Asynchronous messaging using a dynamic routing network
A dynamic content routing network routes update messages containing updates to properties of live objects from input sources to clients having the objects. Certain objects served to clients by a server are indicated as “live.” When the clients receive live objects, the clients identify the object IDs associated with the objects and register the object IDs with the routing network. The routing network maintains a registry of object IDs and clients. An input source provides an update message to the routing network containing the object ID and data specifying an update to a property of the object. The routing network routes the message to each client that has registered for the object ID contained in the message. Upon receipt of the message, a client updates the specified property of the live object.
1. A computer method for providing dynamic content over a network, the method comprising:
providing a data representation to a client device coupled to the network, wherein the data representation includes at least one live object that is recognized by the client device and causes the client device to register for updates of the live object with a routing network;
sending an update message to the routing network, wherein the update message identifies the live object and contains update data that updates a property of the live object such that the routing network has sufficient information to identify the client device as a registered device and send a routed message containing the update data to the client device, such that the client device processes the routed message upon receipt to update the property of the live object at the client device.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein providing a data representation is performed by a first source and sending an update message is performed by a second source.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first source is a content provider and the second source is an information provider.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data representation comprises a web page for display by an Internet browser at the client device.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the live object is identified by an object ID.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the object ID includes an identifier of a source of the data representation.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the object ID comprises a hierarchical namespace.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the live object is identified as a point in a document object model.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data for updating the property of the live object identifies the property relative to a point in a document object model.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the received data representation includes an activation module that is executed by the client device and is adapted to register the live object with the routing network.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the activation module identifies an object ID in the data representation such that sufficient information is provided to the routing network at registration to identify the client device as a registered device and send a routed message.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the update message identifies a handler for updating the property of the live object responsive to the update data in the update message.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the update message implicitly identifies the handler.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the update message explicitly identifies the handler.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the update message specifies a change to the property of the identified live object that is associated with a visual representation of the live object at the client device.
16. An apparatus that provides dynamic content over a network, the apparatus comprising:
a content provider that provides a data representation to a client device coupled to the network, wherein the data representation includes at least one live object that is recognized by the client device and causes the client device to register for updates of the live object with a routing network;
an information provider that provides an update message to the routing network, wherein the update message identifies the live object and contains update data that updates a property of the live object such that the routing network has sufficient information to identify the client device as a registered device and send a routed message containing the update data to the client device, such that the client device processes the routed message upon receipt to update the property of the live object at the client device.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the content provider is a computer device that is independent of the information provider.
18. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the content provider and the information provider comprise a single computer device.
19. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the data representation comprises a web page for display by an Internet browser at the client device.
20. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the live object is identified by an object ID.
21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the object ID includes an identifier of a source of the data representation.
22. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the object ID comprises a hierarchical namespace.
23. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the live object is identified as a point in a document object model.
24. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the data for updating the property of the live object identifies the property relative to a point in a document object model.
25. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the received data representation includes an activation module that is executed by the client device and is adapted to register the live object with the routing network.
26. The apparatus of claim 25 , wherein the activation module identifies an object ID in the data representation such that sufficient information is provided to the routing network at registration to identify the client device as a registered device and send a routed message.
27. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the update message identifies a handler for updating the property of the live object responsive to the update data in the update message.
28. The apparatus of claim 27 , wherein the update message implicitly identifies the handler.
29. The apparatus of claim 27 , wherein the update message explicitly identifies the handler.
30. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the update message specifies a change to the property of the identified live object that is associated with a visual representation of the live object at the client device.
31. A computer-readable medium having computer code embodied therein for providing dynamic content over a network, the computer program code configured to cause a computing device to perform operations comprising:
providing a data representation to a client device coupled to the network, wherein the data representation includes at least one live object that is recognized by the client device and causes the client device to register for updates of the live object with a routing network;
sending an update message to the routing network, wherein the update message identifies the live object and contains update data that updates a property of the live object such that the routing network has sufficient information to identify the client device as a registered device and send a routed message containing the update data to the client device, such that the client device processes the routed message upon receipt to update the property of the live object at the client device.
32. The computer-readable medium of claim 31 , wherein providing a data representation is performed by a first source and sending an update message is performed by a second source.
33. The computer-readable medium of claim 32 , wherein the first source is a content provider and the second source is an information provider.
34. The computer-readable medium of claim 31 , wherein the data representation comprises a web page for display by an Internet browser at the client device.
35. The computer-readable medium of claim 31 , wherein the live object is identified by an object ID.
36. The computer-readable medium of claim 35 , wherein the object ID includes an identifier of a source of the data representation.
37. The computer-readable medium of claim 35 , wherein the object ID comprises a hierarchical namespace.
38. The computer-readable medium of claim 31 , wherein the live object is identified as a point in a document object model.
39. The computer-readable medium of claim 31 , wherein the data for updating the property of the live object identifies the property relative to a point in a document object model.
40. The computer-readable medium of claim 31 , wherein the received data representation includes an activation module that is executed by the client device and is adapted to register the live object with the routing network.
41. The computer-readable medium of claim 40 , wherein the activation module identifies an object ID in the data representation such that sufficient information is provided to the routing network at registration to identify the client device as a registered device and send a routed message.
42. The computer-readable medium of claim 31 , wherein the update message identifies a handler for updating the property of the live object responsive to the update data in the update message.
43. The computer-readable medium of claim 42 , wherein the update message implicitly identifies the handler.
44. The computer-readable medium of claim 42 , wherein the update message explicitly identifies the handler.
45. The computer-readable medium of claim 31 , wherein the update message specifies a change to the property of the identified live object that is associated with a visual representation of the live object at the client device.
46. A device for providing dynamic content over a network, the device comprising:
logic configured to provide a data representation to a client device coupled to the network, wherein the data representation includes at least one live object that is recognized by the client device and causes the client device to register for updates of the live object with a routing network;
logic configured to provide an update message to the routing network, wherein the update message identifies the live object and contains update data that updates a property of the live object such that the routing network has sufficient information to identify the client device as a registered device and send a routed message containing the update data to the client device, such that the client device processes the routed message upon receipt to update the property of the live object at the client device.
47. The device of claim 46 , wherein the content provider is a computer device that is independent of the information provider.
48. The device of claim 46 , wherein the content provider and the information provider comprise a single computer device.
49. The device of claim 46 , wherein the data representation comprises a web page for display by an Internet browser at the client device.
50. The device of claim 46 , wherein the live object is identified by an object ID.
51. The device of claim 50 , wherein the object ID includes an identifier of a source of the data representation.
52. The device of claim 50 , wherein the object ID comprises a hierarchical namespace.
53. The device of claim 46 , wherein the live object is identified as a point in a document object model.
54. The device of claim 46 , wherein the data for updating the property of the live object identifies the property relative to a point in a document object model.
55. The device of claim 46 , wherein the received data representation includes an activation module that is executed by the client device and is adapted to register the live object with the routing network.
56. The device of claim 55 , wherein the activation module identifies an object ID in the data representation such that sufficient information is provided to the routing network at registration to identify the client device as a registered device and send a routed message.
57. The device of claim 46 , wherein the update message identifies a handler for updating the property of the live object responsive to the update data in the update message.
58. The device of claim 57 , wherein the update message implicitly identifies the handler.
59. The device of claim 57 , wherein the update message explicitly identifies the handler.
60. The device of claim 46 , wherein the update message specifies a change to the property of the identified live object that is associated with a visual representation of the live object at the client device.