System and method for retrieval, saving and printing of using hyperlinks

• US 6,314,432 B1
• Filed: 05/13/1998
• Issued: 11/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Potts, Richard W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): RONES, CHARLES
• Application Number:
  US09/078,281
• Time in Patent Office: 1,273 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/103, 707/104, 707/10, 707/104.1, 709/245, 709/224, 709/203, 709/217, 711/124, 711/122
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2216/17 Web printing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

A system and method for storing, saving and printing information in a computer network system, particularly the internet, where a plurality of network server devices are in communication with at least one user device. First a network session is established between a user device and one or more of the network server devices. A display device is provided to show a target page including a plurality of first level link references for selection by the user. Each first level link reference in turn includes subsequent level link references. A server search is conducted to identify all level link references pertaining to a specified server network. The results are in turn stored, printed or saved at a memory location.

Claims

1. A method for retrieving information in a computer network system having a plurality of network server devices;

said method comprising;

establishing a network session between at least one user device and a first network server device;

displaying a target page on a screen connected to said user device, said target page including a plurality of first level link references for selection by any user where each first level link reference further includes subsequent level link references;

enabling said user to select a set of one or more server devices based on references provided by said target page, wherein said set excludes at least one server device referenced by said target page;

searching and identifying all level link references provided by said target page and all subsequent level links that pertain to said selected set of one or more server devices.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of storing said search result in a memory location.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of printing said search result.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of saving said search information to a medium.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of printing said search result.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of storing said search result in a memory location.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein an on-screen print option is provided to allow users to select print option, one of said option being identified as server search type option for performing reference searches according to reference locations as serviced by a particular server.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein an on-screen save option is provided to allow users to select print option, one of said save options being identified as server search type option for performing reference searches according to reference locations as serviced by a particular server, and another save option being user selections of where on which medium said information is to be stored.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said user inputs server selection via an interface device electronically connected to said user device.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a depth of call option wherein any user is provided an option of limiting said search and printing of references to a specified level of hyperlink references.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said set of one or more server devices is selected by said user.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said set of one or more server devices is identified as said first server device in networking communication with said user device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein more than one server device can be specified.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said computer network is an internet and said network server devices are web server devices.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said level link references are hyperlink references.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one specific server device can be defined to be excluded from said searching.

17. A computer networking system for retrieving information, said system comprising:

at least one network server device for establishing a network session;

a user device in communication with at least one processing unit capable of establishing network sessions with network server devices;

communication means for connecting said user devices with said network server(s);

access means for establishing a successful network session between a first network server device and said user device;

a display device in processing communication with said user device and said first network server for displaying to users a target page, said target page including a plurality of first level link references for selection by any user where each first level link reference includes subsequent level link references;

means for enabling a user to select a set of one or more server devices based on references provided by said target page, wherein said set excludes at least one server device referenced by said target page;

means for providing server search options to allow said user to search all level link references provided by said selected set of one or more network server devices.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising the step of storing said search result in a memory location.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising the step of printing said search result.

20. The system of claim 17, further comprising the step of providing a depth of call option wherein any user is provided an option of limiting said search and printing of references to a specified level of link references.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein said set of server devices is specified by said user.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein said set of server devices is specified by said user via an interface device electronically connected to said user device.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein said set of server devices is identified as said first server device in networking communication with said user device.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein an on-screen print option is provided to allow users to select print option, one of said option being identified as server search type option for performing reference searches according to reference locations as serviced by a particular server.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein more than one server device can be specified.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein an on-screen save option is provided to allow users to select print option, one of said save options being identified as server search type option for performing reference searches according to reference locations as serviced by a particular server, and another save option being user selections of where on which medium said information is to be stored.

27. The system of claim 17, wherein said computer network is an internet and said network server devices are web server devices.

28. The system of claim 17, wherein said level link references are hyperlink references.

29. The system of claim 17, wherein at least one specific server can be defined to be excluded from search.

30. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for excluding one or more servers from search.