FR2832525A1 - Method for the simultaneous updating of multiple web-sites, wherein a common site model is created and stored in a database with shared and unique elements defined that are then used in site updating - Google Patents

Abstract

Method for setting up and updating the pages of a plurality of internet sites involving modeling of said sites, determination of common and specific elements and definition of a database with the contents of the different web pages. To update the pages of each site, the process is iterated using a software application and formulas common to different sites. The invention also relates to a corresponding device.

Description

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 The present invention relates to a method and a device for creating and updating multi-site Internet content. It applies, in particular, to the development of new Internet services for local authorities, including a turnkey solution for the creation and maintenance of institutional websites.

 Site creation and maintenance services are known. However, each update of the published data as well as the maintenance operations of the site require an individual intervention which penalizes the site manager because it takes time and represents significant costs, even when the updates are of the same nature for many sites.

 In the field of institutional sites, the websites of small and medium-sized organizations suffer from a chronic lack of updating of information. Indeed, once the site is completed, these structures do not have the technical means (or budget) to maintain and update their websites. A study carried out by the inventor on this subject shows that on a panel of 250 sites of local authorities, 90% of sites were not updated for more than 6 months (some sites still announcing the next festivities of the past year) . Local authorities are not the only organizations confronted with the problem of updating and developing Internet sites: all small and medium-sized businesses, businesses, service organizations, the liberal professions and associations face the same difficulties.

 Historically, several models of site architecture have been successively used.

à l'aide d'outils de publication web (frontpage, dreamweaver...). Le seul moyen de mise à jour des pages statique est de re-développer les pages à actualiser et de les publier à nouveau (envoi des pages corrigées par FTP). 1 / The sites in static pages:
The oldest Internet publishing model is to develop HTML pages

using web publishing tools (frontpage, dreamweaver ...). The only way to update the static pages is to re-develop the pages to be updated and to publish them again (sending the pages corrected by FTP).

 Many small organizations still only have sites in static pages.

In this model, each site is hosted by a host and includes pages,

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 usually described in HTML that must be edited for maintenance and updating.

The characteristics of this model are as follows: - each website is composed of a set of HTML pages linked together by hypertext links, - the modified HTML pages replace the old pages, - the communication of the pages towards the server of the host is done directly in FTP, - this model is unusable by non-professionals
2 / Sites in static pages generated using a toolbox.

 A variant of the previous model has emerged with tools generating specialized sites. This model of sites in static pages generated using a toolbox intends to answer the problem of updating (and creation) sites by offering a tool, online or offline, capable of generating and edit a website with a few mouse clicks. These tools are based on the concept of layout templates (skins) available to users to create and modify their sites.

 Although practical in its approach, this approach does not seem to correspond to the spirit of web technologies where creative originality is essential. In addition, the limitations of such tools (because in reality they are an overlay to professional publishing languages) are too important to cope with the incessant evolution of HTML / XML standards ... and the taking into account transaction processing.

 The characteristics of this architecture model are as follows: - each website is composed of a set of pages linked together by hypertext links, - the client has the possibility of regenerating pages to be updated, - the modified pages replace old pages, - the possibilities are limited at the level of the graphic chart, the mode of navigation and the presentation.

 3 / The model of the pages hosted on specialized portal sites consists in hosting descriptive pages of entities of the same nature within a specialized portal. This model does not allow the publication of autonomous sites with own domain name but is of technological interest, the information of each entity being in this case stored in the same database.

 The characteristics of this architecture model are as follows: - the client does not benefit from an autonomous website, - the descriptive pages are designed according to the same presentation model, - a database common to the different sites is unique,

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 - the customer can update the information of his fact sheets in real time.

4 / The sites in dynamic pages:
To allow a recurrent updating of the information they present, the pages are not developed in static HTML mode, they are called dynamic because connected to a database. Multiple technologies allow today to create dynamic pages (Active Server Pages of microsoft, PHP, CGI, Java Server Pages ...).

 In this diagram, the pages of the site, the database, the update forms are developed specifically for each client site: these sites are therefore expensive in initial creation as in evolutionary maintenance.

 The characteristics of this architecture model are as follows: - the site information can be updated by the customers via forms, - each website is associated with the update forms, the database and the pages. dynamic, - no content can be common between sites, even if they are hosted at the same host, - the cost of production and maintenance of a site includes dynamic pages, the database and application forms up to date.

 Given the costs and skills they require, these achievements are now reserved for large structures.

 The above explanation explains the deficiencies of the sites that the inventors were able to observe by the survey given above.

 The present invention aims to remedy these disadvantages. In particular, the present invention intends to propose: - the maintenance of a computer-based elementary content management tool, performed at one time, for all the customers, - a technical and functional evolution of this tool, - a purchase price and maintenance of a reduced site because shared, - a logic of contractual and mutual maintenance of sites ensuring the sustainability of the information system.

 For this purpose, the person skilled in the art could think of using the model of software package publishing.

However, it is not applicable to the problem of the present invention for the following two main reasons, specific to the web media: - unlike the software package, the website is not physically installed at the customer (the city in our case), - unlike the management software, the website requires an original presentation, like the institution it represents, as well as an original site plan (organization of headings, subheadings ...).

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The present invention aims, according to a first aspect, a method of constituting and updating page contents of a plurality of computer sites accessible via the Internet, at different addresses between them on the Internet, characterized in that that it comprises:
Al a step of defining content model common to several sites, this common content being stored in a database, B / a step of defining the structure of the database,
C / a step of defining forms common to all said sites, each form comprising fields referenced with the database, part of the fields of the forms being in correspondence with a content of the database available for all the sites and a part of the fields of the forms being in correspondence with a content specific to each site and allowing the updating of this specific content, DI a step of constituting a hosted form distribution computer application to an address on the Internet independent of the addresses said sites on the Internet, and for each site:
E / a step of defining the graphic elements for presenting pages of said site, the presentation being specific to said site,
FI a step of defining content of pages of said site, in relation with said database,
G / a first step of filling content specific to said site, said specific content being kept in the database, the pages of said site consisting of: a) a page presentation part, specific to said site, b) a representative part of the content can be updated using the forms, and c) a representative part of the contents common to several sites; and, iteratively,
H / a step of updating content specific to said site, via said computer application and at least one said form, the updated specific content being kept in the database.

 Thus, the creation of the site of each customer is made to measure, as regards the presentation. The creation of each website is original for each client, each site simply meeting the management requirements of a potential scope of content. It should be noted that the perimeter of the published information system (contents) is known a priori when the field of activity is itself identified.

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 The system object of the present invention thus allows the widest dissociation between the presentation of the information (pages of the website), which is specific to each site, and the content management that is shared.

 Thanks to these provisions, contents of all the managed sites are kept in the same multimedia database and are updated by the implementation of the same forms, and the sites therefore have a unique conceptual data model. Thus, content update forms specific to each site are unique and shared (and not developed specifically for each customer), which allows their-evolution and maintenance by successive versions and sites benefit from a shared common part .

 The maintenance and correction of the pages of each site is carried out on a single server and is immediately implemented on said site while the maintenance and correction of the common fields of the forms is immediately implemented on all the sites connected to this server and implementing the content of said form Similarly, the pages are immediately compatible with each new browser, and each new standard (html, javascript ...).

 According to exemplary features of the invention briefly described above, during the updating step, the hosted computer application for distribution of forms displays to the user the list of the elementary contents published on his site, independently pages of the site that contain them and, when the user has selected content from the list, a content update form is automatically selected.

 It is observed that the hosted computer application refers to the "Application Services Provider" model (for "application service provider"). With these provisions, the user simply accesses the update form by selecting the content he wants to update.

 According to exemplary features of the invention briefly described above, during the updating step, each form is associated with an indication representative of the pages of the updated site concerned by the updated data.

 With these provisions, the user who performs the update can understand the consequences of updating the content selected on all pages of the site that present this basic content.

 According to exemplary features of the invention briefly described above, the step of defining the content of each page comprises instructions using dynamic data.

 Thanks to these provisions, when the number of information of the same type contained in the database (for example the number of sports or cultural equipment) changes, the site

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 is automatically modified to take account of this evolution, without the user having to carry out any programming.

The present invention aims, according to a second aspect, a device for constituting and updating the content of pages of a plurality of computer sites accessible via the Internet, at different addresses between them on the Internet, characterized in that that it comprises:
Al a content template definition means common to several sites, this common content being stored in a database, B / means for defining the structure of the database,
CI means defining forms common to all the said sites, each form comprising fields referenced with the database, part of the fields of the forms being in correspondence with a content of the database available for all the sites and a part of the fields of the forms being in correspondence with a content specific to each site and allowing the update of this specific content, D / a means for constituting a hosted computer application for distribution of the forms to an address on the Internet independent of the addresses said sites on the Internet, and for each site:
El means for defining the graphic elements for presenting pages of said site, the presentation being specific to said site,
FI means for defining content of pages of said site, in relation with said database,
G / means for filling content specific to said site, said specific content being kept in the database, the pages of said site consisting of: a) a page presentation part, specific to said site, b) a representative part of the content of field likely to be updated by use of the forms, and c) a representative part of the contents common to several sites; and, iteratively,
H / means for updating content specific to said site, via said computer application and at least one said form, the updated specific content being kept in the database.

 The present invention aims, according to a third aspect, a method of constituting and updating page contents of a plurality of computer sites accessible via a computer network, at different addresses on said computer network, characterized in that it implements:

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 - a database containing a content common to several sites, the database having a defined structure, - forms common to all said sites, each form including fields referenced with the database, a part of the fields of the forms being in correspondence with a content of the database available for all the sites and part of the fields of the forms being in correspondence with a content specific to each site and allowing the update of this specific content, - a hosted computer application of distribution of the forms to an Internet address independent of the addresses of said sites on the Internet, each site implementing: graphic elements for presenting pages of said site, the presentation being specific to said site, content of pages of said site, in relation with said database, the content specific to said site being provided to said database pages of the site consisting of: a) a page presentation part, specific to that site, b) a representative part of the field content that can be updated by using the forms, and c) a representative part of contents common to several sites; and, iteratively, the computer application and at least one said form being iteratively implemented to update the content specific to said site, the updated specific content being kept in the database.

 The advantages, aims and exemplary features of the second and third aspects of the present invention being identical to those of the first aspect, they are not recalled here for the sake of clarity.

 Other advantages, aims and features of the present invention will emerge from the description which follows, given with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 schematically represents an architecture of a particular embodiment of the invention; FIG. 2 schematically represents a shared update application of the architecture illustrated in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 schematically represents a data model implemented in the architecture. illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, FIG. 4 represents the relational principle of site registrations, in accordance with the architecture illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3; FIG. 5 represents a source of an update form for a content of site, - Figure 6 represents an update form used by a client,

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 FIG. 7 represents links between an update form and a page of the site implementing said update, and FIG. 8 schematically represents the steps of an embodiment of the method which is the object of the present invention. the present invention.

 In FIG. 1 are represented three web sites 1, 2 and 3 comprising pages 4,5 and 6, respectively, contained in a common database 7 of a server S, which also supports a shared hosted application 9 implementing update forms 8. Clients C1, C2 and C3 that manage sites 1, 2 and 3, respectively, implementing hosted application 9 to update sites 1,2 and 3.

 The websites 1,2 and 3 are autonomous and original in their presentations. They each have an address on a computer network, for example the Internet, in the form of a URL (for "uniform resource locator" or uniform resource locator), for example of the www type. mesh. fr. Sites 1,2 and 3 are designed in dynamic pages 4,5 and 6.

The common database 7 is common for all sites and set for each site (content used, site map). It is observed that the common database 7 can consist of either a single database or synchronized databases, that is to say updated by diffusion, on a single database.
The common database 7 includes content available for all sites, each client deciding to lay out, or not, each component of the available content.

This available content includes, for example, laws, institutional information, practical information on administrative procedures, links to third-party sites, such as national meteorology, embassies and consular organizations abroad, consumer associations, national transport services, emergency and health services.

 The database 7 also stores the presentation information of each site, in a description language of computer site pages (for example HTML, XML, JAVA applets), image, sound and video files presented by each site.

 The database 7 keeps, for each site, the contents of fields of forms 8 updated by the customers by using the hosted application 9.

 The update forms 8 are unique, common to all the sites and are integrated in the hosted application 9 which also manages the recognition of the characteristics of each site (links between site plans and content stored in database 7) . Each form has fields whose content, specific to each site, is stored in the database 7. Each form also includes information describing the contents to be inserted in the fields (for example "address of the town hall") and news

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 of relationship between the fields and pages of the site contain the contents of said fields.

 The hosted application 9 has an urt address different from the url addresses of sites 1, 2 and 3.

 Before setting up a site, we put in database 7 the content available for all the sites, we set up hosted application 9 and forms 8 and we refer to the uri address of the site of the site. application hosted in dns servers (for "domain name server" or domain name servers).

 To set up a new site, proceed as follows: - each customer is assigned an identifier of his site (for example the INSEE code of the city) and a secret password; - we refer to the url address of the customer site in dns servers; - we define the site plan and the links between the pages; - for each page of the site, it defines: a) its presentation, b) the static content, c) the content that comes from the content available for all the sites in the database 7, and d) the content that comes from the contents forms fields.

 All page descriptions and references to the database 7 are stored in the database 7.

 To update a site, the following steps are performed: the client accesses the hosted application 9, via a computer terminal connected to the computer network, using a conventional browser; - a customer home page is displayed on the terminal screen and invites the customer to provide a secret site ID and password; - the customer provides a site identifier (for example the INSEE code of the city); - the customer provides the password that has been assigned to him; the hosted application 9 verifies the correspondence between the password and the identifier; - the client visualizes a description of the basic contents of his site, selects information he wants to update; the hosted application 9 provides the form that corresponds to the information to be updated and information representative of all the pages of the client's site whose content depends on the content of the field or fields of said form that correspond to the information that will be updated; - the client updates the information and validates it;

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 the hosted application 9 updates the database 7 with the new content of the modified fields; - the customer's site is, consequently, immediately modified according to the updates made.

 In addition, the database manager 7 updates the content of the database 7 available for all the sites and the sites are immediately modified to take account of this update.

 Thus, in accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the site update application is a hosted application and not a locally installed system at the client. The term hosted application represents here an application published on the Internet, according to the model ASP (Application Services Provider). The hosted application is provided with a communication front end ensuring the correspondence between the pages of each site and the call of the forms adapted to update the contents associated with these pages.

 However, the creation of the site of each customer is made to measure, as regards the presentation. The creation of each website is original for each client, each site simply meeting the management requirements of a potential scope of content. It should be noted that the perimeter of the published information system (contents) is known a priori when the field of activity is itself identified.

 The system object of the present invention allows the widest dissociation between the presentation of the information (pages of the website), which is specific to each site, and the content management that is shared.

 All the contents of all the managed sites are stored in the same multimedia database, thus presenting a unique conceptual model of data.

 The database database update forms are common (and not specifically developed for each customer), which allows their evolution and maintenance by successive versions.

utilisateurs , elle est accessible sur Internet et donc hébergée (adresse http propre). Thus: - the database is shared between all the customers thanks to a unique identifier code (here, the insee code of the city). To do this, the structure of the database is large enough to accommodate any type of information that may be published on a city official website. The database is common and linked to all areas of the sites

users, it is accessible on the Internet and therefore hosted (own http address).

 the system that is the subject of the present invention is based on the notion of elementary contents, which can be assimilated technically to a form of component (object model). Elementary content is the lowest level of publication possible. This level is defined and customized for each client. The system makes it possible to establish the correlation, within the database, between the contents to be published for a site, and the tables of the database

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impactées par la mise à jour de ces contenus. A cet effet, la base de données intègre un plan de site dynamique pour chaque client définissant l'appartenance des contenus à publier aux différentes pages du site. Un contenu peut appartenir à 0 à N pages, de même une page peut comprendre de 0 à N contenus.

impacted by the update of these contents. For this purpose, the database includes a dynamic site plan for each client defining the membership of the content to be published on the various pages of the site. Content can belong to 0 to N pages, so a page can have 0 to N contents.

the shared update application 9 provides the client cities with the interface necessary for updating the content of their sites, after authentication of the user.

The forms are linked to the shared database. The database 7 takes into account the organization of the headings of each site (site plans) and links them to the contents of the database, the vision of the customers being partial and personalized. An interface 10 (illustrated in Figure 2) allows the customer to see the changes made to the site in real time (thanks to the link between the content and pages of the site).

The data model implemented corresponds to the information system that a city can publish as part of its official website, on the one hand, enriched with data managed by the publisher to define the client and its attributes, on the other hand.

The synoptic of the data is illustrated in figure 3. The data managed by! The system for customizing each site includes: 11 The site identification data 11: all the tables of the application (with the exception of the common reference tables) are linked to the identifier code of the client site, defined in the T-City table during the initial creation of the site. This table includes the urt address of the website as well as the passwords (or "access codes") used by the client concerned to connect to the hosted update application 9; 2 / The customer identification data 12: these data make it possible to define the main characteristics of a customer, in particular as regards the interlocutors and the modules of the application used. This table can be used for example to generate mailing lists according to certain criteria; 3 / The dynamic site plan data 13 (see also figure 4): the dynamic site plan is managed by means of three parameterization tables on which the interface of the hosted application is based to present to the client the personalized content of its website. These parameters are essential: they constitute an aspect of the invention by allowing to link a personalized content, a site plan by client, and unique update forms; 4 / The data managed by the client via the hosted application 9: we give here the list of the other data of the BaseVilte database. A rule of construction of the database is that the identifier code of the site (INSEE code here) is a key of the set of tables whose data are managed by the customer.

N Descriptive data 14:

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 - The town hall and its annexes: coordinates, schedules, photos, geographical location, - The municipal council: the mayor, the elected officials, personal or collective photos, permanences, municipal commissions, ...

 - Municipal services: directory of services, contact details, photos, schedules, descriptions, ...

 - Presentation of the city: descriptions, photos, access plan, history of the city, ...

 - The regulations: all regulations specific to the city- (bulky, garbage, public order, environment, ...) - Sports equipment: coordinates, schedules, photos, geographical location, tariffs, ...

 - Cultural facilities: coordinates, schedules, photos, geographical location, rates, ...

 - The sectarian equipment: coordinates, schedules, photos, geographical location, tariffs, ...

 - Social facilities: coordinates, schedules, photos, geographical location, tariffs, ...

 - The heritage: coordinates, schedules, photos, geographical location, rates, ... of all elements, - Outstanding places: coordinates, schedules, photos, geographical location, rates, ... of all places, - Places or equipment of leisure: coordinates, schedules, photos, geographical location, tariffs, description of all the places of leisure ...

- Places of worship: coordinates, schedules, photos, geographical location, prices, ... of all places of worship,
BI Local Directories: - Emergencies: contact details, contacts, geographical location, descriptions, ...

 - Health: coordinates, contacts, geographical location, descriptions, ...

 - Practical directories: contact details, contacts, geographical location, descriptions, - Traders: contact details, contacts, geographical location, descriptive files, ...

 - Companies: contact details, contacts, geographical location, fact sheets, job offers ...

 - Associations: contact details, contacts, geographical location, descriptive files, types of associations, news ...

 CI Event data:

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 - News City: title, date of publication, summary, detail of the article, photo, date of event, links ...

 - News Associations (portal option only): title, date of publication, summary, detail of the article, photo, date of event, links ...

 - Edito: title, summary, detail, photo, archives ...

 - Events: title, date of publication, summary, detail of the article, photo, date of event, links ...

 - Documents to download: all documents to propose in downloads (deliberations, newspaper ...): title, summary, date, address ...

 DI References to external content: - Parameterized links: local weather, SNCF timetable, administrative procedures, ...

 - Specific links: all free links classified by theme ...

- Channels (channels) of information: external sources of information continuously to decorate the site (local information, news ...)
Dynamic pages 4,5 and 6 of sites 1,2 and 3 of the different clients are connected to the multi-client database 7 (directly in SQL or via components). The pages are developed on the basis of a navigation mode and a graphic chart made to measure. The site plan is also customized for each client.

 The construction of the site respects rules: - for a given customer site, all the database registration games must have a filter on the customer identification code (code insee in our case) to select only those elements of the client (since the base is multi-clients), - the design of the pages, even if it is original for each client, must integrate only the contents defined in the data model of the database (it is however possible to manage database version evolutions), - menus that use data corresponding to several occurrences of the database must take this into account and be extensible. For example a menu presenting the cultural facilities of the city should not be treated in static but generated by calling the different names of the recordings (cultural center, library, MJC ..) of the table of cultural equipments. This allows the client to add (or delete) itself occurrences without the menu (and the page that presents it) to be modified.

 - In the pages, no identification numbers are used to specifically display a given record. Indeed, the records can be deleted by the customer and the corresponding pages will no longer work. On the other hand, identification numbers can be passed as parameters from lists or dynamic menus. To manage the problem of the items displayed by default at the opening

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 of a heading (for example the cultural center in the heading cultural equipments), the tables contain an indicator cover page heading set to "true" when the recording must appear by default. This also allows the client to change if he wishes, without any programming, the record that must appear on the cover page by changing the value of this indicator.

 Once these rules are observed, the designer of the pages has full freedom for the presentation of the information, and the mode of navigation.

 In particular embodiments, the application 9 is hosted on the same server S as the multi-client database 7. Clients can access it by a "uri" address, then they can connect to the application of update 9 of their respective sites by identifying themselves. The database 7 is, however, designed to also allow the recognition of several users per client city (in the larger structures, the updates can be entrusted to several interlocutors according to the sectors).

It is observed that the update forms 8 (see also FIG. 5) are defined once since they are common to all the cities connected to the hosted application 9. A table of the forms is used within the framework of the update interface 10 to call the url of the form to be used to update the desired content. The update forms 8 are dynamic pages of the hosted application 9 which make it possible to modify the data of the tables of the database. For example, a Form MaL City Description is used to update the T-VitteDescription table. In the context of using the hosted application 9, the customer identifier code (INSEE code) is passed as a session parameter so that the form does not update only the records of the client concerned;
The site plan (see also Figure 4): for each client city (ie for each INSEE code) the published contents and the site plan are defined. The sitemap is a set of published pages. It describes itself as a flowchart: it is a tree on which are positioned the pages of the Internet site according to their level in the tree (fatherfils). The site map table has two uses: - it allows, at the level of the resulting website itself, to dynamically present to the user the internet site plan, according to several search criteria; it also allows, at the level of the database, to reference for each of the pages, the contents that compose it. A page can have 0 to N contents. For example, the description page of the town hall may include both the coordinates of the town hall (first content), the list of municipal services (second content), the list of elected officials (third content). For another city, this page may only present the coordinates of the town hall (unique content).

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 For each customer, a table of contents lists all the published contents, whatever the pages of the site. Content refers to an update form.

Multiple content may point to the same update form. For example, the contents [Kindergarten X] and [Primary School Y] point to a given client on the same School Equipment Update form (Maj ~ EqSchool). To work on the desired school, during the update, the content has an attribute of a form parameter. The relational principle is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 4 in which each client and each site is the subject of page records, 20 to 25, referring to content records, 26 to 29, which themselves refer to recordings of forms 30 to 32.

 As previously described, the hosted application 9 has two main functions: it serves as a front of communication between the contents and the customer site, on the one hand, and brings together a set of update forms 8 , on the other hand.

 The communication front end uses the dynamic site plan of the database 7 to automatically select, according to the client, the contents that the website of this client publishes. It is observed that it is not about the pages of the site but of elementary contents.

 For some sites, the list of contents is more provided (site richer in information) than for other sites and certain occurrences (ex: stage belonging to the sports equipment) are identified as elementary contents (because they make the object of occurrence in the menus of the website).

WHERE Codelnsee = MM~ColParam > . Concerning the link between contents and forms 8, the hosted application 9 links these contents to the forms 8 of the database 7 making it possible to update the corresponding data. For example, in the context of the relational model explained previously in Figure 4, this link is represented by the following SQL query: <SELECT IdContenu, LibelleContenu, ParamUrlFormulaire, TFormutaires. tdFormutary, TFormu) areas. NameFormu) area
FROM T ~ Contents INNER JOIN T ~ Forms ON Contents. ldForm = T ~ Forms. IdFormulaire

WHERE Codelnsee = MM ~ ColParam>.

 Update forms 8 are similar to those of a traditional dynamic website. The hosted application 9 contains, in the particular embodiment set out here, about two hundred forms 8 for the insertion, deletion, updating and lists of records of the database. As for the rest of the application, the specificity of the forms 8 is to systematically filter the data by the session parameter of the connected client.

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When a client accesses the hosted application 9, he sees a page that describes the current content of the site that concerns him. This content is represented, for example, by a list of subjects to which the site refers, in alphabetical order: - news general associations, - general city news, - directory health, - directory of craftsmen, - directory of associations, - directory of shopkeepers, - practical directory, - emergency directory, - teenage clubs, - composition of the municipal council, - coordinates of the town hall, - mail contact, - deliberations of the municipal council, - periodical editions, - cultural facilities: library - cultural equipment: against cultural,
By selecting one of these contents, for example here "coordinates of the town hall", the client reaches a form of the hosted application 9, form whose source is represented in Figure 5, and preferably comprises three games of recording: a client registration set 40 which makes it possible to filter the records of the database on the code of the client, a table registration game (or tables) to be updated 41 (in this example it is is the table T ~ Mairie) and - a registration game site map 42 which displays the pages of the sites concerned by the content initially selected by the client to access the update form.

 In use by the customer, the form 8 takes the form illustrated in Figure 6 and includes: - the name of the city concerned 50, - the identifier code of the city 51, - the date of the last update 52, - a description of the subject of the form 53 (here "descriptive update town hall") - descriptions of contents of fields 54,

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 fields 55, taking the form of a window possibly equipped with scrollbar (or lifts), a list 56 of the pages 57 and 58 of the customer's site concerned by the content of the fields of the form 8 (that is to say the pages containing at least one content of one of the fields of said form), - links 59 to components not completely represented on the form, for example photos, - a validation button 60 of the update of the registration .

 Concerning the link between the form 8 illustrated in FIG. 6, and a resulting site page, illustrated in FIG. 7, the content to be updated selected by the client (in the list of contents) can belong to several pages of the site (for example: example: the latest sports news can be included in the sports section and in the news section of the website).

To allow the customer to see directly the impact of the modifications on all the pages of the concerned site, the screen of the forms presents the list 56 of the pages 57 and 58 with direct access on the site via a link pointing on the urt address of the page.

The link between the forms and the pages of the site is made using the dynamic site plan, according to the relational model (site plan / contents / forms) presented above.

 The implementation of the present invention is not limited to institutional sites.

It is, on the contrary reproducible and, in terms of use, the invention provides a solution to future specialized providers in different trades by allowing them to industrialize their production and maintenance services and to distribute their product to a targeted clientele.

 The hosted application illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 7, a multi-site Internet solution intended for local authority sites, is one of the illustrations of the application of the invention to a particular sector. The method of the invention can be implemented for all trades, relying on a database of potential contents for these trades.

 Some examples of applicable fields are given below: - SME, SMI (possibly by type of activity), - Professions (possibly by type of activity), - Shops, - Associations, - Insurance, - Banks, - Hospitals ,

<Desc / Clms Page number 18>

- Clinics, - Laboratories,
In general, all the particular fields of activity lend themselves, a priori, to the implementation of the present invention.

 In technical terms, the implementation of the invention to other fields of activity than that of the sites of local authorities is easy. Two tables are presented below showing, on the one hand, the rules for implementing the method and, on the other hand, the possible variants in terms of tools for producing the solution.

AI Rules of Implementation:

<Tb>
<tb> Rules <SEP> comments
<tb> Specialization <SEP> market <SEP> or <SEP> business <SEP> One <SEP> solution <SEP> Internet <SEP> multi-sites
<tb> of the <SEP> provider <SEP> publisher <SEP> of <SEP><SEP> solution <SEP><SEP> can <SEP> address <SEP> only <SEP>
<tb> activity <SEP> accurate
<tb><SEP> Definition of a <SEP><SEP><SEP> Model <SEP> Specialization <SEP> Induces <SEP> This
<tb><SEP> Data of <SEP><SEP> Contents <SEP> to <SEP> Publish <SEP><SEP> Knowledge <SEP> to <SEP> Priori <SEP> of <SEP> Content <SEP> to
<tb> publish <SEP> for <SEP> a <SEP> activity <SEP> sector
<tb> determined
<tb> Creation <SEP> of <SEP> sites <SEP> clients <SEP> according to <SEP><SEP> It <SEP> is <SEP> well <SEP> heard <SEP> not <SEP> possible
<tb><SEP> template of <SEP><SEP> solution <SEP> Internet <SEP> multi-apply <SEP><SEP> system <SEP> of <SEP> setting <SEP> to <SEP > day
<tb> sites <SEP> to <SEP> an <SEP><SEP> site already <SEP> existing <SEP> which <SEP> would <SEP> not
<tb> been <SEP> designed <SEP> in <SEP> dynamic <SEP> pages
<tb> connected <SEP> (directly <SEP> or <SEP> by
<tb> intermediate <SEP> of <SEP> components) <SEP> to <SEP> la
<tb> base <SEP> of <SEP> data <SEP> multi-site <SEP> of <SEP> la
<tb> solution. <SEP> Only <SEP> the <SEP> chart <SEP> chart
<tb> of an existing <SEP><SEP> site, <SEP> if <SEP> it <SEP> is
<tb> satisfactory, <SEP> may <SEP> be <SEP> retained.
<Tb>

Design <SEP> and <SEP> create <SEP> of <SEP> the <SEP> base <SEP><SEP> solution <SEP> relies <SEP> on <SEP> a <SEP> base
<tb> of <SEP> data <SEP> multi-site <SEP> according to <SEP> the <SEP> template <SEP> of <SEP> data <SEP> grouping <SEP>
<tb> of <SEP> the <SEP> solution <SEP> 1 <SEP> nternet <SEP> multi-site, <SEP><SEP> information <SEP> of <SEP> all <SEP><SEP> websites
<tb> integrating <SEP> including <SEP> a <SEP><SEP> front end <SEP> of <SEP> clients
<tb> communication <SEP><SEP> between <SEP> contents
<tb> custom <SEP> and <SEP> forms <SEP> of <SEP> setting <SEP> to
<tb> day.
<Tb>

<SEP> development of a <SEP> application <SEP> It is <SEP> this <SEP> application, <SEP> with <SEP> la
<Tb>

<Desc / Clms Page number 19>

<Tb>
<tb> hosted <SEP> of <SEP> setting <SEP> at <SEP> day <SEP> multi-site <SEP> basis <SEP> of <SEP> data, <SEP> than <SEP><SEP> recipient
<tb> including <SEP><SEP> interface <SEP> of <SEP> solution <SEP> Internet <SEP> multi-site <SEP> will have to
<tb> communication <SEP> with <SEP> the <SEP> site <SEP> client <SEP> and <SEP><SEP> make <SEP> evolve <SEP> at <SEP> thread <SEP> of <SEP > time <SEP> (evolution
<tb> forms <SEP> from <SEP> setting <SEP> to <SEP> day <SEP> technological, <SEP> correction <SEP> of
<tb> anomalies, <SEP> SEP <SEP> evolution of <SEP> perimeter <SEP> of
<tb> contents ...)
<Tb>
B / Vanantes technolootoues:

<Tb>
<tb> Technologies <SEP> Solution <SEP> Illustrated <SEP> With <SEP> Possible <SEP> Variants
<tb> figures <SEP> 1 <SEP> to <SEP> 7
<tb> Language <SEP> of <SEP> Active <SEP> Server <SEP> Pages <SEP> PHP, <SEP> Java <SEP> Server
<tb> create <SEP> of <SEP> pages <SEP> (ASP) <SEP> of <SEP> microsoft <SEP> Pages <SEP> (JSP) <SEP> or <SEP> any <SEP> other
<tb> dynamic <SEP> of <SEP> language <SEP> allowing <SEP> the
<tb> sites <SEP> clients <SEP> communication <SEP> between <SEP>
<tb> pages <SEP> HTML <SEP> and <SEP> of <SEP> bases
<tb> of <SEP> data
<tb><SEP> Template <SEP> Scripting <SEP> ASP <SEP> Any <SEP> Other <SEP> Scripting
<tb><SEP> connection of <SEP>(<SEP> direct <SEP> connection in <SEP><SEP> or <SEP> well <SEP> model
<tb><SEP> pages of <SEP><SEP> sites <SEP><SEP><SEP> pages <SEP><SEP><SEP> architecture <SEP <SEP > base <SEP> of
<tb> base <SEP> of <SEP> data <SEP> skew <SEP> of <SEP> requests <SEP> SQL <SEP> on <SEP><SEP> components <SEP> (JB, <SEP> EJB ,
<tb> base) <SEP> COM / DCOM ...)
<tb> Base <SEP> of <SEP> SQL <SEP> Server <SEP> 2000 <SEP> of <SEP> Any <SEP> System <SEP> of
<tb> data <SEP> microsoft <SEP> Base <SEP> of <SEP> Data
<tb> Relational <SEP> (Oracle,
<tb> Sybase, ...)
<tb> The <SEP> RDBMS <SEP> must
<tb> however <SEP> allow
<tb><SEP> remote <SEP> addressing of <SEP> la
<tb><SEP> connection of <SEP><SEP> way to
<tb> this <SEP> that <SEP> the <SEP> base <SEP> is
<tb> hosted <SEP> on <SEP> a <SEP><SEP> name of
<tb> external <SEP> domain <SEP> by
<tb> report <SEP> to the <SEP> site <SEP> client.
<Tb>

<SEP> Language of <SEP> Active <SEP> Server <SEP> Pages <SEP> PHP, <SEP> Java <SEP> Server
<tb> create <SEP> of <SEP> pages <SEP> (ASP) <SEP> of <SEP> microsoft <SEP> Pages <SEP> (JSP) <SEP> or <SEP> any <SEP> other
<tb> dynamic <SEP> of <SEP> language <SEP> allowing <SEP> the
<Tb>

<Desc / Clms Page number 20>

<Tb>
<tb> Application <SEP> communication <SEP> between <SEP>
<tb> hosted <SEP> from <SEP> setting <SEP> to <SEP><SEP> HTML <SEP> pages and <SEP> from <SEP> basics
<tb> day <SEP> multi-site <SEP> of <SEP> data
<tb> Architecture <SEP> The <SEP> sites <SEP> clients <SEP> and <SEP> Technically, <SEP> the
<tb> Hosting <SEP> hosted <SEP> application <SEP><SEP> names of <SEP><SEP> domain (and <SEP>
<tb> shared <SEP> (including <SEP> the <SEP> base <SEP> of <SEP> dynamic <SEP> pages
<tb> data) <SEP> are <SEP> hosted <SEP> associated) <SEP> of <SEP> sites
<tb> at <SEP> a <SEP> same <SEP> host. <SEP> clients <SEP> could <SEP> be
<tb> hosted <SEP> at <SEP> of
<tb><SEP> access to <SEP> separate <SEP><SEP> hosts.
<tb> by <SEP> dynamic <SEP> pages <SEP>
<tb><SEP> different <SEP> sites
<tb> use <SEP> so <SEP><SEP> links
<tb> local <SEP> of <SEP> the host <SEP> and <SEP> no
<tb><SEP> remote <SEP> links <SEP> via
<tb> Internet.
<Tb>

(Microsoft, Java, ASP, JSP, SQL, JB, EJB, COM / DCOM, Oracle and Sybase are registered trademarks) The advantages of the implementation of the present invention are numerous, both for the end customer and for the service provider. Internet.

For the customer (a local authority in the multi-site Internet solution described in figures 1 to 7): - the reduced cost of creating the dynamic site: the hosted application and the database having already been created, the only load to bear by the client for his site is the realization of the original model of his site. In a traditional offer, the customer should pay for the creation of the database associated with his site as well as the update forms linked to this database.

- Completeness of content: the application is based on the principle that can the most can the least. With the hosted application exposed in the description, a small town will therefore benefit from a very important publication potential, comparable to that of a large local community, even if it uses only part of the possible contents.

- the time of realization: the potential contents being pre-determined, the delay realization is very shortened because the customer chooses his contents and his site plan. The study phase is very much reduced. The developments of the database and forms are already done.

- the simplicity of updating: the hosted application offers the intrinsic possibility of modifying / adding / deleting all the content published on the site, within the framework of a

<Desc / Clms Page number 21>

 user interface (no web development). The user interface evolves with the technologies.

- the cost of maintenance and the evolution of the site: the customer pays only a small share of the maintenance cost of the solution since it is common to several customers. It is also insured (up to the life of its provider!) Of a system evolution (new versions).

For the publisher of the multi-site Internet solution: - the competitive advantage: in its market, the publisher of a multi-site Internet solution will benefit from the competitive advantage provided by the customer benefits described above, especially the cost , the completeness and durability of the offer.

 - the industrialization of production and the software package: it is currently almost impossible to industrialize the production and maintenance of original websites.

Also, the web agency intervenes at the cost by cost, on estimate, when they are solicited by their customers. With our solution, the database and the hosted application are only done once. The production and maintenance model of the software package edition can therefore be fully applied. The business model relies here on the recurring monthly rental income of the hosted application.

 - the possibility of providing content in addition to the container: the client sites being linked to the same database, it is possible to provide content, simultaneously, to all or part of the sites, in agreement with content providers.

 Figure 8 shows schematically the steps of an embodiment of the method object of the present invention. This embodiment of the method can be implemented on a computer or a server to realize an embodiment of the device object of the present invention.

 The method illustrated in FIG. 8 makes it possible to create and update page contents of a plurality of computer sites accessible via the Internet, at different addresses on the Internet, all the sites belonging to the same domain. activity.

 The method illustrated in FIG. 8 comprises: a step 100 of defining a content model common to several sites, this common content being kept in a database; a step 110 of defining the structure of the database, said structure for accessing, in read or write, all the data contained in the database, - a step 120 of defining forms common to all said sites, each form comprising fields referenced with the database, part of the fields of the forms being in correspondence with a content of the database

<Desc / Clms Page number 22>

 available for all the sites and part of the fields of the forms being in correspondence with a content specific to each site and allowing the update of this specific content, and - a step 130 of constitution of a computer application for distribution of hosted forms to an Internet address independent of the addresses of said sites on the Internet.

 To constitute each site, the method comprises: a step 140 for defining the graphic elements for presenting pages of said site, the presentation being specific to said site; a step 150 for defining the content of pages of said site, in relation to said base; (Preferentially, the step of defining the content 150 of each page comprises instructions using dynamic data and / or includes instructions using references in the database), and - a first step 160 of filling specific content at said site, said specific content being kept in the database.

 Thus, the pages of the site consist of: a) a page presentation part, specific to said site, b) a representative part of the field content that can be updated by using the forms, and c) a representative part of the pages. contents common to several sites.

 To successively update the site, its administrator performs, iteratively, a step 170 of updating content specific to said site, through said computer application and at least one said form, the specific content set kept in the database.

 In an exemplary embodiment, during the update step 170, the hosted computer application for distribution of forms displays to the user the list of the elementary contents published on his site, step 175, independently of the pages of the site that contain them and, when the user has selected a content from said list, step 180, displays a content update form is automatically selected, step 185.

 Preferably, during the update step 170, each form is associated with an indication representative of the pages of the updated site concerned by the updated data.

Claims (10)

1-Process for constituting and updating page contents of a plurality of computer sites accessible via the Internet, at different addresses on the Internet, characterized in that it comprises: A / 100 multilevel content template definition step (100), which common content is stored in a database, B / a database structure definition step (110), CI a step (120) for defining forms common to all said sites, each form comprising fields referenced with the database, part of the fields of the forms being in correspondence with a content of the database available for all sites and part of the fields of the forms being in correspondence with a content specific to each site and allowing the update of this specific content, DI a step (130) of constituting a computer application forms distribution hosted at an address on the Internet independent of the addresses of the said sites on the Internet, and for each site: El a step (140) for defining the graphic elements for presenting pages of said site, the presentation being specific to said site, F / a step (150) for defining content of pages of said site, in relation with said database, G / a first step (160) for filling content specific to said site, said specific content being stored in a database, the pages of said site consisting of: a) a page presentation part, specific to said site, b) a part representative of the field content that can be updated by using the forms, and c) a representative part of the contents shared by several sites; and, iteratively, H / a step (170) for updating content specific to said site, via said computer application and at least one said form, the updated specific content being kept in the database.  2 - Method according to claim 1, characterized in that, during the updating step (170), the hosted computer application for distribution of forms displays to the user the list of the elementary contents published on his site (175), regardless of <Desc / Clms Page number 24>  pages of the site containing them and, when the user has selected a content from said list (180), a content update form is automatically selected (185).  3 - Method according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that, during the updating step (170), each form is associated with an indication representative of the pages of the updated site concerned by the updated data.  4 - Process according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the step of defining the content (150) of each page comprises instructions using dynamic data.  5 - Process according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the step of defining the content (150) of each page comprises instructions using references in the database.  6-Device for constituting and updating the content of pages of a plurality of computer sites (1, 2, 3) accessible via the Internet, at different addresses on the Internet, characterized in that it comprises: - a structured database (7) holding a content common to several sites, - a means for storing a plurality of forms (8) common to all said sites, each form comprising fields referenced with the base data, part of the fields of the forms being in correspondence with a content of the database available for all the sites and part of the fields of the forms being in correspondence with a content specific to each site and allowing the update of this specific content, - a means of implementing a hosted forms distribution computer application (9) to an Internet address independent of the addresses of said sites on Inter net, and, for each site of the plurality of sites pages (4,5, 6) consisting of: a) a page presentation portion, specific to said site, b) a representative portion of the field content may be set using forms, and c) a representative part of the contents common to several sites; the implementation means of the hosted computer application being adapted to update the specific content of said site, by implementing at least one said form, the updated specific content being kept in the database.  7-Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the implementation means of the computer application (9) is adapted to display to the user the list of basic content published on its site, regardless of the pages of the site which contain them and, when the user has selected a content of said list, a form (8) for updating the content is automatically selected. <Desc / Clms Page number 25>  8 - Device according to any one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that the implementation means of the computer application (9) is adapted so that each form (8) is displayed with a representative indication of the pages of the updated site affected by the updated data.  9 - Device according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the description of pages comprises instructions using dynamic data.  10 - Device according to any one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that the description of pages comprises instructions using references in the database.