GB2410343A - Apparatus for downloading information from a computer network - Google Patents
Apparatus for downloading information from a computer network Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2410343A GB2410343A GB0401264A GB0401264A GB2410343A GB 2410343 A GB2410343 A GB 2410343A GB 0401264 A GB0401264 A GB 0401264A GB 0401264 A GB0401264 A GB 0401264A GB 2410343 A GB2410343 A GB 2410343A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- information
- location
- computer network
- computer
- downloaded
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
- G06F16/00—Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
- G06F16/90—Details of database functions independent of the retrieved data types
- G06F16/95—Retrieval from the web
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Databases & Information Systems (AREA)
- Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
- Data Mining & Analysis (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Information Transfer Between Computers (AREA)
Abstract
Apparatus (1) for downloading information (21, 22) from a location (10) on a computer network (2). The apparatus (1) includes a first computer adapted to be connected to the network (2). The computer comprising a downloading device (4) to download information from the network (2); a set of definition data (5), the set of definition data (5) corresponding to a location (10) on the network and including the identity of the location (10) and instructions on how to download the information (21, 22) from that location (10); a storage device (6) for storing the information collected; and an output device (7). The downloading device (4) downloads information (21, 22) from the location (10) in response to the data in the set of definition data (5) and stores the downloaded information (21, 22) on the storage device (6). The output device (7) outputs the downloaded information from the storage device (6).
Description
241 0343 Apparatus for Downloading Information from a Computer Network The
Invention relates to apparatus for downloading information from a computer network, such as the World Wide Web.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for downloading information from a location on a computer network, the apparatus comprising a first computer adapted to be connected to the network, the computer comprising a downloading device to download information from the network; a set of definition data, the set of definition data corresponding to a location on the network and including the identity of the location and instructions on how to download the information from that location; a storage device for storing the information collected; and an output device; and whereby the downloading device downloads information from the location in response to the data in the set of definition data and stores the downloaded information on the storage device, and the output device outputs the downloaded information from the storage device.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of downloading information from a computer network, the method comprising generating a set of definition data, the set of definition data comprising location identification data to identify a location on the computer network from which the information is to be downloaded and instructions on how to download the information from the location; downloading information from the computer network in accordance with the set of definition data; and storing the downloaded information.
Preferably, an output device is also provided to output the information downloaded. Typically, the output device comprises a transfer device to transfer the downloaded information to another computer, preferably for display on the other computer. Preferably, the information is displayed on a client application running on the other computer.
In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of downloading information from a computer network, the method comprising generating a set of definition data, the set of definition data comprising location identification data to identify a location on the computer network from which the information is to be downloaded and instructions on how to download the information from the location; operating a computer program in accordance with the set of definition data to cause the computer program to download the information from the computer network.
Preferably, the downloaded information is a data summary of the contents or part of the contents of the location on the computer network. Typically, the definition data defines the data summary that is downloaded. The data summary may include text and/or an image. Typically, the location may be a web site or a page on a web site.
Typically, the computer network is the World Wide Web. However, it could be any other type of computer network, such as a local area network, intranet or a secure extranet.
Preferably, the computer program is a web browser, such as Internet Explorer provided by Microsoft @).
Typically, the computer program is operated via programmatic interfaces associated with the program, and the definition data provide instructions for operation of the programmatic interfaces.
An example of apparatus for and a method of downloading information from a computer network in accordance with the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a block diagram showing a first example of apparatus for downloading information from the World Wide Web; and Figure 2 shows the downloaded information displayed on a user's screen; and Figure 3 is a block diagram showing a second example of apparatus for downloading information from the World Wide Web.
Figure 1 shows apparatus 1 for downloading information from the World Wide Web 2. A user's computer 3 can connect to the World Wide Web 2 and to the apparatus 1.
The apparatus 1 includes a content collector 4, a number of site definitions 5, a content repository 6 and a content server 7. The user's computer 3 includes a web browser application 8 and a content presentation application 9.
Each of the site definitions 5 relates to a corresponding web site 10, and each site definition 5 includes a set of data that identifies the location of the corresponding web site 10 on the World Wide Web and includes instructions on how to download the data from the web site 10.
The content collector 4 runs a web browser that operates under the control of the data in each of the site definitions 5 to locate the corresponding web sites 10 and download the information from the web site 10 in accordance with the instructions in the site definition 5. Hence, each of the site definitions 5 is effectively a series of commands that controls the operation of the web browser being run by the content collector 4. For example, the web browser could be Microsoft (g) Internet Explorer and the instructions in the site definitions 5 instruct the programmatic interfaces available in the Internet Explorer web browser to cause the web browser to navigate to a web site 10 on the world wide web and download information from the web site 10 using the instructions in the corresponding site definition 5.
After the information has been downloaded from a web site 10, the content collector 4 stores the information in the content repository 6. Typically, the content collector 4 runs at frequent intervals to ensure that the information stored on the content repository 6 is up to date. The time interval may be dependent on the type of web site 10. For example, a suitable time interval for a news site may be 5 minutes but a suitable time interval for other types of sites may be longer and could be, for example, daily. Each site definition 5 specifies the time interval at which the content collector 4 should run for the respective web site 10.
When the user's computer is started, the content presentation application 9 will typically load automatically on start up of the computer. However, it is possible that this could be manually activated by the user when desired.
When the computer connects to the World Wide Web 2, the content presentation application 9 automatically connects to the content server 7 and requests the content server 7 to transfer any new information to it. Hence, the content server 7 acts as the delivery mechanism to deliver information stored on the content repository 6 to the content presentation application 9 on the user's computer 3.
The content presentation application 9 includes content identity data that is passed to the content server 7 and enables the content server 7 to identify the information, or the type or category of information to be downloaded to the content presentation application 9. This enables the content server 7 to extract the correct information from the content repository and deliver it to the content presentation application 9. The content identity data may be pre-set by a supplier of the content presentation application 9 or may be user defined. Alternatively, it may be primarily pre-set by the supplier but with the pre-set identity data there may be options that the user can select.
When the content presentation application 9 receives the information from the content server 7, the content presentation application 9 displays the information on a screen of the computer 3 for viewing by a user. When the information is displayed, it may include hyperlinks to the web site 10 from which the information was downloaded so that a user may directly view that web site 10.
Figure 3 is similar to Figure 1 except that the content presentation application 9 also connects to a customer relationship manager (CRM) 11. The CRM 11 can provide adverts, offers or other information automatically to the content presentation application 9 for display to a user. Alternatively, or in addition, the CRM 11 may monitor feedback from the content presentation application 9 and can provide advertising, special offers or other information targeted to the interests of the user based on the feedback obtained from the content presentation application 9. For example, the feedback may be which hyperlinks the user clicks on to view the relevant web site 10 directly. Other types of feedback can also be monitored by the CRM 11, such as clicks to advertising content, user interactions with the content presentation application, the unique identity of the user, country of origin of the user and the user's language.
Figure 2 shows a user interface 20 generated by the content presentation application 9. The user interface 20 includes information downloaded via the content server 7 in the form of a summary 21 of a news story and headlines 22 from other news stories. In the summary 21, the headline "Robbie plays Abbey Road" is hyperlinked to provide the user with a direct link to the web site 10 from which the news story was downloaded. In addition, the user interface 20 includes an advert 23 provided from the CRM 11 on the basis of feedback obtained from the content presentation application 9.
Claims (28)
1. Apparatus for downloading information from a location on a computer network, the apparatus comprising a first computer adapted to be connected to the network, the computer comprising a downloading device to download information from the network; a set of definition data, the set of definition data corresponding to a location on the network and including the identity of the location and instructions on how to download the information from that location; a storage device for storing the information collected; and an output device; and whereby the downloading device downloads information from the location in response to the data in the set of definition data and stores the downloaded information on the storage device, and the output device outputs the downloaded information from the storage device.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an output device to output the information downloaded.
3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the output device comprises a transfer device to transfer the downloaded information to another computer.
4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the downloaded information is a data summary of the contents or part of the contents of the location on the computer network.
5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the definition data defines the data
summary that is downloaded.
6. Apparatus according to claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the data summary includes text and/or an image.
7. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the location is a web site or a page on a web site.
8. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the computer network is the World Wide Web.
9. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the computer network is a local area network., intranet or a secure extranet.
10. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the computer network is an intranet.
11. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the computer network is a secure extranet.
12. A method of downloading information from a computer network, the method comprising generating a set of definition data, the set of definition data comprising location identification data to identify a location on the computer network from which the information is to be downloaded and instructions on how to download the information from the location; downloading information from the computer network in accordance with the set of definition data; and storing the downloaded information.
13. A method according to claim 12, further comprising transferring the downloaded information to another computer.
14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the information is displayed on the other computer.
15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the information is displayed on a client application running on the other computer.
16. A method of downloading information from a computer network, the method comprising generating a set of definition data, the set of definition data comprising location identification data to identify a location on the computer network from which the information is to be downloaded and instructions on how to download the information from the location; operating a computer program in accordance with the set of definition data to cause the computer program to download the information from the computer network.
17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the computer program is operated via programmatic interfaces associated with the program, and the definition data provide instructions for operation of the programmatic interfaces.
18. A method according to claim 16 or claim 17, wherein the computer program is a web browser.
19. A method according to any of claims 12 to 18, wherein the downloaded information is a data summary of the contents or part of the contents of the location on the computer network.
20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the definition data defines the
data summary that is downloaded.
21. A method according to claim 19 or claim 20, wherein the data summary includes text and/or an image.
22. A method according to any of claims 12 to 21, wherein the location is a web site or a page on a web site.
23. A method according to any of claims 12 to 22, wherein the computer network is the World Wide Web.
24. A method according to any of claims 12 to 22, wherein the computer network is a local area network.
25. A method according to any of claims 12 to 22, wherein the computer network is an intranet.
26. A method according to any of claims 12 to 22, wherein the computer network is a secure extranet.
27. Apparatus substantially as herein before described with reference to any of the accompanying drawings.
28. A method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any of the accompanying drawings.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB0401264A GB2410343A (en) | 2004-01-21 | 2004-01-21 | Apparatus for downloading information from a computer network |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB0401264A GB2410343A (en) | 2004-01-21 | 2004-01-21 | Apparatus for downloading information from a computer network |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB0401264D0 GB0401264D0 (en) | 2004-02-25 |
| GB2410343A true GB2410343A (en) | 2005-07-27 |
Family
ID=31971192
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB0401264A Withdrawn GB2410343A (en) | 2004-01-21 | 2004-01-21 | Apparatus for downloading information from a computer network |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2410343A (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2442986A (en) * | 2006-10-19 | 2008-04-23 | Giga Byte Tech Co Ltd | Download device |
-
2004
- 2004-01-21 GB GB0401264A patent/GB2410343A/en not_active Withdrawn
Non-Patent Citations (3)
| Title |
|---|
| http://web.archive.org/web/19961220043459/http://dogpile.com/ * |
| http://web.archive.org/web/19991012083617/http://www.alltheweb.com/ * |
| http://web.archive.org/web/20030124104047/http://news.yahoo.com/ * |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2442986A (en) * | 2006-10-19 | 2008-04-23 | Giga Byte Tech Co Ltd | Download device |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB0401264D0 (en) | 2004-02-25 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |