Web browser support for dynamic update of bookmarks

• US 6,041,360 A
• Filed: 11/21/1997
• Issued: 03/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Herman, Himmel, Maria Azua
• Primary Examiner(s): Burgess, Glenton B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HO, CHUONG T
• Application Number:
  US08/976,266
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 703/206, 703/219, 703/203, 703/245, 703/246, 703/218, 707/10, 707/1, 707/104, 345/335
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9562 Bookmark management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

Access to the Internet is provided using dynamic bookmarks. A first bookmark is stored in a browser in a computer system, the first bookmark referencing a web page at a Uniform Resource Locator (URL). A dynamic attribute for the first bookmark to keep it updated. When a change is detected in the web page data incorporated in the first bookmark, it is automatically updated by virtue of its dynamic attribute to reflect the change in web page data. The change in web page data can be detected during a request for the web page referenced by the first bookmark. If redirection of the request to a new URL is detected, the first bookmark is updated to the new URL. A new request for the web page is issued using the new URL. The change in web page data could alternatively be a change in the name of the web page. Setting the dynamic attribute is accomplished by the browser or at the server for a downloaded bookmark. In the preferred embodiment, the bookmark is a member of a bookmark set. The bookmark set can all have dynamic attributes, but may have member with static attributes which remain constant despite changes in web page data. A special case of a dynamic attribute is a temporary dynamic attribute which provides that the bookmark set remain resident only for the duration of a web site browsing session. The dynamic attribute of the bookmark can be overridden by a static browser preference selectable by the user so that all bookmarks remain static in the browser.

Claims

1. A method for providing access to the Internet using bookmarks comprising the steps of:

storing a first bookmark in a bookmark store of a browser in a computer system, the first bookmark to a web page at a Uniform Resource Locator (URL);

setting a dynamic attribute for the first bookmark;

detecting a change in the URL incorporated in the first bookmark; and

automatically updating the URL in the first bookmark.

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

requesting the web page referenced by the first bookmark;

detecting redirection of the request to a new URL;

updating the first bookmark to the new URL; and

requesting the web page using the new URL.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising the step of changing the name of the web page in the bookmark store.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the step of setting the dynamic attribute is accomplished by the browser.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the bookmark is downloaded from a server and the setting of the dynamic attribute is performed at the server.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the bookmark is a member of a bookmark set.

7. The method as recited in claim 6 wherein a second bookmark in the bookmark set has a static attribute and remains constant despite changes in URL.

8. The method as recited in claim 6 wherein the bookmarks in the bookmark set share a dynamic attribute.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein the dynamic attribute is a temporary dynamic attribute providing that the bookmark set remain resident only for the duration of a web site browsing session.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the dynamic attribute of the bookmark can be overridden by a static browser preference selectable by the user so that all bookmarks remain static in the browser.

11. A system including processor, memory, display and network connector for providing access to the Internet using bookmarks comprising:

means for storing a first bookmark in a bookmark store of a browser in a computer system, the first bookmark to a web page at a Uniform Resource Locator (URL);

means for setting a dynamic attribute for the first bookmark;

means for detecting a change in the URL incorporated in the first bookmark; and

means for automatically updating the URL in the first bookmark.

12. The system as recited in claim 11 further comprising:

means for requesting the web page referenced by the first bookmark;

means for detecting redirection of the request to a new URL;

means for updating the first bookmark to the new URL; and

means for requesting the web page using the new URL.

13. The system as recited in claim 11 wherein the setting of the dynamic attribute is accomplished by the browser.

14. The system as recited in claim 11 wherein the bookmark is downloaded from a server and the setting of the dynamic attribute is performed at the server.

15. The system as recited in claim 11 wherein the bookmark is a member of a bookmark set.

16. The system as recited in claim 11 wherein a second bookmark has a static attribute and remains constant despite changes in web page data.

17. The system as recited in claim 15 wherein the bookmarks in the bookmark set share a dynamic attribute.

18. The system as recited in claim 17 wherein the dynamic attribute is a temporary dynamic attribute providing that the bookmark set remain resident only for the duration of a web site browsing session.

19. The system as recited in claim 11 wherein the dynamic attribute of the bookmark can be overridden by a static browser preference selectable by the user so that all bookmarks remain static in the browser.

20. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for providing access to the Internet using bookmarks comprising:

means for storing a first bookmark in a bookmark store of a browser in a computer system, the first bookmark to a web page at a Uniform Resource Locator (URL);

means for setting a dynamic attribute for the first bookmark;

means for detecting a change in the URL incorporated in the first bookmark; and

means for automatically updating the URL in the first bookmark.

21. The product as recited in claim 20 further comprising:

means for requesting the web page referenced by the first bookmark;

means for detecting redirection of the request to a new URL;

means for updating the first bookmark to the new URL; and

means for requesting the web page using the new URL.

22. The product as recited in claim 20 wherein setting of the dynamic attribute is accomplished by the browser.

23. The produce as recited in claim 20 wherein the bookmark is downloaded from a server and the setting of the dynamic attribute is performed at the server.

24. The product as recited in claim 20 wherein the bookmark is a member of a bookmark set.

25. The product as recited in claim 20 wherein a second bookmark has a static attribute and remains constant despite changes in web page data.

26. The product as recited in claim 24 wherein the bookmarks in the bookmark set share a dynamic attribute.

27. The product as recited in claim 26 wherein the dynamic attribute is a temporary dynamic attribute providing that the bookmark set remain resident only for the duration of a web site browsing session.

28. The product as recited in claim 20 wherein the dynamic attribute of the bookmark can be overridden by a static browser preference selectable by the user so that all bookmarks remain static in the browser.