Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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INFORMATION BROWSER
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
[0001] The
invention relates to an information browser, such as for obtaining data
from the interne.
2. Description of Related Prior Art
[0002] U.S. Pat.
No. 7,464,332 discloses DEVICES, SYSTEMS AND
METHODS FOR SELECTING THE APPEARANCE OF A VIEWER DISPLAYING
DIGITAL CONTENT. The '332 patent is directed to devices, systems and methods
for
selecting the appearance of a display on a viewer that displays the output of
a digital
content server, including tags, in html display, output custom or default
information
determined by the presence or absence of a unique identifier. In the event of
per!-
generated html, find and replace routines locate specific include tags and
replace the
include tags with custom or default information determined by the same unique
identifier
that dictates the selected viewer appearance. Accordingly, a vendor's web page
may
display content from a host's website while preserving the look and feel of
the affiliate's
web pages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] In summary,
the invention is an information browser. The information
browser is operable to display one or more of electronic files, file systems,
data streams,
videos, graphs, charts, web pages, and images. The appearance, behavior and
functionality of every visual component of the browser and its displayed
contents are
duplicable, removable, and modifiable by the user.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0004] Advantages
of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the
same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed
description when
considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:
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[0005] Figure 1 is a simplified flow diagram followed by an information
browser
according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention;
[0006] Figure 2 is a screen shot of a browser according to the prior art;
[0007] Figure 3 is an exemplary screen shot visible to a user when
modifying a
visible object shown in Figure 2;
[0008] Figure 4 is an exemplary screen shot visible to a user when
modifying
toolbars and tool buttons shown in Figure 3;
[0009] Figure 5 is an exemplary screen shot visible to a user when
executing an
exemplary browser object removal;
[0010] Figure 6A is an exemplary screen shot visible to a user of an
exemplary
browser window after several additional browser object modifications,
additions, and
removals;
[0011] Figure 6B is an exemplary screen shot visible to a user of an
exemplary
browser window after several additional browser object modifications,
additions, and
removals relative to Figure 6A;
[0012] Figure 7 is a first exemplary screen shot visible to a user when
additional
exemplary browser object modifications are made without modification
interface;
[0013] Figure 8 is a second exemplary screen shot visible to a user when
additional exemplary browser object modifications are made without
modification
interface;
[0014] Figure 9 is a third exemplary screen shot visible to a user when
additional
browser object modifications are made;
[0015] Figure 10 is a screen shot of an exemplary browser window showing a
chat website with a pop-up chat object;
[0016] Figure 11 is a screen shot of an exemplary browser object attached
to
another instance of the information browser;
[0017] Figure 12 is a screen shot of browser objects being duplicated along
a
partial outline of the chat browser object;
[0018] Figure 13 is a screen shot of browser objects attached to and
circling
around the outline of the chat browser object;
[0019] Figure 14 is a screen shot of browser objects attached to and
circling a
user drawn path around another browser object;
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[0020] Figure 15 is a screen shot of a browser preview object and a
shrunken
browser window of a chat website attached to another instance of the
information
browser;
[0021] Figure 16 is a screen shot of a browser object selection and
relationship
indication;
[0022] Figure 17 schematically shows an example of vectorization of a
raster
image;
[0023] Figure 18 is a pair of screen shots showing an example of one object
cutting and dividing another object in a cookie cutter operation;
[0024] Figure 19 is a pair of screen shots showing an example that any
object can
be anchored to a location on the display or current desktop such that it does
not move
with the browser window; and
[0025] Figure 20 is a screen shot of an example of the creation of a three
dimensional object from a browser object.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT
[0026] The invention, as demonstrated by the exemplary embodiment described
below, provides a web, media, and information browser wherein all visual and
procedural
properties of any object that is displayed can be modified by the user. Such
visible
objects can be duplicated, merged, or disassembled to form new customizable
persistent
browser objects. Web pages on the intemet are often stand-alone displays of a
company,
an organization, or an individual's products or creative works. It has been
observed by
the inventor that consumers are looking to acquire graphically superior
products that are
mobile and entertaining. While existing products have provided basic
functionality to the
marketplace, their stand-alone and un-modifiable nature deprives consumers of
what
sufficient control over the display. The opportunity to provide consumers in
almost all
markets with the ability to customize products can be provided by embodiments
of the
invention.
[0027] Each visible and layout element of the browser, including its menu
and
controls, in addition to its displayed contents is a browser object. Said
browser objects are
operable to have their appearance, behavior, and functionality modified by the
user in
real-time while the browser displays live web pages and file folders. Browser
objects are
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operable to persist outside an object's original source document, parent
browser window,
or file folder, even after the original source document is no longer visible
within the
browser. Browser objects are operable to maintain data connectivity enabling
the display
of updated data from the original data source, such as a web page, without re-
displaying
the entire original source. Each browser objects is operable to be both a
parent object
and a child object. Browser objects are detachable from their parent object
and attachable
to any other browser object, allowing visual and layout objects to be
transferred between
web pages, browser windows, and browser instances. As all visual elements of
the
browser itself are browser objects, the control menus, buttons, scrollbars,
and window
itself are modifiable by the user with respect to behavior, functionality,
visual
appearance, persistence, data connectivity, and transference.
[0028] The inventor has also observed that while a high level of
customization is
not obtainable in manufacturing, this limitation can be overcome in software
applications.
The exemplary embodiment is an information browser that produces a user
customizable
experience across web pages, media, and desktop environments. The exemplary
information browser can allow users to pick, choose, and modify their web,
media, and
desktop experience to something they desire.
[0029] An information or web browser is a software application for
retrieving and
presenting information in a visual format to a user. An information browser
can traverse
information resources across the World Wide Web. The information that is
retrieved can
be presented to the user in the visual form of a web page, an image, a video
clip, or text,
generally. Text can be in the form of hyperlinks, which allow users easily to
navigate the
information browsers to sources of data.
[0030] Although browsers are primarily used in connection with the World
Wide
Web, they can also be used to access information provided by web servers in
private
networks or files in local file systems. Embodiments of the invention can be
practiced in
any operating environment of information browsers, including but not limited
to desktop
computers, tablets, and cellular phones.
[0031] As set forth above, a purpose of an information browser is to bring
information/data to the user, allowing the user to view the information on a
display. This
retrieval process begins when the user inputs a request to the browser. The
request can
be in the form of a Uniform Resource Locator (URL), for example
http://uspto.gov/. The
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prefix of the URL, the Uniform Resource Identifier or URI, determines how the
URL will
be interpreted. The most commonly used form of URI starts with "http:" and
identifies a
resource to be retrieved over Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). Many
browsers also
support a variety of other prefixes, such as "https:." Embodiments of the
invention can
be operable to support other prefixes.
[0032] Once the resource has been retrieved, the information browser will
display
the data available from a server hosting the URL. Data is passed to the
information
browser's layout engine to be transformed from markup to an interactive
document, a
process known as "rendering". Aside from HTML, web browsers can generally
display
any kind of content that can be part of a web page. Most browsers can display
images,
audio, video, and XML files, and often have plug-ins to support Flash
applications and
Java applets. Upon encountering a file of an unsupported type or a file that
is set up to be
downloaded rather than displayed, the browser prompts the user to save the
file to disk.
[0033] In embodiments of the invention, an information browser can
initiated
object editing mode by one or more of keyboard input, button input, mouse
clicks, and
hovering the mouse pointer over a browser object. Once in editing mode, a
collection of
graphical editing tools, toolbars, and menus are available to the user to
modify the visual
and behavior aspects of the selected browser object or objects. While in
editing mode,
script execution for the selected object is disabled.
[0034] The retrieved data may include hyperlinks to other information
resources.
Each hyperlink contains a URI of a resource. When a hyperlink is clicked, the
information browser navigates to the resource indicated by the link's target
URI, and the
process of bringing content to the user begins again. Embodiments of the
invention can
be operable to display and act on hyperlinks.
[0035] An exemplary embodiment of the broader invention can be a
web/media/desktop information browser that allows users full control over the
visual
aspects of all objects viewed in the information browser as well as the
information
browser itself. This allows text to be re-sized, morphed, colorized, etc., for
example. In
another non-limiting example, a user can create a circus effect around a chat
window, or
pull images of flowers off of a web site and decorate their desktop with
scaled or
modified copies of the image. The user can also modify the behavior of any
object, so,
with the flowers example, the user could animate the flowers to circle around
the main
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information browser window or around another object viewed in the information
browser. Browser objects, or objects retrieved by the information browser, can
remain
independent and persist so tiling widgets or applications can be organized in
any fashion
the user desires.
[0036] Since the information browser itself can be modified just as the
objects
viewed within it, the information browser allows for a much more creative
experience
than the simple themes currently available on browsers. The user can reshape a
browser
window, such as by erasing sections, warping sections, adding images, etc. An
embodiment of the information browser might also allows users to block or
discard any
objects they do not wish to view, thereby giving the user power to block ads
and other
material that is not of interest.
[0037] It is noted that embodiments can be created in any programming
language
desired.
[0038] Figure 1 shows the steps that can be followed by an information
browser
according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. The process starts at
100. At
step 102, the information browser can load one or more files, the content of
which
determine browser settings, initial content displayed, initial browser object
modification,
and browser object behavior. In some embodiments, previously downloaded theme
files
may be loaded to create browser objects and modifications. Different themes
may result
in various selections of transparency, dimensions, shape, outline, z-order,
position,
rotation, morphing, motion, color, fonts, and animation of various preloaded
objects. One
theme example might be a space motif, wherein the information browser control
buttons
circle around an image of a planet, and the main window background is a
rotating image
of a galaxy.
[0039] At step 104, the information browser can download the digital
content and
open local content specified in step 102. Additionally, content is retrieved
for subsequent
requests by the user for web pages, themes, or file folders.
[0040] At step 106, the information browser is operable to load settings
that
determine what content the user desires to display for a given web page or
file folder
specified in step 104. Additionally, the loaded settings can be used to
perform browser
object modification on the content specified, or to disable various
modifications.
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[0041] At step 108, the information browser creates a visual layout for the
content
specified in step 106. For every element of the visual layout a browser object
is created.
Objects may include structural organizational objects such as tables, table
cells, spans,
etc. Browser objects can be hierarchical, in that some objects can be children
of parent
objects. Child objects are modifiable such that they can be detached from
their parent and
become a child of another object, or remain as a top level object; making them
an
independent browser. If specified in the browser settings, or specific web
site or file
folder specific settings, the web page or file folder can initially be
displayed as a
miniature preview object. The preview object is a smaller version of a browser
window
without navigation controls. The preview of a web page or file folder can have
its scripts
and commands deactivated. The information browser can also be operable to
display a
size of the data required to download a web page, media file, or media stream
is
displayed with the preview. This will allow the user to exercise at least some
control over
the visual display that will be generated. The information browser can be
operable to
allow the user to alter the visual attributes of the preview as well.
[0042] At step 110, the information browser is operable to display the web
pages
and file folders requested by the user. In addition the browser performs any
scripts that
might be run within a browser object or file folder. Such scripts may alter
the appearance,
motion, and animation of browser objects as well as prompt the user for input.
Additionally, web page functions are performed such as retrieving additional
data from a
server.
[0043] At step 112, the information browser can process user input to
monitor
whether the user desires to implicate or change the appearance, behavior and
functionality of any browser object of the information browser or the
displayed contents.
[0044] At step 114, the information browser initiates the modification
interface.
In modification mode the interface is operable to display a collection of
editing tools,
toolbars, and menus to the user to modify the visual and behavior aspects of
the selected
browser object or objects. While the information browser is operating in
modification
mode, script execution for browser objects is disabled.
[0045] At step 116, the information browser is in modification mode and is
operable to receive commands from the user to duplicate, split, merge, remove,
or modify
any of the displayed objects and can execute such commands. In executing one
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exemplary command, the information browser can wrap, scale, bend, discolor,
blend,
merge, twist, warp, disassemble, or animate one or more visible objects. In
executing
another exemplary command, the information browser can copy a visual object
and
attach the object to another displayed web page, folder view, desktop view, or
other
displayed object within the same instance or another instance of the
information browser.
In executing another exemplary command, the information browser can extract
and
transfer component commands, scripts, and parameters between components.
[0046] The information browser is operable to change the visual attributes
of
browser objects over time by means of a sequence of morphs, created and timed
by the
user.
[0047] The information browser is operable to enable the user to select
multiple
browser objects, including the entity of information browser window, its
controls, menus,
and its contents. Once selected, the information browser is operable to be
modified the
visual attributes of all selected objects together with a single modification
action.
[0048] The information browser is operable to enable any browser object to
be
anchored to a location on the display. Anchored browser objects do not change
position
when the parent browser window moves.
[0049] The information browser is operable to enable the user to select
multiple
appearance attributes to be modified by the currently selected operation,
without
modifying other appearance attributes. For example, color and font size values
may be
reduced without modifying transparency values. One or more attributes may be
disabled
at user request, such as animations, hue, motion, persistence, data
connectivity, etc.
[0050] The information browser is operable to provide off-screen memory
buffers
on which plug-ins display their content. The buffers are utilized by the plug-
in browser
object to create on-screen images which are fully modifiable by the user.
[0051] The information browser is operable to create browser objects, at
user
command, such that said browser objects flood-fill a selected area in a tiled
manner. Each
repeated instance in the tiled area is a browser object.
[0052] The information browser is operable to create browser objects, at
user
command, such that said browser objects flood-fill a selected area in a tiled
manner. Each
repeated instance in the tiled area is a browser object. Areas selected for
tiling, among
other operations, may be selected by means of color similarity of raster
graphics
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displayed on browser objects. By clicking mouse buttons, keyboard keys, or
hovering the
mouse over a color on a browser object, the information browser is operable to
highlight
the contiguous colors within a range specified by the user.
[0053] The information browser is operable to enable browser object morphs
and
modifications to be triggered by user actions, by script commands, or by
communication
event. For example, a user might trigger an image browser object to circle a
path around a
chat window, and play a sound, whenever a new message arrives.
[0054] The information browser is operable to change the persistence of
objects,
allowing the objects to remain active after their current parent object or
information
browser window is closed. The persistent objects are able to maintain their
relationship
with the parent object or information browser window upon redisplaying said
parent or
browser window. The information browser is operable to change the hierarchical
relationships between objects, adding objects to a parent object or removing
child objects
from a parent object. A parent object can simultaneously be a child object.
[0055] The information browser is operable to create or remove browser
object
data connectivity with the original data source. For example, if, by removing
the
corresponding browser objects, the user removes all of a web page's content,
except for a
table cell that holds a portion of an online news feed, the table cell browser
object can be
data connected to the original web page's table cell, such that upon
periodically
refreshing the source information, the updated news appears in the table cell
browser
object, without displaying additional web page content.
[0056] The information browser is operable to create paths, remove paths,
attach
objects to paths, and remove objects from paths. Paths may be user drawn lines
or curves
modifiable by altering control points along the path. Paths may also be
created from the
outlines of objects, or from vector lines and parameters created from
converting raster
graphics, such as images, into vector form. Paths are themselves browser
objects, and as
such are fully modifiable. Any object attached to a path becomes a child
object of that
path. Paths may be static or dynamic. Dynamic paths are able to change
position and
shape over time, as any other object can. Paths can dynamically change the
visual
appearance of the objects attached to them.
[0057] The information browser is operable to create three dimensional
browser
objects from two dimensional browser objects, by command of the user in the
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modification interface. Three dimensional modifications include extruding all
or part of a
browser object into the third dimension, and rotating all or part of a browser
object up to
360 degrees about an axis. Said axis is not required to be in the plane of the
two
dimensional browser objects.
[0058] In modification mode, the interface toolbars, menus, and editing
tools can
also have their appearance modified by the user. All browser objects can have
one or
more of their properties and relationships reset as to undo one or more user
modifications.
[0059] At step 118, the information browser is operable to monitor whether
the
user desires to enlarge a preview of a web page or file folder. Preview
objects are smaller
version of a browser window without navigation controls. A preview is
modifiable as
with other browser objects.
[0060] At step 120, the information browser is operable to monitor whether
the
user desires to open another web page or file folder.
[0061] At step 122, the information browser is operable to monitor whether
the
user desires to terminate the current top level browser object. Top level
browser objects
are initially customary information browsers with navigation bars, and
controls. Upon
modifying a browser object to have no parent object, they browser object
becomes a
persistent top level browser object. Persistent top level browser objects are
independent
of other browser windows and are their own browser window. Terminating the
former
parent browser window of a persistent object will not terminate that object.
[0062] At step 124, the information browser window, that is requested
terminated
by the user, saves object, theme, web page, and file folder settings. The
browser is
operable to save settings to permanent storage device. For example, settings
may include
object positions, data sources, modifications, history, behavior, persistence,
visible
controls, and tool modifications.
[0063] At step 126, the exemplary process ends.
[0064] Figures 2 ¨ 18 illustrate aspects of other embodiments of the
broader
invention. Figure 2 is a screen shot of a browser according to the prior art.
The browser
displays several different visible objects, including links and folders
referenced at 20,
Window navigation controls referenced at 22, a document URL referenced at 24,
Window control buttons referenced at 26, and a status bar and download bar
referenced at
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28. Information browser content is displayed in main window referenced at 30.
The
display of information can be varied with a main content window scroll bar
referenced at
32. Example table cells are shown in Figure 2, bordered in black to indicate
boundaries
for illustration purposes. These table cells are referenced at 34.
[0065] Figure 3 is an exemplary screen shot visible to use when modifying a
visible object shown in Figure 2. The user has selected one of the table cells
34 shown in
Figure 2 to modify. As shown in Figure 3, the user can be presented with
exemplary
user-customizable menus, referenced at 36. The user has also been presented
with user-
customizable toolbars and tools, referenced at 38. The choices made from the
menus and
the tools used change the appearance of the table cell 34.
[0066] Figure 4 is an exemplary screen shot visible to a user when
modifying
toolbars and tool buttons shown in Figure 3. In this example, the user has
chosen to
resize one of the toolbars, as referenced at 40. The user has enlarged the
modification
interface toolbar. The entire contents have been resized, instead of only
enlarging the
toolbar window itself. The user has also modified the interface control. In
this example,
the user has sheared, rotated, and enlarged one of the buttons, as referenced
at 42. The
user has also hidden several interface tools bars in Figure 4 relative to
Figure 3.
[0067] Figure 5 is an illustration of exemplary browser object removal. As
shown in Figure 5 by comparison to Figure 4, browser objects have been removed
by the
user. These browser objects include links, toolbars, cascading style sheet
backgrounds,
and image objects. The areas of the display in which these items appeared are
referenced
generally at 44.
[0068] Figure 6 is an illustration of an exemplary browser window after
several
additional browser object modifications, additions, and removals. An example
of a
browser object removal is referenced at 46. Here, the user has removed the
scroll, status
and download bars. Interface tools, menus, etc. are moveable within or
external to the
bounds of the information browser, much like all other browser objects. The
user has
done this, as referenced at 48.
[0069] Figure 6A also shows an example of a browser object addition. The
user
can attach text, paths, images, etc. to information browser instances. As
referenced at 50,
the user has added a title text object in place of the title bar and tab bar,
and changed the
background object.
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[0070] Figure 6A also shows an example of browser control object
modification
by the user. Browser controls objects can be graphically modified through an
information browser supplied graphic editor or by external programs. This is
shown at
52.
[0071] Figure 6A also shows an example of browser object re-addition by the
user. As referenced at 54, the links toolbar has been re-added.
[0072] Figure 6A also shows an example of browser content object
modification
by the user. Browser content objects can be graphically modified through
toolbars, an
information browser supplied graphic editor, or by external programs. Browser
content
object modifications by the user are referenced at 56.
[0073] Figure 6B is an exemplary screen shot visible to a user of an
exemplary
browser window after several additional browser object modifications,
additions, and
removals relative to Figure 6A. At 90, additional user modifications after
using rotation,
text, and scale tools are shown. At 92, an additional user modification after
using a
rotation tool is shown. At 94, an example of browser control object
modification by the
user is shown. Here, the slightly modified buttons were replaced with much
more artistic
versions. At 96, another example of browser content object modification by the
user is
shown. Browser content objects can be graphically modified through toolbars,
an
information browser supplied graphic editor or by external programs.
[0074] Figure 7 is an exemplary screen shot visible to a user when
additional
exemplary browser object modifications are shown without modification
interface. As
referenced at 58, the background browser object is modifiable by the user to
delete some
content. Multiple layers of content can be modified in a single action.
[0075] Figure 8 is another exemplary screen shot visible to a user when
additional
exemplary browser object modifications are shown without modification
interface. As
referenced at 60, graphic edits such as erase are themselves browser objects
that can be
modified - shaped, made persistent, etc. The edits have a path outline that is
modifiable
by the user.
[0076] Figure 9 is a third exemplary screen shot visible to a user when
additional
browser object modifications are made. The modifications, referenced at 62,
are
themselves browser objects. Browser objects are duplicated around the path
surrounding
a graphic edit object.
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[0077] Figure 10 is a screen shot of an exemplary browser window showing a
chat website with a pop-up chat object. An exemplary browser chat object
showing data
connectivity and persistence is referenced at 64. At 66, browser instances can
share as
many common elements as the user desires. Modifications can be applied to all
new
instances of browsers or to select instances. At 68, browser objects can be
made
persistent and data connected to their original data source such as a web site
or file folder.
Objects can also be transferred to other browser instances. At 70, the chat
browser object
is made into a persistent top-level object. As such it is not attached to an
information
browser window and it will not terminate when its original browser window is
closed.
The object has been modified to maintain its data connection to its original
chat website.
As such, it still functions as though it were on its original web page.
[0078] Figure 11 is a screen shot of an exemplary browser object,
referenced in
72, attached to another instance of the information browser. The chat object
has been set
up to maintain data connectivity with its original chat website, but is no
longer a
persistent top level object, as it is now a child object of this browser
instance. At 72, the
chat browser object is attached to another browser instance. It has also been
modified
with respect to rotation and scale.
[0079] Figure 12 is a screen shot of browser objects being duplicated along
a
partial outline of the chat browser object. At 74, browser objects outlines
are paths onto
which other browser objects can be attached.
[0080] Figure 13 is a screen shot of browser objects attached to and
circling
around the outline of the chat browser object. The result shown in Figure 13
can be
triggered when a new chat message is received through the chat object's data
connection
to its chat website. At 76, a newly received chat message triggers a user
created
animation, causing objects attached to the path around the chat object to be
highlighted
and circle the path.
[0081] Figure 14 is a screen shot of browser objects attached to and
circling a
user drawn path around another browser object. Links, icons, browser objects,
displayed
objects, and previews are attachable to static or dynamic paths that
dynamically change
one or more of the location, shape, size, color, transparency, and z-order of
the objects
attached to the paths. By user command, an object attached to a path may be
duplicated
at regular intervals along said path or duplicated to fill another object's
displayed area.
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At 78, a user created path determined by a browser based on similar color
pixels is
shown.
[0082] Figure 15 is a screen shot of a browser preview object and a
shrunken
browser window of a chat website attached to another instance of the
information
browser. At 80, an entire browser window and its contents can be resized,
including the
user controls, buttons, and menus. Here the shrunken browser is made a child
of another
instance of the browser. The content of the shrunken browser is still active
and may be
updated live from the original web page. At 82, a preview of a chat website is
displayed
to the user. Scripts for a preview page can be disabled by the user or by
default through
browser settings. The size of initially displaying the previewed web page or
file folder
can be displayed to the user. The displayed data size text is also a
modifiable browser
object.
[0083] Figure 16 is a screen shot of a browser object selection and
relationship
indication. At 84, a selection mode is available such that browser objects are
highlighted
as the user moves a mouse, indicator, or finger ¨ in the case of tactile
displays, over the
object. A highlighting method can be chosen by the user, such as outer glow,
enlargement of the object pointed to, etc. At 86, since objects can be
destroyed by the
user, all remaining objects of a parent browser window or parent object can be
indicated
by dotted, dashed, or user defined images, or via a user defined action such
as the objects
glowing, flashing, animation, or motion.
[0084] Figure 17 schematically shows an example of vectorization of a
raster
image. At 88, paths can be created on the edges of vector lines in the
vectorized version
of the raster image. Edges are denoted by the color that fills the interior of
the edges,
within specified ranges set by the user.
[0085] Figure 18 is a pair of screen shots showing, at 98, an example of
one
object cutting and dividing another object in a cookie cutter operation.
[0086] Figure 19 is a pair of screen shots showing, at 128, an example
that any
object can be anchored to a location on the display or current desktop such
that it does
not move with the browser window.
[0087] Figure 20 is a screen shot of an example of the creation of a three
dimensional object from a browser object, referenced at 130. Any browser
object,
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CA 02831314 2013-10-30
including controls, window borders, and displayed contents are operable to be
modified
in this manner.
[0088] It is noted that embodiments of the broader invention, demonstrated
herein
by one embodiment, can allow the sharing, duplication, modification, and
customization
of all visual and behavioral properties of the individual elements of one or
more web
pages, and files. Much more than meta data, the transfer and modification of
all visual
aspects (including, but not limited to, motion, transparency, color, morphing,
and
transformation) and functionality is possible, allowing the user to copy web
page
elements, or their properties, and attach them to another object or duplicate
the original
object to persist after the original web page object source is no longer being
viewed by
the user. The capacity of objects to contain procedures and visual aspects of
multiple
other objects allows for a creative environment where several web objects can
be
combined or divided to form a larger pool of components. The ability to
acquire a font or
an animation from one element and copy it to another element allows the user
to pick and
choose what portions of the Internet they desire, and can use those portions
to create a
unique web experience. Each element of a web page is an object in and of
itself. Thus,
each object accessed by the information browser can persist after an
individual web page
has been closed, allowing for the creation of desktop widgets from common web
page
components.
[0089] While the invention has been described with reference to an
exemplary
embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various
changes may be
made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing
from the
scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a
particular
situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from
the essential
scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to
the particular
embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this
invention, but
that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of
the appended
claims. Further, the "invention" as that term is used in this document is what
is claimed in
the claims of this document. The right to claim elements and/or sub-
combinations that are
disclosed herein as other inventions in other patent documents is hereby
unconditionally
reserved.
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