Module specification for a module to be incorporated into a container document

A system, including a processor and storage medium, for enabling a user to specify a user-created module for a container document comprising:

• an input server operable to receive, over a network, a request from the user to generate a module, the request specifying, for the module, a content type element, a content element, one or more preference elements, and values for the one or more preference elements;
• and
• a module specification creation server that receives the user inputs and generates a module specification for the module in a format for use with the container document, the module specification including particular code that corresponds to the module, wherein the particular code, when parsed, provides parameters for use in generating module data for the module and adapted for use in the personalized container document, the parameters of the particular code including the content type element, the content element, the one or more preference elements, and values for the one or more preference elements,
• wherein the container document defines an organization for a presentation of content associated with the plurality of modules in a container document display, wherein for each module a portion of the container document display is allocated for the presentation of content corresponding to the module, and module data generated for each module in the plurality of modules is adapted to be served with the container document to a remote browser client and includes computer-executable instructions adapted for execution by a remote browser client to render content for the module for presentation in the container document display, and
• wherein the one or more preference elements include at least one module preference element adapted to specify at least two alternative presentation states of content for the first module, and the at least one module preference element defines conditions that change independent of user input in the container document display for dynamically presenting content in one of the at least two presentation states, with content data rendered, using the computer-executable instructions executed by the remote browser client, in a first of the at least two presentation states in response to a first condition and rendered, using the computer-executable instructions executed by the remote browser client, in a second of the at least two presentation states in response to a second condition.

A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for causing data processing apparatus to perform certain operations, the instructions comprising:

• particular code that corresponds to a first module selectively designated for inclusion in a personalized container document, wherein the particular code, when parsed by a module server associated with the first module, provides parameters for use by the module server associated with the first module in generating module data for the first module, wherein the module data for the first module is adapted for use in the personalized container document, the parameters of the particular code including a first content type element, a first content element, and one or more preference elements;
• additional code that specifies a second module selectively designated for inclusion in the personalized container document, wherein the additional code, when parsed by a module server associated with the second module, provides parameters for use by the module server associated with the second module in generating module data for the second module, wherein the module data for the second module is adapted for use in the personalized container document, the parameters of the additional code including a second content type element and a second content element;
• wherein the personalized container document defines an organization for a presentation of content associated with the plurality of modules in a container document display, wherein for each module a portion of the container document display is allocated for the presentation of content corresponding to the module;
• wherein module data for each module designated for inclusion in the container document is adapted to be served with the container document to a remote browser client, the module data for each module including computer-executable instructions adapted for execution by a remote browser client to render content for the module for presentation in the container document display;
• and
• wherein the first content type element is different than the second content type element and the preference elements include at least one module preference element adapted to specify at least two alternative presentation states of content for the first module, the at least one module preference element defining conditions that change independent of user input in the container document display for dynamically presenting content in one of the at least two presentation states, with content data rendered, using the computer-executable instructions executed by the remote browser client, in a first of the at least two presentation states in response to a first condition and rendered, using the computer-executable instructions executed by the remote browser client, in a second of the at least two presentation states in response to a second condition.

A computer-implemented method of generating module data for use with a personalized container document comprising:

• sending, to a remote module server associated with a first module, particular code that corresponds to the first module, the first module selectively designated for inclusion in a personalized container document, wherein the particular code, when parsed by a module server associated with the first module, provides parameters for use by the module server associated with the first module to generate module data for the first module, wherein the module data for the first module is adapted for use in the personalized container document, the parameters of the particular code including a first content type element, a first content element and one or more preference elements;
• sending, to a remote module server associated with a second module, additional code that specifies a second module selectively designated for inclusion in the personalized container document, wherein the additional code, when parsed by a module server associated with the second module, provides parameters for use by the module server associated with the second module to generate module data for the second module, wherein the module data for the second module is adapted for use in the personalized container document, the parameters of the additional code including a second content type element and a second content element
• receiving, into memory, module data for the first module generated by the remote module server associated with the first module;
• receiving, into memory, module data for the second module generated by the remote module server associated with the second module;
• serving the module data for the first and second modules with the personalized container document to a remote browser client;
• wherein the personalized container document defines an organization for a presentation of content associated with the plurality of modules in a container document display, wherein for each module a portion of the container document display is allocated for the presentation of content corresponding to the module;
• wherein the module data for each of the first module and the second module includes computer-executable instructions adapted for execution by the remote browser client to render content for the module for presentation in the container document display;
• and
• wherein the first content type element is different than the second content type element and the preference elements include at least one module preference element adapted to specify at least two alternative presentation states of content for the first module, the at least one module preference element defining conditions that change independent of user input in the container document display for dynamically presenting content in one of the at least two presentation states, with content data rendered, using the computer-executable instructions executed by the remote browser client, in a first of the at least two presentation states in response to a first condition and rendered, using the computer-executable instructions executed by the remote browser client, in a second of the at least two presentation states in response to a second condition.

A computer-implemented method of generating module data for use with a personalized container document comprising:

• receiving a request, from a remote container document server, for module data for a particular one of a plurality of modules selectively designated for inclusion in a personalized container document served by the container document server;
• obtaining particular code that corresponds to the particular module;
• parsing the particular code to identify parameters from the code for use in generating module data for the particular module, the parameters of the particular code including a first content type element, a first content element and one or more preference elements;
• generating module data based at least in part on the parameters, the generated module data adapted for use with the personalized container document;
• sending the module data to the container document server to be included in and served with the personalized container document;
• wherein the personalized container document defines an organization for a presentation of content associated with the plurality of modules in a container document display, wherein for each of the plurality of modules a portion of the container document display is allocated for the presentation of content corresponding to the module;
• wherein module data for each module in the plurality of modules includes computer-executable instructions for execution by a remote browser client to render content for the module for presentation in the container document display;
• and
• wherein the one or more preference elements include at least one module preference element adapted to specify at least two presentation states of content for the module, and the at least one module preference element defines conditions that change independent of user input in the container document display for dynamically presenting content in one of the at least two presentation states, with content data rendered, using the computer-executable instructions executed by the remote browser client, in a first of the at least two presentation states in response to a first condition and rendered, using the computer-executable instructions executed by the remote browser client, in a second of the at least two presentation states in response to a second condition.