International Business Machines Corporation

Duane Kimbell Fields

Sebastian Daniel Hassinger

William Walter Hurley, Ii

Thomas Preston Gregg

Mark Andrew Kolb

William Walter Hurley

Stacy Braden Vu

Robyn Lou Shannon

Kirk Drummond

A method for extending the capabilities of an arbitrary web server operating in a client-server environment (e.g., the Internet). When a client makes a request to the web server, the request may include an address for a code module needed to service the request. If the code module is not available at the web server, the web server uses the address to request the code module from another location. The code module is then served to the web server and installed. The web server then responds to the original client request using the installed code module. In an alternative embodiment, the code module is uploaded to the target server from the client.

Method for extending capabilities of an arbitrary web server

A method and apparatus in a data processing system for generating suggested content for a site. A request is received for content for the site from a client, wherein the content is requested content. The requested content is sent to the client. The requested content includes information used to track user movement within the site. Suggested content is generated using the information in response to the client requesting the suggested content.

Method and apparatus for creating and displaying user specific and site specific guidance and navigation information

The present invention protects images via a server-based policy that results in the selective distribution of one of multiple versions of an original image. The policy includes a set of one or more rules that each include given criteria. When a request for a web page is received, a given rule in the set is evaluated against client-specific data (e.g., such as client IP address, the identity of the referring page, or the like) obtained from the client request. If a condition of the rule is satisfied against the client-specific data, a given restriction is imposed on the image distribution.

Method and system for distributing image-based content on the internet

A method and computer program operative in an e-mail server for reducing unsolicited e-mail in an enterprise computing environment. According to the invention, e-mail is accepted for delivery to e-mail clients only if it is from an address that has been verified by an e-mail server and/or approved by a recipient. When an e-mail from a particular address is received at the e-mail server for the first time, the server automatically issues an e-mail to the address to request that the sender verify the authenticity of the original message. If a return acknowledgement is received within a given time period, the e-mail is deemed to be authentic and delivered to its intended recipient within the enterprise. Mail messages from previously-verified addresses need not be rechecked.

Method for restricting delivery of unsolicited E-mail

A method of storing image files in digital storage media begins by arranging a given set of image files into a composite image. A transformation may be applied to a given image file prior to being arranged into the composite image. A compression routine is then applied to the composite image, with the result then being stored in the digital storage media. This process reduces the amount of storage that would be otherwise required if the individual files were compressed and stored separately.

Lightweight image manipulation for maximizing the capacity of digital photo storage media

An automated means for defining a filter used to extract web content for a web page is disclosed wherein the extracted content is used in a recast web page. The recast web page may be produced by a hosting site, or may be part of an effort to revise a web site at a web content provider. First, a set of pages, possibly a single page, is retrieved from a content provider web server. Next, the web page is parsed to identify a set of selectable content elements. Next, a representation of the original web page is presented in a user interface, wherein the selectable content elements are demarcated. The user will select some of the elements for inclusion in the filter through the user interface, whereby the tool will indicate the selected content elements for inclusion in the filter. The tool constructs the filter so that when the filter is used, the selected content elements are extracted from a retrieved web page from the content provider web server and reused in the recast web page. As part of the process of identifying the selectable content elements, a set of varied headers can be used to retrieve multiple versions of the same web page. In this way, the multiple versions of the web page are compared to identify static and dynamic content elements and marked as static or dynamic.

Filter definition for distribution mechanism for filtering, formatting and reuse of web based content

A web page image is modified &ldquo;on-the-fly&rdquo; for a specific client machine according to calibration parameters for that machine (or the user of the machine) that are generated during a one-time calibration at the client. Preferably, this calibration is effected using a software routine, e.g., a Java applet, that is downloaded to the client and executed, e.g., in a client browser. A user of the client machine runs the applet to establish a set of calibration parameters that are then stored at the server, e.g., as a user profile. When a request is later made for a given web page hosted by the server, the server identifies the user making the request and applies the calibration parameters to color adjust the image as the page including that image is served.

System to dynamically adjust image colors in client/server environment to assure accurate color reproduction

A method for reuse of image data in a distributed computer network is operative at a web server in response to a request from a client browser for a web page. At the web server, a determination is made regarding whether the web page includes a given object reference. If so, a template defining a composite image is retrieved. The template identifies at least one image object to be retrieved from another location, typically from a host remote to the web server. Once the image object is retrieved, a given transform is applied to the image object to generate a transformed image object. The given transform, for example, is selected from a group of transforms such as: scaling, mirroring, cutting, cropping, inverting, flipping, reversing, rotating, color shifting, and combinations of the above. Thereafter, the transformed image object is mapped into the composite image according to the template. After the composite image is created, it is served within the web page originally requested by the client.

Distribution mechanism for reuse of web based image data

A system, method, and computer-usable medium for customizing and displaying a network file distributes customization tasks between a client and a server. A client sends a request for a network file, such as a Web page, to a server. The request may include information regarding the client machine type, browser, and customization options (i.e. preferences). Customization options may include personal (i.e. user) options and group (i.e. department, corporate, etc.) options. These options, along with the client machine type and browser, are used by the server to determine how to customize the requested network file. The server obtains the requested network file, and a server-side customization program customizes the file. The server-side customization program may also analyze the network file, and may embed return customization information in the customized network file. The client receives the customized network file, including the return customization information, from the server. A client-side customization program then performs further customization on the network file. This customization may be based on the return customization information from the server, other user preferences known by the client, and/or current conditions at the client. After the client-side customization is complete, the final customized file is displayed by the client.

System and method for cooperative client/server customization of web pages

Real time creation of new hyperlinks in a hyperlinked database is performed. Responsive to user input, a word or other element is selected in a first page of the hyperlinked database. The selected word is used as part of a search query to a selected search engine. The search results are received from the selected search engine and presented in a second page to a user. In one preferred embodiment, first and second pages are web pages presented by a browser and the selected search engine is an Internet search engine native to a different page than the server from which the first page originates.

Hyperlinked search interface for distributed database

The invention is used to balance and control traffic within a single internet site or between multiple sites. A static or dynamic analysis of site usage is performed. When an under-visited portion of a site is identified, then a link or message is created on a more-visited portion of the web-site to motivate the user visiting the site to explore the under-visited portion. The portion can be a specific page of the web site, or an entire section.

Method and apparatus for traffic control and balancing for an internet site

The invention provides an automated system for replicating published web content and associated advertisements in the context of a hosting web site. At the hosting web site, the invention includes the process of brokering a client browser's request for a web page, analyzing the returned content and splitting it into component elements, extracting the desired component elements, recasting the desired elements in the look and feel of the hosting site and sending the recast content to the requesting client as a web page. Once the reformatted file is received at the client, the client browser interprets the HTML in the web page, presenting the content in the context of the hosting web site. On the content provider's web site, the details of the transaction in the web server logs are preserved, proxying a direct page view and ad impression.

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Austin, TX, United States of America

Duane Kimbell Fields