Abstract:
A system for controlling the display of pop-up windows in web browsers intercepts a request to display a pop-up window and instead may display a dialog box asking the user to indicate whether the user wishes to display the pop-up window. The dialog box may extract information from the pop-up window to give the user some indication of what the pop-up window is about. The user may then control whether the pop-up window is displayed or not.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
   This invention relates generally to web browsers for displaying web pages, for example in connection with the Internet. 
   Internet web browsers are software that allow web pages to be displayed on a computer monitor or other display device. Web pages are typically standalone pages that the user can scroll and interact with. In some cases, web pages have secondary pop-up windows that appear simultaneously with the original web page. A pop-up window may appear under the control of web page software when an option is selected using a mouse button. The pop-up window typically remains visible until the mouse button is released. Pop-up windows may be used for such things as advertising, additional information about a web page, navigation or surveys, as a few examples. 
   Generally web browsers handle these pop-up windows by creating a separate web browser window in which the pop-up window is displayed. In Microsoft® Windows®, for example, each separate browser has an entry in the task bar, indicating to the user that each entry corresponds to a completely separate and controllable browser. 
   In some cases, a web browser only runs in one window. For example, the web browser or parts thereof may be embodied in hardware. When the web browser is embodied in hardware in devices such as Internet terminals, handheld Internet tablets and other appliance-like devices, the ability to create independent browser windows may be limited due to limitations in the operating system of the device. 
   Alternatively, some devices may be designed for ease of use. In such cases it may be desirable to reduce the complexity of the user interface by making a decision to use only one window even if the underlying operating system can support multiple windows. 
   In the situation where only one browser window may be displayed at a time, a problem arises with respect to how to handle the issue of pop-up windows. The pop-up window may simply be ignored and not presented to the user. This may be undesirable because the pop-up window may contain information that is important. 
   In multiple browser window situations, the pop-up window may be displayed in a second browser window. But this makes the user interface much more complex because a mechanism must be provided to switch between the browser windows and to dismiss unneeded browser windows. In other words, the user interface looks and feels like a windows interface and this may be at odds with the desire to create simple devices. 
   Thus, for a number of reasons, it would be desirable to have a way of controlling the display of pop-up windows in a browser that facilitates the operation of the computer system without unnecessarily annoying the user. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a depiction of a graphical user interface in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is another graphical user interface in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a flow chart for software in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 4  is a block diagram for hardware for one embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , a graphical user interface  10  is illustrated in an example in which a customer has placed an order over the Internet. For example, a user may use a processor-based system at the user&#39;s location to access over the Internet a web page associated with a service or product provider. The web page may contain software, such as JavaScript, that, upon the occurrence of a given event, causes a pop-up window to automatically be displayed through the user&#39;s browser. 
   With embodiments of the present invention, a request from the web page server to a client web browser to create the pop-up window is intercepted by software resident on the client system. Instead, the client system may display a dialog box  12  that requests the user to indicate whether or not the user wants to see the pop-up window. 
   Thus, the dialog box  12  asks whether the user would like to see the pop-up window that the web page would like to present to the user. The dialog box  12  may automatically extract or parse information from the pop-up window to give some information about the nature of the pop-up window, such as its title. The user is provided a graphical user interface with icons  11  and  13  to indicate whether the user wants to see the pop-up window. If the user selects the icon  13  to see the pop-up window, a graphical user interface  14 , shown in  FIG. 2 , may appear. In this example, the user is asked, through the interface  14 , a survey question about the on-line service or business provider. 
   Of course, pop-up windows may be offered to the user for a myriad of purposes, including advertising, providing a web site navigation mechanism, providing a help mechanism, providing additional information, or the like. Similarly, the user can be queried about whether the user is interested in seeing the pop-up window using mechanisms other than a dialog box. 
   Referring to  FIG. 3 , software  16 , in one embodiment, for controlling the display of pop-up windows in web browsers begins by displaying a first web page as indicated in block  18 . When the displayed web page requests the client&#39;s browser to display a pop-up window, as indicated in block  20 , the client browser automatically brings up a dialog box as indicated in block  22 . The user is asked through the dialog box to indicate whether or not the user wants to see the pop-up window. At diamond  24 , a determination is made as to which display option the user selected. If the user indicates that the user does not want to see the pop-up window, the flow iterates. Otherwise, the pop-up window replaces the currently displayed page in one embodiment of the present invention (block  26 ). 
   Embodiment of the present invention may be utilized in a variety of diverse applications. Embodiments may be utilized for example in connection with desktop, laptop and handheld computers. Similarly, embodiments may be utilized in connection with embedded systems such as Internet appliances including Internet tablets, Internet terminals and a variety of other appliance-like devices. 
   An embedded system is used for a limited purpose. The embedded system does not have an open operating system. The embedded system does not accept plug-ins. The embedded system may have limited processor power, limited memory and limited display screen area. In some cases, the operating systems of embedded systems are not adapted to display separate browser windows in many cases, even if they can display dialog boxes. 
   Embodiments of the present invention may achieve a number of important advantages including providing a simpler interface that avoids switching between browser interfaces. Embodiments may also avoid-the typical windows interface. In addition, in systems in which only one browser is available, the present invention, in some embodiments, provides an advantageous way to deal with the possibility of multiple browser windows. 
   Referring to  FIG. 4 , in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, an embedded system  30 , such as Internet appliance  30 , may include a controller  32  that may be a processor, as one example, coupled to a display  38 . The display  38  may be for example, a computer monitor, a television receiver or a liquid crystal display, for example as used in an Internet tablet. The display  38  may be coupled to the rest of the system  30  by a wireless link such as a radio link. The controller  32  may also be coupled to an input/output device  36  that allows the user to indicate whether the user wants to see the pop-up window or not. The input/output device  36  may be a touch screen, a mouse, a keypad or a keyboard as examples. The controller  32  may also be coupled to an interface  40  such as a modem that enables an Internet connection. Finally, the controller  32  is coupled to storage  34  that may store the browser as well as the software  16  shown in FIG.  3 . 
   Instead of displaying the dialog box  12 , a web page with the same content may be displayed. The web page that replaces the dialog box  12  may be displayed full screen. 
   While the present invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate numerous modifications and variations therefrom. It is intended that the appended claims cover all such modifications and variations as fall within the true spirit and scope of this present invention.