Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products are disclosed for creating, displaying, selecting, updating, and using visual bookmarks. A visual bookmark is a reduced graphical image of a web page that is associated with the URL for that web page. The invention allows the user to view a bookmarked web page by selecting a visual bookmark of the desired page from a plurality of visual bookmarks instead of making a selection from a list of web page titles. One way the visual bookmark is created is when the user decides to add a displayed web page to the user's bookmark list. This causes the displayed image to be captured, reduced, and associated with the web page's URL and title.

Abstract: In one embodiment the present invention provides a method of selecting a selectable element with a character input device from a list of exically unordered selectable elements on a graphical user interface (GUI). Typically, these selectable elements include hypertext links and GUI buttons on the GUI of computer program executing on a computer system. Each selectable element includes a character portion of data which facilitates selecting the selectable element. The method typically begins the selection process when a user enters one or more characters from a character input device. In response to receiving the characters, the present invention inserts each character into a match string. The match string is then compared with the character portion of each selectable element on the GUI. A selectable element is "armed" when the character portion of a selectable element is found which matches the match string.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for providing relevance-enhanced image reduction in computer systems. Using such a method and system, information including images can be displayed in a display area that is smaller than the display area for which the information was designed while accurately conveying the overall content of the information. A computer system in which the present invention operates includes a computer connected to a display device and a secondary storage device. A reducer is stored in the secondary storage device for execution by the computer. Additionally, data regarding an image to be displayed on the display device is stored in the secondary storage device. In operation, the computer receives data regarding an image to be displayed from the secondary storage device. The reducer reduces the image by first cropping the image and then scaling the image. Lastly, the computer displays the reduced image on the display device.

Abstract: A system for enhancing security of electronic documents distribution wherein electronic documents are fingerprinted with one or more modifications to the document text. The text modifications may be selected so that multiple copies of the same master document will all have the same meaning. By examining text modifications in an unauthorized copy, one can identify the authorized source. The ability to detect the source of a copy discourages unauthorized distribution. This electronic document distribution system may find particular application on the Internet.

Abstract: In a networked computer system including a customer computer associated with a human customer, one or more consultant computers associated with one or more human consultants, and a server computer, the human customer sends an information request to the server via the customer computer. The request, which includes a question that the customer wishes to have answered, does not specify a consultant from which the answer may be obtained. In response, the server determines which one or ones of the consultants is qualified to provide the requested information. The server then solicits the requested information from one or more of the qualified consultants. If at least one of the qualified consultants decides to provide the requested information, then the server receives the information from the consultant via one of the consultant computers. Thereafter, the server sends the information to the customer via the customer computer.

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: Apparatus, methods, and computer program products are disclosed to simplify a computer user's navigation through a distributed information space. The invention provides the computer user with information identifying the server that provides access to data (or to services) of interest to the user.

Abstract: Spell checking of network addresses such as Uniform Resource Locator (URL) addresses is provided at three levels. Each is invoked when a connection to the specified network address is unable to be established. At a client level, the specified URL is compared with URL's previously successfully used to find candidate misspellings. At a server level, directory and file names are checked against corresponding components of the URL to which connection was requested to return a list of candidate correct spellings to the requestor. Excluded from the list returned to the requestor are the correct spellings of "hidden" files to which general access is not desired. At a network access provider level, information about URL's successfully used by all customers is accumulated and used to provide a candidate list of correct spellings to a user. Older entries are periodically pruned from the database to control size.

Abstract: A method and apparatus that allows a Web page designer to specify that an audio file linked to a Web page should be prefetched before user input is accepted. Web browser software prefetches the audio file if there is enough room in a temporary memory to store the file. The invention also allows a Web page designer to specify the text over which the user must place the cursor to play the audio file. When the temporary memory is full and an audio file needs to be prefetched, the browser deletes files from the temporary memory until there is enough room in the temporary memory for the prefetched audio file. Files are deleted in a least-recently-referenced, first-out order.

Abstract: The presentation of audio information, particularly audio information generated by a voice synthesizer from text using a text or screen reader, is controlled using a style sheet. The style sheet permits default presentation styles, such as voice-family, voice-pitch, voice-variant, voice speed and volume to be set, and then varied based on embedded text presentation commands such as those found in hypertext markup language and in desktop publishing.

Abstract: 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: Apparatus, methods, systems and computer program products are disclosed that detect when a user is interested in information presented on a display device. The invention then automatically presents additional information to the user about the information presented on the display device.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods, systems, and computer program products are disclosed for displaying fixed canvas presentations, defined using HTML data, on computer output devices of unknown sizes. The invention transforms the fixed canvas image to fit within a display view that of a size other than that of the display view used to construct the original image. This transformation maintains a page layout similar to that of the original but magnified or reduced to fit the available display area.

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 cache, storing misspelled or otherwise incorrect network addresses from a plurality of users and associated correct network addresses, is maintained at a proxy server or internet service provider. Addresses received from all users are checked against the cache to correct any misspellings or other situations in which the network address might be incorrect. The cache is periodically pruned of entries which aren't frequently used. The collective experience of a group of users can thus be utilized to correct a network address submitted by a user who has never visited a particular network address before.

Abstract: When monitoring a large number of information sources such as pages on the World Wide Web, a user may not have time to normally look at each source at regular intervals. A background process will connect to each source maintained in a database and calculate an estimate of how much the source has changed since the last time a user viewed it. The amount of change is graphically displayed to the user as part of an icon or file listing. The user can thus determine whether the amount of new material justifies connecting to the source.

Abstract: Apparatus, methods, systems and computer program products are disclosed that determines what information presented on a computer display screen to a user most interests the user. The invention uses this information to correlate the topics of the displayed information and the user's interest to select additional information for the user. This additional information better matching the user's interest.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method of selecting a selectable element with a character input device from a list of exically unordered selectable elements on a graphical user interface (GUI). Typically, these selectable elements include hypertext links and GUI buttons on the GUI of computer program executing on a computer system. Each selectable element includes a character portion of data which facilitates selecting the selectable element. The method typically begins the selection process when a user enters one or more characters from a character input device. In response to receiving the characters, the present invention inserts each character into a match string. The match string is then compared with the character portion of each selectable element on the GUI. A selectable element is "armed" when the character portion of a selectable element is found which matches the match string.

Abstract: A dictionary system has a vendor computer and a plurality of client computers that communicate through the Internet. Each client computer has a word processor program with a spelling checker that utilizes a local main dictionary provided by the vendor and a local customized dictionary containing words added by the user. The vendor computer contains a dictionary of approved words, a database of misspelled words, and a database of requested words. When a user adds a new word to the local customized dictionary, an Internet request is sent to the vendor computer to add the new word to the dictionary of approved words. The user is notified by an Internet message from the vendor computer if the requested word is misspelled. The database of requested words from all users is reviewed periodically and utilized to update the approved dictionary. The updated dictionary is periodically released to the users as an upgrade to the local main dictionary.

Abstract: Apparatus methods, systems and computer program products are disclosed to provide electronic mail systems with the capability to act on previously-sent messages that have passed beyond the scope of control of the sending e-mail system.