Web browser printing enhancements

• US 6,320,671 B1
• Filed: 05/15/1998
• Issued: 11/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1998
• 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): Coles, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lamb, Twyler
• Application Number:
  US09/079,552
• Time in Patent Office: 1,285 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.18, 358/1.17, 358/468, 358/448, 358/444, 382/219, 382/221, 382/222, 707/517, 707/101, 707/523, 707/526
• US Class Current: 358/1.18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00204 with a digital computer or a digital computer system, e.g. an internet server programmed control between transmitter and receiver or between image input and image output device H04N1/32561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00395 Arrangements for reducing operator input input arrangements for job or mode instructions or parameters H04N1/00962; intelligent menu interfaces H04N1/00437
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32005 Automation of particular receiver jobs, e.g. rejecting unwanted calls requesting a communication from a transmitter H04N1/32771; with picture signal storage for forwarding messages H04N1/32358
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32037 Automation of particular transmitter jobs, e.g. multi-address calling, auto-dialing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32048 Auto-dialling or Auto-calling H04N1/32053 - H04N1/32074 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation

Abstract

A method and system for printing web pages from an intra- or internet source with a client computer. The client computer is capable of accessing and viewing a web page from an intra- or internet source and has access to a program storage. The program storage device includes (i) an HTML source file containing a list of printable web pages and (ii) a program of instructions executable by the computer at a predetermined, modifiable time to print web pages from the intra- or internet source with the client computer. The program selects one or more of the printable web pages from the HTML source file, accesses the web pages selected from the HTML source file, and prints the accessed web pages. The printable web pages may be accessed on different levels of hierarchy in HTML files. The storage device also contains a plurality of different lists of printable web pages and a menu of each of the lists, whereby the method includes selecting from the menu a desired list and providing an HTML source file containing the desired list of printable web pages.

Claims

1. A method of printing web pages from an intra- or internet source with a client computer comprising the steps of:

a) providing in a storage device accessible by said client computer a list of printable web pages from an intra- or internet source, said list of printable web pages having associated therewith an identification of a printer;

b) providing a stored HTML source file containing said list of printable web pages;

c) viewing said stored HTML source file containing said list of printable web pages at said client computer;

d) selecting one or more of said printable web pages from said stored HTML source file;

e) accessing the web pages selected from the stored HTML source file; and

f) printing the accessed web pages on said printer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said printable web pages are located on different levels of hierarchy in HTML files accessible by said client computer from an intra- or internet source.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) comprises providing in a storage device accessible by said client computer a plurality of different lists of printable web pages from an intra- or internet source and a menu of each of said lists, further including between steps (a) and (b) the step of selecting from said menu a desired list, and wherein step (b) comprises providing an HTML source file containing said desired list of printable web pages.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said steps (d) selecting one or more of said printable web pages from said HTML source file, (e) accessing the web pages selected from the HTML source file, and (f) printing the accessed web pages, are executed by a command, previously stored in said storage device accessible by said client computer, at a predefined time.

5. A method of printing web pages from an intra- or internet source with a client computer comprising the steps of:

a) providing in a storage device accessible by said client computer a plurality of different lists of printable web pages identified from an intra- or internet source, said list of printable web pages having associated therewith an identification of a printer;

b) providing in said storage device a menu of each of said lists of printable web pages;

c) viewing said menu at said client computer;

d) selecting from said menu a desired list;

e) providing an HTML source file containing said desired list of printable web pages;

f) viewing said HTML source file containing said list of printable web pages at said client computer;

g) selecting one or more of said printable web pages from said HTML source file;

h) accessing the web pages selected from the HTML source file; and

i) printing the accessed web pages on said printer.

6. The method of claim 5 further including the step of modifying the identified printable web pages in at least one of said lists in said storage device.

7. The method of claim 5 further including the step of adding at least one additional list of identified printable web pages from an intra- or internet source to said storage device, and modifying said menu in said storage device to add said at least one additional list.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein said printable web pages are located on different levels of hierarchy in HTML files accessible by said client computer from an intra- or internet source.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein said steps (g) selecting one or more of said printable web pages from said HTML source file, (h) accessing the web pages selected from the HTML source file, and (i) printing the accessed web pages, are executed by a command, previously stored in said storage device accessible by said client computer, at a predefined time.

10. A system for printing web pages from an intra- or internet source with a client computer comprising:

a client computer capable of accessing a web page from an intra- or internet source and viewing said web page; and

a program storage device accessible by said client computer, said program storage device having a stored HTML source file containing a list of printable web pages from said intra- or internet source, said list of printable web pages having associated therewith an identification of a printer, said program storage device further having a program of instructions executable by the computer at a predetermined time to print web pages from said intra- or internet source with said client computer comprising the steps of;

a) selecting one or more of said printable web pages from said HTML source file having associated therewith said identification of said printer;

b) accessing the web pages selected from the HTML source file; and

c) printing the accessed web pages on said printer.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein step (b) includes accessing the printable web pages on different levels of hierarchy in HTML files accessible by said client computer from an intra- or internet source.

12. A method of printing web pages from an intra- or internet source with a client computer comprising the steps of:

a) providing in a storage device accessible by said client computer a list of printable web pages from an intra- or internet source, said list of printable web pages having associated therewith an identification of a printer;

b) providing an HTML source file containing said list of printable web pages;

c) viewing said HTML source file containing said list of printable web pages at said client computer;

d) selecting one or more of said printable web pages from said HTML source file by executing a command, previously stored in said storage device accessible by said client computer, at a predefined time;

e) accessing the web pages selected from the HTML source file using said command at said predefined time;

f) printing the accessed web pages using said command at said predefined time; and

g) modifying said predefined time for executing steps (d), (e) and (f).

13. The method of claim 12 wherein step (a) comprises providing in a storage device accessible by said client computer a plurality of different lists of printable web pages from an intra- or internet source and a menu of each of said lists, further including between steps (a) and (b) the step of selecting from said menu a desired list, and wherein step (b) comprises providing an HTML source file containing said desired list of printable web pages and an identification of a printer.

14. The method of claim 13 further including between steps (a) and the step of selecting from said menu a desired list, the steps of viewing said menu at said client computer.

15. A method of printing web pages from an intra- or internet source with a client computer comprising the steps of:

a) providing in a storage device accessible by said client computer a list of printable web pages from an intra- or internet source, said list of printable web pages having associated therewith an identification of a printer;

b) providing an HTML source file containing said list of printable web pages;

c) viewing said HTML source file containing said list of printable web pages at said client computer;

d) selecting one or more of said printable web pages from said HTML source file;

e) accessing the web pages selected from the HTML source file; and

f) printing the accessed web pages on said printer.

16. The method of claim 15 further including the step of changing the identification of said printer in said HTML source file prior to step (f).

17. The method of claim 15 wherein step (a) comprises providing in a storage device accessible by said client computer a plurality of different lists of printable web pages from an intra- or internet source and a menu of each of said lists, and further including between steps (a) and (b) the step of selecting from said menu a desired list.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said printable web pages are located on different levels of hierarchy in HTML files accessible by said client computer from an intra- or internet source.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein said steps (d) selecting one or more of said printable web pages from said HTML source file, (e) accessing the web pages selected from the HTML source file, and (f) printing the accessed web pages, are executed by a command, previously stored in said storage device accessible by said client computer, at a predefined time.

20. The method of claim 17 further including the step of modifying the identified printable web pages in at least one of said lists in said storage device.

21. The method of claim 17 further including the step of adding at least one additional list of identified printable web pages from an intra- or internet source to said storage device, and modifying said menu in said storage device to add said at least one additional list.

22. A method of printing web pages from an intra- or internet source with a client computer comprising the steps of:

a) providing in a storage device accessible by said client computer a plurality of different lists of printable web pages from an intra- or internet source and a menu of each of said lists;

said list of printable web pages having associated therewith an identification of a printer;

b) selecting from said menu a desired list;

c) providing an HTML source file containing said desired list of printable web pages;

d) viewing said HTML source file containing said list of printable web pages at said client computer;

e) selecting one or more of said printable web pages from said HTML source file;

f) changing the identification of said printer in said HTML source file;

g) accessing the web pages selected from the HTML source file; and