Web browser column control

• US 6,232,967 B1
• Filed: 11/24/1997
• Issued: 05/15/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kelley, Edward E., Dauerer, Norman J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Ba
• Application Number:
  US08/977,185
• Time in Patent Office: 1,268 Days
• Field of Search: 707/503, 707/504, 707/509, 707/513, 707/517, 707/511, 707/512, 345/333, 345/342, 345/352, 345/353, 345/354, 345/973, 345/118, 345/121, 345/123
• US Class Current: 345/684
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/986 Document structures and storage, e.g. HTML extensions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/973 Scroll tool, e.g. window scroll bar

Abstract

Web browser interaction with HTML files is modified to allow for columns of row headings to be defined as non-scrollable so that the headings will always be visible as the data rows are scrolled to the left or to the right. Multiple non-scrollable row headings may be in an adjacent position and certain row headings are allowed to displace other columns of row headings when they are in an adjacent position. A new HTML tag, referred to as the column scroll tag, identifies a column of row headings in a file as non-scrollable depending on the screen position of the column. When there is a column of headings that reach the left-most position of the screen, the columns become locked and remain on the screen. A column scroll tag also has the property of displacement or no displacement. Displacement means that once two non-scrollable columns are adjacent, the right-most non-scrollable column would immediately displace the left-most column non-scrollable column, when the data is scrolled to the left on a screen. When the data is scrolled to the right on a screen, displacement means that once two non-scrollable columns are adjacent, the left-most non-scrollable column would immediately displace the right-most column non-scrollable column, when the data is scrolled to the left on a screen. Non-displacement means that when two columns are adjacent and at the left-most or right-most column positions, they both become locked in such screen positions.

Claims

1. A process for visually displaying multiple information and row headings on a computer screen using an inter- or intra-net web browser comprising the steps of:

a) providing a data file having a first data heading column and a plurality of data columns associated with said first data heading column;

b) identifying said first data heading column with a non-displaceable HTML tag;

c) locking said first data heading column on a side position of said computer screen;

d) scrolling said data columns across and off said screen while said first data heading column is locked on the side screen position; and

e) scrolling a second data heading column across said screen until said second data heading column is locked adjacent the first data heading column, such that the first and second data heading columns remain locked in the side screen position.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein said HTML tag is a scroll tag comprising hypertext markup language.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein said data heading column comprises a plurality of columns containing data headings, and wherein in steps (c) and (d) the plurality of data. heading columns are locked in said side screen position.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein each of said data heading and data columns contain multiple rows.

5. The process of claim 1 including the step of displaying said data heading and data columns in a single window in said web browser.

6. A process for visually displaying multiple information and row headings on a computer screen using an inter- or intra-net web browser comprising the steps of:

a) providing a data file having a first data heading columns and a plurality of first data columns associated with and to the right of said first data heading column and a second data heading columns and a plurality of second data columns associated with and to the right of said second data heading column, the second data heading column and associated second data columns being to the right of said first data columns;

b) identifying each of said first and second data heading columns with an HTML tag;

c) locking said first data heading column on a left side position of said computer screen;

d) scrolling said first data columns across to the left and off said screen while said first data heading column is locked on the left side screen position;

e) scrolling said second data heading column across to the left and locking said second data heading column on said left side position of said computer screen, thereby displacing said first data heading column; and

f) scrolling said second data columns across to the left and off said screen while said second data heading column is locked on the left side screen position.

7. The process of claim 6 wherein in step (e) said first data heading column is displaced off said screen.

8. A process for visually displaying multiple information and row headings on a computer screen using an inter- or intra-net web browser comprising the steps of:

a) providing a data file having a first data heading columns and a plurality of first data columns associated with and to the right of said first data heading column and a second data heading columns and a plurality of second data columns associated with and to the right of said second data heading column, the second data heading column and associated second data columns being to the right of said first data columns;

b) identifying each of said first and second data heading columns with an HTML tag;

c) locking said second data heading column on a left side position of said computer screen;

d) scrolling said second data columns across to the right and off said screen while said second data heading column is locked on the left side screen position, until a left-most second data column is adjacent said second data heading column;

e) locking said first data heading column on said left side position of said computer screen, thereby displacing said second data heading column; and

f) scrolling said first data columns across to the right of said screen while said first data heading column is locked on the left side screen position.

9. The process of claim 8 wherein in step (e) said second data heading column is displaced off said screen.

10. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method of visually displaying multiple information and row headings on a computer screen using an inter- or intra-net web browser, said method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a data file having a first data heading column and a plurality of data columns associated with said data heading column;

b) identifying said first data heading column with a non-displaceable HTML tag;

c) locking said first data heading column on a side position of said computer screen;

d) scrolling said data columns across and off said screen while said first data heading column is locked on the side screen position; and

e) scrolling a second data heading column across said screen until said second data heading column is locked adjacent the first data heading column, such that the first and second data heading columns remain locked in the side screen position.

11. The program storage device of claim 10 wherein step (b) of the method said HTML tag is a scroll tag comprising hypertext markup language.

12. The program storage device of claim 10 wherein step (a) of the method said data heading column comprises a plurality of columns containing data headings, and wherein in steps (c) and (d) the plurality of data heading columns are locked in said side screen position.

13. The program storage device of claim 10 wherein step (a) of the method each of said data heading and data columns contain multiple rows.

14. The program storage device of claim 10 wherein the method includes the step of displaying said data heading and data columns in a single window in said web browser.

15. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method of visually displaying multiple information and row headings on a computer screen using an inter- or intra-net web browser, said method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a data file having a first data heading columns and a plurality of first data columns associated with and to the right of said first data heading column and a second data heading columns and a plurality of second data columns associated with and to the right of said second data heading column, the second data heading column and associated second data columns being to the right of said first data columns;

b) identifying each of said first and second data heading columns with an HTML tag;

c) locking said first data heading column on a left side position of said computer screen;

d) scrolling said first data columns across to the left and off said screen while said first data heading column is locked on the left side screen position;

e) scrolling said second data heading column across to the left and locking said second data heading column on said left side position of said computer screen, thereby displacing said first data heading column; and

f) scrolling said second data columns across to the left and off said screen while said second data heading column is locked on the left side screen position.

16. The program storage device of claim 15 wherein in step (e) of the method said first data healing column is displaced off said screen.

17. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method of visually displaying multiple information and row headings on a computer screen using an inter- or intra-net web browser, said method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a data file having a first;

data heading columns and a plurality of first data columns associated with and to the right of said first data heading column and a second data heading columns and a plurality of second data columns associated with and to the right of said second data heading column, the second data heading column and associated second data columns being to the right of said first data columns;

b) identifying each of said first and second data heading columns with an HTML tag;

c) locking said second data heading column on a left side position of said computer screen;

d) scrolling said second data columns across to the right and off said screen while said second data heading column is locked on the left side screen position, until a left-most second data column is adjacent said second data heading column;

e) locking said first data heading column on said left side position of said computer screen, thereby displacing said second data heading column; and

f) scrolling said first data columns across to the right of said screen while said first data heading column is locked on the left side screen position.

18. The program storage device of claim of claim 17 wherein step (e) of the method said second data heading column is displaced off said screen.

19. A system for visually displaying multiple information and row headings on a computer screen using an inter- or intra-net web browser comprising:

a data file readable by said web browser having a first data heading column and a plurality of data columns associated with said first data heading column; and

said first data heading column having a non-displaceable HTML tag, said first data heading column being adapted to lock on a side position of said computer screen and said data columns being adapted to scroll across and off said screen while said data heading column is locked on the side screen position,

said data file further being adapted to scroll a second data heading column across said screen until said second data heading column is locked adjacent the first data heading column, such that the first and second data heading columns remain locked in the side screen position.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said HTML tag is a scroll tag adapted to hypertext markup language.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein said data heading column comprises a plurality of columns containing data headings, and wherein the plurality of data heading columns are adapted to lock in said side screen position.

22. The system of claim 19 wherein each of said data heading and data columns contain multiple rows.

23. The system of claim 19 wherein said data file is adapted to display said data heading and data columns in a single window in said web browser.

24. A system for visually displaying multiple information and row headings on a computer screen using an inter- or intra-net web browser comprising:

a data file readable by said web browser having a first data heading columns and a plurality of first data columns associated with and to the right of said first data heading column and a second data heading columns and a plurality of second data columns associated with and to the right of said second data heading column, the second data heading column and associated second data columns being to the right of said first data columns; and

a first and second data heading columns with an HTML tag, said first data heading column being adapted to lock on a left side position of said computer screen, said first data columns being adapted to scroll across to the left and off said screen while said first data heading column is locked on the left side screen position, said second data heading column being adapted to scroll across to the left and lock or said left side position of said computer screen, thereby displacing said first data heading column, and said second data columns being adapted to scroll across to the left and off said screen while said second data heading column is locked on the left side screen position.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein said first data heading column is adapted to be displaced off said screen.

26. A system for visually displaying multiple information and row headings on a computer screen using an inter- or intra-net web browser comprising:

a data file readable by said web browser having a first data heading columns and a plurality of first data columns associated with and to the right of said first data heading column and a second data heading columns and a plurality of second data columns associated with and to the right of said second data heading column, the second data heading column and associated second data columns being to the right of said first data columns; and

b) a first and second data heading columns with an HTML tag, said second data heading column being adapted to lock on a left side position of said computer screen, said second data columns being adapted to scroll across to the right and off said screen while said second data heading column is locked on the left side screen position, until a left-most second data column is adjacent said second data heading column, said first data heading column being adapted to lock on said left side position of said computer screen, thereby displacing said second data heading column, and said first data columns being adapted to scroll across to the right of said screen while said first data heading column is locked on the left side screen position.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein said second data heading column is adapted to be displaced off said screen.

28. An article of manufacture for visually displaying multiple information and row headings on a computer screen using an inter- or intra-net web browser comprising:

a data file readable by said web browser having a first data heading columns and a plurality of first data columns associated with and to the right of said first data heading column and a second data heading columns and a plurality of second data columns associated with and to the right of said second data heading column, the second data heading column and associated second data columns being to the right of said first data columns;

a means for locking said first data heading column on a left side position of said computer screen;

a means for scrolling said first data columns across to the left and off said screen while said first data heading column is locked on the left side screen position;

a means for scrolling said second data heading column across to the left and locking said second data heading column on said left side position of said computer screen, thereby displacing said first data heading column; and

a means for scrolling said second data columns across to the left and off said screen while said second data heading column is locked on the left side screen position.

29. An article of manufacture for visually displaying multiple information and row headings on a computer screen using an inter- or intra-net web browser comprising:

a data file readable by said web browser having a first data heading columns and a plurality of first data columns associated with and to the right of said first data heading column and a second data heading columns and a plurality of second data columns associated with and to the right of said second data heading column, the second data heading column and associated second data columns being to the right of said first data columns;

a means for identifying each of said first and second data heading columns with an HTML tag;

a means for locking said second data heading column on a left side position of said computer screen;

a means for scrolling said second data columns across to the right and off said screen while said second data heading column is locked on the left side screen position, until a left-most second data column is adjacent said second data heading column;

a means for locking said first data heading column on said left side position of said computer screen;

a means for scrolling said first data columns across to the right of said screen while said first data heading column is locked on the left side screen position.

30. A process for visually displaying multiple information and row headings on a computer screen using an inter- or intra-net web browser comprising the steps of:

a) providing a data file having a first data heading column and a plurality of data columns associated with said first data heading column;

b) identifying said first data heading column with a displaceable HTML tag;

c) locking said first data heading column on a side position of said computer screen;

d) scrolling said data columns across and off said screen while said first data heading column is locked on the side screen position; and

e) scrolling a second data heading column across said screen to the side screen position, such that the second data heading column displaces the first data heading column and the second data heading column is locked in the side screen position.

31. A system for visually displaying multiple information and low headings on a computer screen using an inter- or intra-net web browser comprising:

a data file readable by said web browser having a first data heading column and a plurality of data columns associated with said first data heading column; and

said first data heading column having a displaceable HTML tag, said first data heading column being adapted to lock on a side position of said computer screen and said data columns being adapted to scroll across and off said screen while said first data heading column is locked on the side screen position,

said data file further being adapted to scroll a second data heading column across said screen to the side screen position, such that the second data heading column displaces the first data heading column and the second data heading column is locked in the side screen position.