Apparatus and methods to enhance web browsing on the internet

• US 5,794,259 A
• Filed: 07/25/1996
• Issued: 08/11/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lextron Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lextron Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Kikinis, Dan
• Primary Examiner(s): Donaghue, Larry D.
• Application Number:
  US08/688,022
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• Field of Search: 395/200.48, 707/505-507, 707/501, 345/352, 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 715/207
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging

Abstract

A system for filling fields in Internet forms follows executable control code to associate stored fill entities with field names, and to place the stored fill entities into fields in the Internet form. In one embodiment association is automatic to the extent that names of fill entities match field names in the form. In another embodiment a display list is provided superimposed on the form, the display having selectable stored entity names. In this embodiment of the invention entity names may be selected from the superimposed list and caused to fill selected fields sin the form. In some embodiments both features are provided. In yet another embodiment a WEB browser is adapted to download database entities from a remote server through an Internet connection directly to a memory que without immediate display. The stored entities are separately selectable from the memory que for display and processing independent of operation of the WEB browser or the Internet connection.

Claims

1. A system for providing data for fields having coded field names in forms downloaded as code from a server on the Internet, comprising:

a central processing unit (CPU);

a display operable by the CPU;

stored fill entities associated with tags accessible by the CPU; and

control code executable by the CPU;

wherein the CPU, executing the control code, compares the coded field names in the downloaded code with the tags associated with the stored fill entities, retrieves fill entities when a match is made, and associates retrieved fill entities with fields wherein the tags match the field names, preparatory to transmission to the server on the Internet.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a display bubble displayable by the CPU executing the control code, the display bubble displaying multiple tags associated with stored fill entities, wherein the user may associate any field with the display bubble, any one tag in the display bubble then being selectable by the user to cause the stored fill entity associated with the selected tag to fill the field associated with the bubble.

5. The system of claim 2 wherein the association of the display bubble with a field on the form is accomplished by positioning the display bubble to contact the field on the displayed form.

3. A method for providing data for fields having coded field names in forms downloaded as code from a server on the Internet and displayed on a display monitor, comprising steps of:

(a) invoking a display of tags associated with multiple stored fill entities;

(b) selecting a field in the displayed Internet form, thereby associating the field with the display of tags;

(c) selecting one of the tags in the display of tags, causing the stored fill entity associated with the selected tag to be entered in the selected field in the form; and

(d) repeating steps (a) through (c) to fill additional fields in the form.

4. A method incorporating a computer having a display screen, the method for providing data for forms having fields with coded field names downloaded as code from a server on the Internet comprising steps of:

(a) associating fill entities with tags;

(b) storing the fill entities associated with the tags in a memory of the computer;

(c) downloading a form as code from a server on the Internet through a browser using the computer;

(d) associating the tags of the stored fill entities with coded field names in the code of the downloaded form; and

(e) causing the stored fill entities with tags matching coded field names in the code of the downloaded form to be associated with the coded fields to which the tags match.