DYNAMIC IMPROVEMENT OF INTERNET BROWSER APPEARANCE AND CONNECTIVITY

• US 20130042188A1
• Filed: 09/13/2012
• Published: 02/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RhythmOne LLC (Nexxen International Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Blinkx Incorporated (Nexxen International Ltd.)
• Inventors: Dobronsky, Oren
• Granted Patent: US 8,959,330 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/760
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• 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 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A plug-in is one of 1) installed or 2) caused to be installed in the browser of a web surfer. The plug-in is configured to allow information to be dynamically 1) added to, 2) modified in, and 3) any combination of the two, the area of the browser containing a user-selectable button by the action of the plug-in. The user-selectable button is displayed in the area of the webpage. The button can include graphic information and a text label. The button is configured to 1) direct the browser to at least one web site corresponding to the text label, 2) direct the browser to content related links to the content that is on the website being browsed, and 3) any combination of both. A third party server site may dynamically control what graphic information, text label, or both is being displayed for that user-selectable button.

Claims

1. A method in a client-server environment for presenting graphic and other information on an area of a webpage accessible by a browser application resident on a client device, comprising:

providing a plug-in for installation in the browser application, where the plug-in is one of

     1) installed or

     2) caused to be installed in the browser of a web surfer, and the plug-in is configured to allow information to be dynamically

     1) added to,

     2) modified in, and

     3) any combination of the two, the area of the browser containing a user-selectable button by the action of the plug-in;

displaying the user-selectable button in the area of the webpage;

wherein the user-selectable button includes at least one of graphic information and a text label, where the user-selectable button is configured to any of

     1) direct the web browser to at least one web site corresponding to the text label,

     2) direct the web browser to content related links to a content that is on the website being browsed, and

     3) any combination of both, where a third party server site dynamically controls what graphic information, text label, or both is being displayed for that user-selectable button.

2. The method of claim 1, where the user-selectable button is related to a specific product displayed within the web page being browsed, and is configured when the user-selectable button is clicked, then a display occurs of comparative shopping information related to such specific product.

3. The method of claim 1, where the user-selectable button is displayed in the toolbar area of the browser, and the graphic information or the text label is dynamically changed based on information associated with 1) the user, 2) when the browser navigates from one website to another website, and 3) any combination of the two, where a first graphic information, text label and any combination of both, is displayed for the user-selectable button when a first web site is being accessed and a second graphic information, text label and any combination of both, is displayed for the user-selectable button when a second web site is being accessed and the first graphic information, text label and any combination of both is different than the second graphic information, text label and any combination of both.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the dynamic controls of the graphic information and the text label occurs by updating an appearance of the button based on the web site being accessed by the web browser.

5. The method of claim 1, further including:

executing programming instructions from the plug-in to generate a virtual toolbar for the web browser, independent of a native toolbar of the web browser program, for display within the web browser program on a display screen of the client computing device, where the virtual toolbar includes at least one virtual button for selecting additional content or services available by a service website, and at least a portion of the content or services being downloadable from a remote server responsive to a selection of the at least one virtual button, and the at least one virtual button being associated with a category of available content, where a plurality of selectable categories can be selected from.

6. A computer-implemented method for presenting graphic and other information in a toolbar area of a browser, the method comprising:

displaying at least one user-selectable button in the toolbar area of the browser, wherein the user-selectable button includes graphic information, a text label, or both;

receiving user input selecting the user-selectable button;

directing the browser to at least one web site related to the graphic information or the text label of the user-selectable button; and

changing the graphic information or the text label dynamically based on information associated with

     1) the user,

     2) when the browser navigates from one website to another website, and

     3) any combination of the two, and where the changed graphic information or changed text label are provided to the browser of the web surfer by a service web site.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the graphic information includes an image, and where the browser has its standard toolbar and is modified in appearance and function through an addition of the user-selectable button and where the service web site is a system that includes one or more web sites other than a service site where the plug-in is downloaded from, and the other web sites are equipped and configured to provide the changing graphic information, text label, or both dynamically to the browser of the web surfer.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the graphic information includes an icon, and the changing of the graphic information or the text label is dynamically changed based on the information associated with the user that includes a demographic information of the user.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the changing of the graphic information or the text label is dynamically changed based on the information associated with the user includes 1) a geographic location of the user using the browser, and 2) one or more behaviors of the user, and where one of the one or more behaviors includes a behavior of the user while using the browser, and 3) any combination of both, and wherein the user-selectable button is configured to when clicked on or depressed to cause a pop-up menu of selected website links to appear.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the changing of the graphic information or the text label is dynamically changed based on the information associated with the user includes one or more interests of the user, and where the browser is a program running on the computing device that permits the computing device to connect to the Internet through 1) a modem or 2) a Wi-Fi network.

11. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

changing at least one web site to which the user-selectable button directs the user when the graphic information or text label is updated.

12. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

displaying, upon selection of the user-selectable button by the user, a list that includes links to each of the related web sites to which the user-selectable button directs the browser.

13. A system, comprising:

a service website configured to cooperate with a client device having a resident browser, where service website is configured to dynamically update an attribute of the browser, via a method which when performed by a client device, the operations of the method comprise

providing graphic information, a text label, or both in a browser, where the service website is connected to the Internet;

modifying the graphic information or text label based on information associated with

     1) a user of the browser,

     2) when the browser navigates from one website to another website, and any combination of the two;

displaying a user-selectable button in association with the graphic information or text label, wherein the user-selectable button is configured for directing the browser to at least one web site related to the graphic information or text label, and wherein the user-selectable button is provided via a component installed or plugged in to cooperate with the browser; and

controlling what graphic information, text label, or both is displayed with that user-selectable button from the service website.

14. The service website of claim 13, wherein the graphic information includes an image, and where a mechanism is provided in the service web site that is configured to supply the plug-in to the browser of a web surfer as requested by the browser, and where the mechanism dynamically permits the user of the browser to dynamically download the changed graphic information and text label to be added to the toolbar area of the browser by the action of the plug-in.

15. The service website of claim 13, wherein the graphic information includes an icon, and the changing of the graphic information or the text label is dynamically changed based on the information associated with the user includes a demographic information of the user, where the client computer is configured to send information which information may include its current location URL to the service website, and then receiving from the service website a list of the appropriate user-selectable buttons to be displayed on the toolbar.

16. The service website of claim 13 wherein the changing of the graphic information or the text label is dynamically changed based on the information associated with the user includes a geographic location of the user using the browser.

17. The service website of claim 13 wherein the changing of the graphic information or the text label is dynamically changed based on the information associated with the user includes one or more behaviors of the user, and where one of the one or more behaviors includes a behavior of the user while using the browser.

18. The service website of claim 13, further comprises:

changing at least one web site to which the user-selectable button directs the user when the graphic information or text label is modified;

displaying, upon selection of the user-selectable button by the user, a list that includes links to each of the related web sites to which the user-selectable button directs the browser; and

wherein the changing of the graphic information or the text label is dynamically changed based on the information associated with the user includes one or more interests of the user.

19. A method in a client computing device and server environment to provide graphic and other information to a browser'"'"'s toolbar area of a web surfer, comprising:

providing a plug-in;

transmitting the plug-in, which is configured to install in the browser of the web surfer, the graphic and other information displayed as a skin in the toolbar area of the browser by the operation of a module of the plug in, where the graphic and other information is configured to be displayed on a display screen of the client computing device;

where the plug-in is configured to cooperate with the server to allow the graphic and other information to be dynamically modified according to selections made by the web surfer through the use of a service website; and

updating the graphic and other information displayed as a skin in the toolbar area of the browser on the display of the computing device based on the selections made by the web surfer.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the graphic and other information displayed as a skin in the toolbar area comprises a button, a link, or either of these two that is configured to launch an application, game or other service that can be executed directly from the browser toolbar area, when the button or link is activated.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the graphic and other information that is dynamically modified comprises an addition to the toolbar area of a button, a link, or either of these two that is configured to launch an application, game or other service that can be executed directly from the browser toolbar area, when the button or link is activated.