Web site navigation under a hierarchical menu structure

• US 20040027391A1
• Filed: 08/06/2002
• Published: 02/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert TU Consulting Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Robert TU Consulting Incorporated
• Inventors: Tu, Robert F. Z.
• Granted Patent: US 7,353,460 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing

Abstract

A method, system, and computer display device that uses a hierarchical menu structure to enable a user navigate through a linked web-page system. A computer code and a display screen of the computer display device enables the user to navigate through the linked web-page system in accordance with the hierarchical menu structure and in accordance with supporting features such as navigational persistence and page content persistence. The display screen comprises a display of: an uppermost top-level of the linked web-page system; a list of top-level categories under the uppermost top-level; a list of sub-level categories linked to a user-selected top-level category; a list of menu items held by each sub-level category; and a web page linked from a user-selected menu item from the menu items held by a sub-level category.

Claims

1. A computer display device, comprising a display screen, said display screen displaying a menu presentation interface for enabling a user of a linked web-page system to navigate through the linked web-page system, said menu presentation interface comprising a display of:

a list of top-level categories such that the top-level categories are categories of an uppermost top-level of the web-page navigation system;

a list of sub-level categories linked to a selected top-level category of the top-level categories;

a list of menu items held by each sub-level category; and

a web page linked from a selected menu item of the menu items held by a first sub-level category of the sub-level categories.

2. The computer display device of claim 1, wherein an Internet is coupled to web sites of the linked web-page system.

3. The computer display device of claim 2, wherein the uppermost top-level encompasses all web sites coupled to the Internet.

4. The computer display device of claim 2, wherein the uppermost top-level encompasses fewer than all web sites coupled to the Internet.

5. The computer display device of claim 2, wherein the uppermost top-level encompasses a plurality of web sites coupled to the Internet.

6. The computer display device of claim 2, wherein the uppermost top-level encompasses a single web site coupled to the Internet.

7. The computer display device of claim 1, wherein an Intranet is coupled to the linked web-page system.

8. The computer display device of claim 1, wherein the display screen further displays an identification of the uppermost top level.

9. The computer display device of claim 1, wherein the display screen further displays an identification of a top level category selected by the user.

10. The computer display device of claim 1, wherein the display screen further displays an identification of a menu item selected by the user.

11. The computer display device of claim 1, wherein the selected menu item is linked to the web page by a Universal Resource Locator (URL).

12. A computer display device, comprising a display screen, said display screen displaying a hierarchical menu structure for enabling a user of a linked web-page system to navigate through the linked web-page system, said hierarchical menu structure comprising:

an uppermost top-level;

I top-level categories denoted as T(1), T(2), . . . T(I), wherein I≧

2, and wherein the uppermost top-level is divided into the I top-level categories;

J_i sub-level categories associated with top-level category T(i), wherein J_i is a function of i, wherein J_i≧

1, and wherein the J_i sub-level categories are denoted as S(i,1), S(i,2), . . . , S(i,J_i), for i=1, 2, . . . , I; and

K_ij menu items held by sub-level category S(i,j), wherein K_ij is a finction of i and j, wherein K_ij≧

1, wherein the K_ij menu items are denoted as M(i,j,1), M(i,j,2), . . . , M(i,j,K_ij), and wherein the menu item M(i,j,k) is linked to a web page W(i,j,k), for i=1, 2, . . . , I and j=1, 2, . . . , J_i and k=1, 2, . . . , K_ij.

13. The computer display device of claim 12, wherein an Internet is coupled to web sites of the linked web-page system.

14. The computer display device of claim 13, wherein the uppermost top-level encompasses all web sites coupled to the Internet.

15. The computer display device of claim 13, wherein the uppermost top-level encompasses fewer than all web sites coupled to the Internet.

16. The computer display device of claim 13, wherein the uppermost top-level encompasses a plurality of web sites coupled to the Internet.

17. The computer display device of claim 13, wherein the uppermost top-level encompasses a single web site coupled to the Internet.

18. The computer display device of claim 12, wherein an Intranet is coupled to web sites of the linked web-page system.

19. The computer display device of claim 12, wherein the menu item M(i,j,k) is linked to the web page W(i,j,k) by a Universal Resource Locator denoted as URL(i,j,k).

20. The computer display device of claim 12, wherein an attribute of the hierarchical menu structure is a function of an identity of a computer that the user is coupled to for navigating through the linked web-page system, and wherein the attribute is at least one of:

the uppermost top-level, a top-level category of the top-level categories, a sub-level category of the sub-level categories, a menu item of the menu items, and the web page to which the menu item is linked.

21. A computer display device, comprising a display screen, said display screen displaying a hierarchical menu structure for enabling a user of a linked web-page system to navigate through the linked web-page system, said hierarchical menu structure having a navigational state (α

,β

,γ

), said hierarchical menu structure comprising;

an uppermost top-level;

I top-level categories denoted as T(1), T(2), . . . , T(I), wherein I>

2, and wherein the uppermost top-level is divided into the I top level categories;

J_i sub-level categories associated with top-level category T(i), wherein J_i is a function of i, wherein J_i≧

1, and wherein the J_i sub-level categories are denoted as S(i,1), S(i,2), . . . , S(i,J_i), for i=1, 2, . . . , I; and

K_ij menu items held by sub-level category S(i,j), wherein K_ij is a function of i and j, wherein K_ij≧

1, wherein the K_ij menu items are denoted as M(i,j,1), M(i,j,2), . . . , M(i,j,K_ij), and wherein the menu item M(i,j,k) is linked to a web page W(i,j,k), for i=1, 2, . . . , I and j=1, 2, . . . , J_i and k=1, 2, . . . , K_ij, said display screen comprising a display of;

(T(1), T(2), . . . , T(I)), (S(α

,β

), (M(α

,β

,γ

), γ

=1, 2, . . . , K<sub>α

β</sub>

), β

=1, 2, . . . , J_α

), and W(α

,β

,γ

),

wherein α

is selected from the group consisting of 1, 2, . . . , and I,

wherein β

is selected from the group consisting of 1, 2, . . . , and J_α

, and

wherein γ

selected from the group consisting of 1, 2, . . . , and K<sub>α

β</sub>

.

22. The computer display device of claim 21, wherein the display screen comprises a top-level area, a sub-level area, and a web-page area, wherein the top-level area comprises the display of (T(1), T(2), . . . , T(I)), wherein the sub-level area comprises the display of (S(α

,β

), (M(α

,β

,γ

), γ

=1, 2, . . . , K<sub>α

β</sub>

), β

=1, 2, . . . , J_α

), and wherein the web-page area comprises the display of W(α

,β

,γ

).

23. The computer display device of claim 22, wherein the top-level area, the sub-level area, and the web-page area are predetermined areas of the display screen.

24. The computer display device of claim 21, wherein an Internet is coupled to web sites of the linked web-page system.

25. The computer display device of claim 24, wherein the uppermost top-level encompasses all web sites coupled to the Internet.

26. The computer display device of claim 24, wherein the uppermost top-level encompasses fewer than all web sites coupled to the Internet.

27. The computer display device of claim 24, wherein the uppermost top-level encompasses a plurality of web sites coupled to the Internet.

28. The computer display device of claim 24, wherein the uppermost top-level encompasses a single web site coupled to the Internet.

29. The computer display device of claim 21, wherein an Intranet is coupled to web sites of the linked web-page system.

30. The computer display device of claim 21, wherein the display screen further displays an identification of the uppermost top level of the web-page navigation system.

31. The computer display device of claim 21, wherein the display screen further displays an identification of a top level category selected by the user.

32. The computer display device of claim 21, wherein the display screen further displays an identification of menu item selected by the user.

33. The computer display device of claim 21, wherein the menu item M(i,j,k) is linked to the web page W(i,j,k) by a Universal Resource Locator denoted as URL(i,j,k).

34. The computer display device of claim 21, wherein an attribute of the hierarchical menu structure is a function of an identity of a computer that that the user is coupled to for navigating through the linked web-page system, and wherein the attribute is at least one of:

the uppermost top-level, a top-level category of the top-level categories, a sub-level category of the sub-level categories, a menu item of the menu items, and the web page to which the menu item is linked.

35. A computer program product, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein for enabling a user of a linked web-page system to navigate through the linked web-page system in accordance with a hierarchical menu structure, said hierarchical menu structure comprising:

an uppermost top-level;

I top-level categories denoted as T(1), T(2), . . . , T(I), wherein I≧

2, and wherein the uppermost top-level is divided into the I top level categories;

J_i sub-level categories associated with top-level category T(i), wherein J_i is a function of i, wherein J_i≧

1, and wherein the J_i sub-level categories are denoted as S(i,1), S(i,2), . . . , S(i,J_i), for i=1, 2, . . . , I; and

K_ij menu items held by sub-level category S(i,j), wherein K_ij is a function of i and j, wherein K_ij≧

1, wherein the K_ij menu items are denoted as M(i,j,1), M(i,j,2), . . . , M(ij,K_ij), and wherein the menu item M(i,j,k) is linked to a web page W(i,j,k), for i=1, 2, . . . , I and j=1, 2, . . . , J_i and k=1, 2, . . . , K_ij,

said computer code comprising an algorithm adapted to generate, on a display screen of a computer display device, a display of a navigational state (α

,β

,γ

) of the hierarchical menu structure, said display comprising a depiction of;

(T(1), T(2), . . . , T(I)), (S(α

,β

), (M(α

,β

,γ

), γ

=1, 2, . . . , K<sub>α

β</sub>

), β

=1, 2, . . . , J_α

), and W(α

,β

,γ

),

wherein α

is selected from the group consisting of 1, 2, . . . , and I,

wherein β

is selected from the group consisting of 1, 2, . . . , and J_α

, and

wherein γ

selected from the group consisting of 1, 2, . . . , and K<sub>α

β</sub>

.

36. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the display comprises a top-level area, a sub-level area, and a web-page area, wherein the top-level area comprises the depiction of (T(1), T(2), . . . , T(I)), wherein the sub-level area comprises the depiction of (S(α

,β

), (M(α

,β

,γ

), γ

=1, 2, . . . , K<sub>α

β</sub>

), β

=1, 2, . . . , J_α

), and wherein the web-page area comprises the depiction of W(α

,β

,γ

).

37. The computer program product of claim 36, wherein if the user selects a navigational state (α

₁,β

₁,γ

₁) to replace the navigational state (α

,β

,γ

) such that W(α

₁,β

₁,γ

₁) differs from W(α

,β

,γ

), then the algorithm is adapted to refresh the sub-level area with a depiction of (S(α

₁,β

₁), (M(α

₁,β

₁,γ

₁), γ

₁=1, 2, . . . , K<sub>α

1,β

1</sub>), β

₁=1, 2, . . . , J<sub>α

1</sub>) and to refresh the web-page area with W(α

₁,β

₁,γ

₁).

38. The computer program product of claim 36, wherein if the user sequentially selects N unique navigational states in a sequence of (α

₁,β

₁,γ

₁), (α

₂,β

₂,γ

₂), . . . , (α

_N,β

_N,γ

_N) such that N≧

2, then the algorithm is adapted to refresh the web-page area with W(α

_n,β

_n,γ

_n) following selection of each navigational state (α

_n,β

_n,γ

_n) for n=1, 2, . . . , N.

39. The computer program product of claim 38, wherein the algorithm is further adapted to record said sequence of navigational states in a computer-readable medium and have access to said recorded sequence following the recording of said sequence.

40. The computer program product of claim 39, wherein following the recording of said sequence the algorithm is further adapted to execute code selected from a plurality of alternative code in dependence on said recorded sequence.

41. The computer program product of claim 36, wherein if the user sequentially selects N unique navigational states in a sequence of (α

₁,β

₁,γ

₁), (α

₂,β

₂,γ

₂), . . . , (α

_N,β

_N,γ

_N) such that N≧

2, then the algorithm is further adapted to record said sequence of navigational states in a computer-readable medium and have access to said recorded sequence following the recording of said sequence.

42. The computer program product of claim 41, wherein following the recording of said sequence the algorithm is further adapted to execute code selected from a plurality of alternative code in dependence on said recorded sequence.

43. The computer program product of claim 36, wherein if the user selects a next top-level category α

₁ such that α

₁ differs from a but does not select a next menu item, then the algorithm is adapted to;

select a web page W(α

₁,__,__) in accordance with navigational persistence, wherein the underscore string __,__ appearing in W(α

₁,__,__) denotes that a sub-level category and menu item have not yet been selected following selection of the next top-level category α

₁; and

refresh the web-page area with the web page W(α

₁,__,__).

44. The computer program product of claim 43, wherein the algorithm is adapted to refresh the web-page area with the web page W(α

₁,__,__) in accordance with content page persistence.

45. The computer program product of claim 36, wherein if the user selects a navigational state (α

,β

₁,γ

₁) to replace the navigational state (α

,β

,γ

) such that γ

₁ differs from γ

then the algorithm is adapted to refresh the web-page area with W(α

,β

₁,γ

₁) in accordance with page content persistence if W(α

,β

₁,γ

₁) is a dynamic web page.

46. The computer program product of claim 36, wherein the top-level area, the sub-level area, and the web-page area are predetermined areas of the display screen.

47. The computer program product of claim 36, wherein the algorithm is further adapted to change color in an area of the display screen to a new color in response to selection by the user of the new color, and wherein the area is selected from the group consisting of the top-level area, the sub-level area, the web-page area, and combinations thereof.

48. The computer program product of claim 36, wherein the algorithm is further adapted to change font style of text in an area of the display screen to a new font style in response to selection by the user of the new font style, and wherein the area is selected from the group consisting of the top-level area, the sub-level area, the web-page area, and combinations thereof.

49. The computer program product of claim 36, wherein the algorithm is further adapted to change font size of text in an area of the display screen to a new font size in response to selection by the user of the new font style, and wherein the area is selected from the group consisting of the top-level area, the sub-level area, the web-page area, and combinations thereof.

50. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein an attribute of the hierarchical menu structure is a function of an identity of the user, and wherein the attribute is at least one of:

the uppermost top-level, a top-level category of the top-level categories, a sub-level category of the sub-level categories, a menu item of the menu items, and the web page to which the menu item is linked.

51. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein an Internet is coupled to web sites of the linked web-page system.

52. The computer program product of claim 51, wherein the uppermost top-level encompasses all web sites coupled to the Internet.

53. The computer program product of claim 51, wherein the uppermost top-level encompasses fewer than all web sites coupled to the Internet.

54. The computer program product of claim 51, wherein the uppermost top-level encompasses a plurality of web sites coupled to the Internet.

55. The computer program product of claim 51, wherein the uppermost top-level encompasses a single web site coupled to the Internet.

56. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein an Intranet is coupled to web sites of the linked web-page system.

57. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the display screen further displays an identification of the uppermost top level of the web-page navigation system.

58. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the display screen further displays an identification of a top level category selected by the user.

59. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the display further displays an identification of a menu item selected by the user.

60. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the menu item M(i,j,k) is linked to the web page W(i,j,k) by a Universal Resource Locator denoted as URL(i,j,k).

61. A computer program product, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein for enabling a user of a linked web-page system to navigate through the linked web-page system, said computer code comprising an algorithm adapted to:

record, in a computer-readable medium, a sequence of navigational links selected by the user, wherein each navigational link is a link to a web page of the linked web-page system;

record, in the computer-readable medium, the web pages to which the navigational links are linked; and

in response to a subsequent selection of a first navigational link to a dynamic web page such that the first navigational link is one of the previously selected navigational links, display the dynamic web page on a display screen of a computer display device and in accordance with page content persistence.

62. The computer program product of claim 61, wherein an Internet is coupled to web sites of the linked web-page system.

63. The computer program product of claim 61, wherein an Intranet is coupled to web sites of the linked web-page system.

64. The computer program product of claim 61, wherein the link to the web page is effectuated by a Universal Resource Locator (URL).

65. A computer program product, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein for enabling a user of a linked web-page system to navigate through the linked web-page system, said computer code comprising an algorithm adapted to:

record, in a computer-readable medium, a sequence of navigational links selected by the user, wherein each navigational link is a link to a web page of the linked web-page system; and

execute code selected from a plurality of alternative code in dependence on said recorded sequence.

66. The computer program product of claim 65, wherein an Internet is coupled to web sites of the linked web-page system.

67. The computer program product of claim 65, wherein an Intranet is coupled to web sites of the linked web-page system.

68. The computer program product of claim 65, wherein the link to the web page is effectuated by a Universal Resource Locator (URL).

69. A computer program product, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein for enabling a user of a linked web-page system to navigate through the linked web-page system, said computer code comprising an algorithm adapted to enable the user to select a sequence of navigational links, wherein each navigational link is a link to a web page of the linked web-page system, and wherein at least one of the navigational links available for selection by the user and the web pages to which the available navigational links are linked is a function of an identity of a computer that the user is coupled to for navigating through the linked web-page system.

70. The computer program product of claim 69, wherein an Internet is coupled to web sites of the linked web-page system.

71. The computer program product of claim 69, wherein an Intranet is coupled to web sites of the linked web-page system.

72. The computer program product of claim 69, wherein the link to the web page is effectuated by a Universal Resource Locator (URL).

73. An access control method, comprising:

receiving, by a web site, a request for access to the web site by a computer that is separated from the web site by a communication link;

determining, by the web site, an address of the computer; and

refusing the user access to the web site if the determining determines that the address of the computer is not acceptable for access to the web site.

74. The access control method of claim 73, further comprising allowing the user access to the web site if the determining determines that the address of the computer is acceptable for access to the web site.

75. The access control method of claim 73, further comprising if the determining does not determine that the address of the computer is not acceptable for access to the web site:

ascertaining, by the web site, an identification (ID) and associated password of a user coupled to the computer;

allowing the computer access to the web site if the determining determines that the address of the computer is acceptable for access to the web site and if the ascertaining ascertains that the ID and associated password are acceptable for access to the web site.

76. The access control method of claim 73, wherein the communication link comprises the Internet.

77. A computer program product, comprising a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein for controlling access to a web site, said computer code being coupled to the web site, said computer code comprising an algorithm adapted to:

receive a request for access to the web site by a user from a computer that is separated from the web site by a communication link;

determine an address of the computer; and

refuse the user access to the web site if the algorithm determines that the address of the computer is not acceptable for access to the web site.

78. The computer program product of claim 77, wherein the algorithm is further adapted to allow the user access to the web site if the algorithm determines that the address of the computer is acceptable for access to the web site.

79. The computer program product of claim 77, wherein the algorithm is further adapted to:

ascertain an identification (ID) and associated password of the user;

allow the user access to the web site if the algorithm determines that the address of the computer is acceptable for access to the web site and if the algorithm ascertains that the ID and associated password are acceptable for access to the web site.

80. The computer program product of claim 77, wherein the communication link comprises the Internet.

81. A computer display device comprising a display screen, said display screen adapted to display each of a first hierarchical menu structure H₁ and a second hierarchical menu structure H₂, wherein a chained hierarchical menu system comprises H₁ and H₂, wherein the chained hierarchical menu system enables a user of a linked web-page system to navigate through the linked web-page system, and wherein H₁ and H₂ independently comprise:

an uppermost top-level;

I top-level categories denoted as T(1), T(2), . . . T(I), wherein I≧

2, and wherein the uppermost top-level is divided into the I top-level categories;

J_i sub-level categories associated with top-level category T(i), wherein J_i is a function of i, wherein J_i≧

1, and wherein the J_i sub-level categories are denoted as S(i,1), S(i,2), . . . , S(i,J_i), for i=1, 2, . . . , I; and

K_ij menu items held by sub-level category S(i,j), wherein K_ij is a function of i and j, wherein K_ij≧

1, wherein the K_ij menu items are denoted as M(i,j,1), M(i,j,2), . . . , M(i,j,K_ij), and wherein the menu item M(i,j,k) is linked to a web page W(i,j,k), for i=1, 2, . . . , I and j=1, 2, . . . , J_i and k=1, 2, . . . , K_ij,

wherein H₁ is linked to H₂ from the uppermost top-level of H₁, a top-level category of H₁, or a menu item of H₁.

82. The computer display device of claim 81, wherein an Internet is coupled to web sites of the linked web-page system.

83. The computer display device of claim 81, wherein an Intranet is coupled to web sites of the linked web-page system.

84. The computer display device of claim 81, wherein navigational persistence is operative across a boundary between H₁ and H₂.

85. The computer display device of claim 81, wherein page content persistence is operative across a boundary between H₁ and H₂.