Intelligent backward resource navigation

• US 8,281,259 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2010
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Milic-Frayling, Natasa, Smyth, Samuel Gavin, Rodden, Kerry, Sommerer, Ralph, Jones, Rachel, Blackwell, Alan Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Augustine, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US12/839,390
• Publication Number:
  US 20100306665A1
• Time in Patent Office: 806 Days
• Field of Search: 715/736, 715/738, 715/739, 715/745, 715/853, 715/854, 715/855
• US Class Current: 715/855
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing

Abstract

A system for navigating among resources includes a target detection module detecting whether a first resource has been branched from to two other different resources and a backward navigation module operable to detect selection of a backward navigation button and cause navigation to the first resource. A method includes designating a target resource accessible via a backward navigation button in a first browser session, detecting selection of the backward navigation button in a second browser session, and navigating to the target resource in the second browser session. The method can involve detecting hovering of a pointer icon over the backward navigation button and responsively presenting a thumbnail of a resource associated with the backward navigation button.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting navigation to a resource, followed by detecting navigation from the resource directly to a second resource, followed by detecting navigation from the second resource directly back to the resource, followed by detecting navigation from the resource directly to a third resource that is different than the second resource; and

automatically navigating directly back to the resource from a current resource while skipping intervening resources responsive to selection of a control that is configured to navigate to the resource and to navigate to previously-visited resources other than the resource and the intervening resources,

wherein the method is performed by a computing device.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the detected navigations are each performed by a user.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising storing a uniform resource identifier identifying the resource as a backward navigation target.

4. A method as recited in claim 3 wherein the uniform resource identifier of the resource is available across multiple browser sessions.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising storing a uniform resource identifier identifying the resource as a backward navigation target among a plurality of backward navigation targets in a navigation history of uniform resource identifiers of a navigation map.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the control is a button.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the detecting navigations occur during a first browser session and the automatically navigating occurs during a second browser session.

8. A system comprising:

a processor;

a memory including computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, configure the system to;

detect navigation to a resource, and then detect navigation from the resource directly to a second resource, and then detect navigation from the second resource directly back to the resource, and then detect navigation from the resource directly to a third resource that is different than the second resource;

designate the resource in a navigate history as a backward navigation target to distinguish the resource from at least some previously-visited intervening resources that are not backward navigation targets; and

automatically navigate directly back to the resource from a current resource while skipping the at least some previously-visited intervening resources responsive to selection of a control that does not visually identify the resource.

9. A system as recited in claim 8 wherein the control is a backward navigation button and the instructions further configure the system to present the backward navigation button.

10. A system as recited in claim 8 wherein the instructions further configure the system to store a uniform resource identifier corresponding to each of the resource and the second resource and the third resource in a navigation history according to a temporal order of the detected navigations.

11. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein the instructions further configure the system to store only one uniform resource identifier for the resource corresponding to a most recent visit to the resource.

12. A system as recited in claim 8 wherein the detected navigations are each performed by a user.

13. A system as recited in claim 8 wherein the instructions further configure the system to store a uniform resource identifier identifying the resource as a backward navigation target.

14. A system as recited in claim 13 wherein the uniform resource identifier of the resource is available across multiple browser sessions.

15. A system as recited in claim 8 wherein the instructions further configure the system to store a uniform resource identifier identifying the resource as a backward navigation target among a plurality of backward navigation targets in a navigation history of uniform resource identifiers of a navigation map.

16. At least one computer-readable storage medium including computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method comprising:

detecting navigation to a resource, followed by detecting navigation from the resource directly to a second resource, followed by detecting navigation from the second resource directly back to the resource, followed by detecting navigation from the resource directly to a third resource that is different than the second resource;

designating the resource in a navigation history as a backward navigation target to distinguish the resource from at least some other resources that are not backward navigation targets; and

automatically navigating directly back to the resource from a current resource while skipping intervening resources.

17. At least one computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 16 wherein the detected navigations are each performed by a user.

18. At least one computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 16, the method further comprising storing a uniform resource identifier identifying the resource as the backward navigation target.

19. At least one computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 18 wherein the uniform resource identifier of the resource is available across multiple browser sessions.

20. At least one computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 16, the method further comprising storing a uniform resource identifier identifying the resource as the backward navigation target among a plurality of other backward navigation targets in a navigation history of uniform resource identifiers of a navigation map.