US6185587B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for building a web site with automated help
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1998-06-19
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Granted: 2001-02-06
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Expires: 2018-06-19
Abstract
Abstract A software tool is provided for use with a computer system for simplifying the creation of Web sites. The tool comprises a plurality of pre-stored templates, comprising HTML formatting code, text, fields and formulas. The templates preferably correspond to different types of Web pages and other features commonly found on or available to Web sites. Each feature may have various options. To create a web site, a Web site creator (the person using the tool to create a web site) is prompted by the tool through a series of views stored in the tool to select the features and options desired for the Web site. Based on these selections, the tool prompts the web site creator to supply data to populate fields of the templates determined by the tool to correspond to the selected features and options. Based on the identified templates and supplied data, the tool generates the customized Web site without the web site creator writing any HTML or other programming code. Help documents pertaining to the selected features of the web site are automatically posted to the web site.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard S. Bernardo
- 👤 David A. Macphee
- 👤 Jennifer J. Smith
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 20:34
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/90; G06F16/95; G06F16/955; G06F16/958; G06F16/972; G06F40/00; G06F40/10; G06F40/103; G06F40/117; G06F40/12; G06F40/131; G06F40/14; G06F40/143; G06F40/151; G06F40/166; G06F40/186
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
134 words
A computer system comprising a tool for creating a Web site having user specified features and help documents associated with the specified features, said tool comprising: means for storing a library of templates corresponding to predefined features available in a web site; means for storing a plurality of help documents, each relating to one or more of the available features; means for enabling a site creator using the tool to select the desired features for a Web site; and means for building a Web site based on the templates corresponding to the selected features, where the tool copies the Web site help documents relating to the selected features to the Web site and wherein the tool creates the web site help documents without requiring the site creator to create the web site help documents.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
134 words
A computer system comprising a tool for creating a Web site having user specified features and help documents associated with the specified features, said tool comprising: means for storing a library of templates corresponding to predefined features available in a web site; means for storing a plurality of help documents, each relating to one or more of the available features; means for enabling a site creator using the tool to select the desired features for a Web site; and means for building a Web site based on the templates corresponding to the selected features, where the tool copies the Web site help documents relating to the selected features to the Web site and wherein the tool creates the web site help documents without requiring the site creator to create the web site help documents.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The computer system according to claim 1 , wherein each feature comprises one or more options and said stored help documents further comprise help documents relating to one or more options.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The computer system according to claim 1 , wherein said library of templates comprises a template for creating a help document.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
83 words
The computer system according to claim 1 , wherein said plurality of help documents comprises one or more types of help documents including: help documents to enable a site creator using the tool to access help while creating a site; help documents that relate to features of a web site created by the tool to enable users accessing the created site to access help for those features; and help documents that enable an authorized user to access help when modifying an existing site.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The computer system according to claim 1 , wherein said help documents are stored as HTML files.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
The computer system according to claim 1 , wherein said help documents are HTML files and the templates comprise one or more HTML files including links to one or more help documents to enable context-sensitive help.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
The computer system according to claim 6 , wherein said one or more links comprises a link from a portion of a Web page to a help document to enable context-sensitive help for that portion of the Web page.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
The computer system according to claim 6 , where said one or more links comprises a link from a Web page to a help document to enable context-sensitive help for the Web page.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The computer system according to claim 1 , further comprising means for using the tool to create new help documents.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The computer system according to claim 9 , wherein the new help documents are created based on one or more of said stored templates.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
The computer system according to claim 9 , wherein said new help documents are created without requiring new HTML code to be written by a web site creator.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
104 words
A computer system comprising a tool for creating a Web site said tool, comprising: a library of stored templates corresponding to a plurality of features available in a Web site; a library of stored help documents, each document corresponding to one or more features; an input device by which a user can select from among the plurality of features; and an application assembler that creates a Web site based on the templates corresponding to the selected features and that selectively includes the corresponding help documents, wherein the application assembler creates the help documents without requiring the user to create the web site help documents.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
104 words
A computer system comprising a tool for creating a Web site said tool, comprising: a library of stored templates corresponding to a plurality of features available in a Web site; a library of stored help documents, each document corresponding to one or more features; an input device by which a user can select from among the plurality of features; and an application assembler that creates a Web site based on the templates corresponding to the selected features and that selectively includes the corresponding help documents, wherein the application assembler creates the help documents without requiring the user to create the web site help documents.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
The computer system according to claim 12 , wherein each feature comprises one or more options and the help documents further comprise help documents relating to the one or more options.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
The computer system according to claim 12 , wherein the library of stored templates comprises a template for creating a help document.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
81 words
The computer system according to claim 12 , wherein the help documents comprises one or more types of help documents comprising: help documents to enable a site creator using the tool to access help while creating a site; help documents that relate to features of a web site created by the tool to enable users accessing the created site to access help for those features; and help documents that enable an authorized user to access help when modifying an existing site.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
128 words
A method for using a tool for creating a Web site having user specified features and help documents associated with the specified features, said method comprising the steps of: storing a library of templates corresponding to predefined features available in a web site; storing a plurality of help documents, each relating to one or more of the available features; enabling a site creator using the tool to select the desired features for a Web site; and building a Web site based on the templates corresponding to the selected features, where the tool copies the Web site help documents relating to the selected features to the Web site, wherein the tool creates the web site help documents without requiring the site creator to create the web site help documents.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
128 words
A method for using a tool for creating a Web site having user specified features and help documents associated with the specified features, said method comprising the steps of: storing a library of templates corresponding to predefined features available in a web site; storing a plurality of help documents, each relating to one or more of the available features; enabling a site creator using the tool to select the desired features for a Web site; and building a Web site based on the templates corresponding to the selected features, where the tool copies the Web site help documents relating to the selected features to the Web site, wherein the tool creates the web site help documents without requiring the site creator to create the web site help documents.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method according to claim 16 , further comprising the step of creating one or more help documents.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method according to claim 16 , further comprising the step of accessing help while creating the site.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method according to claim 16 , further comprising the step of enabling context-sensitive help for the web site.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
157 words
A computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for creating a Web site having user specified features and help documents associated with the specified features, said computer usable medium comprising: computer readable program code means for storing a library of templates corresponding to predefined features available in a web site; computer readable program code means for storing a plurality of help documents, each relating to one or more of the available features; computer readable program code means for enabling a site creator using the tool to select the desired features for a Web site; and computer readable program code means for building a Web site based on the templates corresponding to the selected features, where the tool copies the Web site help documents relating to the selected features to the Web site, wherein the tool creates the web site help documents without requiring the site creator to create the web site help documents.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
157 words
A computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for creating a Web site having user specified features and help documents associated with the specified features, said computer usable medium comprising: computer readable program code means for storing a library of templates corresponding to predefined features available in a web site; computer readable program code means for storing a plurality of help documents, each relating to one or more of the available features; computer readable program code means for enabling a site creator using the tool to select the desired features for a Web site; and computer readable program code means for building a Web site based on the templates corresponding to the selected features, where the tool copies the Web site help documents relating to the selected features to the Web site, wherein the tool creates the web site help documents without requiring the site creator to create the web site help documents.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
30 words
The medium according to claim 20 , wherein each feature comprises one or more options and the help documents further comprise help documents relating to the one or more options.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
20 words
The medium according to claim 20 , wherein the library of templates comprises a template for creating a help document.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
82 words
The medium according to claim 20 , wherein the plurality of help documents comprises one or more types of help documents comprising: help documents to enable a site creator using the tool to access help while creating a site; help documents that relate to features of a web site created by the tool to enable users accessing the created site to access help for those features; and help documents that enable an authorized user to access help when modifying an existing site.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
20 words
The medium according to claim 20 , further comprising creating means for using the tool to create new help documents.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
141 words
A computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for creating a Web site having user specified features and help documents associated with the specified features, said computer usable medium comprising: storing means comprising a library of templates corresponding to predefined features available in a web site; storing means comprising a plurality of help documents, each relating to one or more of the available features; enabling means enabling a site creator using the tool to select the desired features for a Web site; and building means building a Web site based on the templates corresponding to the selected features, where the tool copies the Web site help documents relating to the selected features to the Web site, wherein the tool creates the web site help documents without requiring the site creator to create the web site help documents.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
141 words
A computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for creating a Web site having user specified features and help documents associated with the specified features, said computer usable medium comprising: storing means comprising a library of templates corresponding to predefined features available in a web site; storing means comprising a plurality of help documents, each relating to one or more of the available features; enabling means enabling a site creator using the tool to select the desired features for a Web site; and building means building a Web site based on the templates corresponding to the selected features, where the tool copies the Web site help documents relating to the selected features to the Web site, wherein the tool creates the web site help documents without requiring the site creator to create the web site help documents.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
30 words
The medium according to claim 25 , wherein each feature comprises one or more options and the help documents further comprise help documents relating to the one or more options.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
20 words
The medium according to claim 25 , wherein the library of templates comprises a template for creating a help document.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
82 words
The medium according to claim 25 , wherein the plurality of help documents comprises one or more types of help documents comprising: help documents to enable a site creator using the tool to access help while creating a site; help documents that relate to features of a web site created by the tool to enable users accessing the created site to access help for those features; and help documents that enable an authorized user to access help when modifying an existing site.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
20 words
The medium according to claim 25 , further comprising creating means for using the tool to create new help documents.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-02-06 | 2004-08-07 | 2005-02-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-02-06 | 2008-08-07 | 2009-02-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-02-06 | 2012-08-07 | 2013-02-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |