Inferring user interaction with an iframe

Abstract

Computer systems, devices, and associated methods of inferring user interaction with a web part comprising an <iframe> element are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a method includes observing a location of a user input target on a web page rendered by a web browser. When the location of the user input target is over a web part comprising the host container and the web page detects that the web page has lost focus and a new active element is an <iframe>, the method includes inferring user interaction with respect to the <iframe> element and emphasizing the web part.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . A method of inferring interaction by a user with a host container in a web page having a host document being rendered by a web browser, the host container hosting embedded content, wherein communication of user interactions with the embedded content to the host document is not permitted, the method comprising:
 tracking a location of a user input target on the document, the location of the user input target corresponding to a document element that most recently received user input; and   when the location of the user input target is over the host container,
 detecting whether the host document has lost focus and an active element of the host document has changed to the host container when the host document lost focus; and 
 in response to detecting that the host document has lost focus and the active element of the host document has changed to the host container, inferring user interaction with the host container in the web page; and
 based on the inferred user interaction, emphasizing the host container as displayed on the web page, thereby allowing user interactions with the host container without introducing additional programming to the embedded content in the host container. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein observing the location of the user input target includes tracking a mouse cursor movement into and out of the host container. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 periodically checking whether the active element of the document is the active element as determined when the host container was emphasized; and   in response to determining that the active element is not the active element of the document as determined when the host container was emphasized, determining whether the active element is of the host container type; and
 in response to determining that the active element is not of the host container type, deemphasizing the host container. 
   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 periodically checking whether the active element of the document is the active element as determined when the host container was emphasized; and   in response to determining that the active element is not the active element of the document as determined when the host container was emphasized,
 determining whether a new location of the user input target is over the host container, and 
 in response to determining that the new location of the user input target is not over the host container, deemphasizing the host container. 
   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 periodically checking whether the active element of the document is the active element as determined when the host container was emphasized; and   in response to determining that the active element is not the active element of the document as determined when the host container was emphasized,
 determining whether a new location of the user input target is over the host container, and 
 in response to determining that the new location of the user input target is over the host container, maintaining emphasizing the host container. 
   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein emphasizing the host container comprises modifying a visual appearance detail associated with the host container. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein emphasizing the host container comprises displaying tools associated with the host container. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein emphasizing the host container comprises displaying properties of a visual object associated with the host container. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the host container is an <iframe> element, and wherein observing the location of the user input target includes tracking a mouse cursor movement into and out of a document element in the host document that corresponds to the <iframe>. 
     
     
         10 . A method of inferring interaction by a user with content of a document being rendered by a web browser, the content comprising a host container hosting embedded content, wherein communication of user interaction with the embedded content to a parent element of the document is not permitted, the method comprising:
 tracking a location of a user input target on the document, the location of the user input target corresponding to a document element that most recently received user input;   when the location of the user input target is over the content comprising the host container:
 detecting whether another element of the document different from the host container has lost focus; and 
 in response to detecting that the element of the document different from the host container has lost focus while the input target is over the content comprising the host container, 
 determining whether an active element of the document is of a host container type; and 
 in response to determining that the active element of the document is of the host container type, emphasizing the content as displayed in the web browser. 
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein emphasizing the content includes emphasizing the content in response to both:
 that the element of the document different from the host container has lost focus, and 
 that the active element of the document is of the host container type. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 periodically checking whether the active element of the document is the active element as determined when the content was emphasized; and   in response to determining that the active element is not the active element of the document as determined when the content was emphasized,
 determining whether the active element is of the host container type; and 
 when the active element is not of the host container type, deemphasizing the content. 
   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 periodically checking whether the active element of the document is the active element as determined when the host container was emphasized; and   in response to determining that the active element is not the active element of the document as determined when the host container was emphasized,
 determining whether a new location of the user input target is over the content, and 
 when the new location of the user input target is not over the content, deemphasizing the host container. 
   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the host container is an <iframe> element. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein emphasizing the content comprises modifying a visual appearance detail associated with the content, displaying tools associated with the host container, or displaying properties of the host container. 
     
     
         16 . A computing device, comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory containing instructions executable by the processor to infer user interaction with respect to content of a document being rendered by a web browser, the content of the document comprising a host container, wherein information associated with user interaction with respect to the host container does not bubble up to parent elements, the memory containing additional instructions executable by the processor to cause the computing device to:
 track a location of a user input target on the document, the location of the user input target corresponding to an input location for receiving user input; and 
 when the location of the user input target is over the content comprising the host container:
 detect whether an element of the document different from the host container has lost focus; and 
 in response to detecting that the element of the document different from the host container has lost focus while the input target is over the content comprising the host container, emphasize the content as displayed by the web browser. 
 
   
     
     
         17 . The computing device of  claim 16  wherein the memory contains further instructions executable by the processor to cause the computing device to:
 determine whether an active element of the document is of a host container type,
 wherein the content comprising the host container is emphasized in response to both:
 detect that the element of the document different from the host container has lost focus, and 
 determine that the active element of the document is of the host container type. 
 
 
 
     
     
         18 . The computing device of  claim 17 , wherein the memory contains further instructions executable by the processor to cause the computing device to:
 periodically determine whether the active element of the document is the active element as determined when the content was emphasized;   in response to determining that the active element is not the active element of the document as determined when the content was emphasized,
 determine whether the active element is of the host container type; and 
 when the active element is not of the host container type, deemphasizing the content. 
   
     
     
         19 . The computing device of  claim 17 , wherein the memory contains further instructions executable by the processor to cause the computing device to:
 periodically determine whether the active element of the document is the active element as determined when the content was emphasized;   in response to determining that the active element is the active element of the document as determined when the content was emphasized, continue to emphasize the content as displayed in the web browser.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the host container comprises an <iframe>.