Abstract:
A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for managing the display of a new document. In response to receiving a user input indicating that the new document is to be displayed, a list of browser windows including an indication of a presently displayed document in each respective browser window in the list of browser windows is displayed; and a document displayed in the browser window is replaced with the new document responsive to a user selection of a browser window from the list of browser windows.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates generally to an improved data processing system and in particular to a method and apparatus for processing documents. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a method, apparatus, and computer instructions for selecting a browser window for new documents. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     The Internet, also referred to as an “internetwork”, is a set of computer networks, possibly dissimilar, joined together by means of gateways that handle data transfer and the conversion of messages from a protocol of the sending network to a protocol used by the receiving network. When capitalized, the term “Internet” refers to the collection of networks and gateways that use the TCP/IP suite of protocols. 
     The Internet has become a cultural fixture as a source of both information and entertainment. Many businesses are creating Internet sites as an integral part of their marketing efforts, informing consumers of the products or services offered by the business or providing other information seeking to engender brand loyalty. Many federal, state, and local government agencies are also employing Internet sites for informational purposes, particularly agencies which must interact with virtually all segments of society such as the Internal Revenue Service and secretaries of state. Providing informational guides and/or searchable databases of online public records may reduce operating costs. Further, the Internet is becoming increasingly popular as a medium for commercial transactions. 
     Currently, the most commonly employed method of transferring data over the Internet is to employ the World Wide Web environment, also called simply “the Web”. Other Internet resources exist for transferring information, such as File Transfer Protocol (FTP) and Gopher, but have not achieved the popularity of the Web. In the Web environment, servers and clients effect data transaction using the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), a known protocol for handling the transfer of various data files (e.g., text, still graphic images, audio, motion video, etc.). 
     The information in various data files is formatted for presentation to a user by a standard page description language, the Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). In addition to basic presentation formatting, HTML allows developers to specify “links” to other Web resources identified by a Uniform Resource Locator (URL). A URL is a special syntax identifier defining a communications path to specific information. Each logical block of information accessible to a client, called a “page” or a “Web page”, is identified by a URL. The URL provides a universal, consistent method for finding and accessing this information, not necessarily for the user, but mostly for the user&#39;s Web “browser”. A browser is a program capable of submitting a request for information identified by an identifier, such as, for example, a URL. A user may enter a domain name through a graphical user interface (GUI) for the browser to access a source of content. The domain name is automatically converted to the Internet Protocol (IP) address by a domain name system (DNS), which is a service that translates the symbolic name entered by the user into an IP address by looking up the domain name in a database. 
     Oftentimes, a user may open multiple browser windows. These browser windows contain different Web pages or documents. The user may desire these windows to remain open based on reading or research being performed by the user. For example, if a user is reading a tutorial, the user may wish to have the table of contents in one browser window with other documents opened up in other browser windows. If a user selects a link or hyperlink on a Web page, the browser may open a new window to open the new page. Alternatively, the new page may be opened in the current window. Also, the document may be opened in one of the already opened windows. Presently, the user is unable to control which window is selected to open the document if the browser opens the document in another browser window that is already opened without dragging the mouse pointer to another window. If the user is using multiple browser windows, the user may want to overwrite one particular window, rather than the one selected by the browser program. 
     Therefore, it would be advantageous to have an improved method, apparatus, and computer instructions for maintaining browser navigation relationships and choosing a browser window for new Web pages or documents. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a method, apparatus, and computer instructions for managing the display of a new document, such as a Web page. In response to receiving a user input indicating that the new document is to be displayed, a list of browser windows is displayed. The list includes an indication of a presently displayed document in each respective browser window in the list of browser windows. A document displayed in the browser window is replaced with the new document in response to a user selection of a browser window from the list of browser windows. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The novel features believed characteristic of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a pictorial representation of a data processing system in which the present invention may be implemented in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of a data processing system in which the present invention may be implemented; 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram of a browser program in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 4A and 4B  are diagrams illustrating a graphical user interface for allowing a user to control the opening of browser windows for documents in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart of a process for displaying Web pages in browser windows in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the figures and in particular with reference to  FIG. 1 , a pictorial representation of a data processing system in which the present invention may be implemented is depicted in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. A computer  100  is depicted which includes system unit  102 , video display terminal  104 , keyboard  106 , storage devices  108 , which may include floppy drives and other types of permanent and removable storage media, and mouse  110 . Additional input devices may be included with personal computer  100 , such as, for example, a joystick, touchpad, touch screen, trackball, microphone, and the like. 
     Computer  100  can be implemented using any suitable computer, such as an IBM eServer computer or IntelliStation computer, which are products of International Business Machines Corporation, located in Armonk, N.Y. Although the depicted representation shows a computer, other embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in other types of data processing systems, such as a network computer. Computer  100  also preferably includes a graphical user interface (GUI) that may be implemented by means of systems software residing in computer readable media in operation within computer  100 . 
     With reference now to  FIG. 2 , a block diagram of a data processing system is shown in which the present invention may be implemented. Data processing system  200  is an example of a computer, such as computer  100  in  FIG. 1 , in which code or instructions implementing the processes of the present invention may be located. Data processing system  200  employs a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) local bus architecture. Although the depicted example employs a PCI bus, other bus architectures such as Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) and Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) may be used. Processor  202  and main memory  204  are connected to PCI local bus  206  through PCI bridge  208 . PCI bridge  208  also may include an integrated memory controller and cache memory for processor  202 . 
     Additional connections to PCI local bus  206  may be made through direct component interconnection or through add-in boards. In the depicted example, local area network (LAN) adapter  210 , small computer system interface SCSI host bus adapter  212 , and expansion bus interface  214  are connected to PCI local bus  206  by direct component connection. 
     In contrast, audio adapter  216 , graphics adapter  218 , and audio/video adapter  219  are connected to PCI local bus  206  by add-in boards inserted into expansion slots. Expansion bus interface  214  provides a connection for a keyboard and mouse adapter  220 , modem  222 , and additional memory  224 . SCSI host bus adapter  212  provides a connection for hard disk drive  226 , tape drive  228 , and CD-ROM drive  230 . 
     An operating system runs on processor  202  and is used to coordinate and provide control of various components within data processing system  200  in  FIG. 2 . The operating system may be a commercially available operating system such as Windows XP, which is available from Microsoft Corporation. An object oriented programming system such as Java may run in conjunction with the operating system and provides calls to the operating system from Java programs or applications executing on data processing system  200 . “Java” is a trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc. Instructions for the operating system, the object-oriented programming system, and applications or programs are located on storage devices, such as hard disk drive  226 , and may be loaded into main memory  204  for execution by processor  202 . 
     Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the hardware in  FIG. 2  may vary depending on the implementation. Other internal hardware or peripheral devices, such as flash read-only memory (ROM), equivalent nonvolatile memory, or optical disk drives and the like, may be used in addition to or in place of the hardware depicted in  FIG. 2 . Also, the processes of the present invention may be applied to a multiprocessor data processing system. 
     For example, data processing system  200 , if optionally configured as a network computer, may not include SCSI host bus adapter  212 , hard disk drive  226 , tape drive  228 , and CD-ROM  230 . In that case, the computer, to be properly called a client computer, includes some type of network communication interface, such as LAN adapter  210 , modem  222 , or the like. As a further example, data processing system  200  may be a personal digital assistant (PDA), which is configured with ROM and/or flash ROM to provide non-volatile memory for storing operating system files and/or user-generated data. 
     The depicted example in  FIG. 2  and above-described examples are not meant to imply architectural limitations. For example, data processing system  200  also may be a notebook computer or hand held computer in addition to taking the form of a PDA. Data processing system  200  also may be a kiosk or a Web appliance. 
     The processes of the present invention are performed by processor  202  using computer implemented instructions, which may be located in a memory such as, for example, main memory  204 , memory  224 , or in one or more peripheral devices  226 - 230 . 
     Turning next to  FIG. 3 , a block diagram of a browser program is depicted in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. A browser is an application used to navigate or view information or data in a distributed database, such as the Internet or the World Wide Web. 
     In this example, browser  300  includes graphical user interface (GUI)  302 , that allows the user to interface or communicate with browser  300 . This interface provides for selection of various functions through menus  304  and allows for navigation through navigation  306 . For example, menus  304  may allow a user to perform various functions, such as saving a file, opening a new window, displaying a history, and entering a URL. Navigation  306  allows for a user to navigate various pages and to select Web sites for viewing. For example, navigation  306  may allow a user to see a previous page or a subsequent page relative to the present page. Preferences such as those illustrated in  FIG. 3  may be set through preferences  308 . 
     Communications  310  is the mechanism with which browser  300  receives documents and other resources from a network such as the Internet. Further, communications  310  is used to send or upload documents and resources onto a network. In the depicted example, communications  310  uses HTTP. Other protocols may be used depending on the implementation. Documents that are received by browser  300  are processed by language interpretation  312 , which includes an HTML unit  314  and a JavaScript unit  316 . Language interpretation  312  will process a document for presentation on graphical display  318 . In particular, HTML statements are processed by HTML unit  314  for presentation while JavaScript statements are processed by JavaScript unit  316 . 
     Graphical display  318  includes layout unit  320 , rendering unit  322 , and window management  324 . These units are involved in presenting Web pages to a user based on results from language interpretation  312 . 
     Browser  300  is presented as an example of a browser program in which the present invention may be embodied. Browser  300  is not meant to imply architectural limitations to the present invention. Presently available browsers may include additional functions not shown or may omit functions shown in browser  300 . A browser may be any application that is used to search for and display content on a distributed data processing system. Browser  300  may be implemented using known browser applications, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer, which is available from Microsoft Corporation. 
     In the depicted examples, the mechanism of the present invention may be implemented in graphical display  318  within browser  300 . 
     The present invention provides a method, apparatus, and computer instructions for maintaining browser navigation relationships and selecting browser windows for new Web pages. Currently, most browser programs will open a new document in the last active browser window. Active browser window is the window that was last used for viewing a Web page. The mechanism of the present invention allows a user to select a browser window in which a new Web page or document may be opened. The user chooses whether to open a document in an existing window, a new window, or a selected current window. This input may be received in a currently active browser window as shown in the illustrative examples below. Further, the user is able to limit the ways in which currently opened browser windows may be used. 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 4A and 4B , diagrams illustrating a graphical user interface for allowing a user to control the opening of browser windows for documents, such as Web pages, is depicted in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In this example, display  400  contains browser window  402 . Hyperlink  404  is located within browser window  402 . When a user moves pointer  406  over hyperlink  404 , the user may select that hyperlink. 
     Currently, without the present invention, selection of such a hyperlink may cause a document, such as a Web page, to be opened in the current window, a new window, or another already opened window, such as browser window  408  or browser window  410 . As illustrated, only a portion of browser window  408  is shown because browser window  402  obscures other portions of browser window  408 . In this example, the document displayed in browser window  402  is named “ABC Company” as shown in title bar  414  in browser window  402 . 
     The mechanism of the present invention allows the user to have control over the opening of browser windows. In response to a selected user input, such as a right-click on hyperlink  404 , menu  418  is displayed in proximity with pointer  406 . Menu  418  includes the options open  420 , new  422 , and select  424 . Browser window  408  is entitled “Window A” as shown in title bar  412  in browser window  408 , and browser window  410  is entitled “Window B” as shown in title bar  416  in browser window  410 . 
     If the user selects the option, open  420 , the document associated with hyperlink  404  is opened in the current browser window, browser window  402 . If the user selects new  422 , the document associated with hyperlink  404  is opened in a new browser window. By selecting the option, select  424 , sub-menu  426  is displayed. The sub-menu contains a list of browser windows currently active in display  400 . In these examples, the browser windows listed in submenu  426  include ABC Company  428 , Window A  430 , and Window B  432 . 
     In the illustrative examples, the identification of the active browser windows is based on the document names found in the title bars of the browser windows. Of course, other types of identifiers may be used depending on the particular implementation. The user may now select one of the browser windows in which the new document is to be opened. In this manner, the user may select the existing browser window in which the document is to be opened rather than leaving the selection to the browser program. 
     Further, upon selecting a particular browser window from the list in sub-menu  426 , the selected browser window is moved up in the window hierarchy to become the last active browser window. Currently, active browser windows in a display are listed in a hierarchy in the order in which the browser windows were opened. The last opened or active browser window is the top of the window hierarchy. This is the browser window typically used to display a new document when a currently open window is selected for use. 
     The illustrated examples in  FIG. 4  may be used with the opening of any document that may be handled by a browser. A document herein includes for example, a Web page, an image, or a spreadsheet. 
     With reference now to  FIG. 5 , a flowchart of a process for displaying Web pages in browser windows is depicted in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The process illustrated in  FIG. 5  may be implemented in a browser, such as browser  300  in  FIG. 3 . This process may be applied to other types of documents other than Web pages. 
     The process begins by detecting a right-click on a hyperlink (step  500 ). Options are then presented to the user (step  502 ). Step  502  involves displaying the options in a menu format, such as menu  408  in  FIG. 4 . Thereafter, user input is received (step  504 ). 
     A determination is made as to whether the user input is to open the document in the current window (step  506 ). If the user input is to open the Web page in the current window, the Web page is opened in the current browser window (step  508 ) with the process terminating thereafter. 
     With reference again to step  506 , if the user input is not to open the Web page in the current browser window, a determination is made as to whether input is to open the Web page in a new browser window (step  510 ). If the user input is to open the Web page in a new browser window, then a new browser window is opened (step  512 ). Thereafter, the Web page is opened in the new browser window (step  514 ) with the process terminating thereafter. 
     With reference again to step  510 , if the user input is not to open the Web page in a new browser window, a determination is made as to whether the user input is to open the Web page in a selected browser window (step  516 ). If the user input is not to open the Web page in a selected browser window, the process returns to step  504  as described above. Otherwise, a list of currently active browser windows are displayed (step  518 ). In these examples, this list is displayed in a menu, such as sub-menu  426  in  FIG. 4B . 
     Thereafter, user input selecting a browser window is received (step  520 ). The Web page is then opened in the selected browser window (step  522 ) with the process terminating thereafter. Further, when the Web page is opened in the new browser window, the selected browser window is promoted to the top of the window hierarchy. 
     Thus, the present invention provides an improved method, apparatus, and computer instructions for managing the displaying of documents, such as Web pages, in a set of browser windows. The mechanism of the present invention allows a user to identify a particular browser window that will be used to open the new Web page, rather than allowing the browser program to select the browser window. In this manner, a user is able to control which browser windows are used for new Web pages. This type of control provides an advantage in that a user is able to keep Web pages with desired information from being replaced with new Web pages while reading documents or Web pages. 
     It is important to note that while the present invention has been described in the context of a fully functioning data processing system, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the processes of the present invention are capable of being distributed in the form of a computer readable medium of instructions and a variety of forms and that the present invention applies equally regardless of the particular type of signal bearing media actually used to carry out the distribution. Examples of computer readable media include recordable-type media, such as a floppy disk, a hard disk drive, a RAM, CD-ROMs, DVD-ROMs, and transmission-type media, such as digital and analog communications links, wired or wireless communications links using transmission forms, such as, for example, radio frequency and light wave transmissions. The computer readable media may take the form of coded formats that are decoded for actual use in a particular data processing system. 
     The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, and is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention, the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.