Serving signals

Abstract

Output signals are served from a serving device to a plurality of browsing devices connected to a network. The output signals represent commands executable by each browsable device so as to display viewable data in accordance with specified page formatting. Requests from browsing clients are identified which contain information relating to the data itself and the display format for the data. The data is read and processed so as to combine a representation of the viewable data with executable instructions. The signals are then supplied to requesting browsing devices, after effectively being assembled as a real time o-line process.

1 . A method of serving data to a browsing device over a network, including the steps of: 
 maintaining user preferences indicating topics of interest;    receiving a request for specified data via said network, wherein said request includes a user identifier;    identifying a topic of interest based on said user identifier;    selecting information appropriate for said user in response to said topic of interest and said specified data; and    returning output data to said browsing device, wherein said output data includes said selected information.    
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said user preferences are stored in a database.  
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said request is in the form of an HTTP request.  
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said topics of interest relate to goods for sale.  
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said topics of interest relate to categories of news.  
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said selection of information is also in response to editorial control.  
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said user preferences additionally indicate a preference for higher or lower priced pages.  
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said request further includes a format identifier.  
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said user preferences additionally indicate whether a user is a child or an adult.  
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein said output data is in the form of one of a plurality of web pages, and the order in which said web pages are supplied is dependent upon said topic of interest.  
     
     
         11 . A method of serving data to a browsing device over a network, including the steps of: 
 maintaining user preferences indicating topics of interest;    receiving a request for specified data via said network, wherein said request includes a user identifier;    identifying a topic of interest based on said user identifier;    selecting information appropriate for said user in response to said topic of interest and said specified data; and    returning a plurality of web pages to said browsing device, wherein said web pages include said selected information, and wherein the order in which said web pages are supplied is dependent upon said topic of interest.    
     
     
         12 . Apparatus for serving data over a network, comprising a processor, storage and a network connection, wherein said processor is configured to: 
 maintain user preferences indicating topics of interest;    receive a request for specified data from a browsing device via said network connection, wherein said request includes a user identifier;    identify a user preference based on said user identifier;    select information appropriate for said user in response to said user preference and said specified data; and    return output data to said browsing device, wherein said output data includes said selected information.    
     
     
         13 . Apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein said user preferences are stored in a database.  
     
     
         14 . Apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein said request is in the form of an HTTP request.  
     
     
         15 . Apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein said topics of interest relate to goods for sale.  
     
     
         16 . Apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein said topics of interest relate to categories of news.  
     
     
         17 . Apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein said user preferences additionally indicate a preference for higher or lower priced pages.  
     
     
         18 . Apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein said request further includes a format identifier.  
     
     
         19 . Apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein said user preferences additionally indicate whether a user is a child or an adult.  
     
     
         20 . Apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein said output data is in the form of one of a plurality of web pages, and the order in which said web pages are supplied is dependent upon said topic of interest.