Patent Publication Number: US-2009227238-A1

Title: Methods, cellular wireless handsets, systems, and computer program products for providing universal resource locators to web browsers in cellular wireless handsets

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present invention generally relates to the field of communications, and more particularly, to mobile devices having access to the Internet. 
     It is known to use a cellular wireless handset to access the Internet using what is commonly referred to as a Web browser. For example, the handset may access the Internet using a Web browser to communicate with a server that can provide data to the browser in response to requests for web pages. It is known that the web pages can be uniquely identified on the Internet through use of a Uniform Resource Locator (URL). In operation, a user typically enters the URL of a desired web page into the browser address field, which sends a request for the web page to the server. In response, the server can forward the data associated with the web page to the browser for display by the handset. 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments according to the invention can provide methods, cellular wireless handsets, systems, and computer program products for providing universal resource locators to web browsers in cellular wireless handsets. Pursuant to these embodiments, a method of operating a cellular wireless handset can include pre-populating a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) bookmark file included in a cellular wireless handset file system of a cellular wireless handset with URL bookmark data provided from a URL bookmark server via a cellular wireless network. 
     Other systems, methods, and/or computer program products according to embodiments of the invention will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon review of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, and/or computer program products be included within this description, be within the scope of the present invention, and be protected by the accompanying claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic representation of a cellular wireless network providing service to cellular wireless handsets coupled to a URL bookmark server located on the Internet in some embodiments according to the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic representation of cellular wireless handset configured to receive URL bookmark data from the URL bookmark server for pre-population of URL bookmark files in the cellular wireless handset in some embodiments according to the invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic representation of a cellular wireless handset operating within a cellular wireless network coupled to URL bookmark servers and secondary devices utilizing URL bookmark data in some embodiments according to the invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic representation of a cellular wireless handset configured to provide data from a pre-populated URL bookmark file in a file system of the cellular wireless handset to an address field of a web browser in some embodiments according to the invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a flow chart that illustrates operations of a cellular wireless handset configured to receive URL bookmark data from a server for pre population of a URL bookmark file in the cellular wireless handset before instantiation of a cellular wireless handset web browser in some embodiments according to the invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic illustration of a URL bookmark server configured to provide URL bookmark data to cellular wireless handsets in some embodiments according to the invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS ACCORDING TO THE INVENTION 
     The present invention now is described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying figures, in which embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many alternate forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout the description of the figures. 
     The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. As used herein the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. 
     It will be understood that, when an element is referred to as being “coupled” to another element, it can be directly coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly coupled” to another element, there are no intervening elements present. 
     Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and this specification and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense expressly so defined herein. 
     The present invention is described below with reference to diagrams (such as schematic illustrations) and/or operational illustrations of methods, devices, and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It is to be understood that the functions/acts noted in the figures may occur out of the order noted in the operational illustrations. For example, two elements shown in succession may in fact be executed substantially concurrently or the elements may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/acts involved. 
     The present invention may be embodied in hardware and/or in software (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.). Furthermore, the present invention may take the form of a computer program product on a computer-usable or computer-readable storage medium having computer-usable or computer-readable program code embodied in the medium for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system. In the context of this document, a computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be any medium that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus, or device. 
     The computer-usable or computer-readable medium may be, for example but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, device, or propagation medium. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer-readable medium would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, and a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM). 
     Computer program code or “code” for carrying out operations according to the present invention may be written in an object oriented programming language such as JAVA®, Smalltalk or C++, JavaScript, Visual Basic, TSQL, Perl, or in various other programming languages. Software embodiments of the present invention do not depend on implementation with a particular programming language. Portions of the code may execute entirely on one or more systems utilized by an intermediary server. 
     The computer program code may be provided to a processor of a general-purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus as instructions to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions specified in the illustrations. 
     The computer code may be stored in a computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture including instruction means which implement the function specified in the illustrations. 
     As described hereinbelow in greater detail, Uniform Resource Locator (URL) bookmark data can be transferred from a URL bookmark server to a cellular wireless handset via a cellular wireless network to pre-populate a uniform resource locator bookmark file included in the handset before a cellular wireless handset browser is instantiated. For example, in some embodiments according to the invention, URL bookmark data can be transmitted from a URL bookmark server to the cellular wireless handset for inclusion in a URL bookmark file (included in the cellular wireless handset file system) so that the URL bookmark data is available to the address field of the web browser to allow the user faster access to commonly used URLs. 
     In some embodiments according to the invention, the URL bookmark data provided by the server is synchronized with a second device including a separate browser that is used to access the Internet. In some embodiments according to the invention the URL bookmark data provided to the cellular wireless handset has not previously been entered into the browser of the handset. In other words, a user may access the Internet using a browser of a home PC or other system that is separate from the handset. The URL bookmark server may then synchronize the URL bookmarks utilized by the home PC with those used by the handset so that new URLs accessed via the home PC are pre-populated in the URL bookmark file of the handset without having been entered into the handset by the user. 
     In further embodiments according to the invention, the URL bookmark data may actually be provided to the URL bookmark server by a third party, such as a service provider that markets information to users of the cellular wireless handsets. In such embodiments according to the invention, the third party may determine that particular URL bookmarks may of be interest to users of the handsets and, therefore, push URL bookmark data to the URL bookmark server. Later, when URL bookmark data is transferred to the handset for pre-population of the URL bookmark data, new URL bookmark data from the third party can be included in the handset without any action being taken by the user. In still other embodiments according to the invention, the URL bookmark server can be any commonly available URL bookmarking service available on the Internet. In such an approach, the URL bookmark server may simply respond to requests from the cellular wireless handset for transfer of URL bookmark data to the handset before instantiation of the browser. 
     In some embodiments according to the invention, the URL bookmark data is transferred to the cellular wireless handset by the network before registration of the cellular wireless handset within the network is complete. For example, in some embodiments according to the invention, the URL bookmark data may be provided immediately after assignment of a control channel on which the cellular wireless handset is to camp. In still other embodiments according to the invention, once the cellular wireless handset has registered with the cellular wireless network, the URL bookmark data can be transferred to the handset via the network before instantiation of a web browser located therein to pre-populate the URL bookmark file. Then, the cellular wireless handset browser may be instantiated, which results in the data being pre-populated in URL bookmark file in the browser. Further, the URL bookmark data transferred to the handset can be provided by the URL bookmark server acting as a proxy for a second URL bookmark server that actually provides the URL bookmark data for transfer to the handset. In such an approach, the URL bookmark data provided by the second URL bookmark server may be in a first format that is foreign to the handset. Accordingly, the proxy server (or another server located within a chain of servers situated between the second URL bookmark server and the handset) can translate the format of the bookmark data provided by the second URL bookmark server to a format that is native to the handset so that the transfer of the URL bookmark data may occur. In some embodiments according to the invention, the native format associated with the handset can be an application-programming interface that is associated with the handset to which the transfer is to occur. 
     It will be understood that, as used herein, the term “handset” includes mobile electronic devices that are configured to be comfortably held in a typical user&#39;s hand while being used for, for example, mobile audio communications via a cellular wireless network with which the handset is registered for operation. In some embodiments according to the invention, the handset may be configured to communicate via a cellular wireless communication link that may include a protocol such as, for example, ANSI-136, Global Standard for Mobile (GSM) communication, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), enhanced data rates for GSM evolution (EDGE), code division multiple access (CDMA), wideband-CDMA, CDMA2000, and UMTS. Communication protocols as used herein may specify the information communicated, the timing, the frequency, the modulation, and/or the operations for setting-up and/or maintaining a communication connection. 
     Embodiments may also be used in celestial communications systems, such as satellite communications systems. The celestial wireless communication system may be employed to perform similar functions to those performed by the wireless communications networks described herein. In particular, the celestial wireless communication system typically includes one or more satellites that serve as relays or transponders between one or more earth stations and (satellite) handsets. The satellites typically communicate with the satellite handsets and earth stations via duplex communication links. Each earth station may, in turn, be connected to a Public Switched Telephone Network, thereby allowing communications between the satellite handsets, and other terminals included in any other system with which the celestial wireless communication system is integrated. The celestial wireless communication system may utilize a single antenna beam covering the entire geographic region served by the system or the celestial wireless communication system may be designed such that it produces multiple overlapping or non-overlapping beams that serve different sub-regions of the entire geographic region served by the celestial wireless communications system. The satellites and the respective sub-regions may serve a function similar to that of the base stations and the associated cells in a typical terrestrial wireless communications network. 
     According to  FIG. 1 , a plurality of handsets  20  can communicate with each other in a cellular wireless communications network (sometimes referred to herein as the “wireless network”)  10  via a Mobile Telephone Switching Center (MTSC)  15 . The handsets  20  can also communicate with other terminals, such as terminals  26 ,  28 , via a Public Service Telephone Network (PSTN)  4  that is coupled to the wireless network  10 . 
     The wireless network  10  is organized as cells  1 - 2  that collectively can provide service to a geographic region. In particular, each of the cells  1 - 2  can provide service to associated sub-regions included in the geographic region covered by the wireless network  10 . More or fewer cells can be included in the wireless network  10 , and the coverage area for some of the cells in the wireless network  10  may overlap one another. Base stations  30   a - b  in the cells  1 - 2  provide wireless communications between each other and the handsets  20  located in the geographic region of the cell to allow for communications between the handsets  20  and/or the terminals  26 ,  28  in the PSTN  4 . 
     Each of the base stations  30   a - b  can transmit/receive data to/from the handsets  20  over an associated control channel. For example, the base station  30   a  can communicate with the handsets  20  located in cell  1  over associated control channels (not shown). The control channels can be used to page the handsets  20  in response to calls directed thereto or to transmit traffic channel assignments to the handsets  20  over which a call associated therewith is to be conducted. The control channels can be identified using control channel numbers or identifiers. For example, the handsets  20  can store a channel number that identifies the control channel on which it is currently camping. 
     The handsets  20  can be GPS enabled that can display navigational routes to users. In particular, the handsets  20  are capable of determining respective handset geographic location information that describes the geographic location of the handsets  20  using GPS signals provided by a Global Positioning System (GPS)  180 . In some embodiments, the handsets  20  can use the GPS signals to determine their respective geographic locations. It will be understood that the single satellite shown in  FIG. 1  represents the GPS  180 , which can include a constellation of GPS satellites. It will be understood that in some embodiments according to the invention, the handset geographic location can be determined based on other types of location systems such as GALILEO and GLONASS. 
     A Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) receiver typically performs an initialization process whereby the receiver determines its location based on a set of navigational parameters received from the GPS satellites. The duration of the initialization process may depend upon how much position information a GPS receiver has prior to initialization. For example, if a GPS receiver has some approximate location information for use during initialization, the time needed for initialization may be reduced compared to a situation where the GPS receiver does not have approximate location information. 
     A GPS receiver, included in the handset  20 , can be provided with approximate location information (such as local time and position estimates, satellite ephemeris/clock/almanac information, and a visible satellite list) as a way to reduce the time needed for initialization. The approximate location information is provided by reference GPS receivers located at various nodes in a network in which the handset  20  operates. Such approaches are commonly referred to as assisted-GPS, which is defined, for example, in specification numbers 3GPP TS 04.31, 3GPP TS 03.71 and 3GPP TS 04.35. 
     Approximate location information can also be provided to the handset  20  as a location of a base station that provides service to the handset  20 . In such systems, the locations of the base stations are known to the service provider, and may be made available to the handset  20  and/or to servers as approximate location information for the handset  20 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the handsets  20  can access a network  130  (such as the Internet) via the MTSC  15  or, alternatively via a local wireless network  70 , such as an IEEE 802.11 network or ad hoc Bluetooth™ compliant network, that is coupled to the network  130 . As used herein, an “ad hoc” protocol network or transmitter refers to one that is generally configured at the time of use based on the resources available. Such networks, typically, provide a service discovery protocol to allow, for example, identification of available resources. They may also negotiate various aspects of operations, such as peer relationships between resources, at the time of use of the resources. 
     As understood by those skilled in the art, Bluetooth™ is directed to providing a relatively robust high-speed wireless connection with low-power consumption and a low-cost architecture. Bluetooth™ technology may provide a universal radio interface in the 2.45 GHz frequency band to enable portable electronic devices to connect and communicate wirelessly via short-range ad hoc networks. Bluetooth™ technology is generally targeted towards the elimination of wires, cables, and connectors between such devices and systems as cordless or mobile phones, modems, headsets, personal digital assistants (PDAs), computers, printers, projectors, and local area networks. The Bluetooth™ interface is further described in an article authored by Jaap Haartsen entitled  Bluetooth—The universal radio interface for ad hoc, wireless connectivity,  Ericsson Review, No. 3, 1998, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     As further shown in  FIG. 1 , the network  130  is coupled to a URL bookmark server  135  that is configured to store URL bookmark data that can be used by a browser to uniquely identify a web page on the Internet  130 . It will be understood that the URL bookmark server  135  is configured to respond to requests to transfer URL bookmark data stored therein. Further, the URL bookmark server  135  can store different URL bookmark data for different handsets. For example, a first wireless handset may have first URL bookmark data associated therewith stored in the server  135 , whereas a second handset can have a second set of URL bookmark data also stored by the same server  135 . Accordingly, the URL bookmark server  135  is configured to transfer the requested URL bookmark data to the associated wireless handset operating within the cellular wireless network  10 . 
     It will be understood that the URL bookmark server  135  can be in communication with other URL bookmark servers for which the URL bookmark server  135  can act as a proxy server. In such operations, URL bookmark data requested by a particular handset can actually be transferred from a URL bookmark server that is not directly connected to the Internet  130 , but rather transfers the requested URL bookmark data to the server  135 , which in turn forwards the requested URL bookmark data to the associated handset. Further, the URL bookmark server  135  can be configured to translate between different formats used to communicate the URL bookmark data between the servers. For example, in some embodiments according to the invention, a second URL bookmark server can transfer requested URL bookmark data in a format that is non-native to the handset that is to ultimately receive the URL bookmark data. Accordingly, the URL bookmark server  135  can be configured to translate the data from the non-native format utilized by the second URL bookmark server to a format that is native to the associated handset. 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram that illustrates embodiments of handsets  20  according to the invention. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the handset  20  includes a transceiver circuit  242  that is operative to transmit and receive radio frequency communication signals to the wireless network  10  via an antenna system  246 . The antenna system  246  may include an antenna feed structure and one or more antennas. 
     As is well known to those of skill in the art, a transmitter portion of the transceiver  242  converts the information, which is to be transmitted by the handset  20  into electromagnetic signals suitable for radio communications. A receiver portion of the transceiver  242  demodulates electromagnetic signals, which are received by the handset  20  from the wireless network  10  to provide the information contained in the signals in a format, which is understandable to the user. 
     A user interface  244  of the handset  20  may include a variety of components, such as a display  254 , a keypad  252 , a speaker  256 , and a microphone  250 , operations of which are known to those of skill in the art. It will be understood that the functions of keypad  252  and the display  254  can be provided by a touch screen through which the user can view information, such as computer displayable documents, provide input thereto, and otherwise control the handset  20 . It will be understood by those skilled in the art that computer displayable documents (or Web pages) can be, for example, hypertext documents, which can include text, images, input fields, output fields, and a variety of other objects. 
     A geographic location circuit  291  can provide geographic location information to the handset  20  using the techniques described above in reference to, for example, assisted GPS, etc. The geographic location information can be stored in the handset  20  and/or transmitted to the wireless network  10  for operation of the bookmark server described herein. 
     A processor circuit  251  can provide for overall operation of the handset  20  including coordination of communications via the transceiver circuit  242 , the user interface  244 , and other components and systems included in the handset  20 . For example, the processor circuit  251  can provide communications signals to the transceiver circuit  242  when the user speaks into the microphone  250  and receives communications signals from the transceiver  242  for the reproduction of audio through the speaker  256 . The processor circuit  251  can generate characters for display on the display  254 . For example, the processor circuit  251  can generate numbers for display when the user enters a telephone number on the keypad  252 . The characters can also be generated by a character generator circuit, which is not shown. 
     Referring again to  FIG. 2 , the processor circuit  251  may be implemented using a variety of hardware and software. For example, operations of the processor circuit  251  may be implemented using special-purpose hardware, such as an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) and programmable logic devices such as gate arrays, and/or software or firmware running on a computing device such as a microprocessor, microcontroller or digital signal processor (DSP). The processor circuit  251  may provide digital signal processing operations such as scanning for an acceptable control channel, camping on a control channel (including maintaining synchronization with the base station that communicates with the handset  20 ), Voice Activated Dialing (VAD) services, and the like. 
     A memory  253  can store computer program instructions that, when executed by the processor circuit  251 , carry out the operations described herein and shown in the figures. The memory  253  can be non-volatile memory, such as EEPROM (or flash memory), that retains the stored data while power is removed from the memory  253 . In some embodiments according to the invention, the memory  253  stores computer program instructions that provide a web browser when instantiated through execution of the instructions by the processor circuit  251 . As used herein, the term “instantiation” includes execution of computer program instructions so that a user may manually input data into the program. For example, as used herein, a web browser has been instantiated when a user of the browser is allowed to input a URL into an address field of the browser. 
     In some embodiments according to the invention, the web browser can be a HTTP compliant web browser. Web browsers have been promulgated on cellular phones to enable application programs to be written to operate on a wide array of wireless networks by providing a standard for the presentation and delivery of wireless information and telephony services. As a result, various handsets can utilize HTTP to enable delivery of relevant information and services. 
     Some examples of Web servers are International Business Machines Corporation&#39;s family of Lotus Domino® servers, the Apache server (available from www.apache.org), and Microsoft&#39;s Internet Information Server (IIS), available from Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Wash. 
     A client (such as a web browser) can be a requesting program that can utilize HTTP access Web pages and files from Web servers. In operation, the Web server waits for a client to open a connection and to request the Web page. In response, the Web server sends a copy of the requested Web page to the client, closes the connection to the client, and waits for the next connection. 
     To ensure that clients and Web servers can interoperate, HTTP defines a format of requests (HTTP requests) sent from a client to a Web server and a format of responses (HTTP responses) that the Web server returns to the client. Examples of clients include browsers such as Netscape Navigator® (America Online, Inc., Dulles, Va.) and Internet Explorer® (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Wash.). Browsers typically provide a graphical user interface for retrieving and viewing Web pages, applications, and other resources served by Web servers. 
     As is known to those skilled in this art, a Web page is conventionally formatted via a standard page description language such as HyperText Markup Language (HTML), which typically contains text and can reference graphics, sound, animation, and video data. HTML provides for basic document formatting and allows a Web content provider to specify anchors or hypertext links (typically manifested as highlighted text) to other servers. When a user selects (i.e., activates) a particular hypertext link, a browser running on the user&#39;s client device reads and interprets an address, called a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) associated with the hypertext link, connects the browser with a Web server at that address, and makes a request (e.g., an HTTP request) for the file identified in the hypertext link. The Web server then sends the requested file to the client which interprets and renders the Web page for display. 
     Although the present invention is described herein with reference to Web pages, Web servers, etc., it will be understood that the present invention can be practiced with any computer displayable documents having content, such as text. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the Web or even to displayable documents. For example, the present invention may be utilized for any networked content displayable or otherwise. 
     In operation, in order to receive information from sources on the Internet, a user typically inputs a URL into the address field of the browser on the client (on the handset). For example, in order to display a website associated with information relating to gas stations, a URL identifying the website is input to the client (on the handset). The client utilizes the URL to build a request in a binary format, and transmits the request to a gateway, which then decodes the binary request and builds a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) request, adding additional headers not included in the original request if needed. The HTTP request is then forwarded by the gateway to a server. Upon receiving the request, the server composes and transmits an HTTP response, which may include information requested by the user, which is forwarded to the handset via the gateway. 
     In some embodiments according to the invention, the memory  253  can store URL bookmark data  257  in a URL bookmark file  258  located within the file system of the handset  20 . The URL bookmark data  257  can be transferred to the handset  20  from the URL bookmark server for pre-population before instantiation of a web browser that operates on the handset  20 . 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic illustration of URL bookmark servers transferring URL bookmark data to the handset  20  via the wireless network  10  in some embodiments according to the invention. In particular, before a web browser that operates on the handset  20  is instantiated to allow input to the address field by a user, the handset  20  requests URL bookmark data for transfer thereto via the wireless network  10 . As described above, the wireless network includes (among other components) the base station  30  and the mobile telephone switching center  15  connected to the Internet  130 . The URL bookmark server  135  is connected to the Internet  130  and further to second and third URL bookmark servers  305  and  315  respectively. The Internet  130  is also connected to a secondary device that can be used to enter URL bookmark data for use in access in the Internet  130 . 
     In operation, the request for the transfer of URL bookmark data is relayed via the Internet  130  to the URL bookmark server  135 , which in-turn transfers the requested URL bookmark data to the handset  20  for storage in the URL bookmark file  258  therein. Accordingly, when the web browser operating on the handset  20  is instantiated, the URL bookmark file  258 , pre-populated with the URL bookmark data transferred from the server  135 , is provided to the web browser so that the user may avoid entering URL bookmarks manually, but rather may simply select the URL bookmark data provided via the pre-populated bookmark file  258 . 
     In some embodiments according to the invention as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the second and third servers  305  and  315  can actually provide the URL bookmark data requested by the handset  20 . For example, the request from the handset  20  can be relayed from the server  135  to the second or third URL bookmark servers  305  and  315  so that the server  135  operates as a proxy server. Accordingly, the second or third URL bookmark server  305 / 315  can respond to the proxy request from the server  135  by transferring the requested URL bookmark data to the server  135  which can in-turn transfer the URL bookmark data to the handset  20  for pre-population of the URL bookmark file  258  as described above. It will be understood that the second and third URL bookmark servers  305  and  315  can be implemented and administered by third parties, who make URL bookmark data available to the bookmark server  135  based on marketing data. For example, the administrators of the second and third URL bookmark servers  305  and  315  can determine through market research that a user of the handset  20  may have an interest in the type of information available on a particular website with which the administrator of the URL bookmark service  305  and  315  has an existing relationship. Accordingly, the second and third URL bookmark servers  305  and  315  can be used to “push” or forward URL bookmarks to the server  135  for a transfer to the handset  20  to pre populate the URL bookmark file  258 . In alternative embodiments according to the invention, rather than push the URL bookmark data to the server  135 , the server  135  may simply request transfer from the second or third URL bookmark servers  305  and  315  for transfer to the handset  20 . 
     In still other embodiments according to the invention, the second and third URL bookmark servers  305  and  315  can be bookmark services that can be utilized by the user accessed in the Internet via a different device. Accordingly, the server  135  can access the second and third URL bookmark servers  305  and  315  to transfer the URL bookmark data to/from the handset  20  for the purpose of synchronizing bookmark in both the handset  20  as well as those stored in the second and third URL bookmark servers  305  and  315 . 
     In still further embodiments according to the invention, the device  310  can be a secondary device used to access the Internet  130 , such as a home personal computer (PC). In such embodiments according to the invention, the bookmarks stored on the home PC  310  can be synchronized with those included in the URL bookmark file  258  stored in the handset  20 . Accordingly, URL bookmark data stored in the handset  20  can be transferred to the home PC  310  via the Internet  130  and, further, URL bookmark data stored in the home PC  310  can be transferred to the handset  20  via the network  10  for pre population of the URL bookmark file  258  stored therein. 
     In other embodiments according to the invention, the URL bookmark data provided by the URL bookmark servers can be modified based on the geographic location information provided by the handset  20 . For example, if the geographic location information indicates that the handset is being used in a European country, URL bookmark data associated with the country may be provided to the handset  20  (rather than the URL bookmark data that would otherwise be provided). In still other embodiments according to the invention, the URL bookmark data provided by the URL bookmark servers can be modified based on data that can otherwise indicate the location associated with the handset  20 , such as a Mobile Country Code or other information used to register the handset  20  with the network  10 . 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic illustration of a handset  20  accessing the URL bookmark file  258  storing pre populated URL bookmark data transferred from the URL bookmark server  135  and provided to an address field  405  shown on the display  254  of the handset  20 . In particular, the pre populated URL bookmark file  258  can include URL bookmark data transferred from the server  135  via the Internet  130  as described above. Further, URL bookmark data  405 ,  410 ,  415 ,  420 , etc. can be stored in the pre populated URL bookmark file  258  and provided to the address field  405  upon instantiation of the web browser. In particular, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the URL bookmark data  405  included in the pre-populated URL bookmark file  258  can be provided to the address field  405  after instantiation of the web browser to display the exemplary URL world wide web address sonyericsson.com so as to avoid the user having to manually enter this URL. Accordingly, the user may more easily navigate to the website associated with the URL. Accordingly, in some embodiments according to the invention may provide both improved usability as well as improved performance. 
       FIG. 5  is a flowchart that illustrates operations of systems in some embodiments according to the invention. According to  FIG. 5 , the cellular wireless handset registers with the cellular wireless network (Block  505 ). The handset  20  may forward geographic location information to the network  10  so that the URL bookmark server can modify or select the URL bookmark data based on the location of the handset  20 . Alternatively, information used to register the handset  20  within the network  20  (or operate within the network  20 ) can provide the geographic location information. In still other embodiments according to the invention, base station location information (of a base station used to provide service to the handset  20 ) can be used to determine a location of the handset  20 . 
     After registering with the cellular wireless network, the handset  20  can request URL bookmark data from one or more URL bookmark servers (Block  510 ). One of the URL bookmark servers may act as a proxy to receive other additional URL bookmark servers, which may transfer requested URL bookmark data in formats that are non native to the handset, which may therefore be translated to a native format by the proxy server or another server located on the Internet (Block  515 ). 
     The translated URL bookmark data is transferred to the cellular wireless handset via the network instantiating the cellular wireless handset web browser (Block  520 ). The transfer from the URL bookmark server is carried out until the URL bookmark file and the handset  20  is populated (Block  525 ), whereupon the cellular wireless handset allows instantiation of the cellular wireless handset web browser so that a user may otherwise access the address field of the web browser (Block  530 ). Once the web browser is instantiated (Block  530 ), the pre populated URL bookmark data stored in the URL bookmark file is provided to the web browser on the handset so that a user of the handset can simply select bookmarks for inclusion in the address field rather than entering those URL bookmarks manually (Block  535 ). 
       FIG. 6  is a schematic illustration of an exemplary URL bookmark server  610  in some embodiments according to the invention. As illustrated, the URL bookmark server  610  includes a processor  638 , a memory  636  and input/output (I/O) circuits  646 . The URL bookmark server  610  may be incorporated in, for example, a general-purpose computer, server, or the like. The processor  638  communicates with the memory  636  via an address/data bus  648  and communicates with the input/output circuits  646  via an address/data bus  649 . 
     The URL bookmark server  610  is coupled to a network  605  through the input/output circuits  646  using, for example, an Internet Protocol (IP) connection to receive messages and communications, which may include TCP/IP type communications, over the Internet  130 . 
     The components in the URL bookmark server  610  may be known components such as those used in many data processing systems, which may be configured to operate as described herein. In particular, the processor  638  can be any commercially available or custom microprocessor, microcontroller, digital signal processor or the like. The memory  636  may include any memory devices containing the software and data used to implement the functionality circuits or modules used in accordance with embodiments described herein. The memory  636  can include, but is not limited to, the following types of devices: cache, ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, flash memory, SRAM, DRAM and/or magnetic disk. 
     As further illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the memory  636  may include several categories of software to provide operation of the server  610 : an operating system  652 ; application programs  654  including the software to provide the operations of the URL bookmark server  610  described herein, translation between different message formats (such as those used by different server to transmit URL bookmark data to a proxy server used to forward the received URL bookmark data to the handset), input/output device drivers  658 ; and data  656 . In some embodiments, the applications software  654  can convert messages to/from various formats so that the URL bookmark data received from a first server can be translated to a format that is “native” to the handset, which can then be forwarded. 
     The data  656  represents the static and dynamic data used by the application programs  654 , the operating system  652 , and the input/output device drivers  658  that may reside in the memory  636 . The data  56  can include the different URL bookmark data that is to be transferred to different handsets via the wireless network for pre-population before instantiation of the respective browsers. 
     As will be appreciated by those of skill in the art, the operating system  652  may be any operating system suitable for use with a data processing system, such as OS/2, AIX or zOS from International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, N.Y., Windows 95, Windows98, Windows2000 or WindowsXP from Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Wash., Unix or Linux. 
     The input/output device drivers  658  typically include software routines accessed through the operating system  652  by the application programs  654  to communicate with devices such as the input/output circuits  646  and the memory  636 . 
     As described above, Uniform Resource Locator (URL) bookmark data can be transferred from a URL bookmark server to a cellular wireless handset via a cellular wireless network to pre-populate a uniform resource locator bookmark file included in the handset before a cellular wireless handset browser is instantiated. For example, in some embodiments according to the invention, URL bookmark data can be transmitted from a URL bookmark server to the cellular wireless handset for inclusion in a URL bookmark file (included in the cellular wireless handset file system) so that the URL bookmark data is available to the address field of the web browser to allow the user faster access to commonly used URLs. 
     In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.