Hypermedia identifier input mode for a mobile communication device

• US 6,708,214 B1
• Filed: 04/21/2000
• Issued: 03/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Openwave Systems Incorporated (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Inventors: La Fleur, James P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Application Number:
  US09/552,996
• Time in Patent Office: 1,425 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/202, 709/249, 709/250, 709/225, 709/226, 709/229, 707/6, 707/7
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99937 Sorting

Abstract

A mobile communication device operable to allow a user to access hypermedia content via a wireless link is configured to allow a user to more easily input hypermedia identifiers, such as Uniform Resource Locators (URLs). The device includes a processor, a display, a set of user input keys, each of which is operable to allow a user to input a predetermined numeral, and a storage facility in which a microbrowser program is stored. The microbrowser program is executed by the processor to configure the mobile telephone to allow the user to access remotely stored hypermedia content via the wireless link. Also stored in the storage facility are a plurality of URL fragments. Each URL fragment is associated with one of the user input keys. In response to a single predefined user input at a given one of the user input keys, the microbrowser program selects the corresponding URL fragment and causes the selected URL fragment to be displayed. The user may then input additional characters that are appended to the selected URL fragment, or the URL fragment may be appended to characters previously input by the user, to form a complete URL. The number of keystrokes required by the user to input a complete URL is thereby reduced.

Claims

1. A method of operation of a mobile telephone having a display device and a set of input keys, the method comprising:

operating in a voice mode to enable a user of the mobile telephone to have a two-way voice communication with a remote party via a wireless communication link; and

operating in a browser mode to enable the user to access remotely-stored hypermedia content via the wireless communication link, including

providing a number input mode in which the user is enabled to input numerical characters using the set of input keys,

providing an alphabetic input mode in which the user is enabled to input alphabetic characters using the set of input keys,

storing a plurality of hypermedia identifier fragments,

maintaining information specifying a correspondence between each of the hypermedia identifier fragments and one of the input keys, and

providing a hypermedia identifier input mode, separate from the number input mode and the alphabetic input mode, in which the user is enabled to input hypermedia identifiers using the set of input keys, including responding to a single user input directed to one of the input keys by causing a corresponding one of the stored hypermedia identifier fragments to be selected and displayed on the display device;

wherein said one of the stored hypermedia identifier fragments can be appended to a previously input character string or can have a subsequently input character string appended thereto, to form at least a portion of the hypermedia identifier.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising providing a symbol input mode, separate from the number input mode, the alphabetic input mode, and the hypermedia identifier input mode, in which the user is enabled to input symbols other than numerical or alphabetic characters by using the set of input keys.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of hypermedia identifier fragments comprise a plurality of URI fragments.

4. A mobile communication device comprising:

a processor;

a display;

a set of input keys, each operable to allow a user to input a predetermined numeral, the input keys being operable by the user to input a telephone number to be called;

voice circuitry to enable telephonic communication between a user and a remote party via a wireless link; and

a storage facility having stored therein;

a microbrowser program executable by the processor to configure the mobile communication device to allow a user to access remotely stored hypermedia content via a wireless link, the microbrowser program having a plurality of input modes, including a number input mode in which the user is enabled to input numerical characters using the set of input keys, an alphabetic input mode in which the user is enabled to input alphabetic characters using the set of input keys, and a hypermedia identifier input mode, separate from the number input mode and the alphabetic input mode, in which the user is enabled to input a hypermedia identifier using the set of input keys, and

a plurality of hypermedia identifier fragments, wherein the microbrowser program includes instructions executable by the processor, when the microbrowser is in the hypermedia identifier input mode, to cause a corresponding one of the stored hypermedia identifier fragments to be displayed on the display in response to a single user input at one of the user input keys.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the microbrowser program further provides a symbol input mode, separate from the number input mode, the alphabetic input mode, and the hypermedia identifier input mode, in which the user is enabled to input symbols other than numerical or alphabetic characters by using the set of input keys.

6. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the plurality of hypermedia identifier fragments comprise a plurality of URI fragments.