Graphical method and system for accessing information on a communications network

• US 7,032,185 B1
• Filed: 04/25/2000
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Open Invention Network LLC
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Yohanan, Steven J.
• Primary Examiner(s): SAX, STEVEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US09/557,149
• Time in Patent Office: 2,184 Days
• Field of Search: 345/349, 345/340, 345356-357, 345/335, 345/13, 345/11, 345/847, 345/749, 345/760, 715/847, 715/846, 715/805, 715/804, 715/802, 715/748, 715/749, 715/760
• US Class Current: 715/847
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]

Abstract

A system and computer-based method for permitting a computer system to access a network location using a browser application by activating a desktop icon. The system comprises a first computer readable program code means for causing the computer system to display a desktop icon associated with a file containing a network address corresponding to the network location. When the desktop icon is activated, a second computer usable program code means causes the computer to launch an instance of a browser application or a new window for a currently executing browser application and a third computer usable program code means causes the computer system to pass the network address to the browser application, thereby accessing the network location.

Claims

1. A graphical interactive method for permitting a computer system to access a web site, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying a desktop icon on a desktop, said desktop icon associated with an address of the web site;

if a web browser application is not currently executing, launching a web browser application in response to a user of said computer system selecting said desktop icon for execution, and accessing the web site using said web browser application and said address of the web site;

or

if a web browser application is currently executing, in response to a user of said computer system selecting said desktop icon for execution, accessing the web site using said currently executing web browser application and said address of the web site.

2. A graphical interactive method for permitting a computer system to access a web site, said method comprising the steps of:

displaying a desktop icon on a desktop, said desktop icon associated with a file containing information relating to the web site;

accessing the web site using an already executing web browser application and said address for the web, in response to a user of said computer system selecting said desktop icon for execution, wherein said web browser application is separate from said file.

3. A graphical interactive computer system for accessing a desired document located at a network location, comprising:

means for displaying a desktop icon on a desktop, said desktop icon associated with a file containing a network address corresponding to the network location;

means for enabling a user of the computer system to interactively select said desktop icon for execution;

means for launching a web browser application in response to the user selecting said desktop icon for execution, if said web browser application is not currently executing, wherein said application is separate from said file; and

means for retrieving the desired document from the network location using said web browser application and said network address.

4. A graphical interactive method for permitting a first computer system to access a web site, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a desktop icon associated with a file from a second computer system, said file containing an address corresponding to web site;

displaying the desktop icon on a desktop of the first computer system;

launching a web browser application in response to a user of the first computer system selecting said desktop icon for execution; and

accessing the web site using said web browser application and said address corresponding to the web site.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said receiving step comprises receiving an e-mail from the second computer system, said e-mail including said desktop icon.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said receiving step comprises receiving an internet message from the second computer system, said internet message including said desktop icon.

7. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by a programmable device, if a web browser application is not currently executing, launch the web browser application in response to a user of the programmable device selecting a desktop icon on a desktop for execution, the desktop icon associated with an address of a web site accessible by the web browser application or, if a web browser application is currently executing, use the currently executing web browser application for accessing the web site in response to a user of the programmable device selecting the desktop icon.

8. A desktop icon for display on a desktop, said desktop icon associated with a web site wherein selection of the desktop icon launches a web browser application, if the web browser application is not currently executing, and causes the web browser application to access the web site or, if a web browser application is currently executing, causes the currently executing web browser application to access the web site.

9. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by a programmable device in response to selection of a desktop icon displayed on a desktop, the desktop icon associated an address of a web site, if a web browser application is not currently executing, launch a web browser application, the web browser application capable of accessing the web site using the address or, if a web browser application is currently executing and capable of accessing the web site using the address, use the currently executing web browser application for accessing the web site using the address.

10. A graphical interactive system comprising:

means for displaying a desktop icon on a desktop, said desktop icon associated with an address of a web site;

means for launching a web browser application, if said web browser application is not currently executing, in response to a user of said system selecting said desktop icon for execution;

means for accessing the web site using said web browser application and said address of the web site; and

means for accessing the web site, if a web browser application is currently executing, using the currently executing web browser application and said address of the web site in response to a user of said computer system selecting said desktop icon for execution.

11. A graphical interactive method for permitting a computer system to access a web site, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying a desktop icon on a desktop, said desktop icon associated with an address of the web site; and

in response to a user of said computer system selecting said desktop icon for execution, deciding if a web browser application is already executing and, if so, accessing the web site using the already executing web browser application and said address of the web site.

12. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by a programmable device, decide if a web browser application is already executing and, if so, use the already executing web browser application to access a website in response to a user of the programmable device selecting a desktop icon on a desktop for execution, the desktop icon associated with the address of the web site accessible by the web browser application.

13. A desktop icon for display on a desktop of a computer, said desktop icon associated with a web sites wherein selection of the desktop icon causes the computer to decide if a web browser application is already executing and, if the web browser application is already executing, the selection causing the computer to use the already executing web browser application and to cause the web browser application to access the web site.

14. A graphical interactive system comprising:

means for displaying a desktop icon on a desktop, said desktop icon associated with an address of a web site;

means for deciding whether a web browser application is already executing in response to a user of said system selecting said desktop icon for execution; and

means for accessing the web site using said already executing web browser application and said address of the web site.