Patent US6016494A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6016494A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Expanding web documents by merging with linked documents
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1997-11-21
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Granted: 2000-01-18
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Expires: 2017-11-21
Abstract
Abstract A method of accessing electronic information, by loading an original document onto a data processing system, selecting a link embedded in the original document (wherein the link is associated with a linked document), and creating a new document by merging the linked document with the original document. Other new documents can similarly be created by merging additional linked documents with the earlier new documents in response to the further selection of other links embedded in the new documents. The original document and one or more linked documents can thus be displayed as a single, unitary file, as well as being printed as a single document. The linked document can be merged with the original document in a variety of manners. The invention is particularly useful in accessing hypertext pages on the World Wide Web of the Internet.
Inventors
- 👤 Scott Harlan Isensee
- 👤 Rick Lee Poston
- 👤 I-Hsing Tsao
- 👤 Richard Edmond Berry
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 08:08
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/90; G06F16/95; G06F16/954; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/953; Y10S707/959; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99943
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
60 words
A method of accessing electronic information, comprising the steps of: loading an original document onto a data processing system; selecting, at the data processing system, a link embedded in the original document, the link being associated with a linked document; and creating a new document by merging the linked document with the original document, in response to said selecting step.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
60 words
A method of accessing electronic information, comprising the steps of: loading an original document onto a data processing system; selecting, at the data processing system, a link embedded in the original document, the link being associated with a linked document; and creating a new document by merging the linked document with the original document, in response to said selecting step.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
78 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the embedded link is a first link, the linked document is a first linked document, and the new document is a first new document, and further comprising the steps of: selecting, at the data processing system, a second link embedded in the first new document, the second link being associated with a second linked document; and creating a second new document by merging the second linked document with the first new document.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of printing the new document.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of displaying the new document at the data processing system.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the linked document is merged with the original document by inserting the contents of the linked document at a location of the link within the original document.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the linked document is merged with the original document by inserting the contents of the linked document at an end of the original document.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the linked document is merged with the original document by placing the linked document in a first pane of the new document, and placing the original document in a second pane of the new document.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1 wherein: the data processing system is a client of a computer network; and said loading step includes the step of transmitting the original document from a server of the computer network.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said creating step merges the linked document with the original document as part of the further step of expanding the original document by integrating all other available documents which are directly linked to the original document.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
69 words
A computer program product comprising: a storage medium adapted to be read by a computer; and program means stored on said storage medium for displaying an original document on a display of the computer, and creating a new document by merging a linked document with the original document in response to selection of a link embedded in the original document, wherein the link is associated with the linked document.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
69 words
A computer program product comprising: a storage medium adapted to be read by a computer; and program means stored on said storage medium for displaying an original document on a display of the computer, and creating a new document by merging a linked document with the original document in response to selection of a link embedded in the original document, wherein the link is associated with the linked document.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
82 words
The computer program product of claim 10 wherein: the embedded link is a first link; the linked document is a first linked document; the new document is a first new document; and said program means is further adapted for creating a second new document by merging a second linked document with the first new document in response to the further selection of a second link embedded in the first new document, wherein the second link is associated with the second linked document.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
The computer program product of claim 10 wherein said program means is further adapted for printing the new document on a printer of the computer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
The computer program product of claim 10 wherein said program means is further adapted for displaying the new document on the display.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
41 words
The computer program product of claim 10 wherein said program means is further adapted for merging the linked document with the original document by inserting the contents of the linked document at a location of the link within the original document.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
38 words
The computer program product of claim 10 wherein said program means is further adapted for merging the linked document with the original document by inserting the contents of the linked document at an end of the original document.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
49 words
The computer program product of claim 10 wherein said program means is further adapted for merging the linked document with the original document by placing the linked document in a first pane of the new document, and placing the original document in a second pane of the new document.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
31 words
The computer program product of claim 10 wherein said program means is further adapted for loading the original document and the linked document from a computer network connected to the computer.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
44 words
The computer program product of claim 10 wherein said program means merges the linked document with the original document as part of the further function of expanding the original document by integrating all other available documents which are directly linked to the original document.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-01-17 | 2003-07-19 | 2004-01-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-01-17 | 2007-07-19 | 2008-01-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-01-17 | 2011-07-19 | 2012-01-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |