Method and apparatus for accessing and downloading information from the internet
First Claim
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1. A method of automatically gathering information from a computer network onto a hand held computer system comprising the steps of:
- defining a search criteria, the search criteria including one or more topics;
storing the search criteria in a flash memory of the hand held computer system;
providing the hand held computer system with access to the computer network through a phone line and modem;
signaling a processor in the hand held computer to execute search application software, the search application software being stored in the flash memory;
automatically searching the computer network for information corresponding to the search criteria, the search being performed during a period of time when there is no interaction between the computer system and a user;
automatically downloading the information corresponding to the search criteria from the computer network into the flash memory of the hand held computer;
the downloading being performed during a period of time when there is no interaction between the computer system and a user;
displaying portions of information on a display screen of the hand held computer system in response to user input commands at a time when the user desires to view the stored information corresponding to the search criteria.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for accessing and downloading information from the internet to a hand held computer system. The computer system includes a bus to which a processor, a display screen, input keys, and a flash memory are coupled. The flash memory stores an operating system for the computer system, search criteria, information corresponding to the search criteria downloaded from the internet, and display application software for displaying the information on the display screen.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of automatically gathering information from a computer network onto a hand held computer system comprising the steps of:
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defining a search criteria, the search criteria including one or more topics; storing the search criteria in a flash memory of the hand held computer system; providing the hand held computer system with access to the computer network through a phone line and modem; signaling a processor in the hand held computer to execute search application software, the search application software being stored in the flash memory; automatically searching the computer network for information corresponding to the search criteria, the search being performed during a period of time when there is no interaction between the computer system and a user; automatically downloading the information corresponding to the search criteria from the computer network into the flash memory of the hand held computer;
the downloading being performed during a period of time when there is no interaction between the computer system and a user;displaying portions of information on a display screen of the hand held computer system in response to user input commands at a time when the user desires to view the stored information corresponding to the search criteria. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method of automatically gathering information from a computer network onto a hand held computer system comprising the steps of:
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defining broad search criteria corresponding to one or more topics; storing the broad search criteria in a flash memory of the hand held computer system; signaling a processor in the hand held computer to execute search application software, the search application software being stored in the flash memory; automatically searching the computer network for information corresponding to the broad search criteria; automatically categorizing the information corresponding to the results of the search according to the one or more topics and storing the information in an on-line database located on the computer network; wherein the search and the categorization are performed during a period of time when there is no interaction between the computer system and a user; storing user-defined search criteria in the flash memory of the hand held computer system; automatically accessing the on-line database of the computer network and filtering the stored information using the user-defined search criteria; automatically downloading the filtered information corresponding to the user-defined search criteria from the computer network into the flash memory of the hand held computer; wherein the filtering and downloading are performed during a period of time when there is no interaction between the computer system and a user; displaying portions of the filtered information on a display screen of the hand held computer system in response to user input commands at a time when the user desires to view the stored information corresponding to the search criteria. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7)
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8. A hand held computer system comprising:
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a bus; a processor coupled to the bus; a display screen coupled to the bus; a modem coupled to the bus and to a phone jack which allows the computer system to communicate with a computer network; and flash memory coupled to the bus for storing all data requiring non-volatile permanency, the flash memory having stored therein; an operating system having instructions; search criteria corresponding to one or more topics; search application software that, responsive to the operating systems instructions, automatically searches and downloads information corresponding to the search criteria from the computer network into the flash memory during a period of time when there is no interaction between the computer system and a user; and display application software that, when executed by the processor, causes the information to be displayed on the display screen. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification