U.S. patent number RE43,751 [Application Number 11/109,881] was granted by the patent office on 2012-10-16 for browser system having simplified url address registering method.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Sony Corporation. Invention is credited to Akira Tange.
United States Patent |
RE43,751 |
Tange |
October 16, 2012 |
Browser system having simplified URL address registering method
Abstract
.[.The present invention relates to a browser apparatus for
browsing a variety of homepages supplied from servers over e.g. the
Internet. In the browser apparatus, the address of a homepage is
classified and registered through a user carrying out with a mouse
a drag-and-drop action of its pointer to shift an item displayed in
a region of the screen where the homepage is displayed to one of
classifications determined by the user and displayed on the screen.
This allows the registration of e.g. a homepage address to be much
simplified..]. .Iadd.A browser apparatus includes a display unit
having a screen including a first region for displaying data
supplied from a server and a second region for displaying an icon
image. The browser apparatus also includes a commander responsive
to an action for controlling a pointer displayed on the screen. The
browser apparatus further includes a controller responsive to a
selected icon image displayed in the second region, selected by the
commander for displaying a pull-down menu having a title list
associated with URL addresses and responsive to a title selected
from the pull-down menu by the commander for accessing a URL
address associated with the selected title and displaying data
supplied from the server corresponding to the accessed URL address
in the first region. The icon image is displayed in the second
region when the data supplied from the accessed URL address is
displayed in the first region. .Iaddend.
Inventors: |
Tange; Akira (Tokyo,
JP) |
Assignee: |
Sony Corporation (Tokyo,
JP)
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Family
ID: |
14604367 |
Appl.
No.: |
11/109,881 |
Filed: |
April 18, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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09065433 |
Apr 24, 1998 |
6483525 |
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Reissue of: |
10132802 |
Apr 25, 2002 |
6707468 |
Mar 16, 2004 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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Apr 30, 1997 [JP] |
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P09-113132 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
709/217; 709/203;
715/739; 715/738 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F
16/9562 (20190101); G06F 16/955 (20190101) |
Current International
Class: |
G06F
15/16 (20060101); G09G 5/00 (20060101) |
Field of
Search: |
;709/202-203,217-219,245-246 ;715/733-734,738-739,835 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Other References
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Edition using Netscape, XX, XX, Jan. 1, 1995, XP002244732, pp.
148-175, 220-228, 231-253, 678 and 679. cited by other.
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Primary Examiner: Barot; Bharat N
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Oblon, Spivak, McClelland, Maier
& Neustadt, L.L.P.
Parent Case Text
This is a divisional of prior application Ser. No. 09/065,433 filed
Apr. 24, 1998 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,483,525.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A browser apparatus for displaying data supplied from a server
over a communication network, comprising: a display unit having a
screen including a first region for displaying said data supplied
from said server and a second region for displaying at least one
icon image; a storage for storing a plurality of URL addresses
associated with said icon image; a commander responsive to an
action of a user for controlling a location of a pointer displayed
on said screen of said display .Iadd.unit.Iaddend.; and a
controller .Iadd.responsive to a drag-and-drop action of said
pointer from an item displayed in said first region of said screen
to said second region of said screen to control said storage to
store a URL address corresponding to said item in said storage, and
.Iaddend.responsive to a selected icon image displayed in said
second region, selected by said commander for displaying a
pull-down menu having a title list associated with said plurality
of URL addresses in said display unit and responsive to a title
selected from said pull-down menu by said commander for accessing a
URL address associated with said selected title and displaying data
supplied from said server corresponding to said accessed URL
address in said first region, wherein said icon image is displayed
in said second region when said data supplied from said accessed
URL address is displayed in said first region.
2. The browser apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said display
unit has said second .Iadd.region .Iaddend.for displaying a
plurality of icon images associated with a classification
respectively.
3. The browser apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said storage
stores a plurality of user named classifications associated with
said icon image, each of said classifications assigned to a
plurality of URL addresses associated with a respective plurality
of data from said server.
4. The browser .[.appartaus.]. .Iadd.apparatus .Iaddend.according
to claim 3, wherein a controller .Iadd.is .Iaddend.responsive to a
drag-and-drop action of said pointer for dragging a URL address
associated with said data displayed in said first region from said
first region of said screen to one of said plurality of said user
named classifications displayed as icon images in said second
region of said screen and dropping said dragged URL address in one
of said plurality of said user name classifications displayed as an
icon image in said second region of said screen by said commander
.[.for controlling.]. .Iadd.to control .Iaddend.said storage to
store said dropped URL address corresponding to said data displayed
in said first region in association with said one of said plurality
of said user named .[.classification.]. .Iadd.classifications
.Iaddend.thereof displayed in said second region.
5. A browsing method comprising the steps of: displaying data
supplied from a server in a first region of a screen of a display
unit and displaying an icon image in a second region of said
screen; .Iadd.storing a URL address corresponding to an item
displayed in said first region of said screen in response to a
drag-and-drop action of a pointer from said item to said second
region of said screen; .Iaddend. selecting said icon image
displayed in said second region by .[.a.]. .Iadd.said
.Iaddend.pointer; displaying a pull down menu having a title list
associated with a plurality of URL addresses registered in said
selected icon image; selecting a title from said pull down menu;
accessing a URL address associated with said selected title; and
displaying data supplied from said server corresponding to said
accessed URL address in said first region, wherein said icon image
is displayed in said second region when said data supplied from
said accessed URL address is displayed in said first region.
6. The browser method according to claim 5, wherein said display
unit has said second region for displaying a plurality of icon
images associated with a classification respectively.
7. A .Iadd.non-transitory .Iaddend.storage medium for storing a
browser software program, the .Iadd.browser software
.Iaddend.program.Iadd., when executed by a processor, causing the
processor to perform a method .Iaddend.comprising the steps of:
displaying data supplied from a server in a first region of a
screen of a display unit and displaying an icon image in a second
region of said screen; .Iadd.storing a URL address corresponding to
an item displayed in said first region of said screen in response
to a drag-and-drop action of a pointer from said item to said
second region of said screen; .Iaddend. displaying a pull-down menu
having a title list associated with a plurality of URL addresses
registered in said icon image displayed in said second region
selected by .[.a.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.pointer; accessing a URL
address associated with a title selected from said pull-down menu;
and displaying data supplied from said server corresponding to said
accessed URL address in said first region, wherein said icon image
is displayed in said second region when said data supplied from
said accessed URL address is displayed in said first region.
8. The storage medium according to claim 7, wherein said display
unit has said second region for displaying .Iadd.a
.Iaddend.plurality of icon images associated with a classification
respectively.
.Iadd.9. The browsing method according to claim 5, wherein said
pointer is a touch panel. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.10. The browsing method according to claim 5, wherein the
displaying the data supplied from said server corresponding to said
accessed URL address comprises displaying image data or text data
from said server. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.11. The browser apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
browser apparatus is connected to a local area network.
.Iaddend.
.Iadd.12. The browser apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
browser apparatus comprises an Internet television function.
.Iaddend.
.Iadd.13. A browser apparatus for displaying data supplied from a
server over a communication network, comprising: a screen that
displays a first area for displaying said data supplied from said
server, a second area for displaying a URL address associated with
said data displayed in said first area and a third area for
displaying at least one icon image in a pull down menu having a
title list associated with a plurality of URL addresses; storing
means for storing at least one URL address associated with said
icon image; command means for controlling a location of a pointer
on said screen according to a user input; and control means for
controlling said storing means to store a URL address corresponding
to an item displayed in said first area of said screen in response
to a drag-and-drop action of said pointer from said item to said
third area of said screen, and for controlling said storing means
to store a URL address displayed in said second area in association
with an icon image displayed in said third area in response to a
drag-and-drop action of said pointer from said second area to said
icon image displayed in said third area by said command means.
.Iaddend.
.Iadd.14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein a tree of a
plurality of icon images is displayed in said third area.
.Iaddend.
.Iadd.15. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said third
area is displayed on a side of said first area, and said second
area is displayed on top of said first and third areas.
.Iaddend.
.Iadd.16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said third
area is displayed on a left side of said first area. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.17. The browser apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the
browser apparatus is connected to a local area network.
.Iaddend.
.Iadd.18. The browser apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the
browser apparatus comprises an Internet television function.
.Iaddend.
.Iadd.19. An address registering method, comprising: displaying, to
a screen, a first area for displaying data supplied from a server,
a second area for displaying a URL address associated with said
data displayed in said first area and a third area for displaying
at least one icon image in a pull down menu having a title list
associated with a plurality of URL addresses; storing a URL address
corresponding to an item displayed in said first area in response
to a drag-and-drop action of a pointer from said item to said third
area; and storing a URL address displayed in said second area in
association with an icon image displayed in said third area in
response to a drag-and-drop action of said pointer from said second
area to said icon image displayed in said third area. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.20. The address registering method according to claim 19,
wherein said pointer is a touch panel. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.21. The address registering method according to claim 19,
wherein the displaying comprises displaying image data or text data
from said server. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.22. A non-transitory storage medium for storing a browser
software program, the browser software program, when executed by a
processor, causing the processor to perform a method comprising:
displaying, to a screen, a first area for displaying data supplied
from a server, a second area for displaying a URL address
associated with said data displayed in said first area and a third
area for displaying at least one icon image in a pull down menu
having a title list associated with a plurality of URL addresses;
storing a URL address corresponding to an item displayed in said
first area in response to a drag-and-drop action of a pointer from
said item to said third area; and storing a URL address displayed
in said second area in association with an icon image displayed in
said third area in response to a drag-and-drop action of said
pointer from said second area to said icon image displayed in said
third area. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.23. A browser apparatus for displaying data supplied from a
server over a communication network, comprising: a display device
configured to display, with a screen, a first area for displaying
said data supplied from said server, a second area for displaying a
URL address associated with said data displayed in said first area
and a third area for displaying at least one icon image in a pull
down menu having a title list associated with a plurality of URL
addresses; a storage device configured to store at least one URL
address associated with said icon image; a commander device
configured to control a location of a pointer on said display
device according to a user input; and a controller configured to
control said storage device to store a URL address corresponding to
an item displayed in said first area of said display device in
response to a drag-and-drop action of said pointer from said item
to said third area of said display device and to control said
storage device to store a URL address displayed in said second area
in association with an icon image displayed in said third area in
response to a drag-and-drop action of said pointer from said second
area to said icon image displayed in said third area by said
commander device. .Iaddend.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a browser apparatus connected to a
server for providing information.
2. Description of Related Art
A browser apparatus such as a personal computer equipped with a
software for browsing homepages offered by multiple servers on a
network, e.g. the Internet, is provided having a so-called footmark
function for saving the URL (uniform resource locator) address of
each homepage of the server on the Internet.
When the address of a desired homepage to be accessed frequently
has been registered by a user to his or her browser apparatus, the
homepage can readily be viewed without manually entering the
address e.g. through a keyboard. The name and address of the
homepage once registered in advance can be selected and called for
by the user easily operating e.g. a mouse.
Also, a list of classifications including various categories of
sports, news, entertainments, and others is determined by a user
for case of the browsing of homepages and used for assigning a
desired classification to the address of each homepage for
registration.
A procedure of registering the address of a homepage to one of the
classifications is now explained referring to FIGS. 1 to 4.
As shown in FIG. 1, the procedure starts with Step S20 where a user
accesses through a browser apparatus 12 to a desired homepage of a
server. Then, the homepage of the server appears in a homepage
display area 31 of a window 30 displayed on a display unit of the
browser apparatus as shown in FIG. 2. Simultaneously, the address
of the homepage is displayed in an address display area 32.
This is followed by Step S21 where a homepage menu 34 on a menu bar
33 is selected by the user operating an input device which is a
pointing device such as a mouse or a touchpanel pen. Then, a
pulldown menu 35 appears at Step S22.
When an extra menu 36 in the pulldown menu 35 is selected at Step
S23, a dialogue box 37 shown in FIG. 3 is displayed over the window
30 at Step S24.
When a classification button 38 in the dialogue box 37 is enabled
by the user at Step S25, a list of classifications 39 shown in FIG.
4 appears at Step S26. The list of classifications 39 includes a
number of the classifications 40 predetermined and registered as
well as names or addresses of the homepages which have been
unclassified and unregistered.
When a desired one of the classifications 40 in the list of
classifications 39 is selected and an OK button 41 is clicked by at
Step S27, the address of the homepage being accessed and displayed
in the address display area 32, shown in FIG. 2, is registered to
the classification at Step S28.
As understood, the above procedure of classifying and registering
an address corresponding to each data supplied from a server
requires a redundancy of steps.
The list of classifications 39 shown in FIG. 4 is displayed in the
form of a tree of classification levels and may extend downwardly
in the window 30 as the items of classification are increased thus
overlapping the other areas of the window 30 and impairing the
appearance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a browser
apparatus, an address registering method, and a browser system in
which the classification and registration of an address
corresponding to a data supplied from a server can be carried out
by a user operating a simpler procedure without troublesome
rules.
For achievement of the above object of the present invention, a
browser apparatus for displaying a data supplied from a server over
a communication means is provided having a classification unit for
assigning at least one of classifications to the data supplied from
the server, a memory for storing an address corresponding to the
data as well as the classification determined by the classification
unit, a display unit for displaying the data supplied from the
server in a first region of the screen and the classification of
the data in a second region of the same, a command unit responsive
to the action of a user for controlling the location of a pointer
displayed on the screen of the display unit, and a control means
responsive to shift of the pointer from the first region to the
second region of the screen by the command unit for storing an
address corresponding to the data displayed in the first region
into the memory in association with its classification displayed in
the second region.
For achievement of the above object of the present invention, an
address registering method is provided comprising the steps of
displaying a data supplied from a server in a first region of the
screen of a display unit and classifications for the data in a
second region of the same, and carrying out a drag-and-drop action
to shift from any desired point in the first region to one of the
classifications displayed in the second region so that an address
corresponding to the data displayed in the first region is stored
into a memory in association with its classification.
For achievement of the above object of the present invention, a
browser system is provided having a server for supplying a data, a
classification unit for assigning at least one of classifications
to the data supplied from the server, a memory for storing an
address corresponding to the data as well as the classification
determined by the classification unit, a display unit for
displaying the data supplied from the server in a first region of
the screen and the classification of the data in a second region of
the same, a command unit responsive to the action of a user for
controlling the location of a pointer displayed on the screen of
the display unit, and a control unit responsive to shift of the
pointer from the first region to the second region of the screen by
the command unit for storing an address corresponding to the data
displayed in the first region into the memory in association with
its classification displayed in the second region.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a conventional procedure of address
registration;
FIG. 2 is a view showing a window displayed on a display of a
conventional browser apparatus;
FIG. 3 is a view of the conventional window showing an address
registration dialogue box;
FIG. 4 is a view of the conventional window showing a list of
classifications;
FIG. 5 is diagram showing an arrangement of a browser apparatus
according to the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a view showing a window for displaying a set of folder
icons of classification;
FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a procedure of registering an address
to the folder icon of classification;
FIG. 8 is a diagram of the window when an address is selected from
the folder icons of classification;
FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a procedure of selecting the address
from the folder icons of classification;
FIG. 10 is a view showing a window for displaying a set of button
icons of classification;
FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a procedure of registering an
address to the button icon of classification;
FIG. 12 is a diagram of the window when an address is selected from
the button icons of classification;
FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a procedure of selecting the address
from the button icons of classification; and
FIG. 14 is a view showing a modification of the window.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A browser apparatus, an address registering method, and a browser
system according to the present invention will be described in more
detail referring to the accompanying drawings.
The browser apparatus according to the present invention comprises
such a personal computer as shown in FIG. 5 including a hard disk 1
for storing a program of operating the browser apparatus, a display
2 responsive to the program for displaying graphical user interface
(abbreviated to GUI hereinafter), a mouse 3 manipulated by a user
for controlling the browser apparatus through the GUI, a modem 4
for communication with a server which provides accessible image
data over the Internet, and an address storage 5 for storing the
address of each homepage which is composed of image data and/or
text data.
The above components of the browser apparatus are controlled via a
bus by a central processing unit 7 (abbreviated to CPU
hereinafter).
Upon receiving a command for starting the browser apparatus is
entered through the mouse 3 or an unshown input device such as a
keyboard, a touchpanel, the CPU 7 reads a corresponding one of the
file programs stored in the hard disk 1 and transfers it to a
random access memory 8 (abbreviated to RAM hereinafter) for
execution of the program. The program may be saved on any
appropriate recording medium such as a floppy disk or an
optomagnetic disk. According to the program, the CPU 7 displays via
the bus 6 on the display 2 a GUI data which will be explained
later.
The browser apparatus is connected at its modem 4 via e.g. a
telephone line and a provider to servers at the other end of the
line on the Internet or a type of network. In this embodiment, the
connection to the provider on the Internet is automatically enabled
when the browser apparatus is energized. It is however possible
that the connection to the provider is enabled by the user viewing
the GUI screen on the display 2 and operating a given action.
The modem 4 converts a digital signal of data such as the address
of a homepage into an analog signal suited for transmission along a
normal telephone line and delivers the analog signal to a provider
on the Internet over the telephone line. The modem 4 also
demodulates an analog signal e.g. of image data received from the
Internet provider to a digital signal processable in the browser
apparatus. Although the transmission is made over the telephone
line in the form of an analog signal in this embodiment, digital
signals may directly be transmitted and received with the use of a
terminal adaptor over an applicable integrated service digital
network (ISDN) or the like.
The browser apparatus connected to the Internet provider allows the
user to download and browse various homepages offered by a number
of servers on the Internet. To do so, the user first enters a
keyword to access the Internet provider and types the address of a
desired homepage to be viewed through the input device such as a
keyboard not shown. The address of the homepage to be viewed
repeatedly may be saved in the address storage 5 which comprises
e.g. a RAM. The registration of the address of the homepage will be
explained later.
When the address of a homepage is saved in the address storage 5,
it can freely be named by the user. This allows the browser to save
and control a plurality of the addresses by their names which can
easily be identified by the user.
The GUI screen displayed on the display 2 of the browser apparatus
is implemented in the form of a browser window 9, shown in FIG. 6,
which includes a homepage display area 10 or a first viewport in
the screen for displaying a homepage supplied from the server in
access, an address display area 11 for displaying the addresses of
homepages, and a menu bar 12 used by the user for selecting a
variety of functions.
A pointer 13 operated by the mouse 3 shown in FIG. 5 is also
displayed over the browser window 9. The user can operate the mouse
3 to move the pointer 13 to a desired location on the GUI screen
for selectively carrying out the various functions.
A procedure of storing the address of a homepage in the address
storage 5 by the user is now explained in conjunction with a
flowchart of FIG. 7. The explanation will also refer to FIGS. 5 and
6 as necessary.
The procedure starts with Step S1 where in response to the access
of the user to a desired homepage from a server, data of the
homepage is displayed on the homepage display area 10.
Simultaneously, the address of the homepage in access appears on
the address display area 11.
At Step S2, a homepage menu 14 is selected by the user operating
the mouse 3. Then, the CPU 7 displays a pulldown menu 15 of a
second viewport at Step S3 where a group of classifications
predetermined by the user appear e.g. as folder icons 16.
At Step S4, the pointer 13 is operated by the user for
drag-and-drop action from any item in the homepage display area 10
or the address display area 11 to a desired one of the icons 16.
More particularly, the user presses down a buttonswitch of the
mouse 3 with the pointer 13 moved and located at the item in the
homepage display area 10 or the address display area 11, while the
buttonswitch remaining pressed down, drives the pointer 13 to the
icon 16, and releases the buttonswitch of the mouse 3 at the icon
16.
It is noted that although a standard pulldown menu disappear when
any other location is selected, the pulldown menu 15 in the browser
apparatus of the embodiment remains displayed when the homepage
display area 10 or the address display area 11 is selected. The
pulldown menu 15 may be adapted for appearing when the homepage
display area 10 or the address display area 11 is selected.
At Step S5, the CPU 7 upon receiving an input signal from the mouse
3 operated by the user saves the address of the homepage in display
in the address storage 5 in association with a corresponding one of
the classifications predetermined by the user. When the pointer 13
controlled by the user operating the mouse 3 is driven by
drag-and-drop with no relation of the classification in the
pulldown menu 15, the address of the homepage is not classified but
stored in the address storage 5. At the time, data of the homepages
such as a list of homepage names stored is displayed beside the
classification icons in the pulldown menu 15.
Accordingly, the browser apparatus of the present invention allows
the address of a homepage being accessed to be saved in the address
storage in association with its classification through a simple
operation.
A procedure of reviewing the homepage from a server of which
address has been registered by the prescribed procedure is
explained referring to FIGS. 8 and 9. A browser window 9 shown in
FIG. 8 is identical to that shown in FIG. 6 and like items are
denoted by like numerals and will be explained in no more
detail.
At Step S6 shown in FIG. 9, the homepage menu 14 is selected by the
user controlling the menu bar 12. This is followed by Step S7 where
the pulldown menu 15 is displayed by the CPU 7 and the icons 16
appear on the screen.
At Step S8, one of the icon 16 corresponding to the address of a
desired homepage which has been registered and saved is selected by
the user. Then, Step S9 follows where the CPU 7 displays a list of
the homepages 17 as shown in FIG. 8. The list of the homepages 17
includes addresses or names of the homepages registered by the
classifications determined by the user and denoted with the coins
16.
At Step S10, the address of the desired homepage is selected by the
user by identifying the address or name in the list of the
homepages. Step S11 then follows where the CPU 7 retrieves the
address of the desired homepage identified by the address or name
from the address storage 5 shown in FIG. 5 and displays the desired
homepage defined by the address in the homepage display area
10.
This allows the user to view a desired homepage by carrying out the
simple procedure with the mouse 3 of selecting the homepage menu
14, clicking the icon 16, and identifying the address of the
desired homepage.
The classification may further be classified into lower subjects
for convenience of the user. For example, it may be arranged that
when any of the icons 16 is selected, another list of icons for
lower classification is displayed.
FIG. 10 illustrates a modification of the GUI screen to be
displayed on the display 2 of the browser apparatus of the present
invention. In a browser window 18 shown in FIG. 10, like items are
denoted by like numerals as those of the browser window 9 shown in
FIG. 6 and will be explained in no more detail. While the browser
window 9 shown in FIG. 6 exhibits the folder icons 16 in the
pulldown menu 15, the browser window 18 shown in FIG. 10 provides
an array of button icons 19 indicative of classifications of the
address.
Although the button icons 19 are shown in two lines and two rows,
they may be aligned in a vertical or horizontal single row and may
be of a desired shape and size. The button icons 19 may be moved
and placed to any location in the browser window 18 at the user's
option. Also, it is possible to display the button icons 19 over
another application or an OS system.
A procedure of storing the address of a homepage in the address
storage 5 by the user using the browser window 18 is now explained
referring to a flowchart of FIG. 11. The explanation also refers to
FIGS. 5 and 10 as necessary.
At Step S12, a desired homepage is displayed in the homepage
display area 10 by the user. Simultaneously, the address of the
homepage displayed in the homepage display area 10 also appears in
the address display area 11.
This is followed by Step S13 where any desired item in the homepage
display area 10 or the address display area 11 is moved to a
corresponding one of the icons 19 by a drag-and-drop action of the
user. At Step S14, the CPU 7 saves the address of the homepage
being displayed into the address storage 5 in association with its
classification determined by the user. When the pointer 13 is
shifted by the drag-and-drop action to any location in the browser
window but not of the classification, the address of the homepage
in display is unclassified and saved in the address storage 5 and
also, a list of the homepages of which addresses have been saved,
such as a list of their names in the form of button icons, is
displayed in a part of the browser window, e.g. on the right side
of the address display area 11.
Since the icons 19 for the classifications are being displayed
constantly, the callback of the pulldown menu is eliminated and the
procedure of registering the address of a homepage will hence be
simplified.
A procedure of reviewing a desired homepage of which address has
been registered by the prescribed procedure on the GUI screen 18 is
explained referring to FIGS. 12 and 13. A browser window 18 shown
in FIG. 12 is identical to that shown in FIG. 10 and like items are
denoted by like numerals and will be explained in no more detail.
In the browser window 18 shown in FIG. 12, icons 19 are aligned in
a horizontal row.
At Step S15, a desired one of the icons 19 is selected by the user.
Then, Step S16 follows where the CPU 7 displays a list of homepages
20, shown in FIG. 12, which consists of the address or name of each
homepage registered in the classifications denoted by the icons
19.
At Step S17, the address or name of a desired homepage is selected
by the user from the list of the homepages 20 displayed. This is
followed by Step S18 where the CPU 7 retrieves the address of the
selected homepage or the address corresponding to the name of the
homepage from the address storage 5 and displays the homepage in
the homepage display area 10.
This permits the user to review a desired homepage by carrying out
with the mouse the simple procedure of selecting the icon 19 and
clicking the address of the homepage. More specifically, the icons
19 representing the classifications of the homepages are constantly
displayed, the procedure of calling and reviewing a desired
homepage will be more simplified than that explained with FIGS. 8
and 9.
It may be arranged that the icons 19 disappear in a common mode and
is called and displayed automatically when any point in the
homepage display area 10 or the address display area is clicked.
This allows the registration of the address of a homepage to be
executed by a manner similar to the simple procedure shown in the
flowchart of FIG. 11. As the icons 19 are not displayed in the
common mode, they never overlap nor disturb any portion of the
homepage display area 10. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the
pulldown menu 15 may be adapted for appearing automatically upon
the user clicking any point in the homepage display area 10 or the
address display area 11.
FIG. 14 illustrates another modification of the GUI screen
displayed on the display 2 of the browser apparatus of the present
invention. In a browser window 21 shown in FIG. 14, like items are
denoted by like numerals as those of the browser window 9 shown in
FIG. 6 and will be explained in no more detail. The browser window
21 includes a homepage display area 10, an address display area 11,
and a file display area 22. The file display area 22 is provided
for displaying a tree of files and directories assigned to the hard
disk 1, the address storage 5, and other auxiliary storage devices
in the browser apparatus.
The classifications are displayed as subdirectories of each
homepage directory in the file display area 22. The directories may
be expressed by corresponding folder icons.
For registering the address of a homepage being displayed in the
homepage display area 10 by the user using the window 21, any item
in the homepage display area 10 or the address display area 11 is
selected and moved by operating the mouse 3 to a corresponding one
of the folder icons in the file display area 22 which represents
the target directory. Accordingly, the browser apparatus saves the
address of the homepage displayed in the address display area 11
into the address storage 5 shown in FIG. 5 in association with its
classification.
Although the browser apparatus explained has the hard disk 1 and
the address storage 5 mounted separately, the hard disk 1 may be
installed in the address storage 5 shown in FIG. 5.
The present invention is not limited to the browser apparatus
implemented by a combination of the personal computer and the
browser program but may be applied to a combination of an input
terminal and a host computer connected to a local area network, an
Internet television, or a word processor with communications
function having a proper input/output device.
Also, the present invention described in the form of a browser
apparatus, an address registering method, and a browser system may
be applied to a recording medium which carries a browser software
enabling the address registering method.
Although the input device is a mouse in the embodiments, it may be
of a pen type.
Although the present invention is explained in the form of a
browser apparatus for browsing the homepages of a server on the
Internet, it may be applied for browsing various data of servers
over a network independent from the Internet.
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