World wide web browsing with content delivery over an idle connection and interstitial content display

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TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to computer networks and more particularly to methods for enhancing the operation of a client browser operating in a multi-server computer environment.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The worldwide network of computers commonly known as the "Internet" has seen explosive growth in the last several years. Mainly, this growth has been fueled by the introduction and widespread use of so-called "web" browsers, which allow for simple graphical user interface (GUI)-based access to network servers, which support documents formatted as so-called "web pages". The "World Wide Web" (WWW) is that collection of servers of the Internet that utilize the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). HTTP is a known application protocol that provides users access to files (which can be in different formats such as text, graphics, images, sound, video, etc.) using a standard page description language known as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). HTML provides basic document formatting and allows the developer to specify "links" to other servers and files. Use of an HTML-compliant client browser involves specification of a link via a Uniform Resource Locator or "URL". Upon such specification, the client makes a tcp/ip request to the server identified in the link and receives a "web page" (namely, a document formatted according to HTML) in return.

There is a finite time period between the time the user initiates the link and the return of the web page. Even when the web page is returned quickly, there is an additional time period during which formatting information must be processed for display on the display interface. For example, most web browsers display in-line images (namely images next to text) using an X bit map (XBM) or .gif format. Each image takes time to process and slows downs the initial display of the document. The user typically "sees" an essentially unrecognizable "image" on the display screen which only gradually comes into focus. It is only after the entire image is downloaded from the server and then processed by the browser that the user can fully access the web page itself. This "waiting" period is even longer when the client machine has a relatively slow modem, and often the user will have to wait many seconds before being able to see the in-line image and/or begin using the web page. This problem will be exacerbated when the next generation browser technology (such as Netscape Navigator 2.0) becomes more widely implemented because such browsers are being designed to handle much more complex download formats (for more interactive, dynamic displays).

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is thus a primary object of the invention to enhance the operation of a web browser by causing the display of some useful information to the user during the period of user "downtime" that otherwise occurs between linking and downloading of a hypertext document identified by the link. Such information may include, without limitation, advertisements, messages, fill-in forms, notices from a service provider, notices from another Internet service (such as receipt of an e-mail message), or some third party notice.

It is another more particular object of the invention to use an Hypertext Markup Language comment (e.g., via an HTML comment tag) in a web page to store an information object related to a link and then formatting and displaying such information when the link is activated.

It is still another object of the invention to embed an information object within an existing web page so that the object is masked until a link to another web page is activated. Upon activation, the object is displayed to the user effectively as a "mini" web page while the browser calls the link and awaits for a reply and download.

For example, in one particular embodiment, the information object includes copyright management information for a hypertext document associated with a link in a currently-displayed page. Such information may include the name or other identifying information of a copyright owner, terms and conditions for uses of the work within the hypertext document, and such other information as may be prescribed or desired. When the user "hits" the link in the current page, the copyright management information (which is already present in the browser) is displayed as the new document is being accessed and downloaded. The copyright management information, for example, may inform the user of the terms and conditions of how the copyrighted content being downloaded can then be reused. The "time" period normally associated with the download is thus productive for both the user (since he or she no longer has to sit and wait for the display) as well as to the content provider.

According to the preferred embodiment, there is described a method of browsing the World Wide Web of the Internet using an HTML-compliant client supporting a graphical user interface and a browser. The method begins as a web page is being displayed on the graphical user interface, the web page having at least one link to a hypertext document preferably located at a remote server. In response to the user clicking on the link, the link is activated by the browser to thereby request downloading of the hypertext document from the remote server to the graphical user interface of the client. While the client waits for a reply and/or as the hypertext document is being downloaded, the browser displays one or more different types of informational messages to the user. Such messages include, without limitation, advertisements, notices, messages, fill-in forms, copyright information and the like. Preferably, the message information is in some way related to the hypertext document being accessed and downloaded, as in the case of copyright management information perhaps warning the user that the material being downloaded is subject to certain use restrictions of the copyright owner. Where the displayed information is related to the link, it is desirable that such information be embedded within the web page from which the link is launched. The information is preferably "hidden" within the web page using a hypertext markup comment tag.

The invention is preferably implemented in a computer having a processor, an operating system, a graphical user interface and a HTTP-compliant browser. In such case, the novel and advantageous features of the invention are achieved using a first means, responsive to activation of a link from a web page, for retrieving an information object masked within the web page, and a second means for displaying information from the information object on the graphical user interface as the browser establishes the link. Preferably, the information object is masked by an HTML comment tag, which may include other HTML tags nested therein to format the information in the object. This enables the support of complex "mini" web pages that are displayed and accessible to the viewer during otherwise non-productive periods when the browser is busy processing links to other documents or web sites.

The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the present invention. These objects should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention as will be described. Accordingly, other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following Detailed Description of the preferred embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present invention and the advantages thereof, reference should be made to the following Detailed Description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a computer network in which the present invention is implemented;

FIG. 2 illustrates a client computer supporting an HTML-compliant World Wide Web browser;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart diagram of a preferred method of the present invention for dynamic display of an information object during linking;

FIG. 4 is a representative graphical user interface illustrating browser navigation tools;

FIG. 5 is a representative web page illustrating a hypertext link;

FIG. 6 is a view of the HTML source code for the web page of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an example of a modified version of the HTML source code for the web page illustrated in FIG. 5, showing an information object embedded therein through a comment tag;

FIG. 8 is a representative screen display illustrating how the information object appears as a "mini" web page upon activation of the hypertext link in the web page of FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 illustrates a computer program product comprising a substrate in which product data is encoded for carrying out various function of the invention when the product is used to control a processor;

FIG. 10 illustrates a portion of the computer network in which this invention is implemented having a master server for use in distributing information objects to a plurality of servers that support hypertext documents; and

FIG. 11 illustrates a preferred method of downloading an information object to a client computer to facilitate pre-caching of the object.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As represented in FIG. 1, the Internet is a known computer network based on the client-server model. Conceptually, the Internet comprises a large network of "servers" 10 which are accessible by "clients" 12, typically users of personal computers, through some private Internet access provider 14 (such as Internet America) or an on-line service provider 16 (such as America On-Line, Prodigy, Compuserve, the Microsoft Network, and the like). Each of the clients may run a "browser," which is a known software tool used to access the servers via the access providers. A server 10 operates a so-called "web site" which supports files in the form of documents and pages. A network path to a server is identified by a so-called Uniform Resource Locator or URL having a known syntax for defining a network connection.

The "World Wide Web" (WWW) is that collection of servers of the Internet that utilize the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). HTTP is a known application protocol that provides users access to files (which can be in different formats such as text, graphics, images, sound, video, etc.) using a standard page description language known as Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). HTML provides basic document formatting and allows the developer to specify "links" to other servers and files. Use of an HTML-compliant client browser involves specification of a link via the URL. Upon such specification, the client makes a tcp/ip request to the server identified in the link and receives a "web page" (namely, a document formatted according to HTML) in return.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a representative "client" computer in which the present invention is implemented. The system unit 21 includes a system bus or plurality of system buses 31 to which various components are coupled and by which communication between the various components is accomplished. The microprocessor 32 is connected to the system bus 31 and is supported by read only memory (ROM) 33 and random access memory (RAM) 34 also connected to system bus 31. The ROM 33 contains among other code the Basic Input-Output system (BIOS) which controls basic hardware operations such as the interaction and the disk drives and the keyboard. The RAM 34 is the main memory into which the operating system and application programs are loaded. The memory management chip 35 is connected to the system bus 31 and controls direct memory access operations including, passing data between the RAM 34 and hard disk drive 36 and floppy disk drive 37. The CD ROM 42, also coupled to the system bus 131, is used to store a large amount of data, e.g., a multimedia program or large database.

Also connected to this system bus 31 are various I/O controllers: the keyboard controller 38, the mouse controller 39, the video controller 40, and the audio controller 41. The keyboard controller 38 provides the hardware interface for the keyboard 22, the controller 39 provides the hardware interface for the mouse (or other point and click device) 23, the video controller 40 is the hardware interface for the display 24, and the audio controller 41 is the hardware interface for the multimedia speakers 25a and 25b. A modem 50 enables communication over a network 56 to other computers over the computer network.

The operating system 60 of the computer may be DOS, WINDOWS 3.x, WINDOWS '95, OS/2, AIX, or any other known and available operating system, and each computer is sometimes referred to as a machine. RAM 34 also supports a number of Internet access tools including, for example, the HTTP-compliant web browser 62. Known browser software includes Netscape, Netscape Navigator 2.0, Mosaic, and the like. The present invention is designed to operate within any of these known or developing web browsers, which are preferably modified as described herein to achieve the dynamic display of information objects during web site linking activities. RAM 34 may also support other Internet services including simple mail transfer protocol (SMTP) or e-mail, file transfer protocol (FTP), network news transfer protocol (NNTP) or "Usenet", and remote terminal access (Telnet).

HyperText Markup Language uses so-called "tags," denoted by the <> symbols, with the actual tag between the brackets. Most tags have a beginning (<tag>) and an ending section, with the end shown by the slash symbol (</tag>). There are numerous link tags in HTML to enable the viewer of the document to jump to another place in the same document, to jump to the top of another document, to jump to a specific place in another document, or to create and jump to a remote link (via a new URL) to another server. Links are typically displayed on a web page in color or with an underscore. In response to the user pointing and clicking on the link, the link is said to be "activated" to begin the download of the linked document or text. For more details on HTML, the reader is directed to the HTML Reference Manual, published by Sandia National Laboratories, and available on the Internet at "http://www.sandia.gov/sci.sub.-- compute/html.ref.html" or the HTML Quick Reference, published by the University of Kansas, and available on the Internet at "http://kuhttp.cc.ukans.edu/lynx.sub.-- help/HTML.sub.-- quick.html". Each of these publications are incorporated herein by reference.

A known HTML tag is a "comment," which typically allows a web page developer to include text that is to be ignored by the browser. The syntax for a "comment" tag is denoted <|--text-->. HTML is an evolving language. Recent standards for new versions of this language propose to add SGML comment syntax to HTML elements. This proposal would begin a comment with a double dash encountered inside any HTML element (but no inside quotes), and treat every thing as comments (including any " ", " ", or quote character) until the next occurring double dash. Such syntax allows HTML elements within a comment.

According to the present invention, an information "object" is preferably placed within a comment tag of a web page and thus is "ignored" by the browser in the formatting of the document then being displayed. This information object, however, is also saved to a separate file or cache within the client. A particular web page may have multiple information objects, with one or more objects associated with one or more links in the documents. Thus, for example, if the document has two links, one information object is associated with the first link and a second information object is associated with a second link, and so on. Or, multiple information objects may be associated with a single link. Or, the information object(s) may have no direct relation to the content of any link in the document. While in the preferred embodiment an HTML "comment" tag is used to mask the information object, those skilled in the art will recognize that other HTML commands and tags may be used for this purpose as well, including, for example, a tag dedicated to masking an information object within the currently-displayed page. For example, an information object may be hidden within a clickable image identified with an ismap tag. Also, an information object may be formatted as a "mini" web page by nesting HTML elements within a particular HTML comment tag.

As noted above, a web browser 62 running on the client uses a TCP/IP connection to pass a request to a web server running a HTTP "service" (under the WINDOWS operating system) or "daemon" (under the UNIX operating