Method and system for selecting and saving objects in web content

• US 7,139,980 B1
• Filed: 10/09/2002
• Issued: 11/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Spectrum LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Blinn, Benjamin P., Miller, Robert H., Lundy, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Hailu, Tadesse
• Application Number:
  US10/267,389
• Time in Patent Office: 1,504 Days
• Field of Search: 715/516, 715/526, 715/810, 715/760, 715/767, 715/739, 715/738, 715/735, 715/747, 715/802, 715/805
• US Class Current: 715/767
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/986 Document structures and storage, e.g. HTML extensions

Abstract

A method and system for allowing a user to select and save non-focusable objects presented by a browser application. The non-focusable objects may be objects that the browser application does not allow the user to select and save. The browser application may present the non-focusable objects as a list of objects, rather than as the non-focusable objects. The user may select an object from the list of objects and save a file that defines the object. As a result, the user may select and save the objects presented by the browser application even though the objects were presented as non-focusable objects.

Claims

1. In a terminal of a type comprising a processor, a browser application, and an input mechanism, the browser application being executable by the processor and the input mechanism being operable to select focusable objects presented by the browser application, but inoperable to select non-focusable objects presented by the browser application, a method comprising:

receiving web content;

receiving a first signal to present a list of objects, the list of objects having as choice-items that include the non-focusable objets presented by the browser application;

responsive to the first signal, presenting the list of objects on a display screen of the terminal;

receiving a second signal which indicates selection of a choice-item; and

responsive to the second signal, saving a designated non-focusable object, the designated non-focusable object being identified by the selection of the choice-item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein saving the designated non-focusable object comprises (i) requesting from an object list application at least one file defining the designated non-focusable object;

(ii) receiving from the object list application the at least one file; and

(iii) saving in memory the at least one file defining the designated non-focusable object.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the non-focusable objects is selected from the group consisting of an audio clip, a video clip, and an image.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a menu on the display screen, the menu having a plurality of menu options, the plurality of menu options including a first option for presenting the list of objects on the terminal and a second option for saving the designated non-focusable object.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the list of objects comprises:

making a determination of whether the terminal can present a given non-focusable object;

based on the determination that the terminal can present the given non-focusable object, then designating in the list of objects that the given non-focusable object is selectable.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the list of objects comprises:

making a determination of whether the terminal can present a given non-focusable object;

based on the determination that the terminal can present the given non-focusable object, then designating in the list of objects that the given non-focusable object is selectable;

based on the determination that the terminal cannot present the given non-focusable object, then not designating in the list of objects that the given non-focusable object is selectable.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the terminal is a wireless terminal.

8. A method for a terminal to allow for selection of non-focusable objects presented by a browser application, the terminal having an input mechanism operable to select focusable objects presented by the browser application, but inoperable to select the non-focusable objects presented by the browser application, the method comprising:

receiving a first signal from the terminal, the first signal being a request by the terminal to identify, as choice-items, the non-focusable objects presented by the browser application;

responsive to the first signal, parsing the web content to identify the non-focusable objects presented by the browser application;

sending to the terminal a list of objects comprising choice-items, the choice-items identifying the non-focusable objects presented by the browser application;

receiving a second signal from the terminal, the second signal being another request by the terminal, the another request being to save a designated non-focusable object in the list of objects; and

responsive to the second signal, sending to the terminal a data structure defining the designated non-focusable object.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein sending to the terminal the list of objects comprises:

making a determination of whether the terminal can present an object of the list of objects; and

based on the determination that the terminal can present the object of the list of objects, then designating in the list of objects that the object is saveable.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein sending to the terminal the list of objects that identifies the non-focusable objects comprises:

making a determination of whether the terminal can present an object of the non-focusable objects;

based on the determination that the terminal can present the object of the non-focusable objects, then including the object in the list of objects; and

based on the determination that the terminal cannot present the object of the non-focusable objects, then not including the object in the list of objects.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the data structure defining the designated non-focusable object is a file.

12. A system comprising:

a processor;

memory;

a display screen;

computer instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor for performing the functions of;

(i) receiving web content;

(ii) receiving a first signal to present a list of objects, the list of objects having choice-items, the choice-items identifying non-focusable objects presented by a browser application;

(iii) responsive to the first signal, presenting the list of objects on the display screen of the terminal;

(iv) receiving a second signal indicating selection of a choice-item from the list of objects; and

(v) responsive to the second user-indication, saving a designated non-focusable object, the designated non-focusable object being identified by the selection of the choice-item.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the computer instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor for performing the function of saving the designated non-focusable object comprises:

sending to an object list application a signal to request at least one file defining the designated non-focusable object;

responsive to the signal, receiving from the object list application the at least one file defining the designated non-focusable object; and

saving the at least one file in the memory.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the list of objects is constructed by an object list application, the object list application comprising computer instructions stored in memory and executable by a processor for performing the functions of:

making a determination of whether the terminal can present a given non-focusable object;

based on the determination that the terminal can present the given non-focusable object, then designating in the list of objects that the given non-focusable object is saveable.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the list of objects is constructed by an object list application, the object list application comprising computer instructions stored in memory and executable by a processor for performing the functions of:

making a determination of whether the terminal has an application to present a given non-focusable object;

based on the determination that the terminal has the application to present the given non-focusable object, then including the object in the list of objects; and

based on the determination that the terminal does not have the application to present the given non-focusable object, then not including the object in the list of objects.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the list of objects is defined by a choice card.

17. A system for a terminal to select non-focusable objects in web content, the terminal having an input mechanism operable to select focusable objects defined by the web content but inoperable to select the non-focusable objects defined by the web content, the system comprising:

a processor;

memory; and

computer instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor for performing the functions of;

receiving a first signal from the terminal, the first signal being a request by the terminal to identify, as choice-items, the non-focusable objects presented by the browser application;

responsive to the first signal, parsing the web content to determine the non-focusable objects presented by the browser application;

sending to the terminal a list of objects having choice-items, the choice-items identifying the non-focusable objects presented by the browser application;

receiving a second signal from the terminal, the second signal being another request by the terminal, the another request being to save a designated non-focusable object in the list of objects; and

responsive to the second signal, sending to the terminal the designated non-focusable object.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the computer instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor for performing the function of sending to the terminal the list of objects comprises:

making a determination of whether the terminal can present on the terminal an object in the list of objects; and

based on the determination that the terminal can present on the terminal the object in the list of objects, then designating in the list of objects that the object is saveable.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the computer instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor for performing the function of sending to the terminal the list of objects that identifies the non-focusable objects comprises:

making a determination of whether the terminal can present an object of the non-focusable objects;

based on the determination that the terminal can present the object of the non-focusable objects, then including the object in the list of objects; and

based on the determination that the terminal cannot present the object of the non-focusable objects, then not including the object in the list of objects.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the computer instructions stored in the memory and executable by the processor for performing the function of sending to the terminal the designated non-focusable object comprises sending to the terminal at least one file defining the designated non-focusable object.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the list of objects is defined by a choice card.