EP0798655A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Internet-enabled graphical user interface with toolbar icons having built-in links to world-wide web documents and an integrated web browser
Assignee: Sun Microsystems Inc
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Filing: 1997-03-13
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2017-03-13
Abstract
Abstract A graphical user interface is disclosed that consists of a toolbar and toolbar icons that can be directly linked to Web documents containing references to Java applets or data files that collectively implement the functions associated with the icons. The Web documents and/or the referenced objects can be remote (i.e., accessible over the Intemet) or local (directly accessible via the operating system of the computer displaying the GUI). The graphical user interface is linked to Web browser software so that, whenever a toolbar icon is selected, the interface triggers the Web browser to load the Web document linked to the selected icon. Once this occurs, the Web browser automatically loads the files referenced by the Web document and then executes those of the loaded files that are executable (i.e., Java applets or standalone programs). In a preferred embodiment, each toolbar icon is linked to a single applet (remote or local) that implements the icon's functions. Due to the linkage between an icon's associated Web document and the Web browser, the icon's associated applet is executed automatically whenever the icon is selected.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert B. Jervis
- 👤 Thomas D. Nevin
- 👤 Jill Paula Foley
- 👤 Karen Lynn Sielski
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 19:11
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/46; G06F9/54; G06F9/44; G06F9/451
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
244 words
In a first computer having a display and a memory, said first computer being networked with a set of remote computers, a system for initiating from a graphical user interface displayed on said first computer the loading and execution of compound documents whose components are not constrained to exist solely art said computer, said system comprising: a displayable toolbar having a set of selectable icons, each icon being associated with one or more operations that are initiated via selection of said icon; a set of compound documents, each of which includes a set of references to components, or files, that are needed to carry out one or more of said associated operations; each of a subset of said files having a file type selected from an applet or a data file and a location selected from local or remote; a set of links, each of which associates one of said icons with one or more of said set of documents, each of said links being selected from a local link when said document is stored on said computer or a network link when said document is stored on said remote computers; and a browser that is configured, when one of said icons is selected, to cause said computer to load said files referenced in said documents associated with the selected icon via said set of links and execute any of the loaded files that are executable, thereby initiating the operation associated with said icon.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said applets are written in a platform independent computer language that is interpreted and executed in a virtual machine implemented by said browser.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 2, wherein said platform independent computer language is Java.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
The system of claim 3, wherein said compound document is an HTML document and wherein each of said references is selected from a file name when the referenced file's location is local or a URL when the referenced file's location is remote.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
62 words
The system of claim 4, wherein said HTML document includes a single reference to an applet that coordinates all of said operations associated with said icon; such that, when said icon linked with said HTML document is selected, said browser loads and executes said applet, which thereby coordinates and controls all operations and user and system interactions associated with the selected icon.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
The system of claim 5, further comprising: an applet specification file associated with one applet, said applet specification file indicating a set of input files on which its associated applet is to operate, said input files not being constrained to be located solely on said first computer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
The system of claim 6, wherein each of said input files stored remotely to said first computer is referenced by a URL in said applet specification file and each of said input files stored on said first computer is referenced by a local path and file name.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
206 words
A method for initiating from a graphical user interface displayed on a first computer the loading and execution of compound documents whose components are not constrained to exist solely on said first computer, said first computer being networked with a set of remote computers that can host a subset of said components, said method comprising the steps of: displaying a toolbar having a set of selectable icons, each icon being associated with one or more operations that are initiated via selection of said icon and being linked to one or more compound documents, each of which includes a set of references to components, or files, that are needed to carry out one or more of said associated operations, each of a subset of said files having a file type selected from an applet or a data file; upon one of said icons being selected, loading said one or more compound documents linked to the selected icon; upon loading said one or more compound documents, loading said files referenced in said compound documents, said files not being constrained to exist solely on said first computer; and when a loaded file has a type that is selected from an applet or a standalone application, executing said loaded file.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 8, wherein said applets are written in a platform independent computer language that is interpreted and executed in a virtual machine implemented by said browser.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
95 words
The method of claim 8, wherein said step of loading said one or more compound documents comprises the steps of: when a compound document to be loaded is stored on said first computer, retrieving said compound document using a local path and file name provided for said compound document in said link; and when a compound document to be loaded is stored on one of said remote computers, issuing a document request message for said compound document over said network using a network node and file name provided for said compound document in said link.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
85 words
The method of claim 10, wherein said step of loading said files comprises the steps of: when a referenced file is stored on said first computer, retrieving said referenced file using a local path and file name provided for said referenced file in said reference; and when a referenced file is stored on one of said remote computers, issuing a document request message for said referenced file over said network using a network node and file name provided for said referenced file in said reference.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
55 words
The method of claim 11, wherein said compound document is an HTML document and wherein each of said references is selected from a local reference when said referenced file is stored on said first computer or a universal resource locator (URL) when said referenced file is stored on one of said set of remote computers.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
56 words
The method of claim 12, wherein: said HTML document includes a single reference to an applet that coordinates all of said operations associated with said icon; and said steps of loading and executing comprise loading and executing said applet, which thereby coordinates and controls all operations and user and system interactions associated with the selected icon.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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