Removing a filled-out form from a non-interactive web browser cache to an interactive web browser cache

• US 6,327,598 B1
• Filed: 11/24/1997
• Issued: 12/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Knickerbocker, John U., Kelley, Edward E., Dauerer, Norman J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Paula, Cesar B.
• Application Number:
  US08/977,184
• Time in Patent Office: 1,471 Days
• Field of Search: 707/505, 707/506, 707/507, 707/508, 707/501, 707/513, 709/229
• US Class Current: 715/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]

Abstract

A process and system for controlling and moving along a path containing previously accessed interactive inter- or intra-net HTML source files and bypassing certain interactive HTML source files which contain informational messages. A web browser is provided having i) a first non-interactive web browser cache for storing data from a plurality of HTML source files and a first non-interactive web browser screen access path for identifying and displaying each of the HTML source files in the first cache, and ii) a second interactive web browser cache for storing data from a plurality of HTML source files and a second interactive web browser screen access path for identifying and displaying each of the HTML source files in the second cache. A desired non-interactive HTML source file is selected, downloaded to the web browser, and stored in the non-interactive web browser cache and the non-interactive web browser screen access path. A desired interactive HTML source file for a form which presents blank spaces for entry of information at the web browser is then selected, downloaded, and stored in the non-interactive web browser cache and the non-interactive web browser screen access path. Finally, blank spaces on the desired interactive HTML source file form are filled-in; and the desired interactive HTML source file form presenting filled-in spaces is stored in the interactive web browser cache and the interactive web browser screen access path.

Claims

1. A process for controlling and moving along a path containing previously accessed interactive inter- or intra-net HTML source files comprising the steps of:

a) providing a web browser having i) a first non-interactive web browser cache for storing data from a plurality of HTML source files and a first non-interactive web browser screen access path for identifying and displaying each of said HTML source files in the first cache, and ii) a second interactive web browser cache for storing data from a plurality of HTML source files and a second interactive web browser screen access path for identifying and displaying each of said HTML source files in the second cache;

b) selecting a desired non-interactive HTML source file;

c) downloading said desired non-interactive HTML source file to said web browser;

d) storing said desired non-interactive HTML source file only in said non-interactive web browser cache and said non-interactive web browser screen access path;

e) selecting a desired interactive HTML source file for a form which presents blank spaces for entry of information at said web browser;

f) downloading said desired interactive HTML source file to said web browser;

g) storing said desired interactive HTML source file for a form which presents blank spaces only in said non-interactive web browser cache and said non-interactive web browser screen access path;

h) filling in said blank spaces on the desired interactive HTML source file form; and

i) said web browser selectively eliminating said desired interactive HTML source file form presenting filled-in spaces from said non-interactive web browser cache by storing said desired interactive HTML source file form presenting filled-in spaces only in said interactive web browser cache and said interactive web browser screen access path,

thereby said web browser having the ability to distinguish between said interactive HTML source file form presenting blank spaces and said interactive HTML source file form presenting filled-in spaces.

2. The process of claim 1 further including the step of:

j) traversing said non-interactive web browser screen access path and optionally displaying an HTML source file from data in said non-interactive web browser cache.

3. The process of claim 2 wherein in step (j) only said non-interactive HTML files and the interactive HTML source file for a form which presents blank spaces are displayed.

4. The process of claim 1 further including the step of:

j) traversing said non-interactive web browser screen access path and printing a web page from data in said non-interactive web browser cache.

5. The process of claim 1 further including the step of:

j) traversing said interactive web browser screen access path and optionally displaying an HTML source file from data in said interactive web browser cache.

6. The process of claim 5 wherein in step (j) only the interactive HTML files for forms which present filled-in spaces are displayed.

7. The process of claim 5 further including the step of:

k) traversing said interactive web browser screen access path and printing a web page from data in said interactive web browser cache.

8. The process of claim 1 wherein a plurality of interactive HTML source file forms presenting filled-in spaces are stored in said interactive web browser cache and said interactive web browser screen access path, and further including the step of:

j) eliminating from said interactive web browser screen access path an interactive HTML source file form presenting filled-in spaces if the only difference between such interactive HTML source file form presenting filled-in spaces and another interactive HTML source file form presenting filled-in spaces is an informational message.

9. A web browser system for controlling and moving along a path containing previously accessed interactive inter- or intra-net HTML source files comprising:

a first non-interactive web browser cache adapted to store data only from a plurality of non-interactive HTML source files and a plurality of interactive HTML source files for forms which present blank spaces for entry of information at said web browser;

a first non-interactive web browser screen access path for identifying and displaying only each of said non-interactive HTML source files and interactive HTML source files for forms which present blank spaces from data in said first web browser cache;

a second interactive web browser cache for storing data only from a plurality of interactive HTML source files for forms which present filled-in spaces; and

a second interactive web browser screen access path for identifying and displaying only each of said interactive HTML source files for forms which present filled-in spaces from data in said second web browser cache

wherein said web browser system selectively eliminates said desired interactive HTML source file forms presenting filled-in spaces by storing said desired interactive HTML source file form presenting filled-in spaces only in said interactive web browser cache and said interactive web browser screen access path, thereby said web browser system distinguishing between said interactive HTML source file forms presenting blank spaces and said interactive HTML source file forms presenting filled-in spaces.

10. The system of claim 9 further comprising means for displaying from data in said first web browser cache only said non-interactive HTML source files and interactive HTML source files for forms which present blank spaces and means for displaying from data in said second web browser cache only said interactive HTML source files for forms which present filled-in spaces.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising means for printing from said first web browser cache only said non-interactive HTML source files and interactive HTML source files for forms which present blank spaces and means for printing from said second web browser cache only said interactive HTML source files for forms which present filled-in spaces.

12. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a web browser having i) a first non-interactive web browser cache for storing data from a plurality of HTML source files and a first non-interactive web browser screen access path for identifying and displaying each of said HTML source files in the first cache, and ii) a second interactive web browser cache for storing data from a plurality of HTML source files and a second interactive web browser screen access path for identifying and displaying each of said HTML source files in the second cache, said web browser further having a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method of controlling and moving along a path containing previously accessed interactive inter- or intra-net HTML source files, said method comprising the steps of:

a) downloading a desired non-interactive HTML source file to said web browser;

b) storing said desired non-interactive HTML source file only in said non-interactive web browser cache and said non-interactive web browser screen access path;

c) downloading to said web browser a desired interactive HTML source file for a form which presents blank spaces for entry of information at said web browser;

d) storing said desired interactive HTML source file for a form which presents blank spaces only in said non-interactive web browser cache and said non-interactive web browser screen access path;

e) filling in said blank spaces on the desired interactive HTML source file form; and

f) said web browser selectively eliminating said desired interactive HTML source file form presenting filled-in spaces from said non-interactive web browser cache by storing said desired interactive HTML source file for a form which presents filled-in spaces only in said interactive web browser cache and said interactive web browser screen access path,

thereby said web browser having the ability to distinguish between said interactive HTML source file form presenting blank spaces and said interactive HTML source file form presenting filled-in spaces.

13. A process for controlling and moving along a path containing previously accessed interactive inter- or intra-net HTML source files comprising the steps of:

a) providing a web browser having a web browser cache for storing data from a plurality of HTML source files and a web browser screen access path for identifying and displaying each of said HTML source files, said web browser being present on a client computer which has access to HTML source files on a network computer;

b) downloading a desired HTML source file from said network computer to said web browser on said client computer;

c) determining if the desired HTML file is an interactive or non-interactive HTML file;

d) storing said desired HTML file in said web browser cache and said web browser screen access path only if said HTML file is a non-interactive HTML file or if said HTML file is an interactive HTML file for a form which presents blank spaces for entry of information at said web browser; and

e) traversing said web browser screen access path and optionally displaying an HTML source file from data in said web browser cache such that only non-interactive HTML files and interactive HTML files for forms which present blank spaces are traversed and, optionally, displayed,

wherein said web browser selectively eliminates an interactive HTML source file for a form which presents filled-in spaces by only storing said interactive HTML file forms presenting blank spaces in said web browser cache and said web browser screen access path.

14. The process of claim 13 wherein in step (e) said non-interactive HTML files are displayed.

15. The process of claim 13 wherein in step (e) said interactive HTML files for forms which present blank spaces are displayed.

16. The process of claim 13 further including the step of:

f) traversing said web browser screen access path and printing a web page from data in said web browser cache.

17. The process of claim 13 wherein a plurality of interactive HTML source files for forms which present filled-in spaces are stored in said interactive web browser cache and said interactive web browser screen access path, and further including the step of:

f) eliminating from said interactive web browser screen access path an interactive HTML source file for a form which presents filled-in spaces if the only difference between such interactive HTML source file form which presents filled-in spaces and another interactive HTML source file for a form which presents filled-in spaces is an informational message.

18. A web browser system for controlling and moving along a path containing previously accessed interactive inter- or intra-net HTML source files comprising:

a web browser cache adapted to store data from a plurality of non-interactive HTML source files and a plurality of interactive HTML source files for forms which present blank spaces for entry of information at said web browser, said web browser further adapted to eliminate from said web browser cache interactive HTML source files for forms which present filled-in spaces; and

a web browser screen access path for identifying and displaying only said non-interactive HTML source files and interactive HTML source files for forms which present blank spaces from data in said web browser cache,

wherein said web browser system is adapted to selectively eliminate from said web browser cache and said web browser screen access path interactive HTML source file forms presenting filled-in spaces by storing said desired interactive HTML source file form presenting filled-in spaces only in an interactive web browser cache of said web browser system and an interactive web browser screen access path of said web browser system.

19. The system of claim 18 further comprising means for displaying from data in said web browser cache only said non-interactive HTML source files and interactive HTML source files for forms which present blank spaces.

20. The system of claim 19 further comprising means for printing from said web browser cache only said non-interactive HTML source files and interactive HTML source files for forms which present blank spaces.

21. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a web browser having i) a web browser cache adapted to store data from a plurality of non-interactive HTML source files and a plurality of interactive HTML source files for forms which present blank spaces for entry of information at said web browser, said web browser further adapted to eliminate from said web browser cache interactive HTML source files for forms which present filled-in spaces;

and ii) a web browser screen access path for identifying and displaying only said non-interactive HTML source files and interactive HTML source files for forms which present blank spaces from data in said web browser cache, said web browser further having a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method of controlling and moving along a path containing previously accessed interactive inter- or intra-net HTML source files, said method comprising the steps of;

a) downloading a desired non-interactive HTML source file to said web browser;

b) storing said desired non-interactive HTML source file in said web browser cache and said web browser screen access path;

c) downloading to said web browser a desired interactive HTML source file for a form which presents blank spaces for entry of information at said web browser;

d) storing said desired interactive HTML source file for a form which presents blank spaces in said web browser cache and said web browser screen access path;

e) filling in said blank spaces on said desired interactive HTML source file form; and

f) said web browser selectively eliminating said desired interactive HTML source file for a form which presents filled-in spaces from said web browser cache and said web browser screen access path by only storing in said interactive web browser cache and said interactive web browser screen access path said desired interactive HTML source file form presenting blank spaces.