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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. A client web browser comprising:
means for receiving a first selection by a user of a first link displayed
on a current web page, said first selection indicating a preference by
said user for deferred display of a first web page corresponding to said
first link;
means, responsive to said first selection, for loading said first web page
from a remote source into a memory device local to said client web browser
but not displaying said first web page as said first web page is being
loaded; and
means, responsive to a second selection by said user of a second link on
said current web page, said second selection occurring after said first
selection but before said first web page is completely loaded, said second
selection indicating a preference by said user for immediate display of a
second web page corresponding to said second link, for halting the loading
of said first web page before said first web page is completely loaded,
loading said second web page from a remote source and displaying said
second web page as said second web page is being loaded.
2. A web browser as set forth in claim 1 wherein the loading means halts
the loading of said first web page until said second web page is
completely loaded and resumes the loading of said first web page after
said second page is completely loaded.
3. A web browser as set forth in claim 2 further comprising means for
receiving a third selection by said user of said first link, said third
selection occurring after said first web page is completely loaded and
indicating a preference by said user for immediate display of said first
web page, for fetching said first web page from said local memory device
and displaying said first web page.
4. A method for browsing a world wide web from a client computer, said
method comprising the steps of:
receiving at said client computer a first selection by a user of a first
link displayed on a current web page, said first selection indicating a
preference by said user for deferred display of a first web page
corresponding to said first link;
in response to said first selection, loading said first web page from a
remote source into a memory device local to said client computer but not
displaying said first web page as said first web page is being loaded;
receiving at said client computer a second selection by said user of a
second link on said current web page, said second selection occurring
after said first selection but before said first web page is completely
loaded, said second selection indicating a preference by said user for
immediate display of a second web page corresponding to said second link;
and
in response to said second selection, halting the loading of said first web
page before said first web page is completely loaded, loading said second
web page from a remote source and displaying said second web page as said
second web page is being loaded.
5. A method as set forth in claim 4 wherein the loading of said first web
page is halted until said second web page is completely loaded and resumed
after said second page is completely loaded.
6. A method as set forth in claim 5 further comprising the steps of:
receiving a third selection by said user of said first link, said third
selection occurring after said first web page is completely loaded and
indicating a preference by said user for immediate display of said first
web page; and
in response to said third selection, fetching said first web page from said
local memory device and displaying said first web page.
7. A method as set forth in claim 4 further comprising the steps of:
receiving a third selection by said user of said first link, said third
selection occurring after said second web page is completely loaded and
displayed and indicating a preference by said user for immediate display
of said first web page; and
in response to said third user selection, fetching said first web page from
said local memory device and displaying said first web page.
8. A computer program product for browsing a world wide web from a client
computer, said computer program product comprising:
a computer readable medium;
first program instruction means for instructing a processor to receive a
first selection by a user at said client computer of a first link
displayed on a current web page, said first selection indicating a
preference by said user for deferred display of a first web page
corresponding to said first link;
second program instruction means for instructing a processor to respond to
said first selection by loading said first web page from a remote source
into a memory device local to said client computer but not displaying said
first web page as said first web page is being loaded;
third program instruction means for instructing a processor to receive a
second selection by said user of a second link on said current web page,
said second selection occurring after said first selection but before said
first web page is completely loaded, said second selection indicating a
preference by said user for immediate display of a second web page
corresponding to said second link; and
fourth program instruction means for instructing a processor to respond to
said second selection by halting the loading of said first web page before
said first web page is completely loaded, loading said second web page
from a remote source and displaying said second web page as said second
web page is being loaded; and wherein
all of said program instruction means are recorded on said medium.
9. A computer program product as set forth in claim 8 wherein said fourth
program instruction means instructs a processor to halt the loading of
said first web page until said second web page is completely loaded and
resume the loading of said first web page after said second page is
completely loaded.
10. A computer program product as set forth in claim 9 further comprising:
fifth program instruction means for instructing a processor to receive a
third selection by said user of said first link, said third selection
occurring after said first web page is completely loaded and indicating a
preference by said user for immediate display of said first web page; and
sixth program instruction means for instructing a processor to respond to
said third selection by fetching said first web page from said local
memory device and displaying said first web page; and wherein
said fifth and sixth program instruction means are recorded on said medium.
11. A computer program product as set forth in claim 9 further comprising:
fifth program instruction means for instructing a processor to receive a
third selection by a user of said first link, said third selection
occurring after said first web page is completely loaded and indicating a
preference by said user for immediate display of said first web page; and
sixth program instruction means for instructing a processor to respond to
said third selection by fetching said first web page from said local
memory device and displaying said first web page; and wherein
said fifth and sixth program instruction means are recorded on said medium. |
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Claims |
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Description |
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates generally to client computers on the World Wide Web
(WWW) and deals more particularly with web browser programs.
The WWW is well known and comprises a multitude of computer servers,
respective data bases and a network by which client computers can
communicate with the servers and request and load the data. A server may
directly manage its own data base and access other, remote data bases on
behalf of a client user. The client typically includes a "web browser"
program to provide a user interface to the WWW.
The server presents the data to the user as "web pages" and each web page
is represented by a "URL" address. The URL comprises an access
method/protocol such as http as a prefix, a server name or "home page" and
the data type, if any, as a suffix. The server name typically includes a
"domain name" which is the name of a company, educational institution or
other organization that owns the server. There are different ways that a
client can access a web page. If the client knows the server name and data
type suffix, if any, the client can directly request the web page from the
server. However, if the client only knows the server name, the client can
address the server name, and in response, the server will present the
"home page" for the server. For those web pages for which the user does
not know at least the server name, there are different types of search
engines, such as key word search engines and catalog search engines, to
identify a server and/or web page of interest. The home page, as well as
other web pages, typically include text or graphics which serve as links
to other web pages. The links are sometimes called "hot links" or "click
points", and when a user selects a link with a mouse, the web browser
requests the corresponding web page from the server and then displays the
web page upon receipt.
Whenever a web browser requests a web page from the server, either by a
user specifying a URL or selecting a link, the web page is loaded to the
client machine in the form of an html file. The html file comprises a
specification of each component of the web page--text, graphics, the
nature of the component and whether each text or graphic is a link to
another web page. The format of the conventional html is an industry
standard and is further defined in "HTML for Fun and Profit" by Mary E. S.
Morris published in 1995 by SunSoft Press, A Prentice Hall title. In the
case of text, the html defines the actual text and its location on the web
page. However, in the case of graphics, the html does not define the
graphics itself but instead specifies a pointer to other files, remote to
the client, which actually define the graphics. Some of the graphics are
complex. While the graphics add meaning to the web page and can serve as
links, they are often time consuming to load especially if the graphics
are complex. The time delay is caused by the slowness of the communication
lines between the client and the server or other remote repository for the
graphics files. Thus, after selecting a link, the user must wait for the
corresponding html and graphics files to be loaded, and this wait can be
extensive. During this wait, as the web pages is gradually received, the
web browser builds the web page on the screen and the user cannot utilized
this or any other web page.
A general object of the present invention is to provide a method and system
for reducing the time that a user is foreclosed from using a web page
while another web page corresponding to one of its selected links is
loaded.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention resides in a client web browser which receives a first user
selection of a link displayed on a web page. The first user selection
indicates a preference by the user for deferred display of another web
page corresponding to the link. In response to the first user selection,
the web browser loads the other web page from a server or other remote
repository into a memory device local to the client web browser. Next, the
user makes a second selection of the link (after the first user
selection). The second user selection indicates a preference by the user
for immediate display of this other web page. In response, the web browser
fetches and displays this other web page from the local memory.
In accordance with one feature of the present invention, the user can
select another link in the originally displayed web page, after the first
user selection but before the second user selection and while the other
web page is being loaded into the memory device. In response, the web
browser halts loading of this other web page and loads a third web page
corresponding to the other link. After the third web page is loaded, the
web browser resumes loading of said other web page.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a client computer with a web browser according
to the present invention, a server and networking which interconnects the
client computer to the server.
FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating processing by a browsing thread within
the web browser of FIG. 1.
FIGS. 3(a,b) form a flow chart illustrating processing by a loading thread
within the web browser of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference numbers
indicate like elements throughout, FIG. 1 illustrates a client computer
generally designated 10 according to the present invention. Client
computer 10 comprises a web browser program 12 and a memory 14 (RAM and/or
DISK) to store web pages. Web browser 12 provides a user interface,
communicates with the server (including other devices remote from the
client) to obtain web pages requested by a user and controls the display
of web pages to the user. Client 10 is coupled to WWW 16 via a modem and
communication lines 18 such as telephone or fiberoptics. The WWW includes
a multitude of servers, such as server 20. Server 20 includes a web page
accessor program 22 to access web pages from disk 24 on behalf of client
10 or request web pages from another server 26 on behalf of client 10. In
the illustrated example, client 10 communicates with server 20 using http
access method. When server 20 supplies a web page to the client, the web
page is defined by an html file which is embedded in the http
communication.
FIG. 2 illustrates processing by a browsing thread 60 within the web
browser program 12. In step 61, the browsing thread receives a user
selection of a web page, either by URL or link. For purposes of
explanation, assume that the first selection in step 61 is by URL.
Consequently, decision 62 leads to step 64 in which the browsing thread
adds the URL to a dynamic load queue 63 (illustrated in FIG. 1) and then
sends a message to a loading thread 66 indicating that the dynamic load
queue should now be processed (step 65). The loading thread is also part
of the web browser.
FIGS. 3(a,b) form a flow chart of the loading thread. Upon receipt of the
message from the browsing thread (step 82), the loading thread first
determines that this message relates to processing of the dynamic load
queue and not the deferred-load queue (decisions 84 and 130). Then, the
loading thread determines if the web page selected by the user currently
resides in memory 14 (decision 104) as a result of a previous
deferred-load operation. (The deferred-load operation is described below.)
If so, the loading thread fetches and displays the web page from memory 14
(step 106). This occurs rapidly because the memory 14 is local. However,
if the user-selected web page does not currently reside in memory 14, then
the loading thread determines if any web page is currently in the process
of being loaded pursuant to a deferred-load operation (decision 110). If
not, then the loading thread requests the user-selected web page from the
server, loads the user selected web page into memory 14 and then displays
the user-selected web page (step 112).
Referring again to decision 110, if any page is currently in the process of
being loaded pursuant to a deferred-load operation, then the loading
thread determines if the user-selected web page is currently in the
process of being so loaded (decision 113). If so, then the loading thread
completes loading of the user selected web page and then displays the user
selected web page (step 114). However, if a web page other than the user
selected web page is currently being loaded, then the loading thread halts
loading of this other web page (step 120), and then requests and loads the
user-selected web page from the server and displays the user-selected web
page (step 112). After either step 106, 112 or 114, the loading thread
notifies the browsing thread 60 that the web page on the dynamic load
queue has been successfully loaded and displayed (step 116). Also, the
browsing thread 66 will determine if there is currently a web page on the
deferred load queue waiting to be loaded or in the process of being
loaded. Assume there is not at this time for purposes of explanation, so
the loading thread has now completed all outstanding tasks.
Next, the user selects a link on the web page currently being displayed. If
the user selects the link in the prior art manner by means of a simple
"mouse" click indicating a request for an immediate load and display of
the web page corresponding to this link, then processing proceeds as
described above for the case where the user selected a web page by
specification of a URL--step 61, decision 62, step 64, step 65 and then to
the appropriate path in steps 104-116. However, if the user specially
selects a link according to the present invention by a "mouse" click while
depressing a certain key (such as the control key) on the key board, then
decision 62 leads to step 74 instead of step 64. In step 74, the browsing
thread adds the URL of the specially selected link to the front of a
deferred-load queue 73 (illustrated in FIG. 1) and then notifies loading
thread 66 that the deferred-load queue should now be processed (step 76).
The loading thread 66 receives the notification from the browsing thread
(decision 84) and in response, determines the first URL on the (front of
the) deferred-load queue (decision 86). Then, the loading thread requests
the corresponding html and associated graphics from the server. As the
loading thread receives and loads the html and associated graphics (step
88), the loading thread periodically checks for messages from the browsing
thread indicating a user selection of a URL or link for immediate/dynamic
display (decision 90). If no messages have been received, the loading
thread continues with the loading, i.e. determines if there is more data
of the current html and associated graphics to load (decision 92) and if
so, loops back to step 88 to load the next part of the html or associated
graphics. If the loading thread has loaded the last part of the current
html and associated graphics of one page on the deferred-load queue
(decision 92), then the loading thread determines if there is another URL
on the deferred-load queue (step 94 and decision 86). If so, the loading
thread proceeds to step 88 as described above to begin loading this second
web page on the deferred-load queue.
Referring back to decision 90, if the loading thread receives a message
from the browsing thread indicating that the user has selected a link for
immediate/dynamic display (decision 90), the loading thread determines if
the web page selected for immediate display currently resides in memory 14
due to a previous deferred-load operation (decision 104). If so, the
loading thread fetches and displays the web page from memory 14 (step
106). However, if the web page selected for immediate display does not
currently reside in memory 14, then the loading thread determines if any
web page is currently in the process of being loaded pursuant to a
deferred-load operation (decision 110). If not, then the loading thread
requests the web page selected for immediate display from the server,
loads this web page into memory 12 and then displays this web page (step
112). Referring again to decision 110, if any page is currently in the
process of being loaded pursuant to a deferred-load operation, then the
loading thread determines if the web page selected for immediate display
is currently in the process of being loaded (decision 113). If so, then
the loading thread completes loading of the web page and then displays
this web page (step 114). However, if a web page other than the web page
selected for immediate display is currently being loaded, then the loading
thread halts deferred-loading of this other web page (step 120), and then
requests and loads the web page selected for immediate display from the
server and displays the web page selected for immediate display (step
112).
After steps 106, 112 or 114, the loading thread notifies the browsing
thread that the web page selected for immediate display has been displayed
and then determines if there is a page on the deferred-load queue yet to
be completely loaded (decision 122). If so, the loading thread continues
processing with decision 92, but if not, the loading thread terminates.
Based on the foregoing, a web browser according to the present invention
has been disclosed. However, numerous modifications and substitutions can
be made without deviating from the scope of the present invention.
Therefore, the present invention has been disclosed by way of illustration
and not limitation and reference should be made to the following claims to
determine the scope of the present invention.
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