System for processing and storing internet bookmark address links

• US 6,032,162 A
• Filed: 01/08/1998
• Issued: 02/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 2, LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Alexander James Burke
• Inventors: Burke, Alexander James
• Primary Examiner(s): Feild, Joseph H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOURQUE, ROBERT D
• Application Number:
  US09/004,409
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 707/501, 707/513, 709/203, 709/218, 709/206, 345/335, 345/348-351, 345/356, 345/357
• US Class Current: 715/207
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9562 Bookmark management

Abstract

A system supports uploading, downloading, collating and storage of bookmark addresses (Universal Resource Locator codes--URLs) using a remote Internet site. A method for accessing Internet data using a remotely stored Internet address or bookmark (URL address code) at a User site involves initiating Internet communication with a remote Internet site and receiving User identification information for obtaining access to a stored bookmark. At least one bookmark stored at the remote Internet site is selected and transfer of data is initiated from an Internet data source at the selected bookmark address. The remote Internet site receives User identification information and bookmarks via Internet communication, stores the bookmarks in a file identifiable with the User Identification information and downloads the stored bookmarks in response to a request via Internet communication.

Claims

1. A method for processing Internet bookmarks for transfer to an Internet site for storage, comprising the steps of:

at a User site,

a) initiating Internet communication with a remote Internet site for storing bookmarks;

b) communicating User identification information for obtaining access to said remote Internet site;

c) selecting a file of User bookmarks for transfer, and

d) initiating transfer of said file of User bookmarks to a User specific file at said remote Internet site for access by said User and excluding access by others.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein

said Internet bookmarks are at least one of a) Internet Universal Resource Locator (URL) addresses and b) IP addresses.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said file of User bookmarks comprises one or more bookmarks.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein

said file of User bookmarks is an HTML file.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of

initiating Internet communication comprises establishing communication according to at least one of a) TCP/IP protocol, b) HTTP protocol, and c) a file transfer protocol.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein said step of

initiating transfer of said file of User bookmarks uses a file transfer protocol selected from a) FTP protocol, b) TFTP protocol, c) NFS protocol and d) Email transfer.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of

entering User identification information comprises the step of entering a) a Userid and b) a User password.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of

initiating transfer of said at least one selected bookmark comprises uploading said file of User bookmarks using TCP/IP protocol for secure storage at said remote Internet site in a file associated with said User and accessible following entry of User identification information.

9. A method for accessing Internet data using a remotely stored Internet address or bookmark (URL code), comprising the steps of:

at a User site,

a) initiating Internet communication with a remote Internet site;

b) communicating User identification information for obtaining access to a bookmark stored at a remote Internet site in a User specific file of bookmarks and excluding access by others, said User specific file being accessed by said User with said User identification information;

c) selecting at least one bookmark stored at said remote Internet site in said User specific file; and

d) initiating data transfer from an Internet data source at said at least one selected bookmark address.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein said step of

initiating Internet communication comprises establishing communication according to at least one of a) TCP/IP protocol, b) HTTP protocol, and c) a file transfer protocol.

11. A method according to claim 9, including the step of

initiating transfer of said selected bookmark from said remote Internet site to said User site, and wherein said step of

initiating data transfer comprises initiating data transfer from an Internet data source at said transferred selected bookmark address.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein said step of

initiating transfer of said bookmark from said remote Internet site to said User site uses a file transfer protocol selected from a) FTP protocol, b) TFTP protocol, c) NFS protocol and d) Email transfer.

13. A method according to claim 9, wherein said step of

initiating Internet communication with a remote Internet site comprises establishing secure integrated transparent access to said User specific file of bookmarks at said remote Internet site.

14. A method according to claim 9, including the step of

initiating transfer of said User specific file of bookmarks from said remote Internet site to said User site, and wherein said step of

selecting at least one bookmark stored at said remote Internet site comprises selecting a bookmark within said transferred User specific file.

15. A method according to claim 9, wherein

said selecting step comprises selecting said User specific file of bookmarks stored at said remote Internet site, and

said step of initiating data transfer comprises initiating data transfer from an Internet data source at a selected bookmark address within said User specific file.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein

said User specific file of bookmarks is an HTML file.

17. A method according to claim 9, wherein said step of

communicating User identification information comprises the step of communicating at least one of a) a Userid and b) a User password.

18. In a system suitable for storing Internet addresses or bookmarks (URL codes), a method for processing bookmarks, comprising the steps of:

at an Internet location,

a) receiving User identification information;

b) receiving a file of bookmarks via Internet communication;

c) storing said file of bookmarks in a User specific file for access by said User with said User Identification information and excluding access by others; and

d) downloading said stored bookmarks in response to a request via Internet communication.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein

said file of bookmarks comprises one or more bookmarks.

20. A method according to claim 18, including the step of

identifying the type of said Internet bookmark from types including at least one of a) Netscape Navigator™

and b) Microsoft Explorer™

.

21. A method according to claim 18, including the step of, within a plurality of bookmark files,

sorting said received files of bookmarks by User using said User identification information.

22. A method according to claim 18, including the step of

collating previously stored bookmarks in said User specific file and said received file of bookmarks to form a merged set of User specific bookmarks.

23. A method according to claim 18, wherein said step of

receiving said file of bookmarks comprises receiving an HTML file of bookmarks associated with a specific User.

24. A method according to claim 18, wherein said step of

receiving User identification information comprises the step of receiving at least one of a) a Userid and b) a User password.

25. A method for collating Internet bookmark addresses for display, comprising the steps of:

a) allocating a display attribute including at least one of, (a) color, (b) shading, and (c) shape to one of (i) individual Internet bookmark addresses, and (ii) a file of bookmark addresses, said display attribute representing a characteristic of a category of said bookmark addresses;

b) collating bookmark addresses by said characteristic; and

c) displaying said collated bookmark addresses together with a corresponding allocated display attribute.

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein

said display attribute includes at least one of, background highlighting, foreground highlighting, shading variation and color variation, and said characteristic comprises at least one of, a) source, b) function, c) content, and d) theme or topic.

27. A web browser for performing Internet browsing functions including web page acquisition, comprising:

an Internet bookmark processor for transferring a file of bookmarks to a remote Internet site for storage and for retrieving bookmarks from said remote Internet site by

a) communicating identification information to said remote Internet site for obtaining access to said remote Internet site and excluding access by others;

b) initiating upload of said file of User bookmarks to said remote Internet site for storage in response to user selection of a first browser command; and

c) initiating download of at least one of (a) a bookmark and (b) a file of bookmarks from a User specific file stored at said remote Internet site in response to user selection of a second browser command.

28. A web browser according to claim 27 wherein said file of User bookmarks comprises one or more bookmarks.