Web Browser Toolbar

• US 20120137221A1
• Filed: 11/18/2011
• Published: 05/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Otello Corp. ASA
• Original Assignee: Skyfire Labs Inc. (Otello Corp. ASA)
• Inventors: Bhandari, Nitin, Marzano, James, Benson, Geoffrey D., Patel, Ronakkumar, Fassett, Ethan A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,095,378 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/719
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

A system and a method are disclosed for displaying page elements embedded on a webpage displayed on a handheld computing device. Tools provide one or more functionality to a user, including an ability to view a webpage, to share a webpage, to view webpages within a domain that are popular with the user'"'"'s connection in a social networking system, etc. The tools are received and rendered within a toolbar interface including a toolbar icon for each tool. The tool interfaces associated with each icon may be displayed on the handheld computing device automatically or responsive to a user request.

Claims

1. A method for displaying tools in association with a webpage requested by a user, the method comprising:

receiving tools from at least one of a content hosting server, a platform server and an optimization server, the tools comprising at least one of a webpage associated with the webpage requested by the user based on at least one of a functionality enabling a user to perform an action on the webpage requested by the user, a functionality based on the user device and user preference;

rendering a toolbar interface including toolbar icons, each toolbar icon representing each received tool;

rendering a frame responsive to a user selecting a toolbar icon, each received tool rendered within the frame;

rendering a webpage within the frame if the tool is a webpage;

rendering user interface elements within the frame, the user interface elements illustrating a functionality provided by the tool if the tool provides a functionality enabling a user to perform an action; and

displaying the toolbar interface within an application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the tool received from the platform server comprises social networking system tool, enabling the user to recommend the requested webpage to other users of the social networking system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the tool received from the optimization server comprises an optimized video enabling playback on the application displaying the toolbar interface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the tool received from the content hosting server comprises a webpage specific tool enabling a user to perform an action on at least one of the webpage and a website associated with the webpage.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the tool comprises at least one of a webpage and an interface enabling a user to view a video, read a feed, a share a link, purchase an item, view popular webpages and interface with a social networking system.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the toolbar icons with badges if additional content is received associated with the tool represented by the toolbar icon.

7. A computer-readable storage medium storing executable computer program instructions for displaying tools in association with a webpage requested by a user, the computer program instructions comprising instructions for:

receiving a tools from at least one of a content hosting server, a platform server and an optimization server, the tools comprising at least one of a webpage associated with the webpage requested by the user and a functionality enabling a user to perform an action on the webpage requested by the user;

rendering a toolbar interface including toolbar icons, each toolbar icon representing each received tool;

rendering a frame responsive to a user selecting a toolbar icon, each received tool rendered within the frame;

rendering a webpage within the frame if the tool is a webpage;

rendering user interface elements within the frame, the user interface elements illustrating a functionality provided by the tool if the tool provides a functionality enabling a user to perform an action; and

displaying the toolbar interface within an application.

8. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the tool received from the platform server comprises social networking system tool, enabling the user to recommend the requested webpage to other users of the social networking system.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the tool received from the optimization server comprises an optimized video enabling playback on the application displaying the toolbar interface.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the tool received from the content hosting server comprises a webpage specific tool enabling a user to perform an action on at least one of the webpage and a website associated with the webpage.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the tool comprises at least one of a webpage and an interface enabling a user to view a video, read a feed, a share a link, purchase an item, view popular webpages and interface with a social networking system.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, further comprising instructions for updating the toolbar icons with badges if additional content is received associated with the tool represented by the toolbar icon.