Method and system for remote binding of meta-content to a uniform resource identifier

A method and system for remote binding of meta-content to a uniform resource indicator are provided. The method includes providing a script to a web browser application in response to the web browser, application accessing the uniform resource identifier of a content provider system and requesting an asset therefrom. The script is generated by a remote server system and is provided to the web browser application by routing the web browser application from the content provider system to the remote server system. The method also includes receiving a call from the web browser application at the remote server system via the script. The call includes the uniform resource identifier of the content provider system. Using the uniform resource identifier, the remote server system queries a data source to determine whether meta-content for the asset is available. Upon determining the meta-content is available for the asset, the method includes returning the meta-content to the web browser application for interpretation.

TRADEMARKS

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to web services, and particularly to a method and system for remote binding of meta-content to a uniform resource identifier (URI).

2. Description of the Background

Before our invention, there were many challenges in assigning semantics and meta-information to addressable content. Typically, a content owner (e.g., a content provider via the web), is responsible for implementing and managing these tasks. However, many content providers, particularly small businesses, do not have the resources to provide offer these capabilities.

What is needed, therefore, is a way to enable content providers to utilize remote meta-content that is remotely bound to a particular uniform resource indicator (URI) at their web site.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The shortcomings of the prior art are overcome and additional advantages are provided through the provision of a method for remote binding of meta-content to a uniform resource indicator are provided. The method includes providing a script to a web browser application in response to the web browser application accessing the uniform resource identifier of a content provider system and requesting an asset therefrom. The script is generated by a remote server system and is provided to the web browser application by routing the web browser application from the content provider system to the remote server system. The method also includes receiving a call from the web browser application at the remote server system via the script. The call includes the uniform resource identifier of the content provider system. Using the uniform resource identifier, the remote server system queries a data source to determine whether meta-content for the asset is available. Upon determining the meta-content is available for the asset, the method includes returning the meta-content to the web browser application for interpretation.

A system corresponding to the above-summarized method is also described and claimed herein.

Technical Effects

As a result of the summarized invention, technically we have achieved a solution which remotely binds meta-content of a remote service provider system to a uniform resource indicator of a content provider system with little or no interaction of the content provider system. The remote binding is implemented using a script that is downloaded to a web browser application requesting access to content from the content provider system. The script is activated on the web browser application and communicates directly with the remote server provider system to receive a service provided therefrom without further assistance from the content provider system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A method and system for remote binding of meta-content to a uniform resource indicator are provided in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the invention. The remote binding of meta-content to a uniform resource identifier enables end-users, who access content (also referred to herein as “assets”) from a content provider system, to directly receive services associated with the content, which are not provided by content provider system, but rather are provided by a remote server system. The content may be any organized collection of data.

Turning now to the drawings in greater detail, it will be seen that inFIG. 1there is a system upon which remote binding of meta-content to a uniform resource identifier may be implemented in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. The system ofFIG. 1includes one or more user systems102(one user system102shown inFIG. 1for ease of description) through which users at one or more geographic locations may contact a content provider system104. The user system102may be coupled to the content provider system104via one or more networks106. Each user system102may be implemented using a general-purpose computer executing one or more computer programs for carrying out the processes described herein. The user system102may be personal computers (e.g., a lap top, a personal digital assistant) or host attached terminals (e.g., via an intranet, extranet, etc.). The user system102executes a web browser application105for communicating with content provider system104.

Content provider system104may be implemented as a web server that provides content to the user system102(e.g., via web browser application105executing on the user system102). The content provider system104implements a web site through which communication may be made. The web site may include a plurality of uniform resource identifiers (URIs), each of which identifies a particular web page, or content (i.e., “asset”), offered by the content provider system104. The user system102may access the web site of the content provider system104via the web browser application105by entering a uniform resource locator (URL) of the content provider system104, or alternatively, via a web search engine. Content, or assets, accessed by the user system102may be stored in a storage device103in communication with the content provider system104. Content may include web pages, text files, audio files, video files, images, and/or multi-media files.

Also shown inFIG. 1is a remote server system108in communication with user system102via network(s)106as described herein. Remote server system108provides one or more services that are not offered by the content provider system104. The services may be provided via a service application109executing on the remote server system108. For example, the remote server system108may provide a transcription service that translates content provided in one media format into another media format. By way of non-limiting example, the transcription service may be IBM's® Caption Me Now™, which provides captioning of audio files (e.g., Webcasts) via, speech recognition tools, in order to make them accessible for the deaf and/or hard of hearing. In the above example, content provider system104may provide audio files (e.g., Webcasts, news clips, etc.) and remote service system108may provide transcription services (e.g., captioning for the audio files). Remote server system108may be implemented as a web, applications, and database management server for providing the various services to end-users, such as user system102. Remote server system108also implements a binding application110for providing the remote binding of meta-content to a URI as described further herein.

The service application109includes a predictive module111and a cost prediction module112. The predictive module111may further include a transcription component, an error estimation component, a topic identifier, a decoder, and statistical estimator, as described herein. The cost prediction module112includes a business component that estimates frequency of requests for services by checking user histories and topics as described herein.

Remote server system108is in communication with a storage device113for storing service-related information. For example, storage device113may store user profiles, user identifiers, and user history information.

Network(s)106may include any type of known networks including, but not limited to, a wide area network (WAN), a local area network (LAN), a global network (e.g. Internet), a virtual private network (VPN), and an intranet. The networks106may be implemented using a wireless network or any kind of physical network implementation known in the art. A user system102may be coupled to the content provider system104and/or remote server system108through multiple networks (e.g., intranet and Internet) so that not all user systems102are coupled to the content provider system104and/or remote server system108through the same network.

Turning now toFIG. 2, a process for remote binding of meta-content to a uniform resource identifier (URI) will now be described in accordance with exemplary embodiments.

At step202, the remote server system108provides a script (via binding application110) to the web browser application105in response to the web browser application105accessing the uniform resource identifier of content provider system104and requesting an asset (e.g., a media file) from the storage device103of content provider system104. The script is generated by the binding application110of remote server system108which provides a service (via service application109) that is not offered by the content provider system104. The script is provided to the web browser application105by routing the web browser application105from a web page of the content provider system104to the remote server system108. The script is downloaded by the web browser application105, as shown inFIG. 1as binding script107. The script107analyzes current contextual information for the uniform resource identifier, such as web page layout of the URI.

At step204, the remote server system108receives a call (e.g., remote procedure call) from the web browser application105via the script107and web browser application105. The call includes the contextual information and the uniform resource identifier of the content provider system104. At step206, the binding application110uses the uniform resource identifier to query a data source (e.g., internal memory) of the remote server system108to determine whether meta-content for the asset is available at the remote server system108. If the meta-content is not available at the remote server system108at step208, the binding application110performs one of several actions depending upon, e.g., the data format between the remote server system108and the user system102at step210. For example, an error code may be returned to the user system (e.g., if the meta information related to additional help information in the context of the web page). In another example, the action may be a request to transcribe a media time and return a ticket number indicating when the transcription will be completed. Alternatively, the action may be a request for additional information to see if a transcription can be authorized by this user.

Alternatively, upon determining the meta-content is available for the asset at step208, the meta-content is returned to the web browser application105for interpretation at step210.

As indicated above, the service application109includes various components via the modules111and112for implementing the binding services described herein. Predictive module111receives the audio/video input and forwards the input to the transcription component. The transcription component provides transcription of the audio/video using, e.g., speech recognition, etc. The transcribed information is analyzed by the error estimator module for accuracy using, e.g., confidence scoring. Alternatively, the audio is transcribed and depending on the outcome, the error estimation component estimates the accuracy. The transcribed information is passed to the topic identifier component to identify a topic of the transcribed information and the information is processed through the decoder component for accuracy. The statistical estimator of accuracy component may use biometrics to identify the needs of a user; that is, estimating the probability of accuracy using, e.g., user profile, user identifier, and/or user history information from storage device113.

The cost prediction module112includes a business component assessing and managing payments for users of the services. The business component may estimate accuracy of transcription results as well as frequency of requests by checking the user history and topics. The business module may suggest to users information that comes from the website, where the user requested audio is to be transcribed. Various users may be sharing costs of payments. For example, a first user may be paying full price while other users share the cost and the first user is reimbursed for the part of the initial payment. The business component may estimate user ability to pay from the history of the user. Some users may be able to pay full cost, while others only a fraction of the cost. The system may be able to identify the risk. A cost estimation may depend upon a number of iterations of requests. While some user may accept this level of accuracy, others may ask for more information. There may be an estimated number of iterations needed to satisfy a user. There may be various business schemes applied, based upon how many iterations would be required for decoding. A cost estimate is performed accordingly and a final suggestion is presented to the user of how much the user is expected to pay.