U.S. patent application number 09/104185 was filed with the patent office on 2001-11-15 for a hypertext reader which performs a reading process on a hierarchically constructed hypertext.
Invention is credited to FUKUDA, RYOJI.
Application Number | 20010042076 09/104185 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 15983948 |
Filed Date | 2001-11-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010042076 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
FUKUDA, RYOJI |
November 15, 2001 |
A HYPERTEXT READER WHICH PERFORMS A READING PROCESS ON A
HIERARCHICALLY CONSTRUCTED HYPERTEXT
Abstract
In a process for sequentially searching pages which are
hierarchically constructed such as a WWW browser or the like, by
controlling in a manner such that an instruction from automatic
linking instruction means is used as a trigger, a first non-read
anchor is searched by anchor search means, and if there is the
non-read anchor, a hyper text of a network on the link destination
side is accessed, and if there is no non-read anchor, the
processing routine is returned to the original page. Thus, upon
reading the hyper text, the operability is improved by an automatic
linking process.
Inventors: |
FUKUDA, RYOJI;
(YOKOHAMA-SHI, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FITZPATRICK CELLA HARPER & SCINTO
30 ROCKEFELLER PLAZA
NEW YORK
NY
10112
US
|
Family ID: |
15983948 |
Appl. No.: |
09/104185 |
Filed: |
June 25, 1998 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
455/408 ;
707/E17.107 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 16/95 20190101;
Y10S 707/99948 20130101; Y10S 707/99945 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
707/500 |
International
Class: |
G06F 015/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 30, 1997 |
JP |
9-174745 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An information processing apparatus for reading a hyper text on
a link destination side by instructing anchors of pages which are
hierarchically constructed, comprising: automatic linking
instruction means for instructing to start an automatic linking of
said hierarchically constructed pages; anchor search means for
searching non-read anchors in said hierarchically constructed pages
on the basis of said start instruction; and link destination access
means for, when said non-read anchor exists, accessing to the hyper
text on the link destination side corresponding to said searched
non-read anchor.
2. An information processing apparatus for reading a hyper text on
a link destination side by instructing anchors of pages which are
hierarchically constructed, comprising: automatic linking
instruction means for instructing to start an automatic linking of
said hierarchically constructed pages; anchor search means for
searching non-read anchors in said hierarchically constructed pages
on the basis of said start instruction; memory means for storing a
page position; mark addition means for, when said non-read anchor
exists, adding an "already read" mark to said anchor; registration
means for registering a page position of the anchor to which said
"already read" mark was added into said memory means; link
destination access means for accessing to the hyper text on the
link destination side corresponding to said searched non-read
anchor; page position call means for calling the page position
stored in said memory means when said non-read anchor does not
exist; and means for accessing so as to return to said called page
position.
3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said anchor search
means has: recognition means for recognizing the non-read anchor in
which the link destination exceeding a preset accessing range has
been set; and control means for controlling so as not to search the
non-read anchor recognized by said recognition means.
4. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising display
means for displaying accessed contents.
5. An information processing method of reading a hyper text on a
link destination side by instructing anchors of pages which are
hierarchically constructed, comprising: an automatic linking
instructing step of instructing to start an automatic linking of
said hierarchically constructed pages; an anchor searching step of
searching non-read anchors in said hierarchically constructed pages
on the basis of said start instruction; and a step of, when said
non-read anchor exists, accessing to the hyper text on the link
destination side corresponding to said searched non-read
anchor.
6. An information processing method of reading a hyper text on a
link destination side by instructing anchors of pages which are
hierarchically constructed, comprising: an automatic linking
instructing step of instructing to start an automatic linking of
said hierarchically constructed pages; an anchor searching step of
searching non-read anchors in said hierarchically constructed pages
on the basis of said start instruction; a step of, when said
non-read anchor exists, adding an "already read" mark to said
anchor; a step of registering a page position of the anchor said
"already read" mark was added into a memory area; a step of
accessing to the hyper text on the link destination side
corresponding-to said searched nonread anchor; a step of calling
the page position stored in said memory area when said non-read
anchor does not exist; and a step of accessing so as to return to
said called page position.
7. A method according to claim 5, wherein said anchor searching
step has: a recognizing step of recognizing the non-read anchor in
which the link destination exceeding a preset accessing range has
been set; and a control step of controlling so as not to search the
non-read anchor recognized.
8. A method according to claim 5, further comprising a displaying
step of displaying accessed contents.
9. A recording medium in which a reading control program for
allowing a computer to control a reading operation of a hyper text
corresponding to anchors of pages which are hierarchically
constructed has been recorded, wherein said control program allows
the computer to execute the steps of: instructing to start an
automatic linking of said hierarchically constructed pages;
searching non-read anchors in said hierarchically constructed pages
on the basis of said start instruction; and when said non-read
anchor exists, accessing to a hyper text on a link destination side
corresponding to said searched non-read anchor.
10. A recording medium in which a reading control program for
allowing a computer to control a reading operation of a hyper text
corresponding to anchors of pages which are hierarchically
constructed has been recorded, wherein said control program
comprises the steps of: executing a start instruction of an
automatic linking of said hierarchically constructed pages;
searching non-read anchors in said hierarchically constructed pages
on the basis of said start instruction; when said non-read anchor
exists, adding an "already read" mark to said anchor; registering a
page position of the anchor to which said "already read" mark was
added into a memory area; accessing to a hyper text on a link
destination side corresponding to said searched non-read anchor;
calling the page position stored in said memory area when said
non-read anchor does not exist; and accessing so as to return to
said called page position.
11. A medium according to claim 9, wherein a control is made so as
to recognize the non-read anchor in which the link destination
exceeding a preset accessing range has been set and not to search
said recognized non-read anchor.
12. A medium according to claim 9, wherein said accessed contents
are displayed.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The invention relates to information processing apparatus
and method and, more particularly, to a hyper text reader such as a
WWW (World Wide Web) browser or the like for performing a reading
process of a hyper text which is hierarchically constructed.
[0003] 2. Related Background Art
[0004] As a technique of a conventional hyper text reader such as a
WWW browser or the like, a "Navigator" (made by Netscape Co.,
Ltd.), an "Internet Explorer" (made by Microsoft Co., Ltd.), or the
like has been known.
[0005] FIG. 8 shows a constructional example of a conventional
hyper text reader. FIG. 9 shows expression contents of a
conventional WWW browser 24 displayed on a display screen of
display means 5 in FIG. 8. A conventional reading process of a
hyper text document will now be described hereinbelow.
[0006] Hitherto, in case of reading a hyper text document 62 in a
network 61 on the link destination side shown in FIG. 8, in a
document of a page 27 which is hierarchically constructed and can
be expressed by a display screen as shown in FIG. 9, a drawing
object called an anchor A which is expressed by a text or an image
shown by an underline, a highlight, or the like is instructed by
using instruction means 1 such as mouse, keyboard, or the like,
thereby accessing the link destination shown in the anchor A.
[0007] In this instance, a mark indicating that the document has
already been read is added to the accessed anchor A by mark
addition means 2. The present page position is registered into a
page position memory stack 6 by page position registration means 3.
The hyper text document 62 in the network 61 on the link
destination side is searched by access means 4. A desired page of
the accessed hyper text document 62 is displayed by the display
means 5.
[0008] To return the display screen to an original page (business
trip report page) 27, a preceding button 22 written as "BACK" or
the like is instructed by the instruction means 1, so that page
position call means 8 obtains a page position from the page
position memory stack 6, thereby making it possible to access to
the original page 27. The accessed original page 27 is displayed by
the display means 5. Further, to progress the display screen to a
next page, by instructing a succeeding button 21 by the instruction
means 1, the apparatus can access to the next page by a process
similar to that of the preceding button 22 and display. In a
display screen as shown in FIG. 9 after the original page or next
page was accessed as mentioned above, by instructing the anchor A
by the instruction means 1, the hyper text document 62 can be
read.
[0009] In the conventional construction as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9,
to instruct the anchor A in the document in the page 27 which is
hierarchically constructed, as mentioned above, first by
instructing the succeeding button 21 or preceding button 22 by the
instruction means 1, a target page to be read (for example,
business trip report page) is displayed on the display screen. In
the target page, by instructing the anchor A of the underlined
document or the like by the instruction means 1, the hyper text
document 62 is read through the access means 4.
[0010] To read the hyper text document 62 as mentioned above, the
operations of the succeeding button 21 and preceding button 22 to
change the display screen and the operation to instruct the anchor
A to be accessed to the link destination have to be properly judged
and executed each time by the operator. Particularly, in case of
searching the anchor A which is not read yet, the pages which were
hierarchically constructed have to be sequentially traced, it takes
time for the processing operation and an operability is bad.
[0011] Generally, in many cases, to fill up the formed hyper text
document, the person who makes a page allows an anchor to link with
an associated external page to be included. There is a case where
whether the anchor is an anchor to be accessed to the outside or
not cannot be discriminated if only characters or image written in
the anchor are used. In such a case, according to the conventional
techniques, by moving a mouse cursor to a position over the anchor,
the link destination of the anchor can be displayed in a part of
the screen.
[0012] Since the link destination cannot be known if the mouse is
not matched with position of the anchor by moving, in the case
where the operator who executes the reading operation merely wants
to obtain only information which is derived from a server of the
accessed page, it is necessary to match the position of the mouse
cursor with that of the anchor and to confirm the link destination
every time, so that the operability deteriorates.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] It is an object of the invention to provide information
processing apparatus and method which can improve an operability by
performing an automatic linking process when a hyper test is
read.
[0014] According to the invention, there is provided an information
processing apparatus for reading a hyper text on a link destination
side by instructing anchors of pages which are hierarchically
constructed, comprising: automatic linking instruction means for
instructing to start an automatic linking of the hierarchically
constructed pages; anchor search means for searching non-read
anchors in the hierarchically constructed pages on the basis of the
start instruction; and link destination access means for, when the
non-read anchor exists, accessing to the hyper text on the link
destination side corresponding to the searched non-read
anchors.
[0015] According to the invention, there is also provided an
information processing apparatus for reading a hyper text on a link
destination side by instructing anchors of pages which are
hierarchically constructed, comprising: automatic linking
instruction means for instructing to start an automatic linking of
the hierarchically constructed pages; anchor search means for
searching non-read anchors in the hierarchically constructed pages
on the basis of the start instruction; memory means for storing a
page position; mark addition means for, when the non-read anchor
exists, adding an "already read" mark to such an anchor;
registration means for registering a page position of the anchor to
which the "already read" mark was added into the memory means; link
destination access means for accessing to the hyper text on the
link destination side corresponding to the searched non-read
anchor; page position call means for calling the page position
stored in the memory means when the non-read anchor does not exist;
and means for accessing so as to return to the called page
position.
[0016] According to the invention, there is provided an information
processing method of reading a hyper text on a link destination
side by instructing anchors of hierarchically constructed pages,
comprising: an automatic linking instructing step of instructing to
start an automatic linking of the hierarchically constructed pages;
an anchor searching step of searching non-read anchors in the
hierarchically constructed pages on the basis of the start
instruction; and a step of, when the non-read anchor exists,
accessing to the hyper text on the link destination side
corresponding to the searched non-read anchors.
[0017] According to the invention, there is also provided an
information processing method of reading a hyper text on a link
destination side by instructing anchors of pages which are
hierarchically constructed, comprising: an automatic linking
instructing step of instructing to start an automatic linking of
the hierarchically constructed pages; an anchor searching step of
searching non-read anchors in the hierarchically constructed pages
on the basis of the start instruction; a step of, when the non-read
anchor exists, adding an "already read" mark to such an anchor; a
step of registering a page position of the anchor to which the
"already read" mark was added into a memory area; a step of
accessing to the hyper text on the link destination side
corresponding to the searched non-read anchor; a step of calling
the page position stored in the memory area when the non-read
anchor does not exist; and a step of accessing so as to return to
the called page position.
[0018] According to the invention, there is provided a recording
medium in which a reading control program for allowing a computer
to control a reading operation of a hyper text corresponding to
anchors of pages which are hierarchically constructed has been
recorded, wherein the control program allows the computer to
execute the steps of: instructing to start an automatic linking of
the hierarchically constructed pages; searching non-read anchors in
the hierarchically constructed pages on the basis of the start
instruction; and when the non-read anchor exists, accessing to a
hyper text on a link destination side corresponding to the searched
non-read anchor.
[0019] According to the invention, there is provided a recording
medium in which a reading control program for allowing a computer
to control a reading operation of a hyper text corresponding to
anchors of pages which are hierarchically constructed has been
recorded, wherein the control program comprises the steps of:
executing a start instruction of an automatic linking of the
hierarchically constructed pages; searching non-read anchors in the
hierarchically constructed pages on the basis of the start
instruction; when the non-read anchor exists, adding an "already
read" mark to the anchor; registering a page position of the anchor
to which the "already read" mark was added into a memory area;
accessing a hyper text on a link destination side corresponding to
the searched non-read anchor; calling the page position stored in
the memory area when the non-read anchor does not exist; and
accessing so as to return to the called page position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a construction of a
browser according to the first embodiment of the invention;
[0021] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the contents of a
browser displayed on a screen;
[0022] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an automatic linking process
according to the invention;
[0023] FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a schematic construction
of an information processing apparatus according to the
invention;
[0024] FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a memory map;
[0025] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an automatic linking process
according to the second embodiment of the invention;
[0026] FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a memory map;
[0027] FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a construction of a
conventional browser; and
[0028] FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing contents of the
conventional browser displayed on the screen.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0029] The invention will now be described in detail hereinbelow
with reference to the drawings.
(a) First Embodiment
[0030] The first embodiment of the invention will be described with
reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. Explanation about portions (refer to
FIGS. 8 and 9) similar to those of the conventional technique is
omitted and are designated by the same reference numerals as those
in the conventional technique.
[0031] First, a whole construction of an information processing
apparatus according to the embodiment will be described with
reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 4 shows a construction of a
hardware construction of the apparatus. When a power source of an
apparatus 100 is turned on, an operating system (OS) 70 and a
Window system 71 which have previously been stored in an ROM 52 are
activated from a CPU 51. Data processes are executed through a bus
59 by using an RAM 53 as a main storage. A display controller 54,
an input device controller 56, and a network interface 60 start to
operate, respectively.
[0032] A display is performed to a display apparatus 55 as display
means 5. By operating a mouse 57 or a keyboard 58, it is possible
to access to the network 61.
[0033] FIG. 5 shows a memory map of the RAM 53 as a main storage
when the data processes are executed. In addition to the foregoing
operating system 70 and window system 71, the page position memory
stack area 6 to store a page position, a WWW browser 80 having a
graphical user interface as shown in FIG. 2 by which the data
processes according to the invention are executed, and the like
have been stored in the RAM 53. An executing program of the WWW
browser 80 is shown in a flowchart of FIG. 3, which will be
explained hereinlater. The WWW browser 80 constructed by such
software is stored in the ROM 52 or RAM 53 as in the embodiment.
However, it can be also stored as a separate device into a memory
medium such as a floppy disk or the like.
[0034] The WWW browser used here denotes software for reading a
hyper text called an HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) format
constructed on the internet on the basis of an HTTP (Hyper Text
Transfer Protocol).
[0035] The construction of the WWW browser 80 according to the
embodiment will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of the construction of the WWW browser
80. In FIG. 1, the anchor A, succeeding button 21, preceding button
22, mark addition means 2, page position registration means 3,
access means 4, page position memory stack 6, and page position
call means 8 are similar to those in the construction of the
conventional WWW browser 24 mentioned above.
[0036] In the embodiment, automatic linking button 9 serving as
automatic linking instruction means and an anchor search means 10
are newly provided. The automatic linking button 9 instructs the
start to perform the automatic linking of the page 27 which is
hierarchically constructed as shown in FIG. 2. The anchor search
means 10 searches the non-read anchor A in the hierarchically
constructed pages 27 on the basis of the start instruction for the
automatic linking by the automatic linking button 9.
[0037] FIGS. 1 and 4 will now be mutually referred. The WWW browser
80 is stored in the ROM 52 or RAM 53. The access means 4
corresponds to the network interface 60. The instruction means 1
corresponds to the mouse 57 or keyboard 58.
[0038] A flow of the automatic linking process according to the
embodiment will now be described with reference to the flowchart
shown in FIG. 3. When the WWW browser 80 accesses to a URL (Uniform
Resource Locator) set by the user, a page on the access destination
side can be read and the apparatus enters the subsequent input
waiting mode as shown in FIG. 2.
[0039] When the automatic linking button 9 is clocked by the mouse
57, an automatic linking process shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3
is executed. A main routine and the other processes are similar to
those of the existing WWW browser and the details of those
processes are omitted here.
[0040] In step S41, the next anchor is searched. In step S42,
whether the next anchor A exists or not is discriminated from a
result in step S41. If the anchor A exists, step S43 is executed.
If NO, step S48 is executed.
[0041] In step S43, a check is made to see if an "already read"
mark (showing that the anchor has already been read) has been added
to the searched anchor A. If YES, the processing routine is
returned to step S41 and the next anchor A is searched. In this
case, to show the addition of the "already read" mark, it is
desirable to perform a process such that a color of an underline
indicative of the anchor A changes, a character is inverted, or the
like. If the "already read" mark is not added to the searched
anchor A, step S44 is executed.
[0042] In step S44, the "already read" mark is added to the
searched anchor A. In step S45, the present page position is
registered into the page position memory stack 6 and a stack
pointer is updated. In step S46, the hyper text document 62 on the
network 61 as a link destination corresponding to the searched
anchor A is accessed. In step S47, the accessed page is displayed
and the automatic linking process is finished.
[0043] In step S48, since the anchor as a search result does not
exist, the page position is called from the page position memory
stack 6, the page position registered in the stack is deleted, and
the stack pointer is returned. In step S49, the page position
called from the page position memory stack 6 is accessed and step
S47 is executed. Since the operation for the automatic linking
process as mentioned above can be easily performed by merely
repeating the clicking operation of the automatic linking button 9,
the operability can be improved.
(b) Second Embodiment
[0044] The second embodiment of the invention will now be described
with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. Explanation with respect to
portions similar to those in the foregoing first embodiment is
omitted.
[0045] The embodiment is an example in case of changing searching
conditions of the anchor in the WWW browser 80 described in the
foregoing first embodiment.
[0046] FIG. 7 is a memory map showing a server address storage area
81 newly assured in the RAM 53. An IP address of the WWW server
which is at present being accessed is stored here. The IP address
of the WWW server is added to the searching conditions. By limiting
the searching conditions into a server of the page that is at
present being accessed, only target information can be read without
diverging the access to the outside.
[0047] A flow for the automatic linking process will now be
described with reference to a flowchart of FIG. 6. Since steps S41,
S43, S44, S45, S46, S47, S48, and S49 are similar to those in the
flowchart of FIG. 3 of the foregoing first embodiment, their
descriptions are omitted.
[0048] In step S42, if the searching condition is YES, step S71 is
executed. In step S71, a check is made to see if the searched
anchor is the anchor to the external server. If it is the anchor to
the external server, step S41 is executed. If NO, step S43 is
executed. That is, in the embodiment, the searching conditions are
limited in the server of the page which is at present being
accessed so as not to diverge the access to the outside.
[0049] By executing the processes as mentioned above, only the
target page on the WWW server can be read by the automatic linking
button 9 without being anxious about whether the access is a link
to the outside or not. The operability can be further improved.
[0050] According to the embodiment as described above, in the hyper
text reader such as a WWW browser or the like, an instruction from
the automatic linking instruction means is used as a trigger and
the first non-read anchor is searched by the anchor search means.
If there is the non-read anchor, the link destination is accessed.
If there is no non-read anchor, the processing routine is returned
to the original page. Therefore, by performing only the simple
operation such that the automatic linking instruction means is
merely repetitively continuously depressed, the pages which are
hierarchically constructed can be sequentially traced, so that the
operability can be improved.
[0051] According to the embodiment, since the condition about
whether the searched anchor is the anchor to the external server or
not is added to the searching conditions, the searching conditions
are limited into the server of the page that is at present being
accessed and the page can be read. Thus, the operability can be
further improved.
* * * * *