Skeleton page retrieval mode for web navigation

• US 6,023,701 A
• Filed: 09/25/1997
• Issued: 02/08/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Narayanaswami, Chandrasekhar, Malik, Nadeem, Saha, Avijit
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coby, Frantz
• Application Number:
  US08/937,452
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/104, 707/1, 707/219, 395/200.31, 395/200.47, 395/200.62, 395/200.49, 709/201, 709/217
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9558 Details of hyperlinks; Management of linked annotations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A method and implementing computer system is provided in which an internet or web network user may invoke a hyperlink or site link listing mode to retrieve only the hyperlinks available on selected target pages rather than retrieving the entire text and graphics of the target pages. The network assembles only the available hyperlinks and associated activation code segments for presentation to the user. The user may then select from the presented hyperlinks, the most appropriate hyperlink or path in pursuit of the user'"'"'s particular search goals. The hyperlink access methodology enables faster navigation through selected and more direct paths to particular search goals by selectively assembling and displaying listings of only hyperlinks of designated target pages rather than entire page presentations. The user may designate and change the number of levels to be searched for hyperlinks, and displays are presented and organized so as to enable a user to quickly focus upon the sites most directly related to the user'"'"'s search goals while requiring only minimal network usage time and reducing network traffic. The designated path through the chosen sites may be saved as a bookmarks for future reference and access.

Claims

1. A method for enabling a computer terminal user to locate material on network pages related to a subject being perused on a network, said network pages including a plurality of different types of displayed items in a plurality of formats, said method comprising:

presenting a selection screen to the user whereby the user may make a selection to provide a skeleton listing of only designated types of displayed items;

displaying said skeleton listing to the user in response to an appropriate selection by the user, wherein said skeleton listing of designated types of displayed items comprises a listing of hyperlinks present on at least one selected network page; and

enabling a user to select a level value representative of a level of linked pages to be perused in providing said listing of hyperlinks.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein said listing of hyperlinks comprises hyperlinks present on said designated network page listed separately from and exclusive of the context displayed on said designated network page.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 and further including:

enabling a user to change said selected level value to a new value after said display of said hyperlinks;

assembling a new set of hyperlinks in accordance with said changed level value; and

displaying a new listing of hyperlinks to the user based upon a changed level value.

4. A method for enabling a computer terminal user to locate material on network pages related to a subject being perused on a network, said network pages including a plurality of different types of displayed items in a plurality of formats, said method comprising:

presenting a selection screen to the user whereby the user may make a selection to provide a skeleton listing of only designated types of displayed items;

displaying said skeleton listing to the user in response to an appropriate selection by the user, wherein said skeleton listing of designated types of displayed items comprises a listing of hyperlinks present on at least one selected network page;

enabling the user to select at least one of said displayed hyperlinks for activation;

enabling a user to select a level value representative of a level of linked pages to be perused in providing said listing of hyperlinks; and

retrieving a network page associated with a selected one of said displayed hyperlinks.

5. The method as set forth in claim 4 and further including:

enabling a user to change said selected level value to a new value after said display of said hyperlinks;

assembling a new set of hyperlinks in accordance with said changed level value; and

displaying a new listing of hyperlinks to the user based upon a changed level value.

6. A storage medium including machine readable indicia, said storage medium being selectively coupled to a reading device, said reading device being selectively coupled to processing circuitry within a computer system, said reading device being selectively operable to read said machine readable indicia and provide program signals representative thereof, said program signals being effective to cause said computer system to selectively provide a listing of hyperlinks assembled from a designated network page, said program signals being selectively operable to effect an accomplishment of the steps of:

presenting a selection screen to the user whereby the user may make a selection to provide a listing of hyperlinks included on at least one designated network page;

enabling a user to select a level value representative of a level of linked pages to be perused in providing said listing of hyperlinks; and

displaying said listing of hyperlinks to the user.

7. The storage medium as set forth in claim 6 wherein said listing of hyperlinks comprises hyperlinks present on said designated network page listed separately from, and exclusive of, the context displayed on said designated network page.

8. The storage medium as set forth in claim 6 wherein said steps further include:

enabling a user to change said selected level value to a new value after said display of said hyperlinks;

assembling a new set of hyperlinks in accordance with said changed level value; and

displaying a new listing of hyperlinks to the user based upon a changed level value.

9. A storage medium including machine readable indicia, said storage medium being selectively coupled to a reading device, said reading device being selectively coupled to processing circuitry within a computer system, said reading device being selectively operable to read said machine readable indicia and provide program signals representative thereof, said program signals being effective to cause said computer system to selectively provide a listing of hyperlinks assembled from a designated network page, said program signals being selectively operable to effect an accomplishment of the steps of:

presenting a selection screen to the user whereby the user may make a selection to provide a listing of hyperlinks included on at least one designated network page;

displaying said listing of hyperlinks to the user;

enabling the user to select at least one of said displayed hyperlinks for activation;

enabling a user to select a level value representative of a level of linked pages to be perused in providing said listing of hyperlinks; and

retrieving a network page associated with a selected one of said displayed hyperlinks.

10. The storage medium as set forth in claim 9 wherein said steps further include:

enabling a user to change said selected level value to a new value after said display of said hyperlinks;

assembling a new set of hyperlinks in accordance with said changed level value; and

displaying a new listing of hyperlinks to the user based upon a changed level value.