JP2008117361A - Method and system for delivering message by web browser - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To effectively perform transmission and receiving of message data by a tool bar to a number of users in Internet browsing. <P>SOLUTION: The method for delivering message data to a browser under Internet browsing in an information processor of a user comprises installing a tool bar module to the browser by the user to receive a plurality of message data set in a plurality of URLs by a function of the tool bar module; and editing the plurality of message data for display to display the data on a display frame of the tool bar of the browser. Further, the method for setting message data input by the user to a URL designated by a transmitting setting set by the user comprises setting the message data input by the user to a WWW site of the user, whereby the message data can be provided thereto. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention provides a web browser program (web page browsing software, hereinafter referred to as a browser) in which a user is browsing the plurality of message data set on each web page by a plurality of message data providers when the user browses the internet. Is obtained by communication, and the message data is displayed in a display frame of a toolbar of the user's browser.

As the number of Internet users has exploded, companies and shops have established websites on the Internet. Through this website, we introduce corporate activities, customer service, new product announcements, web shopping content, etc. Provided to users.
In this way, it is not a passive usage mode that waits for the user to access the website. Recently, as a function added to the browser, for example, an information provider provides a general user with a toolbar, When a user browses the Internet, a usage form has been developed that can transmit information from the toolbar provider's website to the toolbar user at any time while browsing in the browser.

In a form where companies and shops on the Internet distribute this toolbar to general users, the toolbar is first ordered from a software company, and then the created toolbar is downloaded by general users and opened on the Internet. Information is sent from the company's website to each user's toolbar.

Also, general users themselves are not only information receivers but also actively transmit information such as their homepages, blogs, and SNSs regarding the use of the Internet.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-388838 (P2004-388838A) “Method and System for Providing Advertisement Based on URL Entered by User and / or Search Keyword”

However, the above-mentioned toolbar is not always large in terms of utilization due to a deviation from intended information when browsing by general users. This shows the problem of toolbar development cost and effectiveness for companies and shops that distribute toolbars to general users. The problem of development cost is also great for general message providers who want to disseminate information by actively distributing their toolbars.

The present invention was developed to improve such problems of the prior art, and many general message data providers place message data on their Web sites. On the other hand, general users register a plurality of URLs selected from URLs of a large number of message data providers when browsing the Internet by incorporating the toolbar of the present invention obtained from an online software distribution site into a browser. Receives multiple message data, edits the message for display, and displays it in the display pane of the browser toolbar. Furthermore, if a general user has his or her website, the user can become a message data provider by inputting a message and placing message data on his or her website using the function of the toolbar module.

In addition to the URL registered by the general user, the toolbar provider may incorporate the already registered URL into the toolbar module as the message data provider.

In order to solve the above problem, in the invention according to claim 1,
A method of delivering message data to a web browser that is browsing the Internet in a user information processing apparatus,
The user installing a toolbar module in the web browser and registering a plurality of URLs in a local storage by executing a registration function included in the toolbar module; and thereafter, when the user browses the web browser The toolbar module retrieving the plurality of URLs from the local storage; receiving a plurality of message data set at each URL; and storing the received message data in a storage device; Editing the plurality of stored message data for display and displaying the data in a display frame of the toolbar of the web browser.

In order to solve the above problem, in the invention according to claim 2,
The method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of message data are encrypted data.

In order to solve the above problem, in the invention according to claim 3,
The method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of message data includes corresponding link destination URLs.

In order to solve the above problem, in the invention according to claim 4,
In the step of displaying in the display frame of the toolbar, a step of displaying a plurality of message data with the passage of time and clicking a message data being displayed with a mouse to access a corresponding link destination URL; It is the method of Claim 3 which further contains these, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

In order to solve the above problem, in the invention according to claim 5,
A method of setting message data input by the user from a web browser that is browsing the Internet in the information processing apparatus of the user to a URL specified by a transmission setting set by the user,
In the installed toolbar module, a step of registering transmission settings in the local storage by executing a registration function included in the toolbar module, and then when the user browses with the web browser, the toolbar module Executing the message input function included in the user, the user inputting message data, the step of extracting the transmission setting from the local storage when transmitting the input message data, and the extracted The method according to claim 4, further comprising the step of setting the input message data at a specified URL according to transmission settings.

In order to solve the above problem, in the invention according to claim 6,
6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the input message data is encrypted data.

In order to solve the above problem, in the invention according to claim 7,
A system for delivering message data to a web browser that is browsing the Internet in an information processing device of a user,
The user installs a toolbar module in the web browser and executes a registration function included in the toolbar module to register a plurality of URLs in a local storage, and then the user browses with the web browser. The toolbar module retrieves the plurality of URLs from the local storage, a reception operation unit for receiving a plurality of message data set in each URL, and a storage device for the received message data And a display operation unit that edits the plurality of stored message data for display and displays them in a display frame of the toolbar of the web browser. .

In order to solve the above problem, in the invention according to claim 8,
The system according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of message data are encrypted data.

In order to solve the above problem, in the invention according to claim 9,
9. The system according to claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of message data includes a corresponding link destination URL.

In order to solve the above problem, in the invention according to claim 10,
In the display operation unit displayed in the display frame of the toolbar, a plurality of message data is displayed as time passes, and the corresponding link destination URL can be accessed by clicking the displayed message data with a mouse. The system according to claim 9, further comprising an operation unit.

In order to solve the above problem, in the invention according to claim 11,
A system for setting message data input by the user to a URL specified by a transmission setting set by the user from the web browser browsing the Internet in the information processing apparatus of the user,
In the installed toolbar module, a registration operation unit that registers a transmission setting in the local storage by executing a registration function included in the toolbar module, and then when the user browses with the web browser, An input operation unit for inputting message data by the user by executing a message input function included in the toolbar module, and an extraction operation unit for extracting the transmission setting from the local storage when transmitting the input message data The system according to claim 10, further comprising: an installation operation unit that installs the input message data at a specified URL according to the extracted transmission setting.

In order to solve the above problem, in the invention according to claim 12,
The system according to claim 11, wherein the inputted message data is encrypted data.

According to the present invention, by using the above method, a general message data provider places a message data on his / her own website so that a friend / companion or the like who is browsing the Internet can download a toolbar. Thus, message data can be transmitted.
In addition, if the user who receives the message data has his / her own website, the message data provider uses the function of the toolbar module to input the message and place the message data on his / her website. It can also be. Therefore, it becomes possible to chat easily. Since the present invention functions as a toolbar incorporated in a browser, it is characterized in that message data can be exchanged on the same screen while browsing the Internet.

Furthermore, since toolbar providers (for example, advertisement providers) can deliver message data (advertisements) to a large number of general users as message data providers, the advertising effects are more timely and cost effective. Can be expected.

Hereinafter, it explains with an example of illustration as a suitable embodiment of the present invention. In addition, embodiment shown below is shown in order to demonstrate this invention, and can be changed in various ways. Thus, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to specific embodiments of the invention.
In this embodiment, Internet Explorer of Microsoft Corporation is used as the browser, and development is shown in the embodiment of VSC ++. Although expressed as “toolbar module”, it includes modules such as a toolbar, BHO (browser helper object), communication, and encryption.
As the information processing apparatus of the present invention, a computer terminal such as a personal computer or a workstation is usually used. In addition, a wide range of devices such as wireless communication terminals such as mobile phones equipped with a browser function connectable to the Internet, portable information terminals, and other home appliances having a network connection function and a browser function are included.

(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the present invention.
The information processing apparatus 3 used by a general user can access the WWW sites 1 on the Internet and surf the Internet by a browser in which the toolbar of the present invention is installed. When a user browses a homepage with the browser, the browser accesses the WWW site 2 of a plurality of message providers in which message data is installed, receives a plurality of message data, and sends the message to the browser In the display frame of the toolbar.

FIG. 2 shows the relationship among a plurality of message providers 15, an online software distribution site 16, a plurality of message providers WWW site 17, and a general user information processing device 18. The message provider 15 sets a plurality of message data in the corresponding message provider WWW site 17. The general user installs and incorporates the toolbar acquired from the online software distribution site 16 into the browser already installed in the information processing apparatus 18. By using the browser, a general user can receive a plurality of messages from the WWW sites 17 of a plurality of message providers and display the messages in a display frame of a toolbar of the browser during Internet browsing. In this figure, the tool bar is distributed on the online software distribution site 16, but any method can be used for distributing it to the user. It is also possible for the message provider to distribute it as an email attachment.

FIG. 3 shows what information is exchanged with the message provider WWW site by the toolbar module installed in the browser in the information processing apparatus of the general user.
The general user browser 34 includes a browser basic module 35 and a toolbar module 36 of the present invention. The browser basic module 35 is browsing the WWW site 31 on the Internet. The toolbar module 36 retrieves a plurality of registered URLs from the local storage 38, accesses the WWW sites 32 of a plurality of message providers based on the retrieved URLs, and acquires a plurality of message data. . Next, the acquired message data is stored in the storage device 37, edited for display, and displayed on the toolbar display frame on the browser 34 screen.

FIG. 4 illustrates a browser screen displayed on the display device in the user's browser. In the message display frame 41 of the tool bar, a plurality of message data respectively set in a plurality of URLs are received, and the stored plurality of messages are edited for display and sequentially displayed in a ticker.
When the registration button 42 is clicked, a registration dialog is displayed, and the general user uses the registration function of the toolbar module to store the URL of the message data provider as URL data in the local storage. Multiple URLs of message data providers can be registered. A general user can newly register and delete a plurality of URLs at any time using a registration dialog.
By clicking this message display frame 41 with a mouse, the URL of the link destination corresponding to the message being displayed is accessed to display a Web page.
A plurality of the message display frames may be provided on the toolbar and distributed according to the type of message.
The message display frame is not the ticker display described above, but may be a combo box format in which a list of messages is displayed when the rightmost button is pressed.

FIG. 5 shows a simplified data structure of URL data registered by the registration button 42 of FIG. The URL data is composed of a plurality of pieces of data. One piece of data includes items such as URL data and a name, and is stored in the local storage 38 of FIG.

FIG. 6 shows a simplified data structure of message data. The message data is installed at the URL address site of the message provider. In the simplest case where encryption is not performed in this embodiment, the data format is the CSV format of text data. The message data is composed of a plurality of pieces of data, and one piece of data includes items such as a link destination URL corresponding to the message.

FIG. 6A shows how the message displayed in the message display frame 41 in FIG. 4 is constructed. In this figure, two URL data are shown on the left as an example. The message data set in the message provider WWW site with the URL (www.pp...) Address of number 1 is composed of three pieces of data of numbers a1, a2, and a3. The message data installed at the message provider WWW site with the URL (www.qq...) Address of the number 2 is composed of two pieces of data of the numbers b1 and b2.
In this example, all message data are collected as the simplest form. Therefore, the message data for display is composed of five pieces of message data as shown in the lower part, and the messages are tickered in order in the display frame. When the display of the fifth item is completed, it is displayed again from the first item.
Here, two URL data are shown, but can be changed at any time by the registration function of FIG. 4, and even in the message data, the message provider updates the message data on the message provider WWW site at any time. Therefore, the display message data can be constantly updated at the initial stage of loading the toolbar as in this example, or by the time interval of a timer described later.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a message processing function in the toolbar module. When an event occurs in the browser, this message processing function is executed. If the browser loads the toolbar and the last page displayed first (S71) and the initial flag is true (S72), all URLs of the registered URL data are accessed and installed. The obtained message data is acquired and stored by communication (S73).
Next, the acquired message data is converted into a data structure suitable for display on the toolbar and stored (S74). Next, the initial flag is set to false (S75).
If the message data acquired in step S73 is encrypted, a decryption process is performed after this process.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a toolbar creation processing function in the initialization processing of the toolbar that is processed when the browser is activated. First, a toolbar initialization process is performed (S81). Next, a toolbar is created (S82). Next, a timer for displaying a message in a ticker is set (S83). Finally, end processing is performed (S84).

FIG. 9 executes this processing function at certain time intervals by the timer set in FIG. 8 in order to display a plurality of messages as a ticker. If the timer IDs match (S91), the current message is displayed in a ticker within the display frame of the toolbar (S92).

FIG. 10 shows the processing of an event function that occurs when a message displayed on the ticker in the display frame of the toolbar is clicked with the mouse. A message is specified from the coordinates clicked with the mouse (S101). Next, the link URL corresponding to the identified message is acquired from the storage device, and the Web page of the link destination URL is displayed.

(Second embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment will be described. In the first embodiment, the user who uses the present invention only receives the message data. In the second embodiment, the user installs the message data input by himself / herself on the user's own WWW site. Message data can also be provided.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram thereof. An information processing apparatus 204 used by a general user can access the WWW sites 201 on the Internet on the Internet and surf the Internet by a browser in which the toolbar of the present invention is installed. When the user browses the home page with the browser, the toolbar module of the browser accesses the WWW site 202 of a plurality of message providers in which message data is installed, receives the plurality of message data, and receives the message Is displayed in the display frame of the toolbar of the browser. In addition, a browser in which the toolbar of the present invention is installed is used by setting message data input by the user himself / herself on the WWW site 203 having an account of the general user by the function of the toolbar module. It can provide message data to many Internet viewers.

Note that the user can use three types of cases: only receiving message data, only transmitting message data, and transmitting / receiving message data. As one form of use in the case of sending and receiving, each user can send message data to his / her WWW site and register a message providing URL other than himself / herself, thereby enabling chatting easily. Of course, one of the message providing URLs can be the URL of the own WWW site.

FIG. 13 shows what information the toolbar module 136 installed in the browser 134 in the information processing apparatus of a general user exchanges with the message provider's WWW site and the WWW site with which he / she has an account. ing.
The general user browser 134 includes a browser basic module 135 and a toolbar module 136 of the present invention. The browser basic module 135 is browsing the WWW site 131 on the Internet. The toolbar module 136 retrieves a plurality of registered URLs from the local storage 138, accesses the WWW sites 132 of a plurality of message providers based on the retrieved URLs, and acquires a plurality of message data. . Next, the acquired message data is stored in the storage device 137, edited for display, and displayed in a toolbar display frame on the browser 134 screen. In addition, the general user inputs message data using the function of the toolbar module 136, and inputs the input message data to the WWW site 133 having the account based on the transmission setting retrieved from the local storage 138. Send and install.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a browser screen displayed on the display device in a general user's browser. In the message display frame 141 of the toolbar, a plurality of message data respectively set in a plurality of URLs are received and stored in a storage device, and the messages obtained by editing the plurality of stored message data for display are sequentially displayed on a ticker. Has been.
When the general user clicks the registration button 143, the URL registration dialog is selected from the menu, the URL of the message data provider is input, and the URL is stored in the local storage. Multiple URLs of message data providers can be registered. The general user can newly register and delete a plurality of URLs at any time using the URL registration dialog.
By clicking this message display frame 141 with a mouse, the URL of the link destination corresponding to the message being displayed is accessed and a Web page is displayed.
A plurality of the message display frames may be provided on the toolbar and distributed according to the type of message.
The message display frame is not the ticker display described above, but may be a combo box format in which a list of messages is displayed when the rightmost button is pressed.

Further, the general user inputs a message in the message input frame 142 of the tool bar, and the data such as the input message is transmitted to the WWW site where the general user has an account based on the transmission setting.

When the general user clicks the registration button 143, the transmission setting registration dialog is selected from the menu, and the FTP server name, FTP account name, FTP password, directory / file which are the setting information for transmitting the message data Enter a name etc. and store it in the local storage.

In this example, the message input frame is provided on the tool bar to input one message, but an input button may be arranged on the tool bar to input a large number of message data in a dialog.

It should be noted that by encrypting the message data and sharing the encryption password between the message provider and the message receiver, security can be further improved.

The message data described in this specification includes character data, character attribute data, audio data, moving image data, and the like.

The message delivery method in the browser of the present invention has been described by way of an example of a toolbar module incorporated in Internet Explorer of Microsoft Corporation. However, other existing browsers are similar, and can be implemented by a newly developed browser.
The specifications are not intended to limit the invention. Naturally, the form of event processing, language specifications, and the like are different for other browsers and development environments. Therefore, modifications having functions equivalent to those of the respective processing units defined in the appended claims are included in the scope of the present invention.

It is the schematic in 1st embodiment of this invention. It is a relationship diagram of a user's information processing apparatus, a message provider, its message providing URL, and an online distribution site. This is a detailed description of the toolbar module installed in the user's browser and the URL of the message provider where the message data is installed. This is a detailed explanation of the message display frame and the registration button on the toolbar of the user's browser screen. It is description of URL data. It is an explanation of message data. This is an explanation of URL data, message data, and display message data. It is a flowchart of a message processing function. It is a flowchart of a toolbar creation processing function. It is a flowchart of a timer processing function. It is a flowchart of a message display frame click event processing function. It is the schematic in 2nd embodiment of this invention. It is a detailed description of the toolbar module installed in the user's browser, the message provider's WWW site, and the WWW site for which the user himself has an account. This is a detailed description of a message display frame, a message input frame, and a registration button on the toolbar of the user's browser screen.

Explanation of symbols

1
The WWW site 2 that the user is browsing
Message provider WWW site 3
Information processing device 15 with user's browser installed Message provider 16 Online software distribution site 17 Message provider WWW site 18 Information processing device 31 with user's browser installed WWW site 32 around the world Message provider WWW site 34 User Browser 35 Browser basic module 36 Toolbar module 37 Storage device 38 Local storage 41 Toolbar message display frame 42 Registration button 131 WWW site 132 worldwide Message provider WWW site 133 User's WWW site 134 User browses Browser 135 Inside browser basic module 136 Toolbar module 137 Storage device 138 Local storage 201 Viewed by user WWW site 202 in the message provider WWW site 203 WWW site 204 of the user for whom the user has an account Information processing apparatus in which the user's browser is installed

Claims (12)

A method of delivering message data to a web browser that is browsing the Internet in a user information processing apparatus,
The user installing a toolbar module in the web browser and registering a plurality of URLs in a local storage by executing a registration function included in the toolbar module; and thereafter, when the user browses the web browser The toolbar module retrieving the plurality of URLs from the local storage; receiving a plurality of message data set at each URL; and storing the received message data in a storage device; Editing the plurality of stored message data for display and displaying the data in a display frame of the toolbar of the web browser. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of message data is encrypted data. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of message data includes a corresponding link destination URL. In the step of displaying in the display frame of the toolbar, a step of displaying a plurality of message data with the passage of time and clicking a message data being displayed with a mouse to access a corresponding link destination URL; The method of claim 3 further comprising: A method of setting message data input by the user from a web browser that is browsing the Internet in the information processing apparatus of the user to a URL specified by a transmission setting set by the user,
In the installed toolbar module, a step of registering transmission settings in the local storage by executing a registration function included in the toolbar module, and then when the user browses with the web browser, the toolbar module Executing the message input function included in the user, the user inputting message data, the step of extracting the transmission setting from the local storage when transmitting the input message data, and the extracted The method according to claim 4, further comprising: setting the input message data at a specified URL according to a transmission setting. The method of claim 5, wherein the input message data is encrypted data. A system for delivering message data to a web browser that is browsing the Internet in an information processing apparatus of a system user,
The user installs a toolbar module in the web browser and executes a registration function included in the toolbar module to register a plurality of URLs in a local storage, and then the user browses with the web browser. The toolbar module retrieves the plurality of URLs from the local storage, a reception operation unit for receiving a plurality of message data set in each URL, and a storage device for the received message data And a display operation unit that edits the plurality of stored message data for display and displays them in a display frame of the toolbar of the web browser. The system according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of message data are encrypted data. The system according to claim 7 or 8, wherein each of the plurality of message data includes a corresponding link destination URL. In the display operation unit displayed in the display frame of the toolbar, a plurality of message data is displayed as time passes, and the corresponding link destination URL can be accessed by clicking the displayed message data with a mouse. The system according to claim 9, further comprising an operation unit. A system for setting message data input by the user to a URL specified by a transmission setting set by the user from the web browser browsing the Internet in the information processing apparatus of the user,
In the installed toolbar module, a registration operation unit that registers a transmission setting in the local storage by executing a registration function included in the toolbar module, and then when the user browses with the web browser, An input operation unit for inputting message data by the user by executing a message input function included in the toolbar module, and an extraction operation unit for extracting the transmission setting from the local storage when transmitting the input message data The system according to claim 10, further comprising: an installation operation unit that installs the input message data at a specified URL according to the extracted transmission setting. The system according to claim 11, wherein the input message data is encrypted data.

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