System and method for adding plug-ins to a web browser

• US 6,651,084 B1
• Filed: 11/29/1999
• Issued: 11/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kelley, Edward E., Motika, Franco
• Primary Examiner(s): Barot, Bharat
• Assistant Examiner(s): Narayanaswamy, Sindya
• Application Number:
  US09/449,875
• Time in Patent Office: 1,450 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/202, 709/227-229, 709/230-232
• US Class Current: 709/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44526 Plug-ins; Add-ons

Abstract

A system and method for adding a plug-in to a web browser, the system and method comprising providing a general functions list that lists at least one function that can be performed by at least one registered plug-in through the web browser, and selecting one function that a user would like to add to the web browser from the general functions list. In one preferred embodiment, the system and method further comprise generating a specific plug-ins list that lists at least one registered plug-in that can perform the selected function, and selecting one registered plug-in to perform the selected function from the specific plug-ins list. In one preferred embodiment, the system and method comprise the selecting of a registered plug-in from a general plug-ins list that lists at least one registered plug-in, and the providing of a specific functions list that lists every function that the selected registered plug-in can perform.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a processor;

a storage medium operatively coupled with the processor;

a web browser executed by the processor and retrievable from the storage medium, the web browser further configured to utilize plug-ins; and

a plug-in utility, executed by the processor and retrievable from the storage medium, the plug-in utility for organizing plug-ins;

wherein the plug-in utility is configured to maintain a general functions list that lists at least one function associated with at least one registered plug-in, each registered plug-in corresponding to a plug-in that resides within a general plug-ins list maintained by the plug-in utility; and

the plug-in utility is further configured to maintain a specific plug-ins list that lists at least one registered plug-in that performs a selected function, from the general functions list, through the web browser.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the plug-in utility is configured to download a selected registered plug-in.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the plug-in utility is configured to provide a general plug-ins list that lists at least one registered plug-in, and to provide a specific functions list that lists every function for a selected registered plug-in.

4. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the plug-in utility is configured to prompt a user to add a registered plug-in.

5. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the plug-in utility is configured to prompt a user to update the general plug-ins list.

6. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the plug-in utility is configured to select a URL address for updating the general plug-ins list, download a list of names of new plug-ins and names of functions for the new plug-ins, append the general plug-ins list to include the names of new plug-ins, and append the general functions list to include the names of functions performed by the new plug-ins.

7. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the plug-in utility is configured to generate a specific plug-ins list of at least one registered plug-in that can perform the selected function, wherein the specific plug-ins list is generated by searching through the general plug-ins list for registered plug-ins that can perform the selected function and by building a list of registered plug-ins that can perform the selected function.

8. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the plug-in utility is configured in such a way that the web browser can invoke execution of the plug-in utility.

9. A method of adding a plug-in to a web browser, the method comprising:

providing a general functions list that lists at least one function associated with at least one registered plug-in, each registered plug-in corresponding to a plug-in that resides within a maintained general plug-in list;

selecting from the general functions list a desired function that a user would like to add to the web browser such that the selected desired function is executable by the web browser;

generating a specific plug-ins list that lists at least one registered plug-in that can perform the selected function; and

selecting one registered plug-in to perform the selected function from the specific plug-ins list.

10. A method according to claim 9 further comprising the selecting of a registered plug-in from a general plug-ins list that lists at least one registered plug-in, and the providing of a specific functions list that lists every function that the selected registered plug-in can perform.

11. A method according to claim 9 further comprising the downloading of the selected registered plug-in.

12. A method according to claim 9 further comprising the prompting of the user to add a registered plug-in.

13. A method according to claim 9 further comprising the prompting of the user to update the general plug-ins list.

14. A method according to claim 13, further comprising selecting a URL address for updating the general plug-ins list, downloading a list of names of new plug-ins and names of functions for the new plug-ins, appending the general plug-ins list to include the names of new plug-ins, and appending the general functions list to include the names of functions performed by the new plug-ins.

15. A method according to claim 9, wherein the selecting of one function that a user would like to add to the web browser from the general functions list comprises generating a specific plug-ins list of at least one registered plug-in that can perform the selected function, wherein the specific plug-ins list is generated by searching through the general plug-ins list for registered plug-ins that can perform the selected function and by building a list of registered plug-ins that can perform the selected function.

16. A computer program for adding a plug-in to a web browser, the computer program comprising:

a storage medium;

general functions list code on the storage medium for providing a general functions list that lists at least one function associated with at least one registered plug-in, each registered plug-in corresponding to a plug-in that resides within a maintained general plug-in list;

select function code on the storage medium for allowing a user to select from the general functions list a desired function that the user would like to add to the web browser such that the selected desired function is executable by the web browser;

specific plug-ins list code on the storage medium for generating a specific plug-ins list that lists at least one registered plug-in that can perform the selected desired function, and

select plug-ins code on the storage medium for selecting one registered plug-in to perform the selected desired function from the specific plug-ins list.

17. A computer program according to claim 16 further comprising download plug-in code on the storage medium for downloading the selected registered plug-in.

18. A computer program according to claim 16 further comprising update plug-ins code on the storage medium for selecting a URL address for updating the general plug-ins list, downloading a list of names of new plug-ins and names of functions for the new plug-ins, appending the general plug-ins list to include the names of new plug-ins, and appending the general functions list to include the names of functions performed by the new plug-ins.

19. A computer program according to claim 16, wherein the select function code comprises generating a specific plug-ins list of at least one registered plug-in that can perform the selected function, wherein the specific plug-ins list is generated by searching through the general plug-ins list for registered plug-ins that can perform the selected function and by building a list of registered plug-ins that can perform the selected function.