Intelligent method, apparatus and computer program product for automated refreshing of internet web pages

• US 5,907,681 A
• Filed: 10/20/1997
• Issued: 05/25/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Day, Paul Reuben, Bates, Cary Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ovedovitz, David M.
• Application Number:
  US08/954,026
• Time in Patent Office: 582 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.53-200.64
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

An intelligent method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for automated refreshing of internet web pages. Page data are stored including a record of page data values for each user selected internet web page. The page data values include at least one refresh interval, a last time refreshed and a last time accessed. A user request for refreshing an internet web page is received and the internet web page is refreshed. Utilizing the refreshed internet web page, checking for changes in the refreshed internet web page is performed. Then scanning the stored page data is performed and for each user selected internet web page, the stored refresh interval is compared with a current refresh time interval. For each user selected internet web page, responsive to the current refresh time interval being greater than the stored refresh time interval, the internet web page is refreshed. A feedback message is sent to the user responsive to refreshing an internet web page and the stored refresh interval is updated.

Claims

1. A method for refreshing an internet web page, comprising the steps of:

(a) storing a refresh rate for refreshing said internet web page;

(b) refreshing said internet web page at said stored refresh rate to receive at least one refreshed internet web page;

(c) automatically determining, from said at least one refreshed internet web page, an amount to adjust said stored refresh rate;

(d) adjusting said stored refresh rate in response to automatically determining said amount to adjust said stored refresh rate; and

(e) repeating steps (b) through (d) to dynamically adjust said refresh rate.

2. The method for refreshing an internet web page of claim 1, wherein said step (c) of automatically determining an amount to adjust said stored refresh rate comprises the steps of:

automatically determining whether said internet web page has changed since a previous refresh;

automatically determining to increment said refresh rate if said said internet web page has changed; and

automatically determining to decrement said refresh rate if said internet web page has not changed.

3. The method for refreshing an internet web page of claim 1, wherein said step (c) of automatically determining an amount to adjust said stored refresh rate comprises comparing calculated CRC values for respective refreshed copies of an internet web page to determine whether said page has changed since a previous refresh operation.

4. The method for refreshing an internet web page of claim 1, further comprising the step of sending a message for user viewing in response to automatically determining an amoung to adjust said stored refresh rate.

5. A computer program product for displaying and refreshing an internet web page, said computer program product including a plurality of computer exectuable instructions stored on a computer readable medium, wherein said instructions, when executed by said computer, cause the computer to perform the steps of:

(a) storing a refresh rate for refreshing said internet web page;

(b) requesting refresh of said internet web page at said stored refresh rate to receive at least one refreshed internet web page;

(c) automatically determining, from said at least one refreshed internet web page, an amount to adjust said stored refresh rate;

(d) storing an adjusted refresh rate based on said amount to adjust said stored refresh rate; and

(e) repeating steps (b) through (d) to dynamically adjust said refresh rate.

6. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein said step (c) of automatically determining an amount to adjust said stored refresh rate comprises the steps of:

automatically determining whether said internet web page has changed since a previous refresh;

automatically determining to increment said refresh rate if said said internet web page has changed; and

automatically determining to decrement said refresh rate if said internet web page has not changed.

7. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein said step (c) of automatically determining an amount to adjust said stored refresh rate comprises comparing calculated CRC values for respective refreshed copies of an internet web page to determine whether said page has changed since a previous refresh operation.

8. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein said instructions, when executed by said computer, further cause the computer to perform the step of sending a message for user viewing in response to automatically determining an amount to adjust said stored refresh rate.

9. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein said instructions, when executed by said computer, further cause the computer to perform the steps of:

sending a message for user viewing in response to automatically determining an amount to adjust said stored refresh rate; and

receiving confirmation from said user to adjust said stored refresh rate, said step (d) of storing an adjusted refresh rate being performed in response to receiving said confirmation.

10. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein said step (d) of storing an adjusted refresh rate is performed automatically by said computer in response to said step (c) of automatically determining an amount to adjust said stored refresh rate, said adjusted refresh rate being calculated from said amount to adjust said stored refresh rate.