Computer system for supporting a website

• US 6,411,999 B1
• Filed: 10/08/1998
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Computers Limited (Fujitsu Limited)
• Original Assignee: International Computers Limited (Fujitsu Limited)
• Inventors: Tinkler, Simon Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): WILEY, DAVID ARMAND
• Application Number:
  US09/169,326
• Time in Patent Office: 1,356 Days
• Field of Search: 709/202, 709/201, 709/224, 709/203, 709/218, 709/217, 705/27, 705/103, 707/103, 707/232, 707/513, 707/10, 707/9, 345/357, 345/329
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9558 Details of hyperlinks; Management of linked annotations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking

Abstract

A computer system for supporting a website, comprises a navigation object table defining a number of navigation objects, representing a tree-like navigational structure, and an object handler which uses the table dynamically to construct menus allowing a user to navigate through the navigational structure. Whenever the object handler is called, it is passed a tag identifying an object. It then searches the navigation object table to find objects whose parent object in the tree structure is the object identified by this tag, using these objects to construct the menu. The navigation objects include menu objects specifying subsidiary menus in the tree structure, and selection of one of the menu objects causes a recursive call to the object handler, passing it the tag of the menu object. The system also includes an access control table indicating which users may access which navigation objects, and the object handler uses this access control table to tailor the menus for particular users.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

(a) a web server hosting a website comprising a plurality of web pages;

(b) a navigation object table defining a plurality of navigation objects representing a navigational structure for said website; and

(c) an object handler for using said navigation table in response to a user action, to dynamically construct a menu comprising a series of links to said web pages, allowing a user to navigate around said website.

2. A computer system according to claim 1 wherein each of said navigation objects in said navigation object table includes a parent field for identifying a parent navigation object in said hierarchical navigation structure, and wherein said object handler includes:

(a) means for searching the navigation object table to find navigation objects whose parent field matches a specified value; and

(b) means for using the navigation objects so found to construct a menu.

3. A computer system according to claim 1 further including:

(a) an access control table indicating which users may access which navigation objects; and

(b) means for using said access control table to tailor the menus for particular users.

4. A computer system according to any preceding claim wherein said navigation objects include HTML objects specifying links to HTML files.

5. A computer system according to any preceding claim wherein said navigation objects include script objects specifying links to script files.

6. A computer system according to any preceding claim wherein said navigation objects include link objects specifying links to remote websites.

7. A method of operating a computer system, the method comprising:

(a) creating a website comprising a plurality of web pages hosted on a web server;

(b) creating a navigation object table defining a plurality of navigation objects representing a navigational structure for said website; and

(c) in response to a user action, using said navigation table to dynamically construct a menu comprising a series of links to said web pages, allowing a user to navigate around said website.

8. A method according to claim 7 including the steps:

(a) providing in each of said navigation objects in said navigation object table a parent field identifying a parent navigation object in said hierarchical navigation structure;

(b) searching the navigation object table to find navigation objects whose parent field matches a specified value; and

(c) using the navigation objects so found to construct a menu.

9. A method according to claim 8 including the steps:

(a) providing an access control table indicating which users may access which navigation objects; and

(b) using said access control table to tailor the menus for particular users.

10. An information carrier, holding a program for performing a method according to claim 8.

11. A computer system comprising:

(a) a web server hosting a website comprising a plurality of web pages;

(b) a navigation object table defining a plurality of navigation objects representing a hierarchical navigational structure for said website, each of said navigation objects having a type field identifying the navigation object as being of one of a plurality of types including a menu type; and

(c) an object handler for using said navigation table in response to a user action to dynamically construct a menu comprising a plurality of selectable menu items, at least one of said menu items representing a lower-level menu in said hierarchical navigation structure; and

(d) means for calling said object handler when a user selects said menu item representing a lower-level menu, to dynamically construct said lower-level menu using said navigation table.

12. A computer system according to claim 11 wherein each of said navigation objects in said navigation object table includes a parent field for identifying a parent navigation object in said hierarchical navigation structure, and wherein said object handler includes:

(a) means for searching the navigation object table to find navigation objects whose parent field matches a specified value; and

(b) means for using the navigation objects so found to construct menu.

13. A method of operating a computer system, the method comprising:

(a) creating a website comprising a plurality of web pages hosted on a web server;

(b) creating a navigation object table defining a plurality of navigation objects representing a hierarchical navigational structure for said website, each of said navigation objects having a type field identifying the navigation object as being of one of a plurality of types including a menu type;

(c) in response to a user action, using said navigation table to dynamically construct a menu comprising a plurality of selectable menu items, at least one of said menu items representing a lower-level menu in said hierarchical navigation structure; and

(d) when a user selects said menu item representing a lower-level menu, using said navigation table to dynamically construct said lower-level menu.

14. A method according to claim 13 including the steps:

(a) providing in each of said navigation objects in said navigation object table a parent field identifying a parent navigation object in said hierarchical navigation structure;

(b) searching the navigation object table to find navigation objects whose parent field matches a specified value; and

(c) using the navigation objects so found to construct a menu.

15. A computer system comprising:

(a) a web server hosting a website comprising a plurality of web pages;

(b) a navigation table defining a plurality of navigation objects representing a hierarchical navigational structure for said website, said navigation objects having respective parent fields defining said hierarchical navigation structure;

(c) means for displaying to a user a menu comprising a plurality of menu items, each of said menu items having a tag;

(d) means responsive to the user selecting one of said menu items, for searching the navigation table to find navigation objects whose parent fields match the tag of the selected menu item; and

(e) means for creating a further menu, comprising a series of further menu items derived from the navigation objects found by searching the navigation table.

16. A computer system according to claim 15 wherein said further menu items include links to said web pages.

17. A method of operating a computer system, the method comprising:

(a) creating a website comprising a plurality of web pages hosted on a web server computer;

(b) creating a navigation table defining a plurality of navigation objects representing a hierarchical navigational structure for said website, said navigation objects having respective parent fields defining said hierarchical navigation structure;

(c) displaying to a user a menu comprising a plurality of menu items, each of said menu items having a tag;

(d) in response to the user selecting one of said menu items, searching the navigation table to find navigation objects whose parent fields match the tag of the selected menu item; and

(e) creating a further menu, comprising a series of further menu items derived from the navigation objects found by searching the navigation table.

18. A method according to claim 17 wherein said further menu items include links to said web pages.