Method and apparatus for providing interim data displays while awaiting of retrieval linked information
First Claim
1. A method for providing a WWW page that uses the downloading time between a current WWW page and a next WWW page, comprising the steps of:
- fetching conditionally displayed data associated with hypertext link-embeddable content;
embedding the conditionally displayed data within a hypertext link from the current WWW page to a next WWW page to provide a content laden hypertext link;
transmitting the current WWW page to a user so that the current WWW page is displayed in a first window in a user'"'"'s WWW browser;
whereby upon selection by the user of a hypertext link, the user'"'"'s browser determines whether the selected hypertext link is content laden, and if the selected hypertext link is content laden, the user'"'"'s browser displays the conditionally displayed data in said first window in place of said current WWW page, and requests the next WWW page.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In the context of global hypertext, a new solution to the human interface problem of waiting for the content of a next page to arrive and be displayed by a WWW browser. Small amounts of relevant content are stored and maintained in the hyperlinks themselves. This extra content is revealed to users during download wait time. Hypertext links that contain and reveal extra content are called content laden links. By displaying content which is useful and relevant to the user while the next WWW page is being fetched, useless dead time can be turned into productive time and the satisfaction level of the user increased.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A method for providing a WWW page that uses the downloading time between a current WWW page and a next WWW page, comprising the steps of:
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fetching conditionally displayed data associated with hypertext link-embeddable content; embedding the conditionally displayed data within a hypertext link from the current WWW page to a next WWW page to provide a content laden hypertext link; transmitting the current WWW page to a user so that the current WWW page is displayed in a first window in a user'"'"'s WWW browser; whereby upon selection by the user of a hypertext link, the user'"'"'s browser determines whether the selected hypertext link is content laden, and if the selected hypertext link is content laden, the user'"'"'s browser displays the conditionally displayed data in said first window in place of said current WWW page, and requests the next WWW page. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system running a WWW browser program and having an input/output interface connected to a WWW server, said system comprising:
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a store for storing information, said information including control instructions and data; a processor that, by instructions of said WWW browser, requests a first WWW page from said WWW server; said WWW server transmitting said first WWW page to said input/output interface from whence said first WWW page is stored in said store; said first WWW page having a hypertext transfer protocol interactive link to a second WWW page stored in said server and conditionally displayed data associated with said second WWW page stored in said store with said first WWW page to provide a content laden hypertext link; a display screen displaying said first WWW page according to said WWW browser; a pointing device for selecting a hypertext link to another WWW page selecting said hypertext link to said second WWW page, said selecting causing a request to be transmitted to said server to transfer said second WWW page; and said selection also causing said processor to determine whether the selected hypertext link is content laden, and if the selected hypertext link is content laden, causing said processor to read said conditionally displayed data from said store and display said conditionally displayed data in place of said first WWW page while the second WWW page is being received from said server. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for providing a WWW page that uses the downloading time between a current WWW page and a next WWW page, comprising the steps of:
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fetching a conditionally displayed file associated with hypertext link-embeddable content; embedding the conditionally displayed file within a hypertext link from the current WWW page to a next WWW page to provide a content laden hypertext link; whereby upon selection by a user of a hypertext link, the user'"'"'s browser determines whether the selected hypertext link is content laden, and if the selected link is content laden, the user'"'"'s browser displays the conditionally displayed file in place of said currently displayed WWW page. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for using the downloading time between WWW pages, comprising the steps of:
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embedding conditionally displayed data within a hypertext link from a current WWW page to a next WWW page to provide a content laden hypertext link; displaying the current WWW page in a first window; upon selection by a user of a hypertext link, determining whether the selected hypertext link is content laden and, if the selected hypertext link is content laden, displaying the conditionally displayed data in said first window in place of said current WWW page, fetching the next WWW page that was selected by activating the hypertext link; and displaying the next WWW page in said first window, thereby supplanting the conditionally displayed data. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method for using the downloading time between WWW pages, comprising the steps of:
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embedding within a currently displayed WWW page, a conditionally displayed file within a hypertext link from the current WWW page to a next WWW page to provide a content laden hypertext link; upon selection by a user of the hypertext link, determining whether the selected hypertext link is content laden, and if the selected hypertext link is content laden, displaying the conditionally displayed file in place of said currently displayed WWW page, fetching the next WWW page that was selected by activating the hypertext link from a connected WWW server; and displaying the next WWW page, thereby supplanting the conditionally displayed file. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39)
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Specification