US6037935A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Web page exploration indicator and method
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1998-04-28
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Granted: 2000-03-14
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Expires: 2018-04-28
Abstract
Abstract A web page exploration indicator displays to a user the degree of exploration for a web page or for one or more links on a web page. A user defines the manner for displaying exploration information according to a specified exploration criteria. The exploration criteria generally defines which links are taken into consideration when displaying the exploration information. For example, the exploration criteria may analyze links at the next level, may analyze links that have been traversed by the user, or may analyze links to a specified depth. According to the preferred embodiments, the web page exploration indicator provides a visual indication of the degree of exploration for each displayed web page and for each link on the displayed web page. In this manner a user can easily tell from visual indicators on the screen the degree of exploration for each page and for each link on each page.
Inventors
- 👤 Cary Lee Bates
- 👤 Paul Reuben Day
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 07:01
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/90; G06F16/95; G06F16/955; G06F16/9558
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
129 words
An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; a memory coupled to the at least one processor; a display coupled to the at least one processor; a web page residing in the memory and displayed to a user on the display, the web page containing at least one link; a web page exploration indicator residing in the memory and executed by the at least one processor, the web page exploration indicator generating a display indicator corresponding to each link to another web page in the displayed web page, each display indicator being displayed on the display in proximity to its corresponding link in the displayed web page, each display indicator providing a visual indication of the degree of exploration of its corresponding link according to at least one exploration criterion.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
129 words
An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; a memory coupled to the at least one processor; a display coupled to the at least one processor; a web page residing in the memory and displayed to a user on the display, the web page containing at least one link; a web page exploration indicator residing in the memory and executed by the at least one processor, the web page exploration indicator generating a display indicator corresponding to each link to another web page in the displayed web page, each display indicator being displayed on the display in proximity to its corresponding link in the displayed web page, each display indicator providing a visual indication of the degree of exploration of its corresponding link according to at least one exploration criterion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the web page exploration indicator further generates a display indicator that provides a visual indication of the degree of exploration for the web page.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one exploration criterion determines the total number of links on each page corresponding to each link, and divides the number of visited links by the total number of links.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one exploration criterion determines the number of links on each page corresponding to each link to a predetermined level, and divides the number of visited links to the predetermined level by the number of links.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one exploration criterion determines the total number of links on pages with a specified relationship to the displayed web page that have been visited and divides the number of visited links by the total number of links.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one display indicator comprises a bar graph.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one display indicator comprises an indication on a pointer when the pointer is placed over the link corresponding to the display indicator.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one display indicator comprises a color gradient.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
82 words
A program product comprising: (A) a web page exploration indicator, the web page exploration indicator generating a display indicator for each link to another web page in a displayed web page, each display indicator being displayed in proximity to its corresponding link in the displayed web page, each display indicator providing a visual indication of the degree of exploration of its corresponding link according to at least one exploration criterion; and (B) computer-readable signal bearing media bearing the web page exploration indicator.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
82 words
A program product comprising: (A) a web page exploration indicator, the web page exploration indicator generating a display indicator for each link to another web page in a displayed web page, each display indicator being displayed in proximity to its corresponding link in the displayed web page, each display indicator providing a visual indication of the degree of exploration of its corresponding link according to at least one exploration criterion; and (B) computer-readable signal bearing media bearing the web page exploration indicator.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The program product of claim 9 wherein the signal bearing media comprises recordable media.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
14 words
The program product of claim 9 wherein the signal bearing media comprises transmission media.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
The program product of claim 9 wherein the web page exploration indicator further generates a display indicator that provides a visual indication of the degree of exploration for the displayed web page.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
39 words
The program product of claim 9 wherein the at least one exploration criterion determines the total number of links on each page corresponding to each link, and divides the number of visited links by the total number of links.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
45 words
The program product of claim 9 wherein the at least one exploration criterion determines the number of links on each page corresponding to each link to a predetermined level, and divides the number of visited links to the predetermined level by the number of links.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
46 words
The program product of claim 9 wherein the at least one exploration criterion determines the total number links on pages with a specified relationship to the displayed web page that have been visited and divides the number of visited links by the total number of links.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
The program product of claim 9 wherein at least one display indicator comprises a bar graph.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
31 words
The program product of claim 9 wherein at least one display indicator comprises an indication on a pointer when the pointer is placed over the link corresponding to the display indicator.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
The program product of claim 9 wherein at least one display indicator comprises a color gradient.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
93 words
A method for visually indicating the degree of exploration of each link in a displayed web page, the method comprising the steps of: determining at least one first exploration criterion; and displaying on the displayed web page a display indicator for each link to another web page in the displayed web page each display indicator being displayed in proximity to its corresponding link in the displayed web page, each display indicator providing a visual indication of the degree of exploration of its corresponding link according to the at least one first exploration criterion.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
93 words
A method for visually indicating the degree of exploration of each link in a displayed web page, the method comprising the steps of: determining at least one first exploration criterion; and displaying on the displayed web page a display indicator for each link to another web page in the displayed web page each display indicator being displayed in proximity to its corresponding link in the displayed web page, each display indicator providing a visual indication of the degree of exploration of its corresponding link according to the at least one first exploration criterion.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of: determining the number of links that have been visited in each web page corresponding to each link on the displayed web page; and each display indicator indicating in the displayed web page the degree of exploration for its corresponding link according to the number of visited links.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of: generating a display indicator in the displayed web page that indicates the degree of exploration for the displayed web page according to a second exploration criterion.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 20 wherein the first exploration criterion determines the total number of links on each page corresponding to each link, and divides the number of visited links by the number of links.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method of claim 19 wherein the first exploration criterion determines the number of links on each page corresponding to each link to a predetermined level, and divides the number of visited links to the predetermined level by the number of links.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 19 wherein the first exploration criterion determines the total number of links on pages with a specified relationship to the displayed web page that have been visited and divides the number of visited links by the total number of links.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 19 wherein the step of displaying a display indicator displays a bar graph.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 19 wherein the step of displaying a display indicator displays an indication on a pointer when the pointer is placed over the link corresponding to the display indicator.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 19 wherein the step of displaying a display indicator displays a color gradient.
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) | 2003-03-14 | 2003-09-13 | 2004-03-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-03-14 | 2007-09-13 | 2008-03-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-03-14 | 2011-09-13 | 2012-03-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |