Method and apparatus for enhanced browsing, using icons to indicate status of content and/or content retrieval

• US 20060101341A1
• Filed: 07/13/2005
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cufer Asset Ltd LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: BT Web Solutions LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Kelly, James, Brown, Wendell, Milener, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 8,732,610 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/134 Hyperlinking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/0035 User-machine interface; Control console input or output arrangements for computers G06F3/00

Abstract

A method and apparatus for enhanced browsing. The apparatus includes a user interface for presenting an enhanced browsing window of content identified by a link in a page displayed by a browser. The apparatus may include a prefetcher for fetching or prefetching the content and a cache for storing the window. The apparatus may also include an ad interface for retrieving advertisements for display with the content. When a first page is displayed in the browser, content identified by a link to a second page is automatically fetched and an enhanced browsing window, which may initially be invisible, is built. When a user mouses-over a status indicator associated with the link, the window is automatically displayed and the user can navigate the displayed content. The status indicator may change appearance to indicate a status of the prefetching (e.g., initiated, completed, success, failure, communication error).

Claims

1. An automated method of enhanced browsing of a second web page linked to a first web page displayed by a browser in a browser window, the method comprising:

identifying, in the first web page, a target link to the second web page;

displaying in the browser window a first indicator associated with the target link, said first indicator indicating the initiation of prefetching of content from the second web page;

prefetching the content from the second web page;

displaying a second indicator in place of said first indicator, said second indicator indicating completion of the prefetching;

detecting placement of a cursor proximate to said second indicator; and

in response to said detecting, displaying a second window comprising the prefetched content.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first indicator and said second indicator comprise active controls.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said first indicator comprises an icon having a first appearance; and

said second indicator comprises said icon having a second appearance.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said first indicator comprises an icon; and

said second indicator comprises said icon and a symbol superimposed on said icon.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising prior to said displaying a second window:

generating but not displaying the second window;

populating the second window with the prefetched content and a set of ads; and

caching the second window.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said prefetching comprises:

automatically fetching content of the second page without awaiting selection of the link to the second page.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said detecting placement of the cursor comprises:

detecting a mouse-over of the second indicator.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the cursor is proximate to said second indicator if the cursor is over said second indicator.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second window is displayed on top of the browser window.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting rotation of a scroll wheel on a user interface device; and

in response to said detecting rotation, displaying content prefetched from a third web page.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said scroll wheel rotation is detected while the cursor is on said second indicator.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the content prefetched from a third web page is displayed in the second window.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the content prefetched from a third web page is displayed in a third window displayed in place of the second window.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

placing the cursor on a third indicator associated with a link to the third web page.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a first user input; and

in response to said detecting;

if a user-controlled cursor is positioned in the first web page and not in the second web page, replacing the prefetched content with content prefetched from a third web page; and

if the user-controlled cursor is positioned in the second web page, scrolling the prefetched content.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a first user input; and

in response to said detecting;

if a user-controlled cursor is positioned in the first web page and not in the second web page, scrolling the first web page; and

if the user-controlled cursor is positioned in the second web page, replacing the prefetched content with content prefetched from a third web page.

17. A computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of enhanced browsing of a second web page linked to a first web page displayed by a browser in a browser window, the method comprising:

identifying, in the first web page, a target link to the second web page;

displaying in the browser window a first indicator associated with the target link, said first indicator indicating the initiation of prefetching of content from the second web page;

prefetching the content from the second web page;

displaying a second indicator in place of said first indicator, said second indicator indicating completion of the prefetching;

detecting placement of a cursor proximate to said second indicator; and

in response to said detecting, displaying a second window comprising the prefetched content.

18. A computer-implemented method of enhanced browsing, the method comprising:

displaying in a browser window a first electronic page containing a set of target links;

displaying a first status indicator associated with a first target link, to indicate a status of prefetching of content via the first target link; and

displaying the prefetched content in an enhanced browsing window if a cursor is positioned over said first status indicator.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

prefetching the content without waiting for a user selection of the first target link.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

altering said first status indicator if the status of the prefetching changes.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said altering comprises replacing said first status indicator.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein said altering comprises altering an appearance of said first status indicator.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

altering said first status indicator when the prefetching is successfully completed.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

altering said first status indicator when the prefetching fails.

25. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

altering said first status indicator when the prefetching is initiated.

26. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

altering said first status indicator when a communication problem is identified.

27. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

altering said first status indicator when a security threat is detected within the content.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the security threat comprises executable code configured to damage or compromise a computing device.

29. The method of claim 18, wherein said first status indicator is an active control usable by a user to configure the enhanced browsing.

30. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

if the cursor is moved proximate to a second status indicator associated with a second target link, closing said enhanced browsing window and displaying another enhanced browsing window containing content prefetched via the second target link prior to the movement of the cursor proximate to said second status indicator.

31. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

detecting a first user input while the cursor is positioned over said first status indicator;

in response to said detecting;

positioning the cursor over a second status indicator associated with a second target link; and

displaying in said enhanced browsing window, in place of the prefetched content, other content prefetched via the second target link.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the first user input comprises rotation of a scroll wheel.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the first user input comprises a predetermined keyboard input.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the first user input would cause the first electronic page to scroll if the cursor were not positioned over a status indicator

35. A computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of enhanced browsing, the method comprising:

displaying in a browser window a first electronic page containing a set of target links;

displaying a first status indicator associated with a first target link, to indicate a status of prefetching of content via the first target link; and

displaying the prefetched content in an enhanced browsing window if a cursor is positioned over said first status indicator.

36. A computer-implemented method of enhanced browsing of electronic content, the method comprising:

displaying in a browser window a first electronic page comprising a set of target links;

for each target link, indicating a status of content corresponding to the target link;

altering a first status indication associated with a first target link if the status of content corresponding to the first target link changes; and

displaying the content corresponding to a first target link in an enhanced browsing window if a cursor is positioned over said first status indication.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein said first status indication indicates whether the content comprises a security risk.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the security risk comprises one or more of:

a virus;

a worm; and

spyware.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein said first status indication indicates whether the content comprises undesired content.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the undesired content comprises obscene content.

41. The method of claim 36, wherein said first status indication indicates whether the content comprises previously viewed content.

42. The method of claim 36, wherein said first status indication indicates whether retrieval of the content is likely to be delayed.

43. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

while the content corresponding to the first target link is displayed in an enhanced browsing window;

receiving a first predetermined user input; and

in response to the first user input;

moving the cursor to a second target link; and

displaying content associated with the second target link in the enhanced browsing window in place of the content corresponding to the first target link.

44. The method of claim 36, further comprising:

while the content corresponding to the first target link is displayed in an enhanced browsing window;

receiving a first predetermined user input; and

in response to the first user input;

moving the cursor to a second target link; and

displaying content associated with the second target link in a second enhanced browsing window displayed in place of the enhanced browsing window.

45. A computer readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method of enhanced browsing of electronic content, the method comprising:

displaying in a browser window a first electronic page comprising a set of target links;

for each target link, indicating a status of content corresponding to the target link;

altering a first status indication associated with a first target link if the status of content corresponding to the first target link changes; and

displaying the content corresponding to a first target link in an enhanced browsing window if a cursor is positioned over said first status indication.

46. An apparatus for facilitating enhanced browsing of electronic data, the apparatus comprising:

a browser for displaying a main page of electronic data comprising links to other pages;

an enhanced browsing window configured to display a first page of electronic data while the browser displays the main page;

a prefetcher configured to automatically retrieve content identified by the links in the main page, including a first link to the first page, without awaiting a user request to retrieve the content; and

a user interface configured to;

display a first status indicator associated with the first link, to indicate a status of prefetching of content of the first page;

alter an appearance of said first status indicator if the status of the prefetching changes; and

detect the positioning of a cursor proximate to said first status indicator;

wherein said enhanced browsing window is invisible until said detection of the positioning of the cursor, at which time said enhanced browsing window is made visible.

47. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein the user interface alters the appearance of said first status indicator when the prefetching is completed successfully.

48. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein the user interface alters the appearance of said first status indicator when the prefetching fails.

49. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein the user interface alters the appearance of said first status indicator when the prefetching is initiated.

50. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein the user interface alters the appearance of said first status indicator when a security risk is identified in the content of the first page.

51. The apparatus of claim 46, further comprising:

an ad interface configured to retrieve a set of ads to display within said enhanced browsing window.

52. The apparatus of claim 46, wherein said positioning of the cursor comprises a mouse-over of said first status indicator.

53. A graphical user interface for facilitating enhanced browsing of electronic data, the graphical user interface comprising:

a browser window for displaying electronic data;

a set of target links displayed within the electronic data, wherein each target link identifies corresponding target content;

for each target link, an associated status indicator configured to indicate a status of prefetching of the corresponding target content;

a cursor operable by a user; and

an enhanced browsing window configured to display target content;

wherein said enhanced browsing window is invisible until the cursor is placed on or near a status indicator.

54. The graphical user interface of claim 53, wherein said enhanced browsing window comprises:

a content window configured to display the content from the second page; and

an ad frame configured to display a set of ads.

55. The graphical user interface of claim 53, wherein the appearance of a status indicator associated with a target link is altered when prefetching of target content associated with the target link is completed successfully.

56. The graphical user interface of claim 53, wherein the appearance of a status indicator associated with a target link is altered when prefetching of target content associated with the target link fails.

57. The graphical user interface of claim 53, wherein the appearance of a status indicator associated with a target link is altered when prefetching of target content associated with the target link is initiated.

58. The graphical user interface of claim 53, wherein the appearance of a status indicator associated with a target link is altered when prefetching of target content associated with the target link is not possible.