Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
1996-12-31
2001-02-06
Trammell, James P. (Department: 2764)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C707S793000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06185588
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the utilization of data processing systems for generating printed materials, and in particular to the utilization of data processing systems for generating printed copies of worldwide web pages.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Commercial use of the worldwide web (www) is likely to increase considerably as greater numbers of computer users subscribe to on-ramp and other service providers. The web is now widely regarded as the most important new frontier in advertising and marketing, principally due to the beneficial integration of text and graphics available through the web, and to the emergence of relatively low cost web browser software and plug-in software that facilitate searching, retrieving, and sorting of web materials, including the text and graphics.
However, the web is not likely to supplant entirely the use of printed advertising, promotional, proposal, and sales materials. Presently, the web does not readily accommodate such a commercial reality. A few web sites dually maintain a postscript duplication of the HTML file for the purpose of allowing printing by web users. Additionally, a few plug-in modules provide high quality printing formats which facilitate the printing of the HTML files.
The principal problem with both of these prior art approaches is that each assumes that every user wants the same document in exactly the same format and with the same contents. Currently, using a web browser, it is possible to dynamically build a custom document whose table of contents is defined (depending upon the particular browser) by a hot list file, a quick list file, or a bookmark file, etc. This list of bookmarks may reference remote data on the internet or local data on a drive or other memory media. However, this approach has two significant disadvantages: (1) printing documents is currently quite time-consuming, (2) the finished printouts lack continuity from one page to the next page, and (3) the images and text of the internet pages may be broken or separated, rendering the printed document unprofessional looking.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is one objective of the present invention to combine advantageously the beneficial integration of text and images available through the worldwide web with the powerful and commonly available web-browsers and other software, in order to facilitate the generation of printed (“hard copy”) advertising, promotional, proposal, business, and sales documents.
It is another objective of the present invention to allow for the generation of such printed material without the lengthy delays associated with printing operations of the prior art, and without the pagination and format problems of the prior art.
These and other objectives are achieved as is now described. A method and apparatus is provided for generating printed copies of internet pages from the worldwide web, using a data processing system and an associated printer, in accordance with operator-selected formatting instructions. A plurality of internet page record locators are selected and recorded in memory of the data processing system. Preferably, the internet page record locators are grouped in a directory in a graphical user interface for the data processing system, such as the “Bookmark”, “Favorite”, and “Hotlist” functions currently available in the commercially available web browsers. A computer program is provided which receives operator input for selection for printing of particular internet pages, which are associated with corresponding particular ones of the plurality of internet page record locators. The data processing system is utilized for retrieving particular internet pages, utilizing the corresponding particular ones of the plurality of internet page record locators. The pages may be retrieved from the worldwide web, a local or wide area network, or the local memory media associated with the particular data processing system being utilized by the operator. Next, operator input is received for determining operator-selected format requirements. The format requirements may relate to any one of a number of predetermined print format attributes, such as page headers, page footers, page break location, pagination, cover sheets, table of contents, the content allocation and placement among the printed pages, as well as the presence or absence of internet identification titles, and the presence or absence of visually perceptible internet links or internet icons within the internet pages. Of course, any other conventional or novel format attribute can also be set or determined by the operator-selected format requirements. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the operator interacts with the data processing system in order to determine what particular format he or she desires for the particular printed pages. Finally, the formatted internet pages are printed, utilizing the printer associated with the data processing system, in accordance with the particular operator-selected format requirements which are associated with the selected internet pages.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4648071 (1987-03-01), Repass
patent: 5572643 (1996-11-01), Judson
patent: 5761436 (1998-06-01), Nielsen
patent: 5793964 (1998-08-01), Rogers et al.
patent: 5813007 (1998-09-01), Nielsen
Taylor, Conrad. “What has WYSIWYG done to us?” The Seybold Report on Publishing Systems. Sep. 30, 1995: 1-46.
Momentum in the Publishing Community, PR Newswire. Sep. 10, 1996: pp. 1-7.
Clickbook.Com, How it Works BookMaker Corporation Palo Alto, CA 94306 Jun. 14, 1996 www.clickbook.com/cowin.html.
PC Week: Printing Improvements in Store for Internet Explorer Microsoft Redmond, WA Oct. 8, 1996 www.pcweek.com
ews/0930/04.html.
Obey Jay Peter
Olson-Williams Lonny R.
Felsman Bradley Vaden Gunter & Dillon, LLP
International Business Machines - Corporation
Trammell James P.
Young John Leonard
LandOfFree
Method and apparatus for printing worldwide web pages in... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method and apparatus for printing worldwide web pages in..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and apparatus for printing worldwide web pages in... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2589246