Abstract:
A method and system for linking web sites is provided for the use of connecting a client computer with a web site in the World Wide Web (WWW). The method allows a user to make a request for linking a web site with his/her client computer by inputting a web site address in the form of telephone number, in the browser of the client computer or a homepage provided by the system for linking web sites. The system for linking web sites is then activated responsive to the linking request made by the user to perform a search based on the input web site address in the web site address-IP address database of the system for linking web sites, of which the web site address is composed of country code, area code and telephone number. The client computer thus can be linked to the desired web site if a web site address is found corresponding to the input one; and the user is advised to re-input a web site address if there is no web site address stored in the database similar to the input one.

Description:
1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a method and a system for linking web sites, and more particularly to a method and a system for linking web sites which allows a user to link a client computer with a web site in World Wide Web by inputting a web site address in the browser of the client computer. 
     2. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In the world of Internet, every node is assigned with a unique IP address according to the TCP/IP protocol. Likewise, a web site in World Wide Web has its own unique IP address. However, these IP addresses are expressed in numbers and not easy to memorize. Therefore the web site addresses to be used are always denoted by a string of English letter. For example, the web site, www.hinet.net, is in Taiwan popular for those who use Internet often, while its IP address, 168.95.1.83, is barely familiar to people. 
     With reference to FIG. 1, a conventional way of linking web sites is illustrated. First, a client computer  100  and a server mainframe  200  is connected through network connection  150 , allowing a user to send a request to the server for web site connection. In general, this is done by entering the address of the web site  300  in the input URL box on the screen of the browser  102  in the client computer  100 , or by clicking a hyperlink for the web site  300  on the same browser  102 . The server then inquires the Domain Name System (DNS) for the IP address of the web site  300  according the text in the input URL box or the hyperlink. The DNS replies the IP address of the web site  300  and the server connects the web site  300  according the replied address. The homepage  302  of the web site  300  then displays on the browser  102 . 
     For example, a user enters www.hinet.net in the input URL box of his or her browser if he or she wants to connect HiNet. The browser inquires DNS about www.hinet.net and DNS replies its IP address, 168.95.1.83. The user then can see the homepage of HiNet on his or her browser. 
     In the net architecture of FIG. 1, the network connection  150  is not restricted to wired network. It can be wireless network, too. Similarly, the client computer device  100  is not restricted to a personal computer (PC), notebook (NB) or palm-sized computer, either. It can be a carry-on device, such as a set top box, other similar information appliance (IA) or personal digital assistant (PDA) or any other communication device capable for Internet, such as a WAP cellular phone set. However, for the sake of easy carry, there is only a simple keypad accompanied with the equipment of set top box, PDA, or WAP cellular phone set. Therefore, the traditional way of net connection is not appropriate for these kinds of equipment due to the difficulty of entering text web addresses. 
     In addition, text web address is getting lengthy for newly registered web sites to avoid duplicate names with registered web sites, making worse the condition of using text web addresses. 
     In fact, there is always some kind of meanings with a text web address. Therefore, it is inevitable for some text web addresses to be the same as or similar to other test web addresses. As we can see, there are indeed some ones who registers in some brand names belonging to famous companies for illegal profit. As a result, the traditional net connection of using text web addresses is hard to authenticate and administrate. 
     In addition to the difficulty of authentication and administration, the traditional net connection of using text web addresses needs extra memory space for saving data, such as the names of people, companies, groups, addresses, telephone numbers, and IP addresses. 
     In addition to text, there are multimedia data of voice and image in today&#39;s Internet. Therefore, there are more and more people using Internet. However, the IP addresses are still basically English in current net connection method and system, which is not convenient for non-English or illiterate people. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The main object of present invention is to provide with a method and a system of Linking web sites, which are applicable for the Internet devices with simple keypads, such as a set top box, personal digital assistant (PDA), or a WAP cellular phone set. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the IP addresses are easy to authenticate and administrate in the method and system of Linking web sites. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is no need of extra memory space for extra data in the method and system of linking web sites. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the method and system of Linking web sites are also easy to use for non-English or illiterate people. 
     A method for linking web sites, which is used for connecting a client computer with a desired web site in World Wide Web via a system for linking web sites including a channel code-IP address database, of which each channel code is assigned to a web site address having a corresponding IP address stored in the database, comprising the steps of: (1) inputting by a user a channel code in the form of digital number in the client computer for making a request for web site linking through the system for linking web sites; (2) having the system for linking web sites perform a search based on the input channel code in the database, if there is no channel code stored in the database found to be matched with the input one, then going to step (3); and if there is a channel code found to be matched with the input one, then converting the web site address found in the database into its corresponding IP address and going to step (4); (3) sending a message indicating the failure of the channel code search by the system for linking web sites to the client computer, for advising the user to re-input another channel code and then going to step (1); and (4) connecting the web site corresponding to the IP address obtained from the step (2) to the client computer to thereby send the homepage of the connected web site to the client computer. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the system for linking web sites consists of a system for linking web sites that is used for connecting a client computer with a web site in World Wide Web, which comprises: a database, which contains IP addresses and their corresponding records of channel codes assigned to corresponding web site addresses; a receiving module, for accepting connection request from users at client computer; a searching module, for searching whether there is a channel code in the database found to be matched with the input channel code; and a responding module, for sending messages to the client computer according to the search results from the searching module; when there is no matched channel code, a message indicating the failure of the channel code search is sent to the client computer and when there is a matched channel code, the matched channel code is converted into its corresponding IP address and then a web site corresponding to the IP address is connected to the client computer by the responding module. 
     The coding method for the country codes and area codes for the channel code mentioned above is not strictly defined. However, it is better to code them following the international telephone switch system. Accordingly, not only the client devices with keypads, such as personal computers (PCs), notebooks (NBs) or palm-sized computers, but also the client devices with simple numeric keypads, such as set top boxes, personal digital assistants and WAP cellular phone sets, can connect Internet and browse web sites as easily as dialing telephone numbers. 
     In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the System for linking web sites can be embedded in the computer devices of PCs, NBs or palm-sized computers, or in computer servers. They can also be integrated as a peripheral device for connecting other computer devices or servers. Some of the composites of the connection of the present invention can also be embedded in the computer devices while the rest of the composites are installed in the computer devices that connect the former computer devices. Therefore, the arrangement of the System for linking web sites of the present invention is not strictly defined. Its arrangement is adjustable depending on its applications. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention by way of examples. 
     FIG. 1 is the network architecture of the traditional method of linking web sites; 
     FIG. 2 is the first embodiment of block diagram according to the System for linking web sites of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is the first embodiment of flow chart according to the System for linking web sites of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is the third embodiment of block diagram according to the System for linking web sites of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is the content of block diagram of the Linking web sites program of the third embodiment; 
     FIG. 6 is the display of the homepage supported by the receiving program in the third embodiment; 
     FIG. 7 is the display of the homepage supported by the responding program in the third embodiment; and 
     FIG. 8 is the data table of the database used for the demonstration of the method and system of Linking web sites of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     First Embodiment 
     FIG. 2 is the first embodiment of block diagram according to the System for linking web sites of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the System for linking web sites (enclosed in dashed lines) is located between the client computer device  100  and a web site  3  of the World Wide Web. The System for linking web sites consists of a receiving module  5 , a searching module  7 , a responding module  9  and a database  11 . After connecting the client computer device  100 , the receiving module  5  accepts the connection request of IP address from the client computer device  100 . The searching module  7  searches the database  11  for the related data of the requested IP address and responding module  9  makes the client computer device  100  connect the web site  3  or replies the reason of “unable to connect” to the client computer device, depending on the search result of the searching module  7 . 
     The database  11  consists of IP addresses and channel code that are based on the country codes, area codes and telephone numbers of the registers for the IP addresses. The searching module  7  searches matched or partly matched telephonized web addressed in the database  11  for the request. 
     If the country codes and area codes of the international telephone switch system are used in the channel code of the System for linking web sites of the present invention, users can connect Internet as easily as dialing telephone numbers by taking the advantage of the current telephone system. For example, the country code of Taiwan is 886 and the area code of Taipei is 2. All the user has to do is enter the number for the requested address in the client computer device  100  for net connection. 
     FIG. 3 is the first embodiment of flow chart according to the System for linking web sites of the present invention. With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, we will explain the method network connection of the present invention. 
     In the embodiment of the method of Linking web sites, the client computer device  100  connects the System for linking web sites of the present invention. The client computer device  100  requires for a net connection (i.e., entering a requested connection address). The receiving module  5  then accepts the requested connection address from the client computer device  100  (step S 2 ) and starts to search the database  11  for the requested connection address (step S 6 ), where the searched patterns can be part or all of the requested connection address. 
     That the searched patterns can be part or all of the requested connection address means the country code of the searched telephonized web address may match part or all of that of the requested connection address, the country and area codes of the searched telephonized web address match par or all of those of the requested connection address, or all the searched telephonized web address matches part or all of that of the searched telephonized web address. Therefore, there are three cases of search results (r). That is: no telephonized web address in the database  11  matching the requested connection address (r=1), and only one telephonized web address matching the requested connection address (r=3). 
     As shown in the step S 8  of FIG. 3, the procedure moves to step S 10  if r=1 and step S 18  if r=3. 
     In step S 10 , the responding module  5  sends a message of “The requested IP address is not found” to the client computer devices and asks the user to enter new requested IP address. In step S 12 , the procedure moves to step S 2  if the user replies with positive answer to the request of new requested IP address or the procedures ends if the user replies with negative answer or wishes to stop. 
     In step S 18 , the responding module  5  gets a matched IP address provided by the searching module  7  in the step S 8  or an IP address chosen by the user in the step S 16 . The responding module then makes the client computer device  100  connect the web site  3  corresponding to the IP address and the homepage of the web site  3  is sent to the client computer device  100 . The procedure then ends. 
     In accordance with the first embodiment of the method of Linking web sites and its associate system, any Internet device with simple numeric keypad, such as a set top box, personal digital assistant or a WAP cellular phone set, can easily accomplish Linking web sites for just pressing a few numeric keys. 
     Moreover, to register a new IP address, the register only needs to provide his or her country code, area code, and justifiable telephone number (or assigning a unique number to the one without telephone number) for coding. Therefore the authentication and administration of IP address are simplified, which prevents unnecessary lawsuit. 
     No extra memory space is needed since there are supposedly memory spaces for registers&#39; contact phone numbers. In addition, people do not feel of extra load to memorize information because the existing telephone number system can be applied. 
     Using the Linking web sites method and system of the present invention makes connecting Internet as easily as dialing phone numbers even for non-English or illiterate people. 
     Second Embodiment 
     FIG. 4 is the second embodiment of block diagram according to the System for linking web sites of the present invention and FIG. 5 is the content of block diagram of the Linking web sites program of the third embodiment. As shown in the figures, the System for linking web sites in the third embodiment is embedded in the server  200  that consists of the input/output interface  202 , processor  204 , memory  206 , data storage media  208 , and the database  11  that has the network connection program  210  and the data storage media  208  inside. 
     The processor  204  executes the network connection program  210  for the jobs of the receiving module, searching module and responding module mentioned before. During the execution of the program, the transmission and reception of data is done via the input/output interface  202 . As shown in FIG. 5, the network connection program  210  comprises the receiving program  212 , the searching program  214  and the responding program  216 . The network connection program  210  of the present embodiment is stored in the data storage media  208 . However this should not be constrained. The network connection program  210  can be stored in the read-only memory (such as MASK ROM, EPROM and EEPROM) of the processor  204 . 
     In the above system, the processor  204  can be a microprocessor or CPU. Similarly, the memory  206  can be DRAM, the data storage media  208  can be hard-drive disk, tape or compact disc, and the database  11 , as in the previous embodiments, consists of IP addresses and channel code that are based on the country codes, area codes and telephone numbers of the registers for the IP addresses. 
     In the followings, the functions of the receiving program  212 , the searching program  214  and the responding program  216  will be explained and their application to the network connection method in the System for linking web sites of FIG. 4 is demonstrated. 
     The receiving program  212  is active after the net connection of the client computer device  10000  and the server. It sends the homepage of the System for linking web sites of the present invention to the client computer device  10000 . The homepage displays on the browser  102  of the client computer device  10000 . Moreover, the receiving program  212  can accept the requested connection address entered by a user in the URL input box and hold it in the memory  206 . If there is no browser in the client computer device  10000 , the receiving program provides the homepage  104  shown as FIG. 7 for the user to enter the requested connection address in its input box  106 . 
     The searching program retrieves the requested connection address from the memory  206  for analysis. The analysis in the present invention means to separate the telephonized web address of the requested connection address into the parts of country code, area code and phone number. The separated parts are saved in the memory  206 . As mentioned before, the coding of the channel code in the present invention follows that of the international telephone switch system. Therefore the detail of separating the channel code is skipped by using the searching program  214  here. 
     The searching program  214  allows the user to enter the requested connection addresses in varied forms: country code only; country code and fragment of the area code; country code, area code and fragment of the phone number; complete (effective) phone number; incomplete phone number. Therefore, the searched patterns for the country code, area code and phone number are not necessary complete. They can be fragment or incomplete for the search index of the web sites. If any of the country code, area code and phone number of the requested connection address does not exist, the component corresponding to the empty part is saved as NULL in the memory  206 . 
     After analyzing the requested connection address, the searching program searches the requested connection address in the database  11 . That is, the searching program retrieves the components of the country code, area code and phone number in the memory  206  and compares them with those of the telephonized web address in the data storage media  208 , respectively. The comparison can have the following results (r): r=1, which means there is no telephonized web address in the database  11  matching the requested connection address; r=2, which means there is one telephonized web address exactly matching the requested connection address. 
     After the operation of search, the searching program  214  will save in the memory  206  the value of r and the exactly matched data when r=2. 
     The responding program  216  reads the value of r from the memory  206 . If r=1, it provides with the page  108  as shown in FIG. 7 for not finding the requested connection address and ask the user to enter new requested connection address in the input box  206 . If r=2, the responding program  216  reads the exactly matched data in the memory  206  and retrieves its corresponding IP address in the database  11 . According to the IP address, the responding program  216  makes the client computer device  10000  connect the web site  300  and the user can communicate with the web site  300  via its homepage. 
     As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, web pages  108  and  112  contain two buttons, OK and Exit. The user presses the button of OK after entering new requested connection address or selecting a web site from a list, which orders the program  216  to make connection. The user can press End if he or she does not wish to continue and the all procedure ends. 
     In addition to the features of the first embodiment, the method and system of Linking web sites of the present embodiment can be applied to the client computer device because the receiving program  212  provides the homepage  104  with input box  106 . 
     The searching program  214  allows fragment or incomplete address for the search index of web sites. Therefore the user can use the Linking web sites method of the present embodiment for easy connection to web sites even if he or she is not familiar with the telephone numbers of the expectedly web sites. 
     In the embodiments above, the net connection between the client computer device  100  and the System for linking web sites of the present invention is restricted to wired network. It can be wireless network, too. Similarly, the client computer device  100  is not restricted to a personal computer (PC), notebook (NB) or palm-sized computer, either. It can be a carry-on device, such as a set top box, other similar information appliance (IA) or personal digital assistant (PDA), or any other communication device capable for Internet, such as a WAP cellular phone set. 
     In the second embodiment, the System for linking web sites is embedded in the server  200  that consists of the input/output interface  202 , processor  204 , memory  206 , data storage media  208 . However, this shall not be a limitation. The complete System for linking web sites can be embedded in the client computer device or part of the system is in the client computer device and the rest in the server. It can also be integrated into a peripheral device as an external device bridging the client computer device and the server. 
     In the second embodiment, the receiving program  212 , searching program  214  and responding program  216  are executed by the processor  204 . However, this shall not be a limitation. That is, they can be embedded in hardware with special feature, such as integrated circuit (IC), and work with the processor  204 . 
     In the followings, we will demonstrate the responses of the present invention to different connection requests with reference to the database  11  of FIG.  10 . Suppose the fields in the database  11  are record number, web site name, IP address, country code, area code, phone number and web site description. There are six records in the database. 
     EXAMPLE 1 
     If the input channel code is “a01”, the result is that there is no channel codes in the records is the same as or similar to “a01” after analysis and comparison. Therefore the responding program  216  provides with the page as shown in FIG.  7  and asks for new requested connection address. 
     EXAMPLE 2 
     If the input channel code is “100”, the search result is that there is a channel code found to be matched (the “HiNet” web site). Therefore the responding program  216  converts the channel code into its IP address of 168.95.1.83 and then connects the client computer to the HiNet web site for the user to interact with the connected HiNet web site. 
     EXAMPLE 3 
     If the requested connection address is “0100” or “00100”, the result is that after analysis and comparison there is one matched record D with the country code 886, area code 3 and first two digits, 5 and 7, in the phone number. Therefore the responding program  216  retrieves its IP address 140.31.1.44 and makes the client computer device connect the web site D for the user to communicate with the web site D. 
     In conclusion, using the method and the system of the Linking web sites of the present invention allows the net connection after search, which is convenient for the users who do not memorize the complete phone numbers of web site. In addition, the present invention can search the web sites based on countries or areas. For example, if the user wants to know what are the web sites in an area of a country, all he or she has to is enter the requested connection address beginning with the codes for the country and the area. 
     Although certain preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail, it should be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the appended claims.