Method and apparatus for consolidating network information

• US 20020196273A1
• Filed: 06/24/2002
• Published: 12/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philip R. Krause
• Original Assignee: Philip R. Krause
• Inventors: Krause, Philip R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,095,875 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/738
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation

Abstract

A method and apparatus for consolidating network information, in some cases for use as a start/portal page. The invention provides means for “framing” Internet content, as well as creating links on the fly, to a single start/portal page that can be accessed by a single user, or by a set of users in a cooperative relationship with each other.

Claims

1. A method of consolidating information available on a computer network onto a single display page, comprising:

a) associating a name with the display page;

b) storing information related to the display page at a first network location;

c) providing a user the ability to control access to the display page;

d) in response to user action while accessing material from a second network location;

i. retrieving from a user, the name associated with said display page, and

ii. associating with said named display page the network address of said second location;

e) associating a screen location with said network address of said second location; and

f) providing network access to said second location from said display page.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user is provided with the ability to change the location of material displayed on said display page.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said display page is one of a plurality of display pages associated with a user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing access step comprises at least one of the group consisting of displaying material from said second network location within a frame, providing a link that permits user input to said second network location that specifies the material to be displayed from said second network location, providing a pictorial icon that represents a link, and providing a drop-down menu that includes at least one link to said second network location.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the location changing mechanism includes dragging the displayed material from a first screen location to a second screen location

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said display page comprises information stored on a plurality of network servers.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the display page includes the opportunity to send information to said second network location.

8. The method of claim 1, where the user action comprises a mouse click.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a user the ability to enter information related to said second location.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of providing the user the ability to enter information comprises providing the user the ability to enter information in association with said user action.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the information comprises at least one of the group consisting of a name for a link to said second location, a textual entry associated with said second location, the name associated with one of a plurality of display pages, and audio information.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing a user the ability to access said information while viewing said display page.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said information is accessed via a mouse-over of a link to said second network location on said display page.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing ability to control access step comprises associating a password with said display page.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein a plurality of passwords may be assigned to said display page.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein different passwords permit different levels of access to said display page.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing the user the ability to upload a file from his computer to said first network location.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said file comprises a word processing file.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein said display page includes information submitted from a plurality of users.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein information contributed by different users is distinguished by one of the group consisting of different shadings, different colors, different geometric shapes, different labels, different screen locations, and different mouseover effects.

21. The method of claim 4, wherein the providing access step comprises displaying material from said second network location within a frame, and further comprising providing the user the ability to resize said frame.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising providing the user the ability to select the location on a framed page that will be displayed on said display page.

23. A computer memory storage device encoded with a computer program for performing a process comprising:

a) over a computer network, transmitting a display page;

b) associating a name with the display page;

c) storing information related to the display page at a first network location;

d) providing a user the ability to control access to the display page;

e) in response to user action while accessing material from a second network location;

i. retrieving from a user, the name associated with said display page, and

ii. associating with said named display page the network address of said second location;

f) associating a screen location with said network address of said second location; and

g) providing network access to said second location from said display page.

24. An machine for consolidating information available on a computer network onto a single display page, comprising:

a) means for associating a name with a display page;

b) means for storing information related to the display page at a first network location;

c) means for providing a user the ability to control access to the display page;

d) means for responding to user action while accessing material from a second network location by

i. retrieving from a user, the name associated with said display page, and

ii. associating with said named display page the network address of said second location;

e) means for associating a screen location with said network address of said second location; and

f) means for providing network access to said second location from said display page.