Dividing a large input page into a plurality of smaller input pages to provide easier use of a terminal with a small screen

• US 8,024,659 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2003
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Takahashi, Yuhichi, Tachibana, Tohru
• Primary Examiner(s): Augustine; Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US10/674,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20040085350A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,913 Days
• Field of Search: 715/738, 715/504, 715/739, 715/744, 715/746, 715/759, 715/792, 715/799
• US Class Current: 715/738
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/145 related to small screens

Abstract

In a terminal with a display screen that is too small to accept a required input in its entirety, a user is enabled to perform the input without intricate operation. The terminal displays input pages downloaded from a server via a network, and transmits input information entered into the pages by the user. The terminal comprises a page display section, which displays a plurality of input pages using a browser executed on the terminal, an input information storage section, which stores a plurality of input parameters entered into more than one of the input pages, and an input information transmission section, which combines the input parameters and transmits the combination to the server in response to an instruction.

Claims

1. An information terminal which displays input pages downloaded from a server via a network, and which transmits, using the network, information entered into the input pages by a user, said information terminal comprising:

a page display section for displaying a plurality of input pages using a browser executed by the information terminal;

an input information storage section for storing a plurality of input parameters entered by a user into more than one of the input pages;

an input information transmission section for transmitting the plurality of input parameters in response to an instruction; and

a page reception section for receiving the input pages and for associating the input pages with package identification information, wherein the input pages enable a user to enter the plurality of input parameters, and further wherein the input information transmission section combines the input parameters entered into the input pages of a package and transmits the combined input parameters to the server.

2. The information terminal according to claim 1,

wherein the input information storage section associates input identification information for identifying input information of a package with the input parameters, and

wherein the input information transmission section selects and combines input parameters entered into the input pages of a package and which are associated with the same input identification information from among the input parameters stored in the input information storage section, and transmits the resulting combination as the input information.

3. The information terminal according to claim 1, wherein the input information transmission section combines the input parameters and transmits the combination after all of the input parameters of a package have been stored in the input information storage section.

4. The information terminal according to claim 1, further comprising a page storage section for storing the input pages and associating the plurality of input pages with package identification information;

wherein the page reception section receives the input pages and associates the input pages with information for identifying a display order; and

further

wherein the page display section displays a selected input page stored in the page storage section, and then, responsive to receiving an indication that entry of input into the selected input page is complete, displays the input page that is next according to the display order.

5. The information terminal according to claim 1,

wherein the page reception section receives destination information for identifying a return destination of the input information, associates the destination information with package identification information;

and

the input information transmission section selects and combines a plurality of input parameters of a package from the information storage section, and transmits the resulting combination to the return destination identified by the destination information associated with the package.

6. The information terminal according to claim 1, further comprising:

an input information display section for displaying input parameters stored in the input information storage section; and

a selection section for enabling the user to select input information to be transmitted;

wherein the input information transmission section transmits the selected input information.

7. The information terminal according to claim 1, further comprising an online detection section for determining whether the information terminal can communicate with an external apparatus, wherein the input information transmission section transmits the combined input parameters responsive to a determination of whether the information terminal can communicate with the external apparatus.

8. The information terminal according to claim 1, further comprising:

a return information storage section for associating return information from a server which has received the combined input parameters with information for identifying the server and storing the return information; and

a return information display section for displaying the return information responsive to an instruction to display the return information.

9. A transmission-reception proxy apparatus for displaying input pages downloaded from a server to an information terminal via a network, and for transmitting information entered into the input pages by a user, the proxy apparatus comprising:

a page display section for displaying a plurality of input pages using a browser executed on the information terminal;

an input information storage section for storing a plurality of input parameters entered using more than one of the input pages;

an input information transmission section for transmitting the plurality of input parameters in response to an instruction to transmit the plurality of input parameters; and

a page reception section for receiving the input pages and for associating the input pages with package identification information, wherein the input pages enable a user to enter the plurality of input parameters, and further wherein the input information transmission section combines the input parameters entered into the input pages of a package and transmits the combined input parameters to the server.

10. A communication system comprising a server for storing a plurality of input pages and an information terminal for accepting a user'"'"'s entries into the input pages, wherein the server comprises a page transmission section for transmitting the input pages in response to an instruction from the information terminal, said information terminal comprising:

a page reception section for transmitting the instruction from the information terminal and for receiving the input pages;

a page display section for displaying the input pages using a browser executed on the information terminal;

an input information storage section for storing a plurality of input parameters entered using more than one of the input pages;

an input information transmission section for combining the input parameters and transmitting combined input parameters in response to an instruction; and

a page reception section for receiving the input pages and for associating the input pages with package identification information, wherein the input pages enable a user to enter the plurality of input parameters, and further wherein the input information transmission section combines the input parameters entered into the input pages of a package and transmits the combined input parameters to the server.

11. A method of communication between a server which stores a plurality of input pages and an information terminal which accepts a user'"'"'s input entered using more than one of the input pages, comprising the steps of:

transmitting a plurality of input pages from a server to an information terminal in response to a request from the information terminal;

receiving the input pages by the information terminal;

displaying the input pages using a browser executed on the information terminal;

storing, in a memory of the information terminal, a plurality of input parameters entered using more than one of the input pages;

combining the stored input parameters according to package identification information; and

transmitting the combined input parameters from the information terminal to the server in response to an instruction.

12. A program product enabling a computer to function as an information terminal which displays input pages downloaded from a server via a network and transmits information entered into the input pages by a user, said program product providing modules of computer usable program code tangibly embodied in a computer usable storage medium, said modules comprising:

a page display module for displaying input pages using a browser executed on the information terminal;

an input information storage module for storing a plurality of input parameters entered using more than one of the input pages;

an input information transmission module for transmitting the plurality of input parameters in response to receiving an instruction; and

a page reception module for receiving the input pages and for associating the input pages with package identification information, wherein the input pages enable a user to enter the plurality of input parameters, and further wherein the input information transmission section combines the input parameters entered into the input pages of a package and transmits the combined input parameters to the server.

13. A computer usable recording medium that tangibly embodies modules of computer usable program instructions enabling a computer to function as an information terminal for displaying input pages downloaded from a server via a network and for transmitting, using the network, information entered by a user into more than one of the input pages, said recording medium comprising:

a page display module for displaying a plurality of input pages using a browser executed on the information terminal;

an input information storage module for storing a plurality of input parameters entered using more than one of the input pages;

an input information transmission module for transmitting the plurality of input parameters in response to an instruction to transmit the plurality of input parameters; and

a page reception module for receiving the input pages and for associating the input pages with package identification information, wherein the input pages enable a user to enter the plurality of input parameters, and further wherein the input information transmission section combines the input parameters entered into the input pages of a package and transmits the combined input parameters to the server.