Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer-to-computer session/connection establishing
Reexamination Certificate
1997-05-19
2001-04-17
Harrell, Robert B. (Department: 2152)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer-to-computer session/connection establishing
C348S014160, C348S014160
Reexamination Certificate
active
06219709
ABSTRACT:
DESCRIPTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a system and method for accessing data files in a computer network.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In recent years, there has been explosive growth in the Internet, and in particular of the WorldWide Web (WWW), which is one of the facilities provided via the Internet. The WWW comprises many pages or files of information, distributed across many different servers. Each page is identified by an individual address or “Universal Resource Locator (URL)”. Each URL denotes both a server machine, and a particular file or page on that machine. There may be many pages or URLs resident on a single server.
Typically, to utilise the WWW, a user runs a computer program called a Web browser on a client computer system such as a personal computer. Examples of widely available Web browsers include the “WebExplorer” Web browser provided by International Business Machines Corporation in the OS/2 Operating System software, or the “Navigator” Web browser available from Netscape Communications Corporation. The user interacts with the Web browser to select a particular URL. The interaction causes the browser to send a request for the page or file identified in selected URL to the server identified in the selected URL. Typically, the server responds to the request by retrieving the requested page, and transmitting the data for that page back to the requesting client. The client-server interaction is usually performed in accordance with a protocol called the hypertext transfer protocol (“http”). The page received by the client is then displayed to the user on a display screen of the client. The client may also cause the server to launch an application, for example to search for WWW pages relating to particular topics.
WWW pages are typically formatted in accordance with a computer programming language known as hypertext markup language (“html”). Thus a typical WWW page includes text together with embedded formatting commands, referred to as tags, that can be employed to control for example font style, font size, lay-out etc. The Web browser parses the HTML script in order to display the text in accordance with the specified format. In addition, an html page also contain a reference, in terms of another URL, to a portion of multimedia data such as an image, video segment, or audio file. The Web Browser responds to such a reference by retrieving and displaying or playing the multimedia data. Alternatively, the multimedia data may reside on its own WWW page, without surrounding html text.
Most WWW pages also contain one or more references to other WWW pages, which need not reside on the same server as the original page. Such references may be activated by the user selecting particular locations on the screen, typically by clicking a mouse control button. These references or locations are known as hyperlinks, and are typically flagged by the Web browser in a particular manner. For example, any text associated with a hyperlink may be displayed in a different colour. If a user selects the hyperlinked text, then the referenced page is retrieved and replaces the currently displayed page.
Further information about html and the WWW can be found in “World Wide Web and HTML” by Douglas McArthur p18-26 in Dr Dobbs Journal, December 1994, and in “The HTML SourceBook” by Ian Graham, John Wiley, New York, 1995.
Conventionally, to access WWW pages via the Internet, a user has needed access to relatively specialised and expensive hardware such a personal computer fitted with a modem communications link and a WWW browser software package. More recently, there have become available a variety of so-called “set-top boxes” each for linking a domestic television receiver to the WWW. Examples of such step top boxes includes the Internet TV Terminal available from Phillips/Magnavox and the WebTV Internet Terminal available from Sony Corporation. A set-top box typically includes a modem communication link connectable to the WWW via a subscriber telephone line and a video output connectable to a domestic television receiver for displaying WWW pages down-loaded from the WWW via the modem link. It would be desirable to enable users to access the Internet access with no, or at most the bare minimum of, additional specialist hardware.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, there is now provided a system for accessing data files in a computer network, the system comprising: means for receiving a call from a telephone; means for allocating a teletext page in a television signal in response to the call; and, means for writing data from one or more of the data files to the allocated teletext page.
This advantageously enables a user to select and view data files available via a computer network such as the Internet via a domestic television receiver capable of receiving teletext and a domestic telephone hand-set.
The system preferably comprises means for sending a message identifying the allocated teletext page to the telephone.
In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the system comprises means for generating a menu of data files available via the computer network, each data file having a different identifier specified in the menu; means for writing the menu to the allocated teletext page; means for receiving the identifier corresponding to a selected data file from the telephone; means for retrieving the selected data file from the computer network; and, means for writing data from the selected data file to the allocated teletext page.
The system preferably comprises means for releasing the allocated teletext page for re-allocation in response to termination of the telephone call.
In preferred embodiments of the present invention, there is provided means for generating successive menus of data files in response to successive selections received via the telephone.
In particularly preferred embodiments of the present invention, each data file comprises a World Wide Web page.
In some embodiments of the present invention the call receiving means and the identifier receiving means may be responsive to a tone dialling signal. In other embodiments of the present invention however, the call receiving means and the identifier receiving means each comprise a voice recognition sub-system.
In particularly preferred embodiments of the present invention, there is provided means for detecting if a teletext page is available for allocation to an incoming call and, in the event that no teletext pages are available for allocation, for returning the incoming call when a teletext page is released for re-allocation.
Examples of the present invention may also include means for sending a facsimile message containing data from the selected data file.
Viewing the present invention from another aspect there is provided a method for accessing data files in a computer network, the method comprising: receiving a call from a telephone; allocating a teletext page in a broadcast television signal in response to the call; sending a message identifying the allocating teletext page to the telephone; generating a menu of data files available via the computer network, each data file having a different identifier specified in the menu; writing the menu to the allocated teletext page; receiving the identifier corresponding to a selected data file from the telephone; retrieving the selected data file from the computer network; and, writing data from the selected data file to the allocated teletext page.
Viewing the present invention from yet another aspect, there is provided a server computer system for accessing data files in a computer network, the system comprising: a call handler for receiving a call from a telephone, for allocating a teletext page in a broadcast television signal in response to the call, for sending a message identifying the allocating teletext page to the telephone; a browser connected to the call handler for generating a menu of data files available via the computer network, each data file having a different identifier specified in the menu; means f
Clay A. Bruce
Harrell Robert B.
International Business Machines Corp.
Myers Bigel Sibley & Sajovec P.A.
Vu Thong
LandOfFree
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