ethernet or similarly IEEE 802.3 protocols. Nevertheless, in this example, the client and server browsers communicate over a wired network.

In another example, assume that an internet-enabled refrigerator hosts a client browser, a set-top box hosts a server browser, and both could perform information transactions over a Bluetooth or IEEE 802.11 wireless LAN. Then, according to this example, the client and server browsers are communicating over a wireless network.

Referring again to FIG. 1, a commercially available or standard client browser 140 can also be supported. Preferably, an event translator 136 is used to convert a request/response protocol, such as an HTTP request, from the standard client browser 140 (e.g., WML, XHTML, cHTML, etc.) to an event that the server browser 110 recognizes. Preferably, the translation process includes event information, content information, and the context of the event such that transactions between the standard client browser 140 and the information source 102 (e.g. HTML form submission) are preserved. Therefore, by using the event translator 136, the server browser 110 can provide an interface to any end user application with a known protocol. Thus, for example, an electronic device 104 can utilize the client browser 112 or standard client browser 140, or both at the same time, if so desired.

The server browser 110 can be hosted on any platform with sufficient hardware capability for performing tasks by the server browser 110 described herein. Such platforms can include but are certainly not limited to desktop or laptop PCs, servers, computer clusters, or embedded devices. It should also be understood that the server browser 110 can also be hosted on the electronic device 104, especially if the electronic device has the hardware and network connection capability.

According to the exemplary embodiment, the server browser 110 can authenticate itself with the information source 102, facilitate the request of the information using a protocol acceptable to the information source 102 (e.g., an HTTP request for a web server), provide secure transactions with the information source 102, provide secure transactions with the client browser 112, execute embedded scripts or code segments, and resolve necessary external references (e.g., request HTML frames or script sources) to complete the information model. Preferably, the server browser 110 also includes information content caching and data pre-fetch for performance gain.

Furthermore, the server browser 110 can perform information content transformations or apply device specific style sheets to aid in presentation (e.g., display or voice) and navigation (e.g., keyboard, touch screen, or scrolling), and perform content grouping for electronic devices that accepts data in limited quantities.

To deliver these capabilities, the server browser 110 preferably contains the modules including user agent 113, cookie handler 113, QDOM 116, script executor 120, normalizer 124, serializer 128, and connectivity 132, each described below. A session manager 108 is also included to manage the session between the client browser 112 and the server browser 110. Similarly, the session manager 108 can also manage the session between the standard client browser 24 and the server browser 110.

FIG. 2 is a diagram further illustrating the server browser of FIG. 1. The server browser utilizes a user agent 113 for accessing information at the information source 102. Preferably, the user agent 113 has the functionality of a traditional PC browser (e.g., Netscape Navigator, Internet Explorer, and so forth) as well as extended functionality, described below, due to the distributed nature of the electronic device 104. To access the appropriate information content at the information source 102, the user agent 113 communicates the requested resource identifier to the information source 102.

For example, the user agent 113 might transmit an HTTP request to a remote web server that hosts yahoo.com. According to this example, the user agent 113 would transmit a resource identifier to request a specific web page or ask the remote web server to perform a database query. The request including the resource identifier is broken into HTTP packets and the packets are sent across the Internet's TCP/IP communications infrastructure to the remote web server. The resource identifier then enables the host computer to locate the requested page at yahoo.com and return the information content to the user agent 113.

In addition to transmitting the resource identifier, the user agent 113 might inform the information source 102 of the client browser 112 type, electronic device 104 capabilities, and user preferences in the request headers and receives information identifying the properties of the data received (such as the content type, length and encoding) in the response headers. The headers that are sent back and forth between the information source 102 and the server browser 110 may also contain one or more cookies stored at the server browser 110 on behalf of the client browser 112.

Preferably, the user agent 113 conforms to the broader industry definition of the term as a component of the server browser 110 that acts on behalf of the electronic device 104 to request information from an information source 102. The requested information content can be from any information source including a web server as described above, but is not restricted to a web server. Other sources of information content might include an email server, Instant Messaging server, database or other storage of information. Additionally, the means through which the user agent 113 communicates with the information source 102 includes the HTTP protocol as described above, but of course, is not limited to that protocol.

Information content might also use XML information content and XSL style sheets instead of HTML as the preferred internet/intranet information content format. By using XML information content and an XSL style sheet, it can provide a clear separation of data and presentation. The XSL style sheet is applied to the XML information content by an XSLT engine to present the information content to an electronic device 104.

The XSL style sheet is applied to the XML information content at the information source 102, but preferably the client browser 112 can also apply the XSL style sheet to the XML information content. In this case, the server browser 110 preferably employs an XSLT engine to apply the XSL style sheet to the XML data before normalizing to produce content. One such example would be a WML client browser used to request an XML+XSL combination that produces XHTML.

Alternatively, the information content author may choose to use the original XML and apply templates and/or wireless markup instead of or in combination with XSL style sheets.

In addition to providing normalizer functionality, the system can also use templates and meta-tag markup to alter the original information content to better suit an end user application for which it was not originally designed. This can be achieved through the addition, removal or substitution of sections of content, tags and attributes (separately or together) in the markup, described more below.

Information content might also use VoiceXML (www.voicexml.org) which is an XML based language for specifying voice dialogs, including audio prompts and text-to-speech (TTS) for output and touch-tone keys (DTMF) as well as automatic speech recognition (ASR) for input. VoiceXML technology enables consolidation of voice and web applications. For example, it can be used with voice-only devices to access a voice portal, or used to facilitate multi-modal (graphical and voice) dialogs to VoiceXML enabled client browsers).

Preferably, the system (100 in FIG. 1) via the user agent 113 has the ability to read and process VoiceXML markup as well as convert from one markup (from WML for instance) to VoiceXML format. In addition, templates and/or wireless markup can be used to specify which parts of a web page are to be audible (i.e. converted to VoiceXML) and which are to be rendered visually by the browser. The server can interact with a VoiceXML gateway (much in the same way as it does with the WML gateway) to facilitate the VoiceXML based services.

Location based services might also prove to be very popular in this industry as they are well suited to mobile applications. Preferably, the server browser 110 via the user agent 113 has the ability to interact with the network entity supplying the location information via a defined protocol. The current coordinates of the electronic device accessing the network are preferably sent in the request headers to the content (web) server and/or be accessible via session cookies so that the device can easily utilize this location information. This functionality enables useful applications such as a restaurant locator that lists restaurants within a few miles of the user's current location.

Referring back to FIG. 1, the server browser 110 contains a cookie handler 115. Cookies provide a means of personalizing the information content that is retrieved by the user agent 113 on behalf of the user of the electronic device 104. Preferably, the cookie handler 115 supports session and persistent cookies. Session cookies are valid for the current user's session and persistent cookies can expire after a pre-determined time specified in the cookie or be permanent. An added benefit to server side cookie processing is that the user is provided access to his or her cookies from multiple electronic devices and the user's cookies are not lost when the user changes electronic devices.

Referring back to FIG. 2, the user agent 113 translates the requested data content, if necessary, into a recognizable markup language for further processing. The markup language may be in the format of XML, WML, HTML, or any other markup language or technology (e.g., video, audio, image) that incorporates the features used by the present embodiments.

The translated information is then organized into a logically structured format for further processing by the QDOM 116. The QDOM 116 efficiently constructs a nodal structure. The use of the QDOM 116 enables a standard structured interface to the retrieved content that can be utilized by all modules of the server browser 110. The QDOM 116 can effectively and efficiently store the information content in a standardized structure for use by the normalizer, more described below.

Referring back to FIG. 1, the server browser 110 has script executor 120 for assisting the QDOM 116 in interpreting embedded script code in the information content received from the information source 102. The script executor 120 is preferably capable of supporting the European Computer Manufactures Association standard (ECMAScript revision 3), which is most prevalent in the industry, but may also be capable of handling other scripting languages, known in the art, such as JavaScript, Jscript (Microsoft's extending implementation of ECMAScript), Visual Basic Script (VBScript), or WMLScript. The script executor 120 enables programmatic access to the QDOM 116 representation of the document.

This extension to the QDOM 116 can allow executed script code to modify the resultant document that is sent to the client browser 112, thus enabling dynamic content generation via scripting. Script executor 120 can also allow programmatic access to the cookies for a particular user, giving the content author the ability to create, modify or retrieve cookies associated with a given resource via script code. To interact with the user, communications between the script executor 120 and the client browser 112 is done via script events that are part of the application protocol between the server browser 110 and the client browser 112.

Referring again to FIG. 2, data content that has been transformed into a DOM tree is then forwarded from the QDOM 116 to the normalizer 124. Preferably, the normalizer 124 sends the DOM tree first to a template normalizer. If the template normalizer is unsuccessful at normalization, the DOM tree is then forwarded to an automatic normalizer where the data is normalized and then forwarded to the serializer 128 to be sent to the electronic device 104 via the connectivity manager 132, further described below.

The serializer 128 utilizes the normalized tree as input and produces a media stream targeted for a specific electronic device 104. Applying a style sheet or formatting rules to the DOM tree outputs a document (e.g., an XML document) that will be streamed to the electronic device 104. This document may be a complete or partial formatting of the accessed information content by the serializer 128. Preferably, the formatting rules are electronic device 104 specific and take into account display size, font types, color etc. as well as the particular markup language(s) supported by the target electronic device 104. Additionally, the serializer may dynamically format a separate media stream based on the accessed information for a second client browser. This client may utilize a markup language different from the client browser 112 of the target electronic device 104.

The server browser 110 has connectivity manager 132 for interacting with the client browser 112. Connectivity manager 132 sends and receives information to the client browser 112 using an event format and protocol such as a proprietary format (e.g., OBML, described below) and XML event messages. According to the requirements of the electronic device 104, the events may be translated via the event translator 136 (FIG. 1) to use an externally defined format and protocol such as WML and WAP.

Referring back to FIG. 1, the event translator 136 preferably provides the server browser 110 with compatibility with any standard client browser 140 or end user application that employs a known protocol such as HTTP. In this manner, the event translator 136 can receive accessed information content from the server browser and may then forward at least a portion of the accessed information content to the client browser. Current examples of standard client browsers 140 include both WAP and non-WAP based WML browsers, HTML browsers, XHTML browsers, as well as both iMode and non-iMode compact-HTML (cHTML) browsers.

FIG. 3 is a diagram further illustrating exemplary uses for the event translator of FIG. 1. The event translator 136 can be utilized on the server browser 110 side or the client browser 112 side, depending on which client browser 112 or standard client browser 140 is utilized. According to the server browser 110 side, the event translator 136 operates as the interface between a standard client browser 140 and the information content data stored in a DOM format at the server browser 110. Preferably, the DOM is a QDOM 116 that identifies each node in the document using a unique value. According to the client browser 112 side, the event translator 136 can exist on the client browser 112 and provide an interface between the third party viewer and the micro-gateway 144, which also may exist on the client browser 112. One skilled in the art would appreciate that the event translator 136 is not limited to the server browser 110 side or the client browser 112 side, but can also operate between and externally to the server browser 110 and client browser 112, if so desired.

Preferably, the event translator 136 translates requests for information content to known events that can be used to generate or modify a DOM tree, dynamically assigns unique device identifiers to identify the information source 102 of standard client browser 140 events, sends events and receives responses to and from the server browser 110, and manages sessions and transactions (including timeouts, authentication, error handling etc.) Additionally, the event translator 136 may also manage the transmission of events between the server browser 110 and a second client browser.

Referring back to FIG. 1, the client browser 112 can be hosted on an electronic device 104 such as a PDA, handheld PC, mobile phone or any device with sufficient navigation and presentation capability. The client browser 112 provides the user interface for presentation or rendering of the retrieved information as well navigational capability. In addition the client browser may interact with a specific application on the electronic device 104, including an e-mail application, instant messaging application, electronic address book, bar-code device interface application, electronic calendar, and radio coverage application.

Furthermore, portions of the client browser 112 may be used by a standard or commercially available client browser. In such examples, the client browser 112 can provide distributed browser functionality that is compatible with the standard or commercially available client browser.

Moreover, the electronic device 104 is preferably validated by user/appliance ID, which can be stored within a database on a server. This ID authenticates the electronic device 104 and validates that it is allowed to access specific data content found in a particular data source.

In an exemplary embodiment, the client browser 112 can access information content via the server browser 110. Additionally, the client browser 112 preferably allows the user to submit information content or form data back to the information source 102. The form data is a response to a query posed by the data content of a particular document from the information source 102. Events containing the data for each component in the form are forwarded to the server browser 110 by the electronic device 104 where they are formatted in accordance with the content of that document by the server browser 110. The result may be an error notification (e.g. network timeout, bad data, etc.) or display of a new document received from the server browser 112 as a result of server side 112 processing of the submitted form data.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the client browser 112 preferably includes a microbrowser 148, event controller 152, and DOM store 124 according to the industry standard Model View Controller (MVC) representation. The microbrowser 148 is one example of an end user "View" application and represents information such as graphical or textual display, or audio to the user. The event controller 152 processes events to and from the server browser 110. The DOM store 124 is utilized for caching the information content received over the communications network 114.

The event controller 152 and the DOM store 124 operate as a micro-gateway 144 between the server browser 110 and an application 168 for interaction with the end user. In the exemplary embodiment the application 168 presents a typical browser interface allowing display and navigation of content, form interaction and submission and so forth. It should be understood, however, that the micro-gateway 144 can also support multiple different end user applications 172 on the electronic device depending on their availability and the nature and type of content data delivered to it. Examples of such end user applications include, but are not limited to, email, instant messaging, media players and other such plug-ins. Further, multiple different kinds of browsers designed for particular markup types (HTML, cHTML, WML, etc.) and so forth can also be supported by the micro-gateway 144.

In one aspect of the exemplary embodiment, the micro-gateway 144 presents an external interface to other applications 168 and 172 that consists of a well defined interface to the DOM Store 124 component and an interface to the event controller 152 using the same event model that is described below for communications internal to the distributed browser. In another embodiment, the micro-gateway 144 can be combined with the end user application 168 and 172 and use a more tightly coupled internal interface.

Additionally, the micro-gateway 144 can use an event translator (not shown in FIG. 4) to provide an interface to third party or commercially available applications such as HTML or WML or cHTML browsers. For example, according to an aspect of the present embodiment, a micro-gateway 144 and an event translator to cHTML can be used to provide an interface between the server browser component and the third party cHTML browser known as Pocket Internet Explorer on a Pocket PC device running the Microsoft Windows CE operating system.

The microbrowser 148, renders the information content transmitted to the client browser 112 by the server browser 110. In the exemplary embodiment, the rendering includes visual representations (both textual and graphical) of the markup elements, but can be extended to provide other representations (e.g., audio) according to the capabilities of the electronic device 104. The format of the representations can be fixed by particular microbrowser 148 implementations such as a WML or proprietary (e.g., OBML) browser, or can be modified according to an XSLT style defined in conjunction with the content markup.

Typically the microbrowser 148 is used to directly display markup based content received through the micro-gateway 172. In addition, the markup based content can be used to adaptively tailor the microbrowser 148 according to directives contained in the information content. Adaptations can include embedding application logic in the content presentation, modifications to the interface (menus, titles, etc.) and other configuration of the browser application or device.

It should be understood, however, that an additional property of the browser is the ability to download and install other applications or plug-ins as needed to support non-markup based content, including images, audio, video, and multipurpose internet mail extensions (MIME) or secure MIME (S/MIME) document formats such as plain text, Acrobat (e.g., "*.pdf" format), Microsoft Word and so forth. Content of these types is can be viewed through the use of these other ap