Dynamic multiplexing of hyperlinks and bookmarks

• US 6,182,113 B1
• Filed: 09/16/1997
• Issued: 01/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Snap, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Narayanaswami, Chandrasekhar
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Assistant Examiner(s): Farahi, Farzaneh
• Application Number:
  US08/931,796
• Time in Patent Office: 1,232 Days
• Field of Search: 709/223, 709/224, 709/245, 709/203
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9562 Bookmark management

Abstract

Apparatus and a method are disclosed for operating a data processing system that is coupled to a data communications network. The method includes a first step of storing a plurality of Bookmarks, individual ones of which refer to one of a plurality of data communications network sites, wherein each of the plurality of data network communications network sites provides a similar type of information. A second step designates one of the plurality of Bookmarks as a currently active Bookmark based on at least one criterion. In one embodiment the step of designating is executed in response to a user selecting a Multiplexed Bookmark that comprises the plurality of Bookmarks, while in another embodiment the step of designating is executed periodically. The at least one criterion can be, by example, a time of day, a location of the data processing system, or a bandwidth of a data communications link between the data processing system and the data communications network. In another aspect this invention teaches apparatus and a method for operating a World Wide Web (WWW) Server of a type that maintains WWW pages, at least some of which contain at least one Hyperlink. A first step receives a request for a particular Hyperlink, and a second step formats a response to the request for the particular Hyperlink in accordance with at least one criterion that is associated with a requestor of the Hyperlink. In this case the at least one criterion can be a time of day at a location of the requestor, a location of the requestor, or a bandwidth of a data communications link between the requestor and the data communications network.

Claims

1. A method for operating a data processing system that is coupled to a data communications network, comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of Bookmarks individual ones of which refer to one of a plurality of data communications network sites, each of the plurality of data network communications network sites providing a similar type of information; and

designating one of the plurality of Bookmarks as a currently active Bookmark based on at least one criterion specified in accordance with at least one of a plurality of variables associated with the data processing system.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of designating is executed in response to a user selecting a multiplexed Bookmark that comprises the plurality of Bookmarks.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of designating is executed periodically during the operation of the data processing system.

4. A method as in claim 1, wherein the at least one criterion is a time of day.

5. A method as in claim 1, wherein the at least one criterion is a location of the data processing system.

6. A method as in claim 1, wherein the at least one criterion is a bandwidth of a data communications link between the data processing system and the data communications network.

7. A method as in claim 1, wherein the at least one criterion is expressed as meta-data.

8. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of designating includes an initial step of operating an n-dimensional scheduler for specifying individual ones of said Bookmarks in association with said at least one criterion.

9. A method as in claim 1, wherein the step of designating includes an initial step of operating an n-dimensional scheduler for associating individual ones of said Bookmarks with at least one of a time of day, a location of the data processing system, or a bandwidth of a data communications link between the data processing system and the data communications network, and wherein the step of designating designates one of the plurality of Bookmarks as a currently active Bookmark based on at least one a current time of day, a current location of data processing system, or a current bandwidth of the data communications link between the data processing system and the data communications network.

10. A method as in claim 1, wherein individual ones of the data communications network sites are each comprised a World Wide Web Server.

11. A method for operating a World Wide Web (WWW) Server of a type that maintains WWW pages, at least some of which contain at least one Hyperlink, comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for a particular Hyperlink from a data processing system connected to the World Wide Web; and

formatting a response to the request for the particular Hyperlink in accordance with at least one criterion associated with a requestor of the Hyperlink, the criterion being specified in accordance with at least one of a plurality of variables associated with said data processing system;

the at least one criterion being automatically determined by the WWW Server based on information encoded in the request.

12. A method as in claim 11, wherein the step of formatting is executed in response to the requestor selecting a multiplexed Hyperlink.

13. A method as in claim 11, wherein the at least one criterion is a time of day at a location of the requestor.

14. A method as in claim 11, wherein the at least one criterion is a location of the requestor.

15. A method as in claim 11, wherein the at least one criterion is a bandwidth of a data communications link between the requestor and the data communications network.

16. A method as in claim 11, wherein the step of receiving a request also includes a step of receiving information that is descriptive of at least one of a time of day at the requestor, a location of the requestor, or a bandwidth of a data communications link between the requestor and the data communications network, and wherein the step of formatting the response to the request for the particular Hyperlink formats the response in accordance with the received information.

17. A method as in claim 11 wherein the step of receiving a request also includes a step of receiving a network address of the requestor, and further comprising a step of deriving information from the network address that is descriptive of the at least one criterion.

18. A method as in claim 11 wherein the step of receiving a request also includes a step of receiving a network address of the requestor, and further comprising steps of:

deriving at least one of a current time of day or a current location of the requestor from the network address; and

using the derived information when formatting the response.

19. A data processing system, comprising:

a network interface for coupling the data processing system to a data communications network;

a user interface for receiving information from a user and for presenting information to the user;

a memory for storing a plurality of Bookmarks individual ones of which refer to one of a plurality of data communications network sites, each of the plurality of data network communications network sites providing a similar type of information; and

a Multiplexed Bookmark software entity for designating one of the plurality of Bookmarks as a currently active Bookmark based on at least one criterion specified in accordance with at least one of a plurality of variables associated with the data processing system.

20. A data processing system as in claim 19, wherein said Multiplexed Bookmark software entity is invoked in response to the user selecting a multiplexed Bookmark that comprises the plurality of Bookmarks.

21. A data processing system as in claim 19, wherein said Multiplexed Bookmark software entity is periodically invoked during the operation of the data processing system.

22. A data processing system as in claim 19, wherein the at least one criterion is a time of day.

23. A data processing system as in claim 19, wherein the at least one criterion is a location of the data processing system.

24. A data processing system as in claim 19, wherein the at least one criterion is a bandwidth of said network interface.

25. A data processing system as in claim 19, wherein the at least one criterion is expressed as meta-data.

26. A data processing system as in claim 19, and further comprising an n-dimensional scheduler software entity that is responsive to user inputs received through said user interface for specifying individual ones of said Bookmarks in association with said at least one criterion.

27. A data processing system as in claim 19, and further comprising an n-dimensional scheduler software entity that is responsive to user inputs received through said user interface for associating individual ones of said Bookmarks with at least one of a time of day, a location of the data processing system, or a bandwidth of said network interface, and wherein said Multiplexed Bookmark software entity designates one of the plurality of Bookmarks as a currently active Bookmark based on at least one of a current time of day, a current location of data processing system, or a current bandwidth of the network interface.

28. A data processing system as in claim 19, wherein individual ones of the data communications network sites are each comprised a World Wide Web Server.

29. A World Wide Web (WWW) Server of a type that is coupled to a data communications network and that maintains WWW pages, at least some of which contain at least one Hyperlink, comprising:

a data communications network interface for receiving a Request for a particular Hyperlink from a data processing system connected to the World Wide Web; and

a data processor for automatically formatting a response to the Request for the particular Hyperlink in accordance with at least one criterion that is associated with a requestor of the Hyperlink, the at least one criterion being automatically determined by the data processor based on information encoded in the Request, the criterion being specified in accordance with at least one of a plurality of variables associated with the data processing system.

30. A WWW Server as in claim 29, wherein the operation of the data processor is invoked in response to the requestor selecting a multiplexed Hyperlink.

31. A WWW Server as in claim 29, wherein the at least one criterion is a time of day at a location of the requestor.

32. A WWW Server as in claim 29, wherein the at least one criterion is a location of the requestor.

33. A WWW Server as in claim 29, wherein the at least one criterion is a bandwidth of a data communications link between the requestor and the data communications network.

34. A WWW Server as in claim 29, wherein the Request includes information that is descriptive of at least one of a time of day at the requestor, a location of the requestor, or a bandwidth of a data communications link between the requestor and the data communications network, and wherein data processor formats the response to the Request for the particular Hyperlink in accordance with the received information.

35. A WWW Server as in claim 29, wherein the Request includes a network address of the requestor, and wherein said data processor is responsive to the received network address for deriving information from the network address that is descriptive of the at least one criterion.

36. A WWW Server as in claim 29, wherein the Request includes a network address of the requestor, and wherein said data processor is responsive to the received network address for deriving at least one of a current time of day or a current location of the requestor from the network address, and for using the derived information when formatting the response.

37. A WWW Server as in claim 29, wherein the Request includes a network address of an Intermediate Server that is coupled between the requestor and the WWW Server, and wherein said data processor is responsive to the received network address for deriving information from the network address that is descriptive of the at least one criterion.

38. A method for operating a data processing system that is coupled to a data communications network, comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of Bookmarks individual ones of which refer to one of a plurality of data communications network sites, each of the plurality of data network communications network sites providing a link having similar types of information; and

designating one of the plurality of Bookmarks as a currently active Bookmark based on meta-data obtained from a plurality of HTML headers wherein the meta-data indicates one of a level of link security and a size of a corresponding link.

39. A method as in claim 38, wherein the meta-data also indicates a time of last update of the link.

40. A method as in claim 38, wherein the step of designating is executed periodically.

41. A method as in claim 38, wherein the step of designating is executed in response to a user selecting a Multiplexed Bookmark that is comprised of the plurality of Bookmarks.