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`US 20040049574A1
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`(19) United States
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`(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2004/0049574 A1
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`(43) Pub. Date: Mar. 11, 2004
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`Watson et al.
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`(54)
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`(21)
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`WEB SERVER
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`Publication Classification
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`Inventors: Mark Alexander Watson, Farnham
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`(GB); Jonathan Rhys Tyack Lewis,
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`Winchester Hampshire (GB)
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`(51)
`Int. Cl.7 ................................................... G06F 15/173
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`(52) Use]. ......................... 709/224; 715/523; 715/526;
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`709/246
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`Correspondence Address:
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`BLAKELY SOKOLOFF TAYLOR & ZAFMAN
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`12400 WILSHIRE BOULEVARD, SEVENTH
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`FLOOR
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`LOS ANGELES, CA 90025 (US)
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`Appl: No.:
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`10/381,802
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`PCT Filed:
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`Sep. 24, 2001
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`PCT No.:
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`PCT/GB01/04235
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`Foreign Application Priority Data
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`Sep. 26, 2000
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`(GB) ......................................... 00235705
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`(57)
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`ABSTRACT
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`A web server (1) responds to a request message from a
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`remote user device (2) by dynamically generating web page
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`code capable of being interpreted by the user device. A
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`device type identifier (45) is extracted from the request
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`message and is input to a code generating engine (25) which
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`interprets stored instructions for generating the web page
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`code with reference to selected device dependent informa-
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`tion corresponding to the device type identifier. The web
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`page information is stored as a content document comprising
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`a set of instructions written in a script language. The web
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`server generates web pages in an appropriate form for each
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`user device without the need to convert web pages from one
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`form to another.
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`SERWCE
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`5 G
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`Page 1 of 48
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`OOGLE EXHIBIT 101 1
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`GOOGLE EXHIBIT 1011
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`Patent Application Publication Mar. 11, 2004 Sheet 1 0f 27
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`US 2004/0049574 A1
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`SERVICE
`CENTRE
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`Fig 1
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`WEB SERVER
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`WEB SERVER GUI
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`Page 2 of 48
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`Page 2 of 48
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`Patent Application Publication Mar. 11, 2004 Sheet 2 0f 27
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`Fig 2A
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`WEB SERVER
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`DATABASE
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`CONTENT CODE
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`CODE
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`GENERATING
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`INFORMATION
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`25
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`DEVICE
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`OPERATIONAL
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`IDENTIFICATION
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`DATA
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`ENGINE
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`PROGRAM
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`INTERFACE
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`Page 3 of 48
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`Page 3 of 48
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`Patent Application Publication Mar. 11, 2004 Sheet 3 0f 27
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`Fig 28
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`WEB SERVER
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`APPLICATION
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`DOCU MENT
`DATABASE
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`POLICY TABLES
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`STRUCTU RE 305
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`FRONT END PROCESSOR
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`USER
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`Page 4 of 48
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`Page 4 of 48
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`Patent Application Publication Mar. 11, 2004 Sheet 4 0f 27
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`US 2004/0049574 A1
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`Fig 3
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`POLICY TABLES
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`DEVICE POLICY
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`TABLE
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`PROTOCOL POLICY '
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`TABLE
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`THEMES POLICY
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`LAYOUTS POLICY
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`TABLE
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`DYNAMIC POLICY
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`TABLE
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`COMPONENT POLICY
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`TABLE
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`Page 5 of 48
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`Page 5 of 48
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`Patent Application Publication Mar. 11, 2004 Sheet 5 0f 27
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`US 2004/0049574 A1
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`Fig 4
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`CODE GENERATING ENGINE OPERATION
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`CONTENT ODE
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`LANGUAGE
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`DEVlCE ID
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`Page 6 of 48
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`lIlll
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`Page 6 of 48
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`Patent Application Publication Mar. 11, 2004 Sheet 6 0f 27
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`Fig 5B
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`TV LAYOUT
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`LARGE COLOUR LOGO
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`PICTURE
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`GREETING
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`PROMOTIONS
`MENU
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`Fig 5D
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`WAP PHONE LAYOUT
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`Fig 5A
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`PC LAYOUT
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`LARGE COLOUR
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`TICKER
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`Fig 5c
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`PDA LAYOUT
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`MEDIUM BLACK ,.
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`AND WHITE LOGO
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`GREETING
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`Page 7 of 48
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`Page 7 of 48
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`Patent Application Publication Mar. 11, 2004 Sheet 7 0f 27
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`Fig 5E
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`Fig 5F
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`Page 8 of 48
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`Page 8 of 48
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`Patent Application Publication Mar. 11, 2004 Sheet 8 0f 27
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`US 2004/0049574 A1
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`Fig 6
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`HEIRARCHY OF DEVICE POLICY TABLE
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`ROOT DEVICE TYPE
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`4/ 61
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`m
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`\ x
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`WAP
`pnoue
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`PALM ”Egg APPLE
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`_
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`\\
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`GAMES
`CONSOLE 4—“ 62
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`x \ \
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`<—-——’ 63
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`MICROSOFT
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`\\
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`9—" 55
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`CASIO m JORNADA
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`Page 9 of 48
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`Page 9 of 48
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`Patent Application Publication Mar. 11, 2004 Sheet 9 0f 27
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`US 2004/0049574 A1
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`Fig 7
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`SOFTWARE PROVIDED TO WEB SERVER
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`WEB APPLICATION
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`CODE GENERATING
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`ENGINE
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`SET OF TAGS
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`INTEGRATING
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`OPERATIONS
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`POLICY OBJECT
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`CREATION PROGRAM
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`IDENTIFICATION
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`Page 10 of 48
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`Page 10 of 48
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`Patent Application Publication Mar. 11, 2004 Sheet 10 0f 27
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`US 2004/0049574 A1
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`Fig 8
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`Page 11 of 48
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`Page 11 of 48
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`Patent Application Publication Mar. 11, 2004 Sheet 11 0f 27
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`US 2004/0049574 A1
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`Fig 9
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`IDENTIFIER
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`PRESENTATION
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`INFORMATION
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`90
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`GENERATING
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`ENGINE
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`CONTENT
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`Page 12 of 48
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`Page 12 of 48
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`Patent Application Publication Mar. 11, 2004 Sheet 12 0f 27
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`US 2004/0049574 A1
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`Fig 10
`SERVICE
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`CENTRE
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`SERVER
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`Page 13 of 48
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`Page 13 of 48
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`Patent Application Publication Mar. 11, 2004 Sheet 13 0f 27
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`Fig 11
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`PRODUCTION
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`CENTRE
`PR°?E5S‘TE
`SERVER l
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`SERVICE
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`__-.I'mMREDI RECT ‘l 1 6
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`TEMPORARY UPDATE 119 __
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`WEB PAGE CODE 120
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`Page 14 of 48
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`Page 14 of 48
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`Patent Application Publication Mar. 11, 2004 Sheet 14 0f 27
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`Fig 12
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`WEB PAGE SERVER WITH CACHE
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`MEMORY
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`DYNAMIC WEB PAGE
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`SERVER
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`N
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`CACHED WEB
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`CACHE
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`Page 15 of 48
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`Page 15 of 48
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`Patent Application Publication Mar. 11, 2004 Sheet 15 0f 27
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`Fig 1 3
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`GATEWAY SERVER PROCESSING
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`RECEIVE URL
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`REQUEST,
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`IDENTIFY ID AND
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`RETRIEVE STATIC
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`REQUEST
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`GENERATION
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`RECEIVE WEB
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`PAGE CODE
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`OUTPUT WEB
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`PAGE CODE
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`Page 16 of 48
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`Patent Application Publication Mar. 11, 2004 Sheet 16 0f 27
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`US 2004/0049574 A1
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`Fig 14
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`DYNAMIC WEB PAGE SERVER
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`PROCESSING
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`-" RECEIVE WEB PAGE
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`REQUEST AND DEVICE ID
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`RETRIEVE
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`CONTENT CODE
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`GENERATE WEB
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`PAGE
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`NO
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`CACHED
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` ADD METADATA
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`OUTPUT WEB PAGE
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`CODE TO CACHE
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`. OUTPUT WEB PAGE
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`CODE TO GATEWAY
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`146
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`Patent Application Publication Mar. 11, 2004 Sheet 17 0f 27
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`Fig 15
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`DATA SELECTION USING A
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`COMPONENT LOGIC SOFTWARE
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`MODULE
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`COMPONENT LOGIC
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`SOFTWARE MODULE
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`DATA OBJECT
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`VERSIONS
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`CODE
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`GENERATING
`ENGINE
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`21
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`Patent Application Publication Mar. 11, 2004 Sheet 18 0f 27
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`US 2004/0049574 Al
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`F'
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`1 6
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`ACCESSING DATA DURING CODE
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`GENERATION
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`INPUT DOCUMENT CODE
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`START TO GENERATE
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`WEB PAGE CODE FROM
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`TRY TO IMPORT
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`NO
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`AUTHOR DEFINED
`DATA OBJECTS TO
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`VERSION OF DATA
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`BE IMPORTED
`OBJECT
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`COMPLETE WEB
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`PAGE CODE
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`GENERATION
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`OUTPUT WEB
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`PAGE CODE
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`USE COMPONENT LOGIC
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`SELECT VERSION OF DATA
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`OBJECT
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`Page 19 of 48
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`Patent Application Publication Mar. 11, 2004 Sheet 19 0f 27
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`Flg 17
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`HEIRARCHY OF DATA OBJECTS WHICH
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`ARE DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF DATA
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`REFERENCED BY A SINGLE
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`COMPONENT NAME
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`17-2
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`COMPONENT
`NAME
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`Patent Application Publication Mar. 11, 2004 Sheet 20 0f 27
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`US 2004/0049574 A1
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`Fig 18
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`HEIRARCHY 0F TEXT OBJECTS WHICH
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`ARE DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF DATA
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`REFERENCED BY A SINGLE
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`COMPONENT NAME AND BY A
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`LANGUAGE ID
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`Patent Application Publication Mar. 11, 2004 Sheet 21 0f 27
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`US 2004/0049574 A1
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`Fig 19
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`WEB SERVER
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`GUI
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`DATABASE
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`POLICY TABLES
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`CONTENT DATA
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`STRUCTURE
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`DEVICE
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`POLICY
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`TABLE
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`30
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`WEB
`_
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`APPLICATION
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`PROCESSOR
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`DEVICE
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`CODE
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`IDENTIFICATION
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`GENERATING
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`ENGINE
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`ENGINE
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`21
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` PANE
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`DISSECTOR
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`BUFFER
`191
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`FRONT END PROCESSOR
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`USER
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`DEVICE
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`Patent Application Publication Mar. 11, 2004 Sheet 22 0f 27
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`US 2004/0049574 A1
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`Fig 20
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`DISECTING PANES
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`200
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`201
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`202
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`GENERATE CODE BASED ON DEVICE
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`ID AND REQUEST
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`MEASURE AMOUNT OF CODE
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`GENERATED
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`LOOK UP DEVICE DATA CAPACITY
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`NO
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`THAN CAPACITY
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`205
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`DISSECT CODE
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`OUTPUT CODE
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`WITHOUT DISSECTING
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`STORE SHARDS OF
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`DIVIDED PANE
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`OUTPUT ONE
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`SHARD
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`2°3
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`204
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`Page 23 of 48
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`Page 23 of 48
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`Patent Application Publication Mar. 11, 2004 Sheet 23 0f 27
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`Fig 21
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`DISSECTiNG PANES
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`210
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`SHARDS
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`E
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`213
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`Page 24 of 48
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`Patent Application Publication Mar. 11, 2004 Sheet 24 0f 27
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`US 2004/0049574 A1
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`Fig 22
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`SESSION MEMORY
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`SESSION MEMORY
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`220
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`FRONT END
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`PROCESSOR
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`190
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`BUF R
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`Page 25 of 48
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`Page 25 of 48
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`Patent Application Publication Mar. 11, 2004 Sheet 25 0f 27
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`US 2004/0049574 A1
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`Fig 23
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`DISECTING FORMS
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`231
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`Page 26 of 48
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`Patent Application Publication Mar. 11, 2004 Sheet 26 0f 27
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`US 2004/0049574 A1
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`Fig 24
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`AUTHORING
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`23
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`INFORMATION AUTHORING
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`DOCUMENTS
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`SUITE
`OF WEB PAGE
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`240
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`DATA
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`CONVERTER
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`241 ~
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`DATABASE
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`1 9
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`FILE MANAGER
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`242
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`: I
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`DEVICE POLICY
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`TABLE
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`30
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`Page 27 of 48
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`Page 27 of 48
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`Patent Application Publication Mar. 11, 2004 Sheet 27 0f 27
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`US 2004/0049574 A1
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`Fig 25
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`FILE STORAGE
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`RECEIVE FILE- CONTAINING DATA
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`FOR STORAGE AS DATA OBJECT
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`DETERMINE TYPE OF DATA
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`REFER TO DEVICE POLICY TABLE TO
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`DETERMINE LIST OF DATA FORMATS
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`REQUIRED
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`GENERATE FOR EACH FORMAT A
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`CONVERTED FILE
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`”STORE FILES IN DATA STRUCTURE
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`250
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`25"
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`254
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`Page 28 of 48
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`US 2004/0049574 A1
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`Mar. 11, 2004
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`WEB SERVER
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`[0001] This invention relates to web servers and in par-
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`ticular but not exclusively to a web server for responding to
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`request messages received via the internet from remote user
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`devices and to a web server capable of responding with web
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`page code tailored to meet the capabilities of the remote user
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`device.
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`[0002] The use of the internet has recently flourished to
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`the extent where almost every business concern has its own
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`website to provide information and online purchasing facili-
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`'lhe majority of such websites have in the past been
`ties.
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`accessed by remote user devices which are PCs (Personal
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`Computers) using one of a relatively small number of
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`available browser applications so that, by and large,
`the
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`websites were required to output web page code in a single
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`format for viewing at the user device.
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`[0003] More recently, there has been a proliferation in new
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`internet enabled devices such as PDAs (Personal Digital
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`Assistants), mobile telephones with WAP (Wireless Appli-
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`cation Protocol) facilities, IDTV (Interactive Digital Tele—
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`vision),
`information kiosks, games, consoles and home
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`appliances. The capabilities of these devices vary consider-
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`ably from device to device, both in their display function in
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`terms of screen size and colour processing ability, bandwidth
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`and available memory as well as variables associated with
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`communication including image format, communication
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`protocol and markup language.
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`[0004]
`In order to enable users of these different devices to
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`access their websites, many businesses have resorted to
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`building separate web servers to serve each device type. This
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`however creates data management problems where a cus-
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`tomer may wish to have the option of using different devices
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`to communicate with the merchant using the same account
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`details for example, the merchant then requiring a prolif—
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`eration of different web server applications to be managed
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`and updated when required with new or additional material.
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`[0005] An alternative approach has been to provide a
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`separate port of a website for access by an alternative type
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`of user device, the separate port obtaining the required web
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`page code by translating the original PC based web page
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`code, typically in HyperText Markup Language (HTML)
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`format, to other device formats such as Wireless Markup
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`Language (WML) used for WAP telephones. Such solutions
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`however generally have failed to deliver optimum presen-
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`tation to the user of the device. The translating process (often
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`referred to as “transcoding”) is difficult
`to engineer. For
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`example, it is necessary to provide appropriate selection of
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`information which is to be omitted from display in the
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`device having lower capabilities than the PC. This difficulty
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`is compounded when it is necessary to update the original
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`PC web page code because the transcoding process must
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`also be reengineered.
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`[0006]
`It has also been proposed that the protocols used
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`for accessing web page information over the internet should
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`be unified by the adoption of standards in order to overcome
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`problems resulting from remote user devices having differ—
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`ent capabilities. The use of Extensible Markup Language
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`(XML) as a format for web page code has been proposed.
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`XML is a mark-up language for defining content and can be
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`used with XSL (Extensible Stylesheets Language) used to
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`transform XML documents with style sheets at the point of
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`Page 29 of 48
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`presentation. As yet however, such standards have not been
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`adopted and this solution is not seen as optimum for all
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`device types.
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`an
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`[0007] The present
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`improved web server with multi-channel capabilities able to
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`serve different types of remote user device.
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`[0008] According to the present invention there is dis-
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`closed an apparatus for responding to a request message
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`from a remote user device for web page information by
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`generating web page code representative of one or more web
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`pages to be displayed by the user device and outputting a
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`response message comprising the web page code.
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`apparatus comprises extracting
`[0009] Preferably the
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`me ans for extracting from the request message a device type
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`identifier identifying the remote user device as being one of
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`a set of possible device types having different capabilities.
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`[0010] The apparatus preferably has a processor for oper—
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`ating a code generating engine to generate the web page
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`code, first memory means for storing the web page infor-
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`mation as a set of instructions, and second memory means
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`for storing device dependent information for each of the
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`dilferent device types for tailoring the web page code to the
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`capabilities of the device type.
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`[0011] The code generating engine preferably comprises
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`interpreting means for interpreting the instructions with
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`reference to selected device dependent information corre-
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`sponding to the device type identifier, the code generating
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`me ans thereby being operable to generate the web page code
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`in a form in which the web page code is tailored to the
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`capabilities of the remote user device.
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`[0012] Preferred embodiments of the present invention
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`will now be described by way of example only and with
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`reference to the accompanying drawings of which:
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`[0013] FIG. 1 is a schematic overview of connection
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`between a web server and remote user devices;
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`[0014] FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram of the web server
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`of FIG. 1;
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`[0015] FIG. 2B is a functional diagram for illustrating
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`signal flow in the web server of FIG. 2A;
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`[0016] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of policy tables for
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`use with the web server of FIG. 2;
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`[0017] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating opera-
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`tion of the code generating engine;
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`[0018] FIG. 5A illustrates a layout for a PC;
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`[0019] FIG. 5B illustrates a layout for a television;
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`[0020] FIG. 5C illustrates a layout for a PDA;
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`[0021] FIG. 5D illustrates a layout for a WAP telephone;
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`[0022] FIG. 5E illustrates layout for a device having a
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`large screen;
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`[0023] FIG. 5F illustrates the display of fragments in a
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`device having a small screen;
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`[0024] FIG. 5G illustrates a multi-menu structure in a
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`large screen device;
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`Page 29 of 48
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`

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`US 2004/0049574 A1
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`Mar. 11, 2004
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`[0025] FIG. 5H illustrates the relationship between con-
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`trol segments and content segments in the layout of FIG.
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`5G;
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`[0026] FIG. 6 illustrates the hierarchy of a device policy
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`tablc;
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`[0027] FIG. 7 illustrates schematically the software pro-
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`vided to the web server;
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`[0028] FIG. 8 illustrates schematically the hardware
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`rcquircd by thc wcb scrvcr;
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`[0029] FIG. 9 illustrates schematically the separation of
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`content code and presentation of information for use by the
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`code generating engine;
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`[0030] FIG. 10 illustrates schematically a system com-
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`prising a production server and a development server;
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`[0031] FIG. 11 illustrates the exchange of signals in the
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`system of FIG. 10 when a new type of user device is
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`encountered for the first time;
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`[0032] FIG. 12 illustrates schematically a server having a
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`cache memory;
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`[0033] FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating the method of
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`operation of a gateway server of FIG. 12;
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`[0034] FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating operation of a
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`dynamic web page server of FIG. 12;
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`[0035] FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram illustrating a
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`component logic software module;
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`[0036] FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating operation of
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`code generation using the component logic software mod-
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`ule;
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`[0037] FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating the hierarchy of
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`data objccts which are diffcrcnt vcrsions of data rcfcrcnccd
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`by a single component name;
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`[0038] FIG. 18 illustrates the hierarchy of text objects
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`with different text code sizes and languages;
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`[0039] FIG. 19 illustratcs the signal flow in a wcb scrvcr
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`in which pane dissection occurs;
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`[0040] FIG. 20 is a flowchart illustrating pane dissection;
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`[0041] FIG. 21 illustrates the dissection of a pane into
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`shards;
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`[0042] FIG. 22 illustrates use of a user session memory
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`during form filling;
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`[0043] FIG. 23 illustrates the dissection of a pane used in
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`form filling;
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`[0044] FIG. 24 illustrates the function of the graphical
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`user interface; and
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`[0045] FIG. 25 is a flowchart illustrating a method of file
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`storagc.
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`illustrates a web server 1 connected to
`[0046] FIG. 1
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`remote user devices 2 via the internet 3. The remote user
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`devices are illustrated to be a PC, television, PDA, and a
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`mobilc tclcphonc with WAP facility but can includc any
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`number of different devices with internet capability. The
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`web server 1 is provided with a web server GUI (Graphical
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`User Interface) 4 enabling an operator of the web server to
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`author documents and generally control and maintain opera—
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`tion of the web server. The web server 1 is also connected
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`via the internet 3 to a service centre 5 which acquires
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`information concerning any new types of user device and
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`provides the web server 1 with consequential software
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`revision when required.
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`[0047] FIG. 2A is a simplified schematic diagram of the
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`wcb server 1 of FIG. 1. Thc wcb scrvcr 1 includcs a
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`processor 20 which operates a code generating engine 21 in
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`the form of an application which is run by the processor on
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`demand in order to generate web page code. The code
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`generating engine 21 in this embodiment is written in the
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`Java programming language and during operation of the web
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`server exists in the working memory of the processor 20 in
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`compiled form as byte codes and is implementable within a
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`Java run time environment.
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`[0048] A memory 22 stores content code 23 which defines
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`web page information in the form of documents written in a
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`mark up language which in the present example is JSPI. 1
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`(Java Scrvcr Pagcs). Thcsc documcnts are typically authorcd
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`by the operator of the web server 1 using the graphical user
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`interface 4. The memory 22 also stores operational data 24
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`which includes for example data which may need to be
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`incorporated into web page code generated at run time in
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`response to specific queries originating from the user device
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`2 and data acquired by monitoring usage of the web server.
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`Data objects referenced by the content code 23 are stored in
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`a database 19. These data objects may include files contain-
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`ing images or text and other forms of data objects which an
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`author may wish to include in the web page code to be
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`generated.
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`[0049] Device dependent information 25 is also stored in
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`memory 22 and consists primarily of policy tables described
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`below. The memory 22 also stores program code 26 which
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`may be accessed by the processor 20 during operation of the
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`server 1 or used to retrieve software such as the code
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`generating engine 21 at the time of startup. The program
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`code 26 also includes code defining a set of tags used in a
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`mark up language in which the documents are authored as
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`described below.
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`[0050] An interface 27 communicates between a databus
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`28 serving the processor 20 and memory 22 and external
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`connection to the internet 3 for receiving request messages
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`and transmitting response messages.
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`[0051] A device identification engine 29 is provided for
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`extracting from received messages a device type identifier
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`for identifying the remote user device 2 by type. The device
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`identification engine 29 in the present example is imple-
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`mented in software by the processor 20. In this example, a
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`request message received via the internet contains a Hyper-
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`Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) header which includes an 1D
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`string declaring the name of the user agent which the
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`originating device has used when generating the request
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`message. The name of the user agent software defines for
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`example the browser version and markup language capabil-
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`ity of the device and is used by the device identification
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`engine 29 to identify the originating device using the device
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`type identifier which may for example be stored as a lookup
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`table.
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`[0052] Thc HTTP hcadcr may also yield information con-
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`tained in a cookie regarding details of the user who has
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`originated the request message. Such cookies may contain
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`other data used for personalisation of the response made by
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`the web server 1.
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`Page 30 of 48
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`Page 30 of 48
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`

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`US 2004/0049574 A1
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`Mar. 11, 2004
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`[0053] FIG. 2B is a further illustration of the web server
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`1 showing functional elements in a manner which illustrates
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`the signal
`flow. A front end processor 300 provides a
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`communications interface for request messages received
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`from the internet 3 and response messages transmitted to the
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`user device 2 Via the internet. The front end processor 300
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`sends URL information 301 to a web application processor
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`302 which determines from the URL the appropriate infor-
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`mation to be included in a web page requested by the user.
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`The web application processor 302 has access to a database
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`303 which may be local to the processor or may be at a
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`remote location which is accessible via an appropriate
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`communications link.
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`[0054] The web application processor 302 outputs a docu-
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`ment 304 comprising instructions for generating web page
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`code. The document 304 is not
`itself capable of being
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`interpreted by a browser of a user device and therefore does
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`not constitute “web page code” for the purpose of the present
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`description.
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`[0055] The document 304 is input to the code generating
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`engine 21 which generates web page code with reference to
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`content data structure 305 and the set of policy tables 40.
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`The output of the code generating engine is a web page code
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`document 306 which is now in a form which is capable of
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`being interpreted by the browser of the user device 2. The
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`web page code document 306 is received by the front end
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`processor 300 and packaged as a response message trans-
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`mitted via the internet 3 through the user device 2.
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`[0056] To enable the code generating engine 21 to select
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`the appropriate data from the content data structure 305 and
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`to access the appropriate policy tables 40 ,it also requires the
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`input of a device type identifier 45 which is provided by
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`device identification engine 29 in response to receiving a
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`message header signal 307 from the front end processor 300
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`,this signal comprising information e