Conditional Style Interpretation for Third-Party Content Blocks

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Solution Overview

Problem

Publishers face challenges in controlling and modifying the styling of third-party content within third-party content blocks on their content pages without access to the underlying code, limiting their flexibility and requiring extensive coding knowledge.

Innovation Solution

A content management system that uses a single style identifier to dynamically select and modify style parameters for third-party content blocks based on user attributes and context, allowing publishers to specify different styling rules for various devices and blocks without modifying the page code, and enabling non-technical operators to manage style information through a user-friendly interface.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a publisher wants to control and modify the styling of third-party content blocks, then the publisher needs access to the underlying code and extensive coding knowledge, but this increases device complexity and reduces ease of operation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of styling managementVSAvoidcoding complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a content management system as an intermediary between the publisher and the third-party content blocks. This CMS provides a user-friendly interface that allows publishers to control and modify styling of third-party content without needing to access or understand the underlying code. The system translates user-friendly styling commands into appropriate code modifications, thereby resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and device complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables publishers to self-serve styling modifications through an intuitive interface. The publisher can select from predefined style options and make modifications without requiring coding expertise. The system automatically handles the complex code generation and application, allowing the publisher to focus solely on the desired visual outcome rather than the implementation details

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Adaptability or versatility

If a single style definition identifier is used for all third-party content blocks, then code simplicity is maintained, but the ability to provide context-specific styling is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontext-specific styling capabilityVSAvoidstyle management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements local quality by allowing different style parameters to be applied to different third-party content blocks based on their specific context. Each content block can have customized styling attributes such as font size, color, and layout specific to its location and purpose on the page, while still being managed through a unified interface. This enables context-specific styling without requiring separate style definition identifiers for each block

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The content management system provides universal style management capabilities that work across all third-party content blocks regardless of their source or type. A single interface and set of tools can be used to control styling for diverse content blocks, making the system multi-functional and adaptable to various contexts without increasing complexity for the user

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of operation

If third-party content styling is modified without access to underlying code, then ease of operation improves, but manufacturing precision of style application may be reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccessibility of style modificationVSAvoidstyle parameter application precision

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical system of direct code editing with a software-based content management interface. Instead of requiring publishers to manually edit code to modify styling, the system provides graphical or form-based interfaces where styling parameters can be adjusted through simple selections and inputs. The system then automatically translates these high-level commands into precise code modifications, maintaining manufacturing precision while dramatically improving ease of operation

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentUS11361048B2Conditional interpretation of a single style definition identifier on a resource

Publication Date: 2022.06.14 GOOGLE LLC

AI summary

Methods, systems, and computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, that relate to conditionally interpreting a single style definition within a same page. Methods include receiving a request to present third party content in a third party content block on a publisher-provided content page. A single style identifier and one or more attributes are obtained from the content page. Subsequently, a third party content item is selected from a content source. Using the single style identifier and the one or more attributes, a first rule is identified that specifies a set of style parameters for content selected for presentation in the third party content block from among a plurality of rules specifying different styles for a respective plurality of third party content blocks. The third party content item is formatted according to the style parameters of the first rule and provided for presentation with the third party content block.