Method and apparatus for consolidating network information

• US 8,095,875 B2
• Filed: 06/24/2002
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Philip R. Krause
• Original Assignee: Philip R. Krause
• Inventors: Krause, Philip R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hutton, Jr., Doug
• Assistant Examiner(s): DEBROW, JAMES J
• Application Number:
  US10/176,634
• Publication Number:
  US 20020196273A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,487 Days
• Field of Search: 715/500, 715/500.1, 715/501.1, 715/513, 715/515, 715/517, 715/522, 715/733, 715/760, 715/788, 715/800, 715/215, 715/273, 715/778, 715/225
• US Class Current: 715/273
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation

Abstract

A method and apparatus for consolidating network information, in some cases for use as a start/portal page. The invention provides means for “framing” Internet content, as well as creating links on the fly, to a single start/portal page that can be accessed by a single user, or by a set of users in a cooperative relationship with each other.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of adding an indicator of network-accessible information to a network-accessible display page, comprising in sequence, the steps of:

a) providing components including a computer program, such that after said computer program is invoked by a user clicking on an element within an internet browser, a link to the web page currently displayed in said browser is added to an internet-accessible display page, said display page not comprising said web page and said components comprising;

i. a server computer that provides, via the internet, the contents of at least one display page, wherein;

A. said display page is displayed in a network browser window;

B. said display page is accessible via a uniform resource locator;

C. said display page contains a plurality of links to internet web sites;

D. at least one link presented on said display page can be automatically changed using instructions sent over the internet from an internet browser; and

E. the contents of said display page are stored on computer readable storage media accessible to said server computer at a first network location;

ii. a computer program wherein;

A. said program is provided via the internet, to a client computer at a second network location distinct from said first network location;

B. said program can be associated with a network browser window;

C. said program can be invoked by a single mouse click on a toolbar of a network browser;

D. when invoked, said program causes information in a pre-specified format to be sent over the internet to a server computer at a pre-specified network address, said information comprising;

1) information sufficient to identify the network address of the web page currently displayed in the browser window associated with said computer program, wherein said web page is served from a third network location distinct from said first network location and second network location; and

2) information sufficient to identify said display page of step; and

iii) a computer program different from that described in step (a)(ii), wherein;

A. said computer program is executed after receipt of said information of step (ii)(D) via a computer network by a server computer at said pre-specified network address of step (ii)(D);

B. said computer program can access the computer readable storage media of step (i); and

C. when a computer executing said computer program receives, via the internet, input information in the pre-specified format of step (ii), the contents of the specified display page are modified to include a link to the network address of the page being browsed in step (ii)(D)(1); and

b) providing, via the internet to a client computer different from that of step (a)(ii), a modified display page that includes the link added to said display page as a result of step (a).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a)(iii) further comprises modifying the contents of the specified display page to include a location for display of the link to the network address of the page being browsed in step (a)(ii).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said display page comprises information stored on a plurality of network servers located at a plurality of network addresses.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing access from said display page to a file uploaded by a user to said first network location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said link comprises a picture.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said visual indicator comprises a drop-down menu.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said information of step (b) comprises the contents of a text box in which a user may type information for submission to said web page.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein links displayed on said display page as a result of action by different users are distinguished on said display page by differences unique to each user.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a user of a client computer at the ability to change the specific screen location at which said link is displayed on said display page, while said user is viewing said display page via the internet on said client computer.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the specific screen location of said visual indicator may be changed by dragging said link from an original screen location to a new screen location.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said information of step (a)(ii) includes additional user-supplied information related to said web page;

and wherein said additional information is used in step (a)(iii) to further modify the contents of said display page.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said additional user-supplied information comprises a textual entry associated with said web page.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising modifying the contents of said display page such that said additional user-supplied information is made accessible via a mouse-over of said link.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising modifying the contents of said display page such that it includes visual cues that distinguish additional user-supplied information contributed by different users.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said additional user-supplied information comprises audio information.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising modifying the contents of said display page such that said additional user-supplied information is displayed on said display page.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein said computer program of step (a)(ii) is configured to be invoked by a single mouse click.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said computer program of step (a)(ii) is configured to be invoked by a single mouse-click on a toolbar component of said browser of step (a)(ii).

19. The method of claim 1, wherein said link comprises a display of a web page served from said third network location within a frame on said display page.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said frame contains at least one scroll bar.

21. The method of claim 19, further providing a user the ability to resize said frame while viewing said display page.

22. The method of claim 19, further comprising modifying the contents of said display page such said frame is pre-scrolled to a pre-specified, non-default location wherein said pre-specified, non-default scroll location is stored in said computer-readable storage media of step (a)(i).

23. A computer memory storage device encoded with a computer programs for adding an indicator of network-accessible information to a network-accessible display page comprising:

a) means for providing components, including a computer program, such that after said computer program is invoked by a user clicking on an element within an internet browser, a link to the web page currently displayed in said browser is added to an internet-accessible display page, said display page not comprising said web page and said components comprising;

i. a server computer that provides, via the internet, the contents of at least one display page, wherein;

A. said display page is displayed in a network browser window;

B. said display page is accessible via a uniform resource locator;

C. said display page contains a plurality of links to internet web sites;

D. at least one link presented on said display page can be automatically changed using instructions sent over the internet from an internet browser; and

E. the contents of said display page are stored on computer readable storage media accessible to said server computer at a first network location;

ii. a computer program wherein;

A. said program is provided via the internet to a client computer at a second network location distinct from said first network location;

B. said program can be associated with a network browser window;

C. said program can be invoked by a single mouse click on a toolbar of a network browser;

D. when invoked, said program causes information in a pre-specified format to be sent over the internet to a server computer at a pre-specified network address, said information comprising;

1) information sufficient to identify the network address of the web page currently displayed in the browser window associated with said computer program, wherein said web page is served from a third network location distinct from said first network location and second network location; and

2) information sufficient to identify said display page of step (a); and

iii) a computer program different from that described in step (a)(ii), wherein;

A. said computer program is executed after receipt of said information of step (ii)(D) via a computer network by a server computer at said pre-specified network address of step (ii)(D);

B. said computer program can access the computer readable storage media of step (a); and

C. when a computer executing said computer program receives, via the internet, input information in the pre-specified format of step (ii), the contents of the specified display page are modified to include a link to the network address of the page being browsed in step (ii)(D)(1); and

b) means for providing, via the internet to a client computer different from that of step (a)(ii), a modified display page that includes the link added to said display page as a result of step (a).

24. A machine for adding an indicator of network-accessible information to a network-accessible display page comprising:

a) means for providing components, including a computer program, such that after said computer program is invoked by a user clicking on an element within an internet browser, a link to the web page currently displayed in said browser is added to an internet-accessible display page, said display page not comprising said web page and said components comprising;

i. a server computer that provides, via the internet, the contents of at least one display page, wherein;

A. said display page is displayed in a network browser window;

B. said display page is accessible via a uniform resource locator;

C. said display page contains a plurality of links to internet web sites;

D. at least one link presented on said display page can be automatically changed using instructions sent over the internet from an internet browser; and

E. the contents of said display page are stored on computer readable storage media accessible to said server computer at a first network location;

ii. a computer program wherein;

A. said program is provided via the internet to a client computer at a second network location distinct from said first network location;

B. said program can be associated with a network browser window;

C. said program can be invoked by a single mouse click on a toolbar of a network browser;

D. when invoked, said program causes information in a pre-specified format to be sent over the internet to a server computer at a pre-specified network address, said information comprising;

1) information sufficient to identify the network address of the web page currently displayed in the browser window associated with said computer program, wherein said web page is served from a third network location distinct from said first network location and second network location; and

2) information sufficient to identify said display page of step (a); and

iii) a computer program different from that described in step (a)(ii), wherein;

A. said computer program is executed after receipt of said information of step (ii)(D) via a computer network by a server computer at said pre-specified network address of step (ii)(D);

B. said computer program can access the computer readable storage media of step (a); and

C. when a computer executing said computer program receives, via the internet, input information in the pre-specified format of step (ii), the contents of the specified display page are modified to include a link to the network address of the page being browsed in step (ii)(D)(1); and

b) means for providing, via the internet to a client computer different from that of step (a)(ii), a modified display page that includes the link added to said display page as a result of step (a).