User information widgets and methods for updating and retrieving user information
View Patent ↗User information is provided to web applications by embedding a widget in a web page served to a user's client from a web application server. The widget is a software component that is configured to retrieve user information from a user information web server repository in response to a request by a web application for user information. The widget is also configured to request user permission to retrieve user information from the repository and to request user verification of retrieved information prior to providing the retrieved information to the requesting web application. The user information widget is configured to authenticate a user prior to retrieving user information from the repository. The user information widget authenticates a user by requesting credentials from the user and verifying that the received credentials are valid for the user.
1. A method of providing user information to a web application server, the method comprising:
receiving, by a client, a web page from a web application server, wherein the web page comprises an embedded user information widget, wherein the client is associated with a user, wherein the embedded user information widget is operable when executed to retrieve personal identifying information about the user from a user information web server, wherein the personal identifying information about the user includes one or more of credit card information about a credit card owned by the user, a social security number of the user, an address of the user, a telephone number for the user, a bank account number for a bank account owned by the user, and a birth date of the user, and wherein the embedded user information widget is further operable when executed to retrieve, from the user information web server, user preference information that describes a user's preference for a web page layout and color scheme of the web page when rendered on the client;
receiving, by the embedded user information widget on the client and from the web application server, a request for personal identifying information about the user;
retrieving, by the embedded user information widget on the client, the personal identifying information about the user and the user preference information from the user information web server;
transmitting, from the embedded user information widget on the client to the web application server, the personal identifying information about the user and the user preference information that the embedded user information widget received from the user information web server;
populating, by the web application server, the web page with the personal identifying information about the user; and
rendering, on the client, the web page with the personal identifying information about the user using the user's preference for the web page layout and color scheme found in the embedded user information widget.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising authenticating the user to the embedded user information widget prior to retrieving the personal identifying information about the user.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein authenticating the user to the embedded user information widget comprises receiving a user identification and password from the user and verifying that the user identification and password received are valid for the user.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing, by the embedded user information widget on the client, the user with access to the user information web server;
receiving, by the embedded user information widget on the client, changes to the personal identifying information about the user that are input by the user; and
transmitting, from the embedded user information widget on the client to the user information web server, the changes to the personal identifying information about the user that are input by the user.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the personal identifying information and the user's preference for the web page layout and the color scheme of the web page are not stored on the client, wherein the personal identifying information and the user's preference for the web page layout and the color scheme of the web page are provided to a web application on the web application server by the client executing the user information widget on the client, wherein executing the user information widget on the client causes the user information web server to provide the personal identifying information and the user's preference for the web page layout and the color scheme of the web page to the web application on the web application server.
6. A computer program product comprising one or more non-transitory computer readable storage mediums, and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more non-transitory computer readable storage mediums, the stored program instructions comprising:
program instructions to receive, by a client, a web page from a web application server, wherein the web page comprises an embedded user information widget, wherein the client is associated with a user, wherein the embedded user information widget is operable when executed to retrieve personal identifying information about the user from a user information web server, and wherein the personal identifying information about the user includes one or more of credit card information about a credit card owned by the user, a social security number of the user, an address of the user, a telephone number for the user, a bank account number for a bank account owned by the user, and a birth date of the user, and wherein the embedded user information widget is further operable when executed to retrieve, from the user information web server, user preference information that describes a user's preference for a web page layout and color scheme of the web page when rendered on the client;
program instructions to receive, by the client and from the web application server, a request for personal identifying information about the user;
program instructions to retrieve, by the embedded user information widget on the client, the personal identifying information about the user and the user preference information from the user information web server;
program instructions to transmit, from the client to the web application server, the personal identifying information about the user and the user preference information that the embedded user information widget received from the user information web server;
program instructions to populate, by the web application server, the web page with the personal identifying information about the user; and
program instructions to render, on the client, the web page with the personal identifying information about the user using the user's preference for the web page layout and color scheme found in the embedded user information widget.
7. The computer program product of claim 6 , further comprising:
program instructions to authenticate the user to the embedded user information widget prior to retrieving the personal identifying information about the user.
8. The computer program product of claim 7 , wherein authenticating the user to the embedded user information widget comprises receiving a user identification and password from the user and verifying that the user identification and password received are valid for the user.
9. The computer program product of claim 6 , further comprising:
program instructions to provide, by the embedded user information widget on the client, the user with access to the user information web server;
program instructions to receive, by embedded user information widget on the client, changes to the personal identifying information about the user that are input by the user; and
program instructions to transmit, from the embedded user information widget on the client to the user information web server, the changes to the personal identifying information about the user that are input by the user.
10. The computer program product of claim 6 , further comprising:
program instructions to request, by the client, user permission to retrieve the personal identifying information about the user via the embedded user information widget.
11. A computer system comprising one or more processors, one or more computer readable memories, and one or more computer readable storage mediums, and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more computer readable storage mediums for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more computer readable memories, the program instructions comprising:
program instructions to receive, by a client, a web page from a web application server, wherein the web page comprises an embedded user information widget, wherein the client is associated with a user, wherein the embedded user information widget is operable when executed to retrieve personal identifying information about the user from a user information web server, and wherein the personal identifying information about the user includes one or more of credit card information about a credit card owned by the user, a social security number of the user, an address of the user, a telephone number for the user, a bank account number for a bank account owned by the user, and a birth date of the user, and wherein the embedded user information widget is further operable when executed to retrieve, from the user information web server, user preference information that describes a user's preference for a web page layout and color scheme of the web page when rendered on the client;
program instructions to receive, by the client and from the web application server, a request for personal identifying information about the user;
program instructions to retrieve, by the embedded user information widget on the client, the personal identifying information about the user and the user preference information from the user information web server;
program instructions to transmit, from the client to the web application server, the personal identifying information about the user and the user preference information that the embedded user information widget received from the user information web server;
program instructions to populate, by the web application server, the web page with the personal identifying information about the user; and
program instructions to render, on the client, the web page with the personal identifying information about the user using the user's preference for the web page layout and color scheme found in the embedded user information widget.
12. The computer system of claim 11 , further comprising:
program instructions to authenticate the user to the embedded user information widget prior to retrieving the personal identifying information about the user.
13. The computer system of claim 12 , wherein authenticating the user to the embedded user information widget comprises receiving a user identification and password from the user and verifying that the user identification and password received are valid for the user.
14. The computer system of claim 11 , further comprising:
program instructions to provide, by the embedded user information widget on the client, the user with access to the user information web server;
program instructions to receive, by the embedded user information widget on the client, changes to the personal identifying information about the user that are input by the user; and
program instructions to transmit, from the embedded user information widget on the client to the user information web server, the changes to the personal identifying information about the user that are input by the user.