Ease of use interface to hotspots in hypertext document pages in network display stations
First Claim
1. In a data processor controlled user interactive display system for displaying hypertext documents, each including a sequence of at least one display screen page containing a plurality of hotspots of varying dimensions, each of said hotspots being responsive to user interactive pointing means to display a linked document, the improvement comprising:
- means for determining the dimensions and positions of said hotspots on said display page,means responsive to said determining means for dynamically creating a plurality of expanded hotspot zones, each respectively including one of said hotspots, andmeans responsive to said user interactive pointing means within a selected hotspot zone to display the document linked to the hotspot in said zone.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A data processor controlled user interactive display system for displaying hypertext documents, each including a sequence of display screen pages received over a communications network such as the World Wide Web. Each of the pages contains a plurality of hotspots of varying dimensions, each of said hotspots being responsive to user interactive pointing means to display a linked document. The system has means for determining the dimensions and positions of said hotspots on said display page and means responsive to said determining means for dynamically creating a plurality of expanded hotspot zones, each respectively including one of said hotspots. The system then provides means responsive to said user interactive pointing means within a selected hotspot zone to display the document linked to the hotspot in said zone. These hotspot zones are highlighted when the user points to them to provide the user with a large and highly visible target zone within which he may access his selected hotspot.
79 Citations
27 Claims
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1. In a data processor controlled user interactive display system for displaying hypertext documents, each including a sequence of at least one display screen page containing a plurality of hotspots of varying dimensions, each of said hotspots being responsive to user interactive pointing means to display a linked document, the improvement comprising:
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means for determining the dimensions and positions of said hotspots on said display page, means responsive to said determining means for dynamically creating a plurality of expanded hotspot zones, each respectively including one of said hotspots, and means responsive to said user interactive pointing means within a selected hotspot zone to display the document linked to the hotspot in said zone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. In a computer managed communication network with user access via a plurality of data processor controlled interactive display stations with a system for displaying hypertext documents transmitted to said display stations from locations remote from said stations, said documents including a sequence of at least one display screen page containing a plurality of hotspots of varying dimensions, and each of said hotspots being responsive to user interactive pointing means to display a linked document, the improvement comprising:
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means for determining the dimensions and positions of said hotspots on said display page, means responsive to said determining means for dynamically creating a plurality of expanded hotspot zones, each respectively including one of said hotspots, and means responsive to said user interactive pointing means within a selected hotspot zone to display the document linked to the hotspot in said zone. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. In a computer implemented method for displaying hypertext documents, each including a sequence of at least one display screen page containing a plurality of hotspots of varying dimensions, each of said hotspots being responsive to user interactive pointing means to display a linked document, the improvement comprising:
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determining the dimensions and positions of said hotspots on said display page, responsive to said determination, dynamically creating a plurality of expanded hotspot zones, each respectively including one of said hotspots, and displaying the document linked to the hotspot in a selected zone in response to said user interactive pointing within said selected hotspot zone. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. In a computer managed communication network with user access via a plurality of data processor controlled interactive display stations, a system for displaying hypertext documents transmitted to said display stations from locations remote from said stations, and said documents including a sequence of at least one display screen page containing a plurality of hotspots of varying dimensions, each of said hotspots being responsive to user interactive pointing means to display a linked document, a method for accessing hotspots in a document page received at a display station comprising:
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determining the dimensions and positions of said hotspots on said received display page, responsive to said determination, dynamically creating a plurality of expanded hotspot zones, each respectively including one of said hotspots, and displaying the document linked to the hotspot in a selected zone in response to said user interactive pointing within said selected hotspot zone. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. In a computer program having data structures included on a computer readable medium for displaying, on a data processor controlled user interactive display system, hypertext documents, each including a sequence of at least one display screen page containing a plurality of hotspots of varying dimensions, each of said hotspots being responsive to user interactive pointing means to display a linked document, the improvement comprising:
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means for determining the dimensions and positions of said hotspots on said display page, means responsive to said determining means for dynamically creating a plurality of expanded hotspot zones, each respectively including one of said hotspots, and means responsive to said user interactive pointing means within a selected hotspot zone to display the document linked to the hotspot in said zone. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification