Methods and devices for post processing rendered web pages and handling requests of post processed web pages

Abstract

A method of post processing a rendered HTML web page including the steps of: receiving a rendered web page, parsing the web page to identify resources that the web page includes links to, grouping the identified resources according to a type of resource, creating a resource reference that refers to each group of resources, and inserting the resource reference into the web page to enable the identified resources in the web page to be retrieved.

1 . A method of post processing a rendered HTML web page including the steps of:
 receiving a rendered web page,   parsing the web page to identify resources that the web page includes links to,   grouping the identified resources according to a type of resource,   creating a resource reference that refers to each group of resources, and   inserting the resource reference into the web page to enable the identified resources in the web page to be retrieved.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  further including the step of inserting a single resource reference for each group of resources in the web page. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the resource reference is a surrogate uniform resource locator. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identified resources are style sheets and the resource reference is a style sheet reference that refers to a group of style sheet resources, the method further including the steps of identifying the location of a first style sheet link in the parsed web page, and inserting the style sheet reference at that location. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the identified resources are scripts and the resource reference is a script reference that refers to a group of script resources, the method further including the steps of determining if the location of a first script link is in a body section of the web page, and upon a positive determination, inserting the script reference at that location, and upon a negative determination, inserting the script reference at the location of a first occurrence of a script link in a head section of the web page. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the type of resource is a style sheet or script, the method further including the steps of providing a unique resource identification for each resource identified, and storing the unique resource identification with the link to the identified resource. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the identified resource is in the form of a uniform resource locator that links to the identified resource. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6  further including the step of removing the link to the identified resource in the web page. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the unique resource identification is one of a unique series of numbers, letters or global identifiers. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 6  further including the step of including each unique resource identification within the resource reference. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein a resource reference includes unique resource identifications of identified resources of only one type of resource. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the type of resource is an image, the method further including the steps of grouping the identified images for a specific image format into a mosaic image, creating an identified image style reference that references the mosaic image and defines the identified images. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  further including the step of creating a single mosaic image for each image format. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12  further including the steps of creating a table of non-excluded images, and copying links to non-excluded image resources into the table. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12  further including the step of defining a unique image reference for each identified image. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  further including the steps of including within the unique image reference a unique style sheet class that references style sheet attributes associated with the identified image. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the unique image reference replaces the link to the identified resource. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the unique image reference includes a reference to a blank image. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the identified image style reference includes a style tag that references the mosaic image. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the identified image style reference includes style sheet attributes for the identified image. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the style sheet attributes include co-ordinate values for the identified image, the co-ordinate values defining the position of the image in the mosaic image. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the style sheet attributes include image size values for the identified image. 
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 12  further including the step of inserting the identified image style reference into a head section of the web page. 
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23  further including the step of concatenating any existing style sheet references with the identified image style reference. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 1  further including the step of receiving a web page rendered by a web server, wherein the web server intercepted the rendered web page prior to the web page being sent to a web browser. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 1  further including the step of receiving the web page rendered by a web application, wherein the web application intercepted the rendered web page prior to web page being sent to a web server. 
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 1  further including the step of receiving the web page from a web server via a proxy server, where the proxy server has intercepted the rendered web page after the web server has sent the web page to a web browser. 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 1  further including the step of determining if the identified resource is an excluded resource. 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28  further including the step of comparing at least a portion of the link for an identified resource to a table of excluded resources to determine if the link is referring to an excluded resource. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the at least a part of the link is one of a keyword associated with the link, a uniform resource locator or part thereof associated with the link, and an identical or similar identifier associated with the link. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 29  further including the step of comparing at least a portion of the link with a list of excluded elements, and, upon determining that at least the portion of the link is associated with an excluded element, indicating that the identified resource is an excluded resource. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 28 , whereupon determining that the identified resource is an excluded resource, further including the step of not grouping that identified resource. 
   
   
       33 . A method of handling a resource request from a web browser, wherein the request includes a resource reference that refers to a group of resources of one type, the method including the steps of receiving the resource request, requesting at least two of the resources in the group, combining the at least two resources, and sending the combined resources to the web browser. 
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33  further including the steps of determining if the requested resources are stored locally, and, upon a negative determination, retrieving the requested resources and storing the requested resources locally. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 33  further including the steps of identifying the type of resource in the resource reference, and where the type of resource is identified as a style sheet or script, the method further including the steps of determining unique resource identifications from the resource reference, and retrieving each identified resource associated with each unique resource identification. 
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the unique resource identifications include a sequential series of numbers, letters or global identifiers. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 35  further including the steps of retrieving each identified resource by resolving the unique resource identification into an individual uniform resource locator associated with the identified resource, and retrieving the identified resource using the individual uniform resource locator. 
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 37  further including the steps of combining all retrieved resources for one type of identified resource. 
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 38  further including the step of compressing the combined retrieved resources, and storing the compressed resources locally. 
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 33  further including the steps of identifying the type of resource in the resource reference, and where the type of resource is identified as an image, the method further including the steps of determining a reference to a mosaic image from the resource reference, and retrieving the mosaic image. 
   
   
       41 . A module arranged to post process a rendered HTML web page, wherein the module is arranged to receive a rendered web page, parse the web page to identify resources that the web page includes links to, group the identified resources according to a type of resource, create a resource reference that refers to each group of resources, and insert the resource reference into the web page to enable the identified resources in the web page to be retrieved. 
   
   
       42 . The module of  claim 41 , wherein the module is arranged to insert a single resource reference for each group of resources in the web page. 
   
   
       43 . The module of  claim 41 , wherein the resource reference is a surrogate uniform resource locator. 
   
   
       44 . The module of  claim 41 , wherein the identified resources are style sheets and the resource reference is a style sheet reference that refers to a group of style sheet resources, the module being arranged to identify the location of a first style sheet link in the parsed web page, and insert the style sheet reference at that location. 
   
   
       45 . The module of  claim 41 , wherein the identified resources are scripts and the resource reference is a script reference that refers to a group of script resources, the module being arranged to determine if the location of a first script link is in a body section of the web page, and upon a positive determination, insert the script reference at that location, and upon a negative determination, insert the script reference at the location of a first occurrence of a script link in a head section of the web page. 
   
   
       46 . The module of  claim 41 , wherein the type of resource is a style sheet or script, the module being arranged to provide a unique resource identification for each resource identified, and store the unique resource identification with the link to the identified resource. 
   
   
       47 . The module of  claim 46 , wherein the identified resource is in the form of a uniform resource locator that links to the identified resource. 
   
   
       48 . The module of  claim 46 , wherein the module is arranged to remove the link to the identified resource in the web page. 
   
   
       49 . The module of  claim 46 , wherein the unique resource identification is one of a unique series of numbers, letters or global identifiers. 
   
   
       50 . The module of  claim 46 , wherein the module is arranged to include each unique resource identification within the resource reference. 
   
   
       51 . The module of  claim 50 , wherein a resource reference includes unique resource identifications of identified resources of only one type of resource. 
   
   
       52 . The module of  claim 41 , wherein the type of resource is an image, the module being arranged to group the identified images for a specific image format into a mosaic image, create an identified image style reference that references the mosaic image and defines the identified images. 
   
   
       53 . The module of  claim 52 , wherein the module is arranged to create a single mosaic image for each image format. 
   
   
       54 . The module of  claim 52 , wherein the module is arranged to create a table of non-excluded images, and copy links to non-excluded image resources into the table. 
   
   
       55 . The module of  claim 52 , wherein the module is arranged to define a unique image reference for each identified image. 
   
   
       56 . The module of  claim 55 , wherein the module is arranged to include within the unique image reference a unique style sheet class that references style sheet attributes associated with the identified image. 
   
   
       57 . The module of  claim 55 , wherein the unique image reference replaces the link to the identified resource. 
   
   
       58 . The module of  claim 57 , wherein the unique image reference includes a reference to a blank image. 
   
   
       59 . The module of  claim 52 , wherein the identified image style reference includes a style tag that references the mosaic image. 
   
   
       60 . The module of  claim 52 , wherein the identified image style reference includes style sheet attributes for the identified image. 
   
   
       61 . The module of  claim 60 , wherein the style sheet attributes include co-ordinate values for the identified image, the co-ordinate values defining the position of the image in the mosaic image. 
   
   
       62 . The module of  claim 60 , wherein the style sheet attributes include image size values for the identified image. 
   
   
       63 . The module of  claim 52 , wherein the module is arranged to insert the identified image style reference into a head section of the web page. 
   
   
       64 . The module of  claim 63 , wherein the module is arranged to concatenate any existing style sheet references with the identified image style reference. 
   
   
       65 . The module of  claim 41 , wherein the module is part of a web server that has intercepted the rendered web page prior to the web server sending the web page to a web browser. 
   
   
       66 . The module of  claim 41 , wherein the module is part of a web application that has intercepted the rendered web page prior to the web application sending the web page to a web server. 
   
   
       67 . The module of  claim 41 , wherein the module is part of a proxy server that has intercepted the rendered web page after the web server has sent the web page to a web browser. 
   
   
       68 . The module of  claim 41 , wherein the module is part of a filter module. 
   
   
       69 . The module of  claim 41 , wherein the module is part of an interface module. 
   
   
       70 . The module of  claim 41 , wherein the module is part of a software module. 
   
   
       71 . The module of  claim 70 , wherein the software module is located within a web server. 
   
   
       72 . The module of  claim 70 , wherein the software module forms part of a web application. 
   
   
       73 . The module of  claim 70 , wherein the software module forms part of a proxy server. 
   
   
       74 . The module of  claim 41 , wherein the module is arranged to determine if the identified resource is an excluded resource. 
   
   
       75 . The module of  claim 74 , wherein the module is arranged to compare at least a portion of the link for an identified resource to a table of excluded resources to determine if the link is referring to an excluded resource. 
   
   
       76 . The module of  claim 75 , wherein the at least a part of the link is one of a keyword associated with the link, a uniform resource locator or part thereof associated with the link, and an identical or similar identifier associated with the link. 
   
   
       77 . The module of  claim 75 , wherein the module is arranged to compare at least a portion of the link with a list of excluded elements, and, upon determining that at least the portion of the link is associated with an excluded element, indicate that the identified resource is an excluded resource. 
   
   
       78 . The module of  claim 74 , whereupon determining that the identified resource is an excluded resource, the module being arranged not to group that identified resource. 
   
   
       79 . A module arranged to handle a resource request from a web browser, wherein the request includes a resource reference that refers to a group of resources of one type, the module arranged to receive the resource request, request at least two of the resources in the group, combine the at least two resources, and send the combined resources to the web browser. 
   
   
       80 . The module of  claim 79  arranged to determine if the requested resources are stored locally, and, upon a negative determination, retrieve the requested resources and store the requested resources locally. 
   
   
       81 . The module of  claim 79  arranged to identify the type of resource in the resource reference, and where the type of resource is identified as a style sheet or script, the module is further arranged to determine unique resource identifications from the resource reference, and retrieve each identified resource associated with each unique resource identification. 
   
   
       82 . The module of  claim 81 , wherein the unique resource identifications include a sequential series of numbers. 
   
   
       83 . The module of  claim 81  further arranged to retrieve each identified resource by resolving the unique resource identification into an individual uniform resource locator associated with the identified resource, and retrieve the identified resource using the individual uniform resource locator. 
   
   
       84 . The module of  claim 83  further arranged to combine all retrieved resources for one type of identified resource. 
   
   
       85 . The module of  claim 84  further arranged to pack and compress the combined retrieved resources, and store the compressed resources locally. 
   
   
       86 . The module of  claim 79  arranged to identify the type of resource in the resource reference, and where the type of resource is identified as an image, the module further arranged to determine a reference to a mosaic image from the resource reference, and retrieve the mosaic image. 
   
   
       87 . The module of  claim 79  forming part of a filter module. 
   
   
       88 . The module of  claim 79  forming part of an interface module. 
   
   
       89 . The module of  claim 79  forming part of a software module. 
   
   
       90 . The module of  claim 89 , wherein the software module is located within a web server. 
   
   
       91 . The module of  claim 89 , wherein the software module forms part of a web application. 
   
   
       92 . The module of  claim 89 , wherein the software module forms part of a proxy server. 
   
   
       93 . A data structure forming part of a HTML web page data structure for transmission between a web server and a web browser, the data structure including a single resource reference that refers to a group of resources of one type.