Systems and methods for saving internet content into a handheld internet appliance

• US 7,277,927 B2
• Filed: 04/13/2001
• Issued: 10/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EarthLink Incorporated
• Inventors: Flank, Joshua, Williams, George, Miniati, John, Rensin, David K.
• Primary Examiner(s): MEKY, MOUSTAFA M
• Application Number:
  US09/834,380
• Publication Number:
  US 20020165926A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,363 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709/223, 709/225, 707/10, 707/102, 707/6, 707/201, 715/810
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation

Abstract

Systems and methods for transferring Internet content displayed on a web site in a handheld Internet appliance to a local database in the handheld Internet appliance are provided. The systems and methods of the present invention consist of a software solution that enables users of handheld Internet appliances to automatically transfer information displayed on web sites to local databases associated with handheld Internet appliance applications. A user interface is provided in the web sites for enabling users to automatically transfer the information displayed on the web sites into the handheld Internet appliance.

Claims

1. A method for automatically transferring information from a website displayed on a handheld Internet appliance into a local database in the handheld Internet appliance, the method comprising:

determining the information to be transferred with a web site application program interface;

selecting a plurality of options available on a web site user interface for transferring the information from a first web site into the handheld Internet appliance, wherein the first web site includes the web site user interface, the web site user interface comprises a button in the first web site, the button comprising a menu displaying menu options for transferring the information from the first web site into the handheld Internet appliance, the menu options comprising;

an option for saving the information from an already open web site into a local application; and

a plurality of options for launching a second web site displaying content associated with the information from the already open web site; and

automatically transferring the information from the web site into the local database in the handheld Internet appliance using a software plug in, the transfer performing all necessary format conversions and taking place independent from a synchronization operation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the local application comprises the address book application and the option for saving the information from the web site comprises saving an address from the web site into the address book application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of options for launching a second web site comprises:

launching a second web site to map an address displayed on the already open web site;

launching a second web site to find driving directions to the address displayed on the already open web site; and

launching a second web site to find commercial locations nearest to the address displayed on the already open web site.

4. A method for automatically transferring information from a web site displayed on a handheld Internet appliance into a local database in the handheld Internet appliance into a local database in the handheld Internet appliance, the method comprising:

determining the information to be transferred with a web site application program interface;

selecting a plurality of options available on a web site user interface for transferring the information from a first web site into the handheld Internet appliance; and

automatically transferring through operation of a software plug in, the information from the first web site into the local database in the handheld Internet appliance, the transfer performing all necessary format conversions and taking place independent from a synchronization operation, wherein the software plug-in comprises software routines for;

retrieving the information from the first web site to be saved in the handheld Internet appliance;

formatting the information to be saved according to the local database to which the information is going to be transferred;

loading the formatted information into the local database in the handheld Internet appliance;

replacing parameters associated with the information on a second web site'"'"'s URL;

automatically launching a second local application from an already open first local application in the handheld Internet appliance;

automatically launching a web site from the first local application; and

automatically filling on-line forms of a web site with a data record stored in the local database in the handheld Internet appliance.

5. A system for automatically transferring information from a web site displayed on a handheld Internet appliance into a local database in the handheld Internet appliance, the system comprising:

an application program interface inserted in the web site for determining the information to be transferred into the handheld Internet appliance;

a user interface inserted in the web site for selecting a plurality of options for transferring the information from the web site into the handheld Internet appliance, wherein inserting the user interface in the web site comprises inserting a button in the web site, the button comprising a menu displaying menu options for transferring the information from the web site into the handheld Internet appliance, the menu options comprise;

an option for saving the information from an already open web site into a local application; and

a plurality of options for launching a second web site displaying content associated with the information from the already open web site; and

a software plug-in in the handheld Internet appliance to automatically transfer the information from the web site into the local database in the handheld Internet appliance, the software plug-in performing all necessary data translations and being invoked in response to a single actuation by the user.

6. A system for automatically transferring information from a web site displayed on a handheld Internet appliance into a local database in the handheld Internet appliance, the system comprising:

an application program interface inserted in a first web site for determining the information to be transferred into the handheld Internet appliance;

a user interface inserted in the first web site for selecting a plurality of options for transferring the information from the first web site into the handheld Internet appliance; and

a software plug-in to automatically transfer the information from the first web site into the local database in the handheld Internet appliance, the software plug-in performing all necessary data translations and being invoked in response to a single actuation by the user and comprising software routines for;

retrieving the information from the first web site to be saved in the handheld Internet appliance;

formatting the information to be saved according to the local database to which the information is going to be transferred;

loading the formatted information into the local database in the handheld Internet appliance;

replacing parameters associated with the information on a second web site'"'"'s URL;

automatically launching a second local application from an already open first local application in the handheld Internet appliance;

automatically launching a web site from the already open local application; and

automatically filling on-line forms of a web site with a data record stored in the local database in the handheld Internet appliance.

7. A handheld Internet appliance comprising a plurality of software components for transferring information from a web site into a local database in the handheld Internet appliance, the software components comprising:

an application program interface inserted in the web site for determining the information to be transferred;

a user interface inserted in the web site for selecting a plurality of options for transferring the information from the web site into the handheld Internet appliance, wherein inserting the user interface in the web site comprises inserting a button in the web site, the button comprising a menu displaying menu options for transferring the information from the web site into the handheld Internet appliance, the menu options comprising;

an option for saving the information from an already open web site into a local application; and

a plurality of options for launching a second web site displaying content associated with the information from the already open web site; and

a software plug-in to automatically transfer the information from the web site into the local database in the handheld Internet appliance independent of a synchronization application and in response to a single or no actuation by a user.

8. A handheld Internet appliance comprising a plurality of software components for transferring information from a web site into a local database in the handheld Internet appliance, the software components comprising:

an application program interface inserted in a first web site for determining the information to be transferred;

a user interface inserted in the first web site for selecting a plurality of options for transferring the information from the first web site into the handheld Internet appliance; and

a software plug-in to automatically transfer the information from the first web site, which is already open, into the local database in the handheld Internet appliance independent of a synchronization application and in response to a single or no actuation by a user and comprising software routines for;

retrieving the information from the already open first web site to be saved in the handheld Internet appliance;

formatting the information to be saved according to the local database to which the information is going to be transferred;

loading the formatted information into the local database in the handheld Internet appliance;

replacing parameters associated with the information on a second web site'"'"'s URL;

automatically launching a second local application from an already open first local application in the handheld Internet appliance;

automatically launching a web site from the already open first local application; and

automatically filling on-line forms of a web site with a data record stored in the local database in the handheld Internet appliance.