Methods and systems to process a selection of a browser back button

• US 10,559,027 B2
• Filed: 07/27/2015
• Issued: 02/11/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Baird-Smith, Anselm Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Savla, Arpan P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stitt, Erik V
• Application Number:
  US14/809,496
• Publication Number:
  US 20150331591A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,660 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9038 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

Methods and systems to process a selection of a browser back button are described. The system includes a server that receives a request, over a network, for an initial user interface and communicates the initial user interface to a client machine. The initial user interface includes a client application program that monitors and identifies whether a storage location in a hidden frame is updated by a browser. The browser updates the storage location with a first user interface identifier in response to receipt of a single browser back navigation element selection. The client application program associates the first user interface identifier to a second user interface identifier responsive to the identification of the storage location as being updated. The client application program displays the second user interface in a visible frame responsive to the identification of the storage location as being updated.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a processor and executable instructions accessible on a computer-readable medium that, when executed, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

responsive to selection of a first element that is displayed in a browser as part of a first user interface, receiving, by the browser, a second user interface that includes a client application program and a first set of user interface elements which facilitate narrowing searches for listed items;

invoking, by the browser, the client application program to cause display of the second user interface in the browser;

responsive to selection of a second element of the first set of user interface elements, generating a third user interface by the client application program and causing display of the third user interface in the browser, the third user interface including a second set of user interface elements which facilitate narrowing the searches for the listed items;

identifying, by the client application program, an update of a hidden frame to include a user interface identifier that identifies the second user interface, the update being responsive to selection of a single back navigation element of the browser;

comparing, by the client application program, the user interface identifier and an additional user interface identifier that identifies the third user interface, the additional user interface identifier being included in the hidden frame; and

responsive to a determination, by the client application program and based on the comparing, that the first user interface identifier indicates a backward change from the additional user interface identifier, displaying the second user interface in the browser by utilizing the user interface identifier from the hidden frame.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first user interface is received from a cache of the apparatus.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first user interface is received via a network from a remote server machine.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the client application program causes the browser to retrieve a hidden user interface that corresponds to the second user interface responsive to the determination that the first user interface indicates the backward change, the hidden user interface processed by the browser to enable the second user interface to be displayed in connection with the selection of the single back navigation element of the browser.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein display of the hidden user interface does not include generation of visible user interface elements.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third user interfaces are allocated a visible area of display in the browser.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first user interface identifier includes a universal resource locater.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second set of user interface elements included in the third user interface includes at least one element of the first set of user interface elements and at least one additional element which facilitates narrowing searches for listed items.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein elements of the first and second sets of user interface elements are individually selectable to specify a characteristic of the listed items to be returned in connection with a search.

10. A machine readable medium having no transitory signals and storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform actions comprising:

responsive to selection of a first element that is displayed in a browser as part of a first user interface, receiving, by the browser, a second user interface that includes a client application program and a first set of user interface elements which facilitate narrowing searches for listed items;

invoking, by the browser, the client application program to cause display of the second user interface in the browser;

responsive to selection of a second element of the first set of user interface elements, generating a third user interface by the client application program and causing display of the third user interface in the browser, the third user interface including a second set of user interface elements which facilitate narrowing the searches for the listed items;

identifying, by the client application program, an update of a hidden frame to include a user interface identifier that identifies the second user interface, the update being responsive to selection of a single back navigation element of the browser;

comparing, by the client application program, the user interface identifier and an additional user interface identifier that identifies the third user interface, the additional user interface identifier being included in the hidden frame; and

responsive to a determination, by the client application program and based on the comparing, that the first user interface identifier indicates a backward change from the additional user interface identifier, displaying the second user interface in the browser by utilizing the user interface identifier from the hidden frame.

11. The machine readable medium of claim 10, wherein elements of the first and second sets of user interface elements are individually selectable to specify a characteristic of the listed items to be returned in connection with a search.

12. A method comprising:

responsive to selection of a first element that is displayed in a browser as part of a first user interface, receiving, by the browser, a second user interface that includes a client application program and a first set of user interface elements which facilitate narrowing searches for listed items;

invoking, by the browser, the client application program to cause display of the second user interface in the browser;

responsive to selection of a second element of the first set of user interface elements, generating a third user interface by the client application program and causing display of the third user interface in the browser, the third user interface including a second set of user interface elements which facilitate narrowing the searches for the listed items;

identifying, by the client application program, an update of a hidden frame to include a user interface identifier that identifies the second user interface, the update being responsive to selection of a single back navigation element of the browser;

comparing, by the client application program, the user interface identifier and an additional user interface identifier that identifies the third user interface, the additional user interface identifier being included in the hidden frame; and

responsive to a determination, by the client application program and based on the comparing, that the first user interface identifier indicates a backward change from the additional user interface identifier, displaying the second user interface in the browser by utilizing the user interface identifier from the hidden frame.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the second element is displayed with an indication indicating that selection causes display of more of the user interface elements which facilitate narrowing the searches for listed items.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second set of user interface elements included in the third user interface includes at least one element of the first set of user interface elements and at least one additional element which facilitates narrowing searches for listed items.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising causing, by the client application program, the browser to retrieve a hidden user interface that corresponds to the second user interface responsive to the determination that the first user interface indicates the backward change, the hidden user interface further being processed by the browser to enable the second user interface to be displayed in connection with the selection of the single back navigation element of the browser.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein display of the hidden user interface in the hidden frame does not include generation of visible user interface elements.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the first, second, and third user interfaces are allocated a visible area of display in the browser.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the first user interface identifier includes a universal resource locater.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein elements of the first and second sets of user interface elements are individually selectable to specify a characteristic of the listed items to be returned in connection with a search.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the client application program includes at least one of an applet or a script.