Client aware extensible markup language content retrieval and integration in a wireless portal system

Abstract

In a wireless portal system having a wireless server, a client aware Extensible Markup Language (XML) content integration and transformation method and system. The client aware XML content integration and transformation system includes logic for identifying wireless client devices connecting to the wireless server by using particular characteristics of the client in presenting XML content formatted in response to connection requests from the client to the server. In one embodiment of the present invention, the client aware XML content transformation system receives an indication of a client type and uses this information to automatically search for XML content from a plurality of back-end resource servers on the Internet and transforms the content into a format suitable for delivery to the client. The means of formatting the XML content uses a style sheet such as an Extensible Style sheet Language (XSL) specific to the client type of the client requesting the XML content to transform the XML content into an appropriate markup to the client.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This patent application is related to co-pending patent application Ser. No. 09 / 929,477, filed on Aug. 13, 2001, by Luu Tran et al., entitled “Client Aware Detection in a Wireless Portal System”, attorney docket No.: SUN-P6087, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present claimed invention relates generally to the field of wireless communication systems. More particularly, the present claimed invention relates to client aware Extensible Markup Language (XML) content retrieval and integration in a client independent wireless environment. BACKGROUND ART [0003] The Internet has become the dominant vehicle for data communications. The Internet is a vast collection of computing resources, interconnected as a network from sites around the world. And with the growth of Internet usage has come a corresponding growth in the usage of Internet devices, wireless devices and services. [000...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0024] Accordingly, to take advantage of the myriad of wireless applications and the numerous wireless clients being developed, a wireless server with extensibility capabilities to allow content requests from wireless clients to an external data-source to be formatted based on client type information is needed. Further, a need exists for a system and method of presentation formatting of content to be different from the formatting logic of the client's request to enable quick implementation of data gathered for presentation to the client. A need exists for “out-of-the-box” wireless client aware system solutions to allow technically unsophisticated end-users to connect to the wireless environment without unduly tasking the end-user's technical abilities. A need further exists for an improved and less costly device independent system, which improves efficiency and provides content to various wireless clients of different configurations without losing the embedded features designed for these devices.

[0027] Embodiments of the invention include an extensible markup language (XML) content request management solution designed to improve the handling of content requests from a variety of clients within a class of wireless clients for Internet content what is gathered from a variety of web-sites and integrated for presentation to a variety of differently configured wireless clients based on client type information specified by the client to a wireless server. The present invention allows for the intelligent formatting of Internet content gathered for dissimilar wireless clients using one or more Internet access protocols available to the wireless server and to format the data gathered into a coherently and cohesively formatted content into one or more markup language documents suitable for delivery to the requesting client.

Problems solved by technology

However, service providers are not the only ones seeking applications to meet the growing service needs of wireless users.

The mobility of wireless users presents a host of challenges to service providers who may have to provide traditional service to these new wireless devices.

This creates a problem for programmers since any changes made to the HTML notation will require a similar change at the server level to support such changes.

Although the prior art solution handles the issue of having to update the server 210 code each time the HTML code is updated, the prior art request retrieval formatting and presentation formatting lack the ability to use other markup languages.

With the proliferation of different types and models of wireless devices that use a host of micro-browsers not programmed in HTML, the prior art solution of FIG. 2 fails to provide suitable data retrieval and presentation formatting to meet the display characteristics of these different types of devices.

A further drawback of the prior art is that since content request and delivery is always assumed to be from and to an HTML based system, content formatting and presentation lack the flexibility of customization and the unique identification and association of content to a particular wireless client.

As the number of models of wireless clients increases, having restricted content and very limited information about client characteristics impairs the ability of service providers to take advantage of new wireless technologies and provide efficient and cost effective services.

This also impairs the ability of the wireless client to enjoy the full richness and look and feel of user interfaces provided by the server.

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