Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer-to-computer data modifying
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-07
2001-05-22
Najjar, Saleh (Department: 2154)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer-to-computer data modifying
C709S203000, C709S217000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06237040
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hypertext transmission method and to a hypertext transmission server apparatus, and more particularly to a method for sending and receiving data other than HTML (HyperText Markup Language) files using a user terminal equipped with only a WWW (World Wide Web) browser.
2. Description of the Related Art
In order to use various services, such as Web browsing and electronic mail (e-mail), in an Internet connection via a telephone network (including via mobile telephone), a user terminal requires a program for implementing information communications with respective servers providing the various services over the Internet and a program for providing the acquired information to the user. More specifically, a WWW browser supporting HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) is required in addition to PPP and TCP/IP for the transfer of information with WWW servers, and an e-mail program supporting SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol), POP3, or the like is required for transfer of information with mail servers.
Thus, a user must install and activate a program for each service whenever a service is to be received over the Internet, resulting in problems of increased memory requirements and poor usability.
Some WWW browsers include functions for sending and receiving e-mail. However, these browsers basically have built-in e-mail programs so that the WWW browser and the e-mail software exist as one unit.
Techniques have been proposed, such as in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 9-34772, in which files transmitted from a WWW server according to request are compressed to adjust the amount of data, then transmitted to a client. However, these techniques are only for files that have been requested by a user, and do not include ideas for processing other data not directly requested by the user, such as processing e-mail data together with HTML files.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method and an apparatus to enable the automatic processing of non-HTML data, such as e-mail data, even if a user terminal has only a WWW browser that handles HTML files.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a hypertext transmission method of the present invention includes steps of (a) acquiring in response to an HTML file request from a user a corresponding HTML file from a communications network, (b) executing a predetermined data acquisition program and acquiring non-HTML data from the aforementioned communications network, (c) converting the non-HTML data acquired in step (b) into HTML data, (d) adding a tag for linking to the HTML data obtained in step (c) to the HTML file acquired in step (a) and transmitting to the aforementioned user.
Preferably, the non-HTML data may be e-mail data, and the predetermined data acquisition program may be triggered for activation by an HTML file request from the user. Namely, at the HTML file request from the user, not only the corresponding HTML file but also non-HTML data, such as e-mail data, is automatically acquired from a communications network.
Furthermore, a step (e) is preferably included after step (d) for transmitting the HTML data in accordance with a data request from the user. The user can request the HTML data by selecting the tag, and by transmitting the HTML data according to this request, non-HTML data can be displayed, such as on a WWW browser at the user terminal.
Furthermore, in order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a hypertext transmission server apparatus of the present invention may include HTML file acquisition means for acquiring, in response to an HTML file request from a user, a corresponding HTML file from a communications network, non-HTML data acquisition means for acquiring non-HTML data from the communications network, conversion means for converting the non-HTML data into HTML data, addition means for adding a tag to the HTML file for a link to the HTML data, and file transmission means for transmitting to the user the HTML file to which the tag has been added.
Preferably, the non-HTML data is e-mail data, and the HTML data acquisition means is triggered for operation by the HTML file request from the user.
Furthermore, the apparatus of the present invention preferably includes data transmission means for transmitting the HTML data to the user in accordance with a request from the user. The user can request the HTML data by selecting the added tag, and by having the server apparatus transmit the HTML data according to this request, non-HTML data can also be displayed, such as on a WWW browser at the user terminal.
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Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner L.L.P.
Najjar Saleh
Toyota Jidosha & Kabushiki Kaisha
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