Personalized multi-service computer environment
View Patent ↗A system and method for tracking a user history, for presentation thereof within a browser display. An executable software construct operates at a client machine to trap object references, which are then transmitted to a server. The server analyzes the object references and organizes them into a display structure. The display structure is then displayed within the browser, including hyperlinks to allow the user to select a prior system state to which he seeks to return. Preferably, the software construct also manages objects associated with the object reference, for example cookies associated with URLs, in order to assure full definition of the desired state. The display structure may also be provided to browsers distinct from the originating browser.
1. A method, comprising:
forming a composite object representing a path dependent object as an ordered sequence of communications between an object browser and a web server, to achieve a sequence of states;
presenting the object through the object browser displayed in combination with goal directed enhanced information derived from the ordered sequence of communications; and
executing at least the ordered sequence of communications to retrieve the path dependent object.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the composite object is formed by automatically logging a series of hyperlink-interaction related communications which define the path dependent object.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the path dependent object is inaccessible through communication of a single universal resource locator.
4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising presenting a plurality of composite objects through the object browser.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the executing triggers execution of a script.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the composite object comprises a state-independent script for obtaining the path dependent object regardless of starting state.
7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of logging a user activity to define the ordered sequence of communications.
8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein said logging is performed by an applet supported by the object browser.
9. The method according to claim I, further comprising representing a plurality of composite object as user interface elements in the object browser, said plurality of user interface elements being arrayed according to a chronology.
10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the user interface elements each comprise a representation of a duration of browsing.
11. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of providing a user interface for editing the composite object.
12. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of persistently storing a composite object, for deferred execution.
13. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of communicating at least one composite object from a first object browser for execution in conjunction with a second object browser.
14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the composite object is represented as a user interface element in the object browser comprising a hyperlink to a server for controlling the sequence of communications.
15. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of determining an importance of the path dependent object, and presenting the composite object through the browser in dependence on the determined importance.
16. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of
associating supplemental commercial information with the composite object, and
accounting for a commercial subsidy based on one or more of
a display of the commercial information;
a selection of the commercial information; and
a transaction conducted relating to the commercial information.
17. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the composite object comprises commercial advertising information distinct from a browsing path.
18. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the sequence of communications traverses states comprising commercial advertising information distinct from a browsing path.
19. A computer-readable storage medium, containing therein a program executable on a general purpose computer for performing the method of claim 1 .
20. A method, comprising:
forming a composite object representing a path dependent object as an ordered sequence of communications between an object browser and a web server, to achieve a sequence of states;
presenting the object through the object browser;
executing at least the ordered sequence of communications to retrieve the path dependent object;
loading a Web page from a cooperative server in a first object browser frame;
identifying a desired URL with the object browser to request an Internet resource in a second object browser frame,
providing a script in the first object browser frame to capture the identified URL in the second object browser frame and transmit it to the cooperative server, and
downloading, from the cooperative server to the first object browser frame, a sequence of identified URLs.
21. The method according to claim 20 , wherein the cooperative server provides commercial information to the object browser distinct from the sequence of identified URLs.
22. An apparatus for transforming path dependent object to path independent objects, comprising:
a memory, storing identifiers of a sequence of states, the sequence of states being achieved by an ordered sequence of communications between an object browser and a web server to define a path dependent object;
a processor for automatically forming a composite object representing the path dependent object defined by at least the sequence of states;
an output, for communicating the composite object displayed in combination with goal directed enhanced information derived from the ordered seguence of communications.