Abstract: Information links, such as hypertext links, found in network based documents, such as those found on the World Wide Web, sometimes break, i.e. fail to result in retrieval the desired document. Techniques are described to record information about such broken links and to provide relatively current information to a user whether a link was broken or, if previously broken, has been restored. A centralized broken link service is also described by which information about the status of links on the network can be gathered. A spider can be utilized to periodically check on whether links reported as broken have been restored.

Abstract: Communications bandwidth available to network servers and computers running client processes is allocated among connections available to those devices based on sets of priorities. Those priorities include type of information being retrieved, how fast user connections can receive information, which part of a document is being transmitted, user identity, stored indicia indicating importance of the document and the state of application processes running on said computer. Bandwidth is reallocated on an event driven basis upon arrival of a new request for retrieval, finishing sending information in response to a retrieval request, cancellation of a retrieval request, detection of the inability of a user connection to use all of the bandwidth allocated to it, a change of priority and timeout of a timer.

Abstract: A graphical user interface permits navigating through a plurality of stacked window layers or image planes. In one form, moving through one image plane to an image plane below simulates pressing on an elastic membrane until it bursts. In another form, worm holes are used to access selected layers at different depths. In another embodiment, a property analogous to thickness, is associated with an image plane and the amount of time or force required to pass through the image plane is controlled as a function of thickness. In yet another form, a force feedback input/output device having three degrees of freedom is used to give a user the feel of physically penetrating through plural stacked layers.

Abstract: Techniques for establishing a pre-scheduled international telephone call using a callback service to take advantage of the arbitrage which exists when there is a rate difference between calls originating in the source and destination countries. In one approach the customer sends the call information to the callback service by completing an Internet based form. The callback service automatically places calls as pre-scheduled dates and times arrive. In one implementation, the callback service automatically sends reminder E-mail messages to call participants at some pre-determined time before the call is to occur. Another extension would allow call participants to respond to the reminder E-mail with information permitting their call to be forwarded or cancelled.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods and computer program products are disclosed for archiving a hypertext document that contains a hyperlink definition. Archiving is the process of rendering a hypertext document for storage in a noninteractive form (for example, printing a copy of the hypertext document). The archival copy of the hypertext document presents the reader with a URL, contained in the hyperlink definition, as an embedded note, a footnote, or an endnote. Thus a reader of the archived hypertext document knows the URL associated with the hyperlink definition.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods, systems and computer program products are disclosed to provide a display of structured information on a computer controlled display device such that the supplemental information used to describe the primary data displayed is always available to be seen by a user. This supplemental information continues to be displayed as the user scrolls or pages through the primary information even if the structured information is embedded in a scrolling context.

Abstract: A user operating a client system may access a plurality of remote servers requiring passwords for access by employing a master password. The master password is used to decrypt a stored password for a particular remote server to which the client desires access. The client system maintains a database of encrypted passwords and user IDs for remote servers to which the user is registered. Although each remote server is accessed using a different password, the user need only remember one master password. Since only the master password need be remembered, the passwords particular to specific remote sites may be made more random and thus more secure. Implementation of the password management system need not require modification of any remote servers.

Abstract: Hypertext information links are typically contained in documents accessible by networks. Data is gathered regarding the results of attempted access to documents identified by these links. The link's viability is calculated based on the number of successful attempts resulting in successful access in order to provide a measure of link viability. The display of the document is altered based on the measure of link viability. An average of link viability for all links on the document, and on the site, is used to calculate document viability and site viability which can be used to rate the document and site, respectively. These viability measures are displayed along with the corresponding link, document, and site. Display of results retrieved by conventional search engines may be sorted based on link, document or site viability, and displayed accordingly.

Abstract: A graphical user interface permits navigating through a plurality of stacked window layers or image planes. In one form, moving through one image plane to an image plane below simulates pressing on an elastic membrane until it bursts. In another form, worm holes are used to access selected layers at different depths. In another embodiment, a property analogous to thickness, is associated with an image plane and the amount of time or force required to pass through the image plane is controlled as a function of thickness. In yet another form, a force feedback input/output device having three degrees of freedom is used to give a user the feel of physically penetrating through plural stacked layers.

Abstract: A system for warning the sender of e-mail messages if the messages are not received is described. The system permits the sender of a message to designate whether the sender wishes to be warned in case the message is not opened by the recipient prior to a time and date specified by the sender. The sender's system maintains a database of such messages, and automatically monitors incoming messages and updates the database as responses are received from recipients of messages. If a response is not received from a recipient prior to the specified date, the system generates a warning message to the sender.

Abstract: A method and apparatus that allows a Web page designer to specify tooltips for his Web page. Tooltips are text areas that display automatically when the user places the cursor over predetermined text on a display device. The invention also enables Web browser software to display the tooltips specified by the designer. The HTML format extension allows a Web page designer to specify the text over which the user must place the cursor to activate tooltips. The HTML extension also allows the designer to specify the tooltip text that will be displayed when the cursor reaches the specified text. Using the present invention, the designer only needs to specify tooltips for any given information once per page, even though the displayed information may appear multiple times on the Web page.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a method and system for organizing selectable elements on a graphical user interface (GUI). Initially, the method provides at least two selectable elements for display on a GUI. Each selectable element is associated with a target element when it is selected. The method generates a first access frequency index for each selectable element in the list which corresponds to a number of times the selectable element is selected. Next, the selectable elements are organized on the GUI based upon the first access frequency index generated for each selectable element. In one embodiment, the selectable elements with a higher first access frequency index are placed in first area on the GUI while selectable elements with a lower first access frequency index are placed in a second area on the GUI. As a result, a user can select the selectable elements on a GUI easier when they are organized according to the principles of this invention.

Abstract: A user can monitor changes to information located on a network by registering with an update monitor service. The update monitor service can run as a stand alone server in the network or can run on a user computer or on the computer of an Internet Service Provider. The update monitor service obtains information about changes to information being monitored for the server on which the information is located or from a comparison of old and current versions of the information. The user can modify the list of information sources to be monitored by the update monitor service.

Abstract: A hypertext browsing system collects information about availability of links and display this link availability information. A user can then readily determine whether the target of a particular link may be followed. This increases the efficiency of user browsing in that time is not wasted in following unavailable links. Also, the hypertext browsing system may collect information about the titles of link targets and display this title information. The title information helps a user decide whether a particular link is worth following.

Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a method and system for organizing selectable elements on a graphical user interface (GUI). Initially, the method provides at least two selectable elements for display on a GUI. Each selectable element is associated with a target element when it is selected. The method generates a first access frequency index for each selectable element in the list which corresponds to a number of times the selectable element is selected. Next, the selectable elements are organized on the GUI based upon the first access frequency index generated for each selectable element. In one embodiment, the selectable elements with a higher first access frequency index are placed in first area on the GUI while selectable elements with a lower first access frequency index are placed in a second area on the GUI. As a result, a user can select the selectable elements on a GUI easier when they are organized according to the principles of this invention.

Abstract: A user operating a client system may access a plurality of remote servers requiring passwords for access by employing a master password. The master password is used to decrypt a stored password for a particular remote server to which the client desires access. The client system maintains a database of encrypted passwords and user IDs for remote servers to which the user is registered. Although each remote server is accessed using a different password, the user need only remember one master password. Since only the master password need be remembered, the passwords particular to specific remote sites may be made more random and thus more secure. Implementation of the password management system need not require modification of any remote servers.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for regulating discounts on merchandise distributed through networked computer systems. The method and system involve the use of discount coupons valid toward the repurchase of the merchandise. These discount coupons include mechanisms for verifying the validity of the coupons. A system in which the present invention operates includes a vendor computer system and a user computer system connected via a network. The vendor and user computer systems each include a computer connected to a display device, a keyboard, and a secondary storage device. A vendor discount regulator and a user discount regulator are stored in the vendor/user secondary storage devices for execution by the vendor/user computers. In operation, when a user desires to purchase merchandise, the user creates a request to purchase the merchandise and sends the request to purchase to a vendor.

Abstract: A system for retrieving a selected page of a structured document and for automatically developing context information about the selected page. This context information may include a table of contents showing the location of the selected hypertext page in relationship to other hypertext pages. In one embodiment, this context information is inserted into the hypertext page. The so-modified hypertext page may then be transmitted to a remote location for display. Since the context information is automatically developed after retrieval, it need not be manually generated and maintained. For WWW applications, the hypertext page with the context information inserted remains in the HTML format viewable by standard browsers. A powerful and convenient system for browsing through structured documents is thus provided.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods, systems and computer program products are disclosed that provide enhancements to client-side image maps in HTML based documents. These enhancements provide audio feedback to a user of a HTML capable application as to the hyperlinks associated with an area in an image. These enhancements also provide a visual representation of the areas defined by a client-side image map when the image is not available.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for printing a hyperspacial document with multiple pages. Each of the pages is composed in a markup language, and a respective printing element is included in each of the pages. The printing element for a given page is either an indicator of which of the pages is to print after the given page or an indicator that there is no page that prints next. When the header portion of a given page is transferred, it is checked to determine whether it contains a printing element. If the printing element is present, then a command to print the multiple pages is activated. The pages are printed in the order specified by the printing elements.