Simple input method for a web browser

• US 20050268214A1
• Filed: 05/31/2004
• Published: 12/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Acer, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Acer, Inc.
• Inventors: Lu, De-Jen
• Application Number:
  US10/709,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20050268214A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/207
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications

Abstract

A simple input method for a web browser allowing a user to launch a web page from an on-screen menu when the web content is displayed on any enabled display device without a pointing device to aid navigation. The method for navigating in a web page environment includes parsing the incoming mark-up language using an HTML parser, allocating an index number to each hyper-link of the web page and creating an anchor table which records the associations made, displaying the modified mark-up language with each hyperlink shown with an index number prefixed, and launching subsequent web pages according to the index number(s) selected by the user via a suitable input means, which in turn may include a numeric keypad of a remote control handset.

Claims

1. A method for navigating in a web page environment, the method comprising the following steps:

(a) launching a mark-up language web page;

(b) modifying incoming mark-up language web page by allocating an index number to a hyperlink on the web page;

(c) creating an anchor table associating hyperlink information with allocated index numbers;

(d) interpreting the modified mark-up language and displaying a result; and

(e) launching a subsequent web page according to a hyperlink associated with an inputted index number.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the web page is launched according to a user selection from an on-screen menu.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the web page is launched according to a user selection from a numerically indexed on-screen menu.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the user selection comprises a numerical input corresponding to an allocated index number.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the interpreting action of step (d) is carried out by a browser.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the displaying action of step (d) is carried out by a display device displaying output of the browser.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the interpreting action of step (d) is carried out by a browser and a mark-up language to image converter.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the displaying action of step (d) is carried out by a display device displaying the output of the mark-up language to image converter.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the modified mark-up language comprises displaying hyperlinks prefixed with index numbers according to the anchor table of step (c).

10. The method of claim 1, wherein steps (a)-(e) are controlled using a remote input/output server.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the mark-up language is hypertext mark-up language (HTML).

12. A web page content display system comprising:

an Internet connection interface for accessing the Internet;

a mark-up language parser comprising code for assigning index numbers to hyperlinks contained in mark-up language and creating an anchor table for recording index number assignments, and with access to the Internet connection interface;

a remote input/output server hosted in a computing device, the remote input/output server comprising;

a browser for translating the mark-up language into a web page;

a mark-up language to image converter for converting browser output into an image;

a display device connected to the remote input/output server, for displaying an image output of the mark-up language to image converter; and

a user input device connected to the display device for allowing a user input of an index number.

13. The web page content display system of claim 12, wherein the remote input/output server is hosted by a personal computer.

14. The web page content display system of claim 12, further comprising a display driver connected between the remote input/output server and the display device.

15. The web page content display system of claim 14, wherein the display driver further comprises an image renderer for rendering the image for the display device.

16. The web page content display system of claim 15, wherein the display device is a television.

17. The web page content display system of claim 15, wherein the display device is a PC projector.

18. A web page content display system comprising:

an Internet connection interface for accessing the Internet;

a means for assigning index numbers to hyperlinks contained in mark-up language and creating an anchor table for recording index number assignments, with access to the Internet connection interface;

a remote input/output server hosted in a computing device, the remote input/output server comprising;

a browser for translating the mark-up language into a web page;

a mark-up language to image converter for converting browser output into an image;

a display device connected to the remote input/output server, for displaying the image outputted by the mark-up language to image converter; and

a user input means connected to the display device for allowing a user input of an index number.