Indicator to show that a cached web page is being displayed

• US 6,744,452 B1
• Filed: 05/04/2000
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: McBrearty, Gerald Francis, Shieh, Johnny Meng-Han, Mullen, Shawn Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cao (Kevin)
• Application Number:
  US09/564,815
• Time in Patent Office: 1,489 Days
• Field of Search: 345/762, 345/765, 345/744, 345/840, 345/848, 345/854, 707/201, 707/202, 707/203, 707/206
• US Class Current: 715/853
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching

Abstract

A modified web browser application on a data processing system for use in searching the Internet and displaying web pages. The modified web browser has a cache area which caches/stores a copy of a web page downloaded from the internet. When a particular page is requested, logic components within the modified web browser determine if the particular page is resident in the cache area. If the particular page is resident in the cache area, it is displayed within the modified web browser with an indicator by which the user is notified that the particular page displayed is cached. In one embodiment, the indicator is a cache message button which is displayed within the we browser. In another embodiment, the indicator is a color coded scheme which causes the web page or web page border to be displayed in a different color whenever the particular page is cached.

Claims

1. In a data processing system having a display device and associated storage facility, a method for displaying a web page comprising:

determining when said web page has a cached copy within said storage facility;

displaying said cache copy of said web page on the display device when a user-selectable display option indicates initial display of said cached copy when available;

downloading a new copy of said web page when said user-selectable display option indicates display of a new copy of said web page irrespective of an availability of said cache copy; and

indicating when said cache copy of said web page was loaded from said storage facility.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said indicating step further includes:

visually displaying a cache copy indicator within said browser application, wherein said cache copy indicator alerts a user of said requested web page that the displayed web page is a cached web page.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said visually displaying step includes:

color-coding a display area of said web page, wherein a first color is associated with a portion of said web page from among the entire web page and a border of said web page to represent that said web page is a cached copy of said web page and wherein when a second color is associated with said portion said second color represents that said web page is not a cached copy of said web page; and

displaying said web page in said first color when said web page is cached and in said second color when said web page is non-cached.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a source location from which said web page is retrieved when said web page is displayed, wherein said source location is identified to a user as one of a download site address;

a local cache directory location or a network cache directory location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said displaying step includes the step of retrieving said cached copy of said web page from a remote proxy server cache; and

said indicating step further indicates that said web page was previously retrieved from said remote proxy server cache.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling user selection of said user-selectable display option among retrieval from cached copy or download from source; and

wherein said displaying step is in response to a user input from among a user selection of a scrolled function when said web page is a previously downloaded web page, a user selection of a web page identifier from a history list of previously displayed web pages, and a user input of said web page address into a search area of a web browser.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said displaying step further includes:

concurrently displaying a dialog box with instructions for a requestor of said web page to select a refresh option when said requester does not want said cached copy of said web page, wherein selection of said refresh option automatically initiates a download of said web page; and

timing out the concurrent display of said dialog box if no user selection of said refresh option occurs within a pre-established time.

8. In a data processing system having a display device and associated storage facility, a system for displaying a web page comprising:

means for determining when said web page has a cached copy within said storage facility;

means for displaying said cache copy of said web page on the web browser when a user-selectable display option indicates initial display of said cached copy when available;

means for downloading a new copy of said web page when said user-selectable display option indicates display of a new copy of said web page irrespective of an availability of said cache copy; and

means for indicating when said cache copy of said web page loaded was from said storage facility.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said indicating means further includes:

means for visually displaying a cache copy indicator within said browser application, wherein said cache copy indicator alerts a user of said requested web page that the displayed web page is a cached web page.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said visually displaying means includes:

means for color-coding a display area of said web page, wherein a first color is associated with a portion of said web page from among the entire web page and a border of said web page to represent that said web page is a cached copy of said web page and wherein when a second color is associated with s aid portion s aid second color represents that said web page is not a cached copy of said web page; and

displaying said web page in said first color when said web page is cached and in said second color when said web page is non-cached.

11. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

means for displaying a source location from which said web page is retrieved when said web page is displayed, wherein said source location is identified to a user as one of a download site address;

a local cache directory location or a network cache directory location.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein:

said displaying means includes means for retrieving said cached copy of said web page from a remote proxy server cache; and

said indicating means further indicates that said web page retrieved from said remote proxy server cache.

13. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

means for enabling user selection of said user-selectable display option among retrieval from cached copy or download from source; and

wherein said displaying means is in response to a user input from among a user selection of a scrolled function when said web page is a previously downloaded web page, a user selection of a web page identifier from a history list of previously displayed web pages, and a user input of said web page address into a search area of a web browser.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein said displaying means further includes:

means for concurrently displaying a dialog box with instructions for a requester of said web page to select a refresh option when said requester does not want said cached copy of said web page, wherein selection of said refresh option automatically initiates a download of said web page; and

means for timing out the concurrent display of said dialog box if no user selection of said refresh option occurs within a pre-established time.

15. A data processing system comprising:

a processor and storage medium;

input/output (I/O) devices including a display output device and user-selection input device;

an operating system executed by said processor; and

a web browser application running on said processor, said web browser application including;

means for coupling said system to an external network having a remote server;

means for downloading a web page from said remote server;

means for caching said downloaded web page into said storage medium;

means for loading a web page into a display feature of said web browser application and displaying said web page on said display output device;

means for indicating whether said web page is a cache web page;

means for color-coding a display area of said web page, wherein a first color is associated with a portion of said web page from among the entire web page and a border of said web page to represent that said web page is a cached copy of said web page and wherein when a second color is associated with said portion said second color represents that said web page is not a cached copy of said web page;

means for concurrently displaying a dialog box with instructions for a requestor of said web page to select a refresh option when said requester does not want said cached copy of said web page, wherein selection of said refresh option automatically initiates a download of said web page;

means for timing out the concurrent display of said dialog box if no user selection of said refresh option occurs within a pre-established time; and

means for displaying a source location from which said web page is retrieved when said web page is displayed, wherein said source location is identified to a user as one of a download site address;

a local cache directory location or a network cache directory location.

16. A computer program product for displaying a web page in a data processing system having a display device and associated storage facility, said program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium;

program instructions stored on said storage medium for;

determining when said web page has a cached copy within said storage facility;

displaying said cache copy of said web page on a web browser when a user-selectable display option indicates initial display of said cached copy when available;

downloading a new copy of said web page when said user-selectable display option indicates display of a new copy of said web page irrespective of an availability of said cache copy; and

indicating when said cache copy of said web page loaded was said storage facility.

17. The program product of claim 16, wherein said program instructions for said indicating step further includes program instructions for:

visually displaying a cache copy indicator within said browser application, wherein said cache copy indicator alerts a user of said requested web page that the displayed web page is a cached web page.

18. The program product of claim 17, wherein said program instructions for said visually displaying step includes program instructions for:

color-coding a display area of said web page, wherein a fist color is associated with a portion of said web page from among the entire web page and a border of said web page to represent that said web page is a cached copy of said web page and wherein when a second color is associated with said portion said second color represents that said web page is not a cached copy of said web page; and

displaying said web page in said first color when said web page is cached and in said second color when said web page is non-ached.

19. The program product of claim 16, further comprising:

program instructions for displaying a source location from which said web page is retrieved when said web page is displayed, wherein said source location is identified to a user as one of a download site address;

a local cache directory, location or a network cache directory location.

20. The program product of claim 16, wherein:

said program instructions for said displaying step includes program instructions for retrieving said cached copy of said web page from a remote proxy server cache; and

said program instructions for said indicating step further indicates that said web page retrieved from said remote proxy server cache.

21. The program product of claim 16, further comprising:

program instructions for enabling user selection of said user-selectable display option among retrieval from cached copy or download from source; and

wherein said displaying step is in response to a user input from among a user selection of a scrolled function when said web page is a previously downloaded web page, a user selection of a web page identifier from a history list of previously displayed web pages, and a user input of said web page address into a search area of said web browser.

22. The program product of claim 16, wherein said program instructions for said displaying step further includes program instructions for:

concurrently displaying a dialog box with instructions for a requestor of said web page to select a refresh option when said requester does not want said cached copy of said web page, wherein selection of said refresh option automatically initiates a download of said web page; and

timing out the concurrent display of said dialog box if no user selection of said refresh option occurs within a pre-established time.