Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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METHOD AND APPARATUS CAPABLE OF
EMBEDDING, EXTRACTING AND PROCESSING DATA
WITHIN A FILE HAVING AN HTML FORMAT
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to digital data communications, and more
particularly, to a
method and apparatus for distributing data and programs between networked
computers via
files having an HTML format in a secure and self executing fashion.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, Internet web browsing has become nearly ubiquitous and web browser
applications have become standard equipment on desktop computing platforms.
Most web browsers are capable of loading files having the well-known HTML
format,
described generally in Dave Raggett, "HTML 4.0 Reference Specification," Dec.
1997,
available at http:/lwww.w3.org/TR/REC-htm140. Most information shared on the
Internet is
supplied via data files having the HTML format.
Most web browsers also support plug-in applications. Such plug-in applications
can
include programs that are written in the Java programming language. For the
Netscape 4.0
browser environment (trademark of Netscape Communications Corp. of Mountain
View,
Calif.), plug-ins are described generally in "Plug-Ins Documentation," Nov.
1997, available at
http://developer.netscape.com/library/documentation/index.htm. As a result,
browsers have
become platforms on which applications written in the Java programming
language can be
executed. Since browsers typically support a number of operating environments,
this provides
a means by which an application written in one common programming language can
be
executed with the same results across a variety of operating environments.
The present invention aims at leveraging the capabilities of interchanging and
processing
data via HTML files and conventional web browsers in new and useful ways.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to distribute data and programs between
networked
computers in an efficient and fast manner.
It is another object of the invention to distribute data and means for
presenting the data in
an integrated fashion.
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It is another object of the invention to distribute data and means for
presenting the data in
a uniform way across a variety of operating environments.
A method and apparatus is provided that fulfills these and other objects and
is capable of
distributing data within a file having an HTML format. A first process creates
the data,
encodes it in a known format such as MIME Base 64, and embeds the data within
a comment
section of an HTML file. A second process, preferably implemented as a browser
plug-in
application, is used to extract the data from the HTML file and store the data
in a separate data
file. A third process creates an HTML file that launches an applet that uses
the data, and
contains applet parameters including the paths to the separate data files in
which the extracted
data resides.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The details of the invention, as well as the best mode for practicing it, will
become
apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to the following detailed
description, taken in
conjunction with the appended drawing figures, in which:
Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration in accordance with
the principles
of the invention;
Figure 2 is a flowchart illustrating a process of creating encoded data and
embedding it in
an HTML file in accordance with the principles of the invention;
Figure 3 illustrates the format of an HTML file containing embedded data such
as that
created in the process illustrated in Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating a process of extracting embedded data
from an HTML
file such as that created in the process illustrated in Figure 2 in accordance
with the principles
of the invention;
Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating a process of launching an applet that
uses embedded
data such as that extracted in the process illustrated in Figure 4 in
accordance with the prin-
ciples of the invention;
Figure 6 illustrates the format of an HTML file containing instructions for
launching an
applet such as that created in the process illustrated in Figure 5;
Figure 7 illustrates a specific example of the format of an HTML data file
created in
accordance with the invention; and
Figure 8 illustrates a specific example of the format of an HTML file
containing instruc-
tions for launching an applet created in accordance with the present
invention.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
As shown in Figure I, sending side host 2 includes a computer 10-A, and a user
interface
20-A. Sending side computer 10-A includes a CPU 12-A, an executable RAM 14-A,
and a
mass storage drive 16-A. Receiving side host 4 includes a computer 10-B, and a
user interface
20-B. Receiving side computer 10-B includes a CPU 12-B, an executable RAM 14-
B, and a
mass storage drive 16-B. Computers 10-A and 10-B are functional as is
conventionally known
to execute programs loaded into RAM 14-A and 14-B, which programs contain
instructions
that are performed by CPU 12-A and 12-B. Such programs can be loaded into RAM
14-A and
14-B from mass storage drive 16-A and 16-B. Such programs can also create,
manipulate and
store data into mass storage drive 16-A and 16-B, as well as cause data to be
presented in a
window 18-A and 18-B on user interface 20-A and 20-B and receive user
selections from user
interface 20-A and 20-B. Preferably, at least the receiving side computer is
loaded with a Java-
enabled browser.
It should be understood that, although shown separately here for clarity, a
host can act as a
sending side host in one transaction and as a receiving side host in another
transaction within
the principles of the invention.
In accordance with the principles of the invention, sending side host 2 and
receiving side
host 4 are capable of sending and receiving files via a network 6, preferably
as attachments to
e-mail messages. However, many other means of sharing files can be employed.
Such data
files can include HTML data file 30, created in accordance with the principles
of the invention
as described in more detail below. Network 6 can be any data communication
network, public
or private. Receiving side host 4 is preferably loaded with browser programs
that support
Java-based applets and plug-ins written in Java and/or native programming
languages.
In further accord with the principles of the invention, receiving side host 4
is capable of
sending and receiving files from a server 8. Preferably, files on server 8 are
accessible on the
World Wide Web via conventional browsers and download tools.
An example of a first process used to create and embed data in an HTML data
file 30 in
accordance with the principles of the invention will now be described with
reference to the
flowchart depicted in Figure 2.
Preferably, the first process is implemented as a program loaded into
executable R.AM 14-
A on sending side computer 10-A, which program contains instructions that are
executable by
CPU 12-A in accordance with the processing steps described below with
reference to Figure 2.
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It should be understood that all of the process steps can be implemented
together as a single
standalone program or module that executes using certain input parameters, or
they can be
separately implemented using a combination of readily-available commercial
tools and/or
specially written tools or modules.
As shown, upon starting (step S10), processing begins by creating the data
that is to be
sent to the receiving side host 4 (step S20). The data to be embedded can be,
for example, an
executable file, such as a Java applet, an image file such as a GIF file, an
Envelope Data File
such as that described in co-pending U.S. Application No. 08/845,722 and
explained in more
detail below, or a native code module. Although shown as a step within the
current processing,
it should be understood that the data can actually be a previously created
data file or object, in
which case this step simply includes identifying and locating the data to be
embedded.
The created data can then be encrypted, if required by the user (step S30).
Such
encryption can be performed using encryption technology such as RC4, a
trademark of RSA
Data Security, Inc. of Redwood City, CA. In step 540, the data is encoded
using the MIME
Base64 format. Whether an HTML file has already been created is determined in
step 550. If
not, the HTML file is created (step S60). Preferably included in the step of
creating the HTML
file are steps of adding an instruction within the file that,will cause a plug-
in application to
begin executing so as to extract the embedded data. Such a plug-in application
will be
described in more detail below. Also preferably included in this step is an
HTML script that
determines whether a correct version of the plug-in application exists locally
within the
receiving computer, and if not, downloads the correct version of the plug-in
application.
Finally, the encoded data is embedded in the comment section of the HTML file
(step
S70). This is done by creating a comment section and inserting the encoded
data therein. This
step may also include creating a header for the encoded data in the comment
section, which
header may include information about the encoded data and whether the encoded
data is
encrypted. It should be further noted that care should be taken to insure that
the total size of
the HTML file including the encoded data is within the limits of conventional
browser
applications.
If more data is left to be embedded (determined in step S80), for example, if
the data to
be embedded is a list of separate data objects, processing returns to step S85
where it is
determined whether the remaining data is already created. If not, processing
returns to step
520, otherwise processing returns to step S30 and loops until all the data has
been embedded.
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Figure 3 illustrates the format of a HTML file created in accordance with the
first process
described above. As shown, it includes a script section 50, a plug-in
execution section 52, and
comment sections 54-1...54-N.
Represented as pseudocode, script section 50 preferably includes HTML
instructions to
S determine whether a correct version of the plug-in application for
extracting the embedded data
exists locally to the recipient computer. If not, the correct plug-in
application is downloaded,
for example, from a path specified in the script instructions.
Plug-in execution section includes HTML instructions for causing the plug-in
application
to be executed.
Comment sections 54-1...54-N are separate comment sections for each of the
data objects
embedded in accordance with the processing steps outlined above.
An example of a second process used to extract data embedded, via a process
such as that
described above, in an HTML file in accordance with the principles of the
invention will now
be described with reference to the flowchart depicted in Figure 4.
Preferably, the second process is implemented as a program loaded into
executable RAM
14-B on receiving side computer 10-B, which program contains instructions that
are executable
by CPU 12-B in accordance with the processing steps described below. Such a
program is
preferably implemented as a plug-in application to a browser. The plug-in
application is
executable code, for example, Java byte code and/or native code. When the
browser
encounters an HTML instruction requesting its execution, the plug-in
application is loaded into
the executable memory of the computer and executed. The browser includes a
plug-ins
directory which the browser searches when the application is requested.
As shown, after starting (step S 100), processing begins by reading the HTML
page that
initiated the program and saving it to a file (step 5110). Next, the HTML file
is read and the
next embedded data within a comment is extracted (step S 120). The embedded
data is then
decoded out from the MIME Base64 format (step 5130). If the data was
encrypted, it is
decrypted to its original state in step S 140. Whether the data needs to be
decrypted may be
determined from a header within the embedded data, or it may indicated by a
flag or variable
within or external to the HTML file.
Finally, the data is moved to its proper directory (step S 150), which
directory may be
predetermined and pre-existing or may be dynamically assigned and created at
run-time. A
determination is next made whether the end of the HTML file has been reached
(step S 160),
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for example, whether no more comment sections containing embedded data remain.
If so, the
processing ends (step S 170); otherwise processing loops back to step S 120
and the above-
described processing is repeatedly performed until the end of the HTML file is
reached.
An example of a third process used to launch an applet that uses data embedded
and
extracted, via processes such as that described above, in accordance with the
principles of the
invention, will now be described with reference to the flowchart depicted in
Figure S.
Preferably, the third process is implemented as a program loaded into
executable RAM
14-B on receiving side computer 10-B, which program contains instructions
written in the Java
programming language that are executable by CPU 12-B in accordance with the
processing
steps described below. Such a program is preferably implemented contiguously
with the
program containing the second process described above, and may be part of the
same
executable software as the plug-in application that contains the second
process.
As shown, after starting (step 5200), processing begins by creating an HTML
page that
contains an instruction to launch the applet (step 5210). The input parameters
for the applet
are the file paths of the embedded data that were extracted from the HTML file
using the
second process described above, which file paths are preferably communicated
to the third
process by the second process. Next, the third process asks the browser to
load the HTML
page created in step S210 (step 5220) by, for example, a call to a plug-in
Application
Programming Interface (API) of the browser or a Java API, and processing ends
(step S230).
As should be apparent, when the HTML page created in step 5210 is loaded by
the browser,
the applet is caused to execute.
The executable software containing the applet may be downloaded at the same
time as the
program containing the second and third process, or it may already be located
in the mass
storage 16-B of the receiving side computer 10-B, and loaded into memory upon
a launching
instruction. Alternatively, the applet may be contained in one of the
extracted data files
included in the HTML file that was stored in a directory on the receiving side
computer 10-B
during the second process.
Figure 6 illustrates the format of a HTML file created in accordance with the
third process
described above. As shown, it includes an applet description section 60 and
applet parameter
sections 62-1. . .62-N. Of note within the applet description section 60 is
the path to the archive
of Java classes xxx.jar, as well as the identifier of the applet yyy.class
within the container of
classes.
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In operation, with reference to Figure 1 and the preceding descriptions, when
sending side
host 2 desires to send data to receiving side host 4, the data is encoded and
embedded in an
HTML data file 30 in a program executing instructions on the sending side host
computer 10-A
in accordance with the first process described above. The sending side host 2
then sends an e-
mail message to receiving side host 4, with HTML data file 30 as an
attachment. On receiving
side host 4, the e-mail message is received and read by an e-mail program
executing on
receiving side host computer 10-B, and a browser is launched to view HTML data
file 30
attached to the e-mail. On a computer running a Windows 95 (trademark of
Microsoft, Corp.
of Redmond, Wash.) environment, for example, double-clicking on a screen
object
representing the e-mail attachment will automatically launch a browser
application in
accordance with the HTML file extension. The browser causes the second
process, launched
as a plug-in application under the browser and executing on receiving side
host computer 10-B,
to extract the data and store it on mass storage drive 16-B as described
above. The third
process is then invoked to launch an applet that uses the data, which applet
can include
presenting the data. on user interface 20-B.
An example of the invention will now be described with reference to Figures 7
and 8.
In addition to web browsers, e-mail has also become nearly ubiquitous in
recent times.
Notorious problems with e-mail still remain, however, and include lack of
homogeneity in
presentation of information, lack of security and lack of verification of
receipt. An e-mail
enhancement that solves these problems, among others, is described in the co-
pending
application of Venkatraman et al., U.S. Patent Application No. 08/845,722,
filed April 25,
1997, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
In the e-mail enhancement described in the co-pending application, a container
file, or
Envelope Data File, is created that contains one or more component objects or
"Vixels." The
component objects may include data and one or more defined "User Actions"
which, for
example, cause the presentation of the data in a desired manner. The Envelope
Data File is
included as an e-mail attachment file and sent to an intended recipient, where
the envelope
contents can be selectively presented and manipulated.
The co-pending application also describes creation executable software for
creating the
Envelope Data File, on a sending side computer for example, and recipient
executable software
for presenting the data in the desired manner, on a receiving side computer
for example. The
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recipient executable software can be included in the e-mail attachment sent to
the recipient,
thereby transporting the capability of presenting the data to the recipient in
unique ways.
In conjunction with the present invention, the creation executable software,
for example
executing on a sending side computer such as 10-A, includes a first process
such as that
described in the invention. Accordingly, the creation executable software,
while creating the
Envelope Data File, encodes it and embeds it into an HTML data file such as
HTML data file
30. The recipient executable software, comprised of a number of recipient
executable files
determined by the different number of images, sounds, and functional
attributes inserted into
the envelope container, for example, can also be encoded and embedded within
the HTML data
file by a first process such as that described in the present invention.
As shown in Figure 7, an example of an HTML data file created by a first
process such as
that described above and in conjunction with the co-pending application
includes an HTML
script section 70, a plug-in execution section 80, a first embedded data
section 90, and a second
embedded data section 92.
HTML script section 70 is an implementation specific for a Netscape (trademark
of
Netscape, Inc. of Mountain View, Ca.) browser environment. It includes a
download section
72, in which a correct version of the extraction process plug-in is downloaded
from an Internet
site designated by field 76. Field 74 identifies the path to the extraction
process plug-in. It
should be noted that the principles of the invention are applicable to other
browser
environments and standards such as Internet Explorer (a trademark of Microsoft
Corp. of
Redmond, Wash.), and those skilled in the art will recognize the changes
necessary to adapt to
such other environments and standards.
Plug-in execution section 80 includes an HTML instruction to run the plug-in
application,
as identified in field 82. Of particular note is that the path of the plug-in
application indicated
in field 82 is the same as that indicated in field 74. At this point of
processing the HTML file
by the browser, the correct version of the plug-in application should exist in
the location
indicated in field 82.
First embedded data section 90 includes a header 94 and a footer 96 acting as
delimiters
and identifiers of the encoded data within first embedded data section 90. In
this example, the
first embedded data section 90 includes an Envelope Data File as described in
the co-pending
application.
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Second embedded data section 92 includes a header 98 and a footer 100 acting
as
delimiters and identifiers of the encoded data within second embedded data
section 92. In this
example; the second data section 92 includes data relating to a "Vixel" as
described in the co-
pending application.
An HTML file for launching an applet in accordance with the illustrated
example of the
invention is shown in Figure 8.
As described above, in this example of the invention, operating in conjunction
with the e-
mail enhancement described in the co-pending application, the first process
executes as part of
the creation executable software as described in the co-pending application.
The second and
third processes, for example executing on the receiving side computer 10-B,
provide a means
for managing the transfer of envelope container data and executables for
uniquely presenting
data in accordance with the principles described in the co-pending
application. The applet, as
described in the present invention, corresponds to the recipient executable
software as
described in the co-pending application, which applet can include instructions
for presenting
different images, sounds and functional attributes in accordance with the
different types of
objects included in the envelope data.
Accordingly, the HTML file illustrated in Figure 8, created by a third process
as described
in the present invention, includes an applet description section 64 and applet
parameter
sections 66-1...66-N. Of note within the applet description section 64 is the
path to the archive
of Java executables EvelopeApplet.jar, as well as the identifier of the applet
EnvelopeApplet.class within the container of executables. Of further note
within the applet
parameter sections 66-1...66-N is the path to the Envelope Data File included
in the
"envelopeName" parameter.
Although the present invention has been described hereinabove with reference
to the
preferred embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art will appreciate that
various substitutions
and modifications can be made to the examples provided. For example, although
the first,
second and third processes have been described above as implemented by
instructions
executing on a processor, it should be apparent that various combinations of
hardware and
software components can be used to implement these processes.
Accordingly, such substitutions and modifications can be made while remaining
within the
proper scope and spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
