Methods and systems for managing fault-tolerant webpage presentation

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to computer network techniques, and particularly to methods and systems for managing fault-tolerant webpage presentation.

2. Description of the Related Art

As rapid and diversified development of the Internet has led to web browser incompatibility. Although different browsers conform to standards created by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), new techniques are continuously and respectively introduced. Web designers may choose a specification (such as the specification for Microsoft Internet Explorer) of only one web browser manufacturer when designing a web site. When a webpage of the web site is opened by a web browser of another type (such as Netscape Communicator), exceptions may occur. For example, the webpage cannot be opened, the layout of the webpage is disordered, the color is distorted, or animations disappear.

There may be various causes underlying the exceptions. Without technical knowledge, general users may not have enough information to handle a situation in which a webpage fails to open.

An exemplary embodiment of a method for managing fault-tolerant webpage presentation is provided. Configuration of a platform for displaying a first webpage of a web server is stored in advance. When receiving a request from a client computer for downloading the first webpage, the webpage presentation capability of the client computer is detected and compared with the configuration of the platform. When the webpage presentation capability and the configuration of the platform have a difference therebetween, a search is performed based on the difference to provide a second webpage. The second webpage is then transmitted to the client computer.

An exemplary embodiment of a system for managing fault-tolerant webpage presentation comprises a database, a detector, and a troubleshooter. The database stores configuration of a platform for displaying a first webpage of a web server. When receiving a request from a client computer for downloading the first webpage, the detector detects webpage presentation capability of the client computer. The troubleshooter compares the webpage presentation capability with the configuration of the platform. When the webpage presentation capability conforms to the configuration of the platform, the first webpage is transmitted to the client computer, and, when the webpage presentation capability and the configuration of the platform have a difference therebetween, a search is performed based on the difference to provide a second webpage, and the second webpage is transmitted to the client computer.

A detailed description is given in the following embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the configuration of a network;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a system for managing fault-tolerant webpage presentation;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing platform configuration; and

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of an exemplary embodiment of a method for managing fault-tolerant webpage presentation.

The following description is of the best-contemplated mode of carrying out the invention. This description is made for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention and should not be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is best determined by reference to the appended claims.

A method for managing fault-tolerant webpage presentation may be implemented in a network in FIG. 1 . Network 200 is connected to a server 100 , computers C 0 -Cn, wherein n is a positive integer. Computers C 0 -Cn are capable of network communication, webpage download and display. The server 100 is a web server including a system 10 for managing fault-tolerant webpage presentation and webpage data 20 including First webpage 21 , Second webpage 22 , and so on, such as static webpages or dynamic webpage resources. Computer C 0 includes a Browser 30 for requesting download of Webpage data 20 (such as First webpage 21 ) form Server 100 . Network 200 may be a local area network (LAN) or the Internet. Computers C 0 -Cn may be personal computers, notebooks, terminals, mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), or other computing devices. Web browser 30 of computer C 0 requests download of first webpage 21 from server 100 . For example, first webpage 21 may be, but is not limited to a homepage of a webpage site.

Referring to FIG. 2 , the system 10 may be implemented by computer programs to be executed in server 100 while modules of the system 10 may be respectively executed by different servers. Configuration module 50 is utilized to set platform configuration for the web data (such as First webpage 21 ), such as intended computer types for displaying the webpage data, resolution and color level of a display, and types, versions, plug-ins, and cookies of web browsers. The system 10 may be installed in different servers, and platform configuration of webpages stored on these servers can be set via an interface provided by configuration module 50 .

Detector 60 detects webpage presentation capability of client computers requesting webpages. Troubleshooter 70 provides and transmits solutions and related resources to client computers according to data detected by detector 60 and platform configuration provided by configuration module 50 . Solution database 80 stores related information of platform configuration 51 , such as download addresses of resources indicated by platform configuration 51 . Solution Database 80 may also comprise webpage data 20 . Control module 40 coordinates cooperation of the modules of system 10 .

With reference to FIG. 3 , configuration module 50 receives platform configuration 51 for webpage data 20 from input devices (not shown) of server 100 (steps S 2 ) and stores platform configuration 51 (steps S 4 ).

With reference to FIG. 4 , when receiving a download request for first webpage 21 from computer C 0 (step S 8 ), detector 60 retrieves the address of computer C 0 , and detects webpage presentation capability thereof (step S 10 ) comprising at least device type (such as a personal computer or a PDA), display resolution, display color level, browser type, version, language, plug-ins, or cookies. The detection for webpage presentation capabilities may be implemented by negotiation therebetween via message exchange. Troubleshooter 70 compares webpage presentation capability of computer C 0 with platform configuration 51 for first webpage 21 (step S 12 ), and thus determines if webpage presentation capability of computer C 0 satisfies platform configuration 51 (step S 14 ). When the detected webpage presentation capability of computer C 0 matches platform configuration 51 for first webpage 21 , server 100 transmits first webpage 21 to computer C 0 (step S 16 ). When the webpage presentation capability of computer C 0 and the platform configuration 51 for first webpage 21 have difference therebetween, troubleshooter 70 searches database 80 based on the difference (step SI 8 ) to provide second webpage 22 (step S 20 ). Server 100 transmits second webpage 22 to computer C 0 (step S 22 ).

Server 100 may store different webpage versions for different recipient devices, wherein correspondence between the devices and the webpage versions may be stored in database 80 . For example, first webpage 21 is composed in hypertext markup language (HTML), and second webpage 22 is composed in wireless markup language (WML). Platform configuration 51 comprises predetermined device types suitable for first webpage 21 . First webpage 21 is suitable for personal computers, and second webpage 22 is suitable for PDA and mobile phones. In step S 10 , device detector 65 determines the device type of computer C 0 (such as a PDA). When the device type of computer C 0 is different from the predetermined device type, troubleshooter 70 searches webpage data 20 for a suitable webpage and transmits the suitable webpage (such as second webpage 22 ) to computer C 0 . Second webpage 22 and first webpage 21 may comprise an identical portion of content.

In step S 10 , resolution detector 61 detects the display resolution of computer C 0 . For example, the display resolution of computer C 0 detected by resolution detector 61 is 1024*768 pixels. Platform configuration 51 comprises a predetermined resolution, 800*600 pixels. That is, first webpage 21 is preferably shown by a display of a client computer the resolution of which is configured to 800*600 pixels. When the resolution of computer C 0 (1024*768 pixels) is different from the predetermined resolution (800*600 pixels), resolution adjuster 71 inserts the predetermined resolution for first webpage 21 from database 80 to second webpage 22 . After having been transmitted to computer C 0 , second webpage 22 comprising information of the predetermined resolution (800*600 pixels) is displayed by computer C 0 . Accordingly, the display of computer C 0 may be adjusted to the predetermined resolution (800*600 pixels) by a user.

Alternatively, when the display resolution of computer C 0 is different from the predetermined resolution, resolution adjuster 71 locates resolution adjustment program 81 from database 80 and embeds resolution adjustment program 81 to second webpage 22 . After second webpage 22 has been transmitted to computer C 0 , resolution adjustment program 81 automatically adjusts the display (not shown) of computer C 0 to the predetermined resolution. Resolution adjustment program 81 may receive a user confirmation from an input device of computer C 0 to begin adjusting resolution.

In step S 10 , color detector 62 detects the display color level of computer CO (such as 16 million colors). Platform configuration 51 comprises predetermined color level (such as 24 million colors). When the display color level of computer C 0 is different from the predetermined color level, color level adjuster 72 locates the predetermined color level (such as 24 million colors) for first webpage 21 from database 80 and inserts the predetermined color level to second webpage 22 . When transmitted to computer C 0 , second webpage 22 comprising information of the predetermined color level is displayed by computer C 0 . Accordingly, the display of computer C 0 may be adjusted to the predetermined color level upon user operations.

Alternatively, when the color level of computer C 0 is different from the predetermined color level, color level adjuster 72 locates color level adjustment program 82 from database 80 and embeds color level adjustment program 82 to second webpage 22 . When second webpage 22 has been transmitted to computer C 0 , color level adjustment program 82 automatically adjusts the display (not shown) of computer C 0 to the predetermined color level. Color level adjustment program 82 may receive a user confirmation from an input device (not shown) of computer C 0 to begin color level adjustment.

In step S 10 , plug-in detector 63 detects the plug-ins of a web browser of computer C 0 . Platform configuration 51 comprises predetermined plug-ins for first webpage 21 . When web browser 30 lacks predetermined plug-in 85 in FIG. 2 (such as a small program which can be directly installed on a client computer), plug-in guide 73 locates installation program 83 from database 80 and inserts installation program 83 to second webpage 22 . In computer C 0 , installation program 83 automatically adds predetermined plug-in 85 to web browser 30 .

If the predetermined plug-ins are not shareware, or based on other factors, plug-in guide 73 locates hyperlinks to the predetermined plug-ins from database 80 and inserts the hyperlinks in second webpage 22 .

In step S 10 , web browser detector 64 detects the settings of web browser 30 of computer C 0 , comprising at least the type, version, language, or cookies of the web browser. Database 80 may comprise correspondence between webpages and languages used by web browsers. For example, the content of first webpage 21 is written in English, and the content of second webpage 22 is written in Chinese. When web browser 30 utilizes Chinese, troubleshooter 70 may search Chinese data corresponding to first webpage 21 to provide second webpage 22 , or directly locate a corresponding webpage written in Chinese.

Some webpage presentation capabilities may involve system configuration of client computers (such as operating system configuration), which can be modified only through operating system interfaces. On-line director 74 provides a customized online help webpage for reference and system configuration modification by client users. Platform configuration 51 may comprise system configuration corresponding to first webpage 21 , and database 80 may store directions to the system configuration. Thus, in step S 10 , system configuration detector 66 may detect the system configuration of computer C 0 . When the system configuration of computer C 0 does not match the predetermined system configuration for first webpage 21 , On-line director 74 locates directions 86 for the predetermined system configuration from database 80 and inserts directions 86 in the second webpage 22 , as an online help webpage to be transmitted to computer C 0 .

Thus, the system for managing fault-tolerant webpage presentation stores configuration of the platform for displaying webpages and detects webpage presentation capabilities comprising device type of a recipient computer, display resolution, color level, and the type, version, language, plug-ins, and cookies of the web browser. The system compares the webpage presentation capabilities and the configuration of the platform and performs a search based on the difference therebetween to provide solutions. Note that the solutions together with the demanded webpage can be transmitted to the recipient computer when required.

In conclusion, a system for managing fault-tolerant webpage presentation is implemented in a system where web browsers are utilized as user interfaces. System configuration is adjusted based on respective recipient computers for better webpage browsing and ameliorating the problems (such as color distortion or confused layout). Further, the system for managing fault-tolerant webpage presentation provides an appropriate webpage browsing platform based on client operating system configuration via resolution adjustment and provides online help for users to address problems.

While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of the preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.