Data detector for creating links from web content for mobile devices

• US 7,797,447 B1
• Filed: 07/10/2000
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Business Innovation Corp. (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Xerox Company Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Trevor, Jonathan James, Churchill, Elizabeth F., Schilit, William N., Marshall, Catherine Claire
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne; Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): Halim; Sahera
• Application Number:
  US09/613,123
• Time in Patent Office: 3,718 Days
• Field of Search: 709/245, 709/225, 709/226, 709/229, 707/513, 707/907, 345/760, 345/853, 345/864
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A Web browser provides the ability to separate content and hyper-links from a Web page and provides a list of the links for viewing on a mobile device display screen along with links to telephone numbers, addresses, email addresses, and other communication-related information in the Web page detected by a data detector portion of the Web browser to further enhance usability of the Web page information for mobile device users. Further, once a link is selected using the mobile device, a services portal link is provided to the mobile device display to provide selection of services to be performed on the selected link, such as faxing or printing.

Claims

1. A method for providing dynamic data detection from Web content information for a mobile device comprising the steps of:

receiving a URL from a user;

accessing a Web page identified by the URL;

parsing the currently accessed Web page dynamically in real time to identify one or more non-hyperlink Web content data items in the Web page, wherein each of the one or more Web content data items comprises text in the Web page, wherein the text is contact information for one of a person and an entity;

creating one or more link indications that correspond to the one or more non-hyperlink Web content data items;

displaying to the mobile device the one or more link indications for selection by a user, each link indication providing a link to a service through a wireless connection from the mobile device, and each service performing a service related to a type of contact information of the Web content data item, for the Web content data item corresponding to the link indication;

displaying to the mobile device a standard list of services that are performed by the user independent of the services associated with the one or more link indications; and

wherein the method steps are done by at least one processor.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

providing a user keypad on the mobile device to enable the user to select one of the one or more link indications to be activated; and

activating one of the one or more link indications when the user selects the particular one of the one or more link indications.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the one or more Web content data items comprises a telephone number.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the telephone number is dialed by the mobile device when the at least one link indication is activated by the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the one or more Web content data items comprises a street address.

6. The method of claim 5 and wherein the location of the street address is displayed on an online map when the at least one indication is activated by the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the one or more Web content data items comprises an email address.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein email capabilities are invoked when the at least one indication is activated by the user.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device can be one of:

a cell phone;

an Internet phone;

a personal digital assistant; and

a two way pager.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein parsing the currently accessed Web page occurs in a network server.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein parsing the currently accessed Web page occurs within a Web browser.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying to the mobile device the one or more link indications for selection by a user comprises:

receiving the user'"'"'s selection of one of the one or more link indications; and

displaying to the mobile device a plurality of additional link indications for selection by the user after receipt of the user'"'"'s selection of one of the one or more link indications, each additional link indication providing a link to a service through a wireless connection from the mobile device, and each service performing a service related to a type of contact information of the Web content data item, for the Web content data item corresponding to the received selected one of the one or more link indications.

13. A method for providing a location on an online map of a street address associated with Web page information comprising the steps of:

receiving a URL from a user;

accessing a Web page identified by the URL;

parsing the currently accessed Web page dynamically in real time to identify one or more Web content data items in the Web page, wherein each of the one or more Web content data items comprises text in the Web page, wherein the text is contact information for one of a person and an entity, wherein one of the one or more Web content data items comprises a street address;

displaying to the mobile device a link indication that corresponds to the street address, the link indication providing a link to an online map service through a wireless connection from the mobile device;

providing a user keypad on the mobile device to enable the user to select the link indication;

displaying to the mobile device by the online map service the location of the street address on an online map when the user selects the link indication to activate the link; and

wherein the method steps are done by at least one processor.

14. A method for initiating an email for an email address associated with Web page information comprising the steps of:

receiving a URL from a user;

accessing a Web page identified by the URL;

parsing the currently accessed Web page dynamically in real time to identify one or more Web content data items in the Web page, wherein each of the one or more Web content data items comprises text in the Web page, wherein the text that is contact information for one of a person and an entity, wherein one of the one or more Web content data items comprises an email address;

displaying to the mobile device a link indication that corresponds to the email address, the link indication providing a link to an email service through a wireless connection from the mobile device;

providing a user keypad on the mobile device to enable the user to select the link indication;

initiating an email to the email address by the mobile device using the email service when the user selects the link indication to activate the link; and

wherein the method steps are done by at least one processor.