Web browser detection and default home page modification device

• US 5,949,419 A
• Filed: 05/12/1997
• Issued: 09/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Madhousemerhants.Com, LLC
• Inventors: Abaroa, Fred M, Domine, Robert M
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Ellis B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TITCOMB, WILLIAM D
• Application Number:
  US08/854,697
• Time in Patent Office: 848 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.8, 395/200.5, 395/200.51, 395/200.52, 395/200.53, 395/349, 709/250, 709/220, 709/221, 709/222, 709/223
• US Class Current: 715/744
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/95 Retrieval from the web

Abstract

In a method and apparatus for use on the world wide web, a programmed digital computer detects one or more web browser programs and, responsive to the user, selectively modifies the default home page of the detected web browser program or programs. The user may indicate whether, and in which web browsers, the default home page setting is to be altered. In one embodiment, a floppy disk contains a program which scans the memory of the user'"'"'s computer to detect one or more web browsers and automatically change the default home page web site setting in one or more of the detected web browsers. In a second embodiment, a program is downloaded over the internet which scans the memory of the user'"'"'s computer to detect one or more web browsers and automatically change the default home page web site setting in one or more of the detected web browsers.

Claims

1. In a communication network with a programmed digital computer including a memory containing at least one world wide web browser program for communicating via the internet to a world wide web site, said world wide web browser program having a default home page designation, a method for modifying said default home page designation in said world wide web browser program, said method comprising:

providing a display indication on said world wide web site of a choice to modify said default home page of said world wide web browser program to a predetermined default home page designated on said world wide web site;

indicating at said programmed digital computer containing said world wide web browser program that said predetermined default home page designated on said world wide web site is selected as the default home page designation for said world wide web browser program;

downloading a home page modification program from said world wide web site to said programmed digital computer, said home page modification program further including the steps of;

determining the existence of said world wide web browser program in said memory;

determining the location of the default home page designation in said particular world wide web browser program to provide a determined default home page memory location; and

storing said predetermined default home page designation in said determined default home page memory location.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said step of determining the existence of a particular web browser comprises scanning said memory to automatically detect the existence of said particular world wide web browser.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein said step of determining the existence of a particular web browser comprises manually selecting said particular world wide web browser.

4. In a communication network with a programmed digital computer including a memory containing a world wide web browser program coupled via the internet to a world wide web site, said world wide web browser program having a default home page designation, a method for modifying said default home page designation in said world wide web browser program, said method comprising:

providing a display indication on said world wide web site of a choice to modify said default home page of said world wide web browser program to a predetermined default home page designated on said world wide web site;

indicating at said programmed digital computer containing said world wide web browser program that said predetermined default home page designated on said world wide web site is selected as the default home page designation for said world wide web browser program; and

downloading a home page modification program from said world wide web site to said programmed digital computer, said home page modification program further including the step of

storing said world wide web site as said predetermined default home page designation in said world wide web browser program.

5. In a communication network with a programmed digital computer including a memory containing at least one world wide web browser program for communicating via the internet to a world wide web site, said world wide web browser program having a default home page designation, an apparatus for modifying said default home page designation in said world wide web browser program, said apparatus comprising:

means for providing a display indication on said world wide web site of a choice to modify said default home page of said world wide web browser program to a predetermined default home page designated on said world wide web site;

means for indicating at said programmed digital computer containing said world wide web browser program that said predetermined default home page designated on said world wide web site is selected as the default home page designation for said world wide web browser program; and

means for downloading a home page modification program from said world wide web site to said programmed digital computer, said home page modification program further including;

means for determining the existence of said world wide web browser program in said memory;

means for determining the location of the default home page designation in said particular world wide web browser program to provide a determined default home page memory location; and

means for storing said predetermined default home page designation in said determined default home page memory location.

6. An apparatus in accordance with claim 5, wherein said means for determining the existence of a particular web browser comprises scanning said memory to automatically detect the existence of said particular world wide web browser.

7. An apparatus in accordance with claim 5, wherein said means for determining the existence of a particular web browser comprises manually selecting said particular world wide web browser.

8. In a communication network with a programmed digital computer including a memory containing a world wide web browser program coupled via the internet to a world wide web site, said world wide web browser program having a default home page designation, an apparatus for modifying said default home page designation in said world wide web browser program, said apparatus comprising:

means for providing a display indication on said world wide web site of a choice to modify said default home page of said world wide web browser program to a predetermined default home page designated on said world wide web site;

means for indicating at said programmed digital computer containing said world wide web browser program that said predetermined default home page designated on said world wide web site is selected as the default home page designation for said world wide web browser program; and

means for downloading a home page modification program from said world wide web site to said programmed digital computer, said home page modification program further including

means for storing said world wide web site as said predetermined default home page designation in said world wide web browser program.

9. A computer program product for use in a programmed digital computer including a memory containing at least one world wide web browser program for communicating via the internet to a world wide web site, said world wide web browser program having a default home page designation, said computer program product responsive to a user indication for modifying said default home page designation in said world wide web browser program, said computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium containing an executable program for setting the default home page designation of a world wide web browser program to a predetermined world wide web site, said executable program comprising;

a first program code means for displaying an indication to said user to enable said user to choose whether said predetermined world wide web site is to be designated as the default home page designation of said world wide web browser program, said first program code means further including code means for determining the existence of said world wide web browser program in said memory and the location of the default home page designation in said particular world wide web browser program; and

a second program code means, responsive to a choice by said user, for storing said predetermined default home page designation in said default home page memory location.

10. A computer program product in accordance with claim 9, wherein said first program code means includes program code means for determining the existence of a predetermined web browser program by scanning said memory to automatically detect the existence of said predetermined world wide web browser program.

11. A computer program product in accordance with claim 9, wherein said second program code means includes program code means for determining the existence of a plurality of web browser programs and indicating to said user to manually select one or more of said plurality of world wide web browser programs.

12. In a world wide web site coupled via the internet to a programmed digital computer including a memory containing a world wide web browser program, said world wide web browser program having a default home page designation, a method for modifying said default home page designation in said world wide web browser program from said world wide web site, said method comprising:

providing a display on said world wide web site indicating a choice to modify said default home page of said world wide web browser program to a predetermined default home page designated on said world wide web site; and

downloading, responsive to an indication of choice from said programmed digital computer, a home page modification program from said world wide web site to said programmed digital computer, said home page modification program including the step of storing said predetermined default home page designation in said world wide web browser program.

13. In a world wide web site coupled via the internet to a programmed digital computer including a memory containing a world wide web browser program, said world wide web browser program having a default home page designation, an apparatus for modifying said default home page designation in said world wide web browser program from said world wide web site, said apparatus comprising:

means for providing a display on said world wide web site indicating a choice to modify said default home page of said world wide web browser program to a predetermined default home page designated on said world wide web site; and

means for downloading, responsive to a display indication of choice from said programmed digital computer, a home page modification program from said world wide web site to said programmed digital computer, said home page modification program including means for storing said predetermined default home page designation in said world wide web browser program.