KR100355853B1 - Asynchronous printing of web documents - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for enabling a user of a network to perform a print selection mode for quickly identifying and storing a queue of web pages in order to print the web pages in one continuous batch process, and A computer system has been disclosed. The print selection method displays a number of selections that the user can select as either a global parameter or an individual parameter for the desired print operation. As an example, the user can select from a list of only hyperlinks available on the target page for later printing selections. The user quickly identifies and stores a list of selected and hyperlinked pages, descends to the specified hyperlink depth level to print with the selected print parameters, and initiates one asynchronous printing process for all selected pages.

Description

Asynchronous printing method of web document and system therefor {ASYNCHRONOUS PRINTING OF WEB DOCUMENTS}

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an information processing system, and more particularly, to a method and system for implementing a more efficient document handling technique for the selection and printing of a document available on a network. .

As computer systems and networked computer systems increase, information access time becomes more important. For many reasons, despite the frequent upgrades of equipment and advances in technology, access to the information database tends to increase. This trend is seen in access to almost any database that involves a telecommunications link, especially in the growing number of users of Internet and world wide web applications with vast graphics. can see.

In the Internet or "world wide web" network, a user can specify the address of a site or target page that he wants to "go to". The user then enters the selected site, and the target page or site home page is displayed on the user's display screen. In general, even if the target page contains a large amount of graphical content, or a large text-only page, the page takes a relatively long time to download to the user's terminal. . In the middle of the time before the target page is displayed, many network channels may be "tie-up" to retrieve and deliver the requested page and information to the user's terminal. Not only is this process relatively slow for the user, it can also tie up the network to some degree and make the same process slow for other users on the network.

Also, if the user wants to print web pages from multiple network sites, for example, the user displays each of the web pages he wants to print, and from the screen of that page, the " File " In order to select "Print" from the submenu, the mouse device typically needs to be "point-and-click", and further choices may be made to specify the printer. After printing is complete, the user enters another site or web page that may be visited and printed, or seeks to the next topic referred to at the "next level" which addresses the common aspects of the current page in pursuit of the same subject. You can also click on the hyperlink that appears on the current page to go. Following the "hyperlink" trail, users typically move from page to page and wait for the page to be downloaded from the web server before going through another printing protocol. When the addressed page does not provide the expected or found information, the user must specify a different target address to access. Also, as already pointed out, if the retrieved page contains, for example, an enormous amount of intricate color graphics files or sound files, the retrieval process will take a relatively long time. This occurs because of the large amount of data and parameters required to define a color graphics display or sound output compared to a text-only display. When trying to print different pages from several different sites, a lot of time is spent accessing different sites and downloading to print from one site before accessing the next site and engaging in the printing protocol. Furthermore, this process is not only slow for users to endure, but can also slow down the entire network by unnecessarily tying up network channels that can be used by other network subscribers. This shortcoming in retrieval or access of protocols and web page printing becomes more pronounced at the same time during the millions of subscribers using the network.

Also, printing HTML (hypertext markup language) documents is often cumbersome because they include links to other documents. In most applications today, the target page contains a link to another page that is related in some way to that or the topic there. This "link" is typically observed as a grouping of several words, which are typically descriptions of the linked page to which access is provided. These links are sometimes called "hyperlinks," and the content represented there is called "hypertext." Hyperlinks are usually displayed in bold, underlined, and in other colors, Thus, the user can easily determine the position of the link on the page to be filled with text, and the user can move the cursor device such as the mouse device to point to the area of the active screen where the hyperlink appears in the hypertext, and the selected input of the mouse device By "clicking" a button, one can simply "go" directly to one of the displayed linked pages.

Although the linking method speeds up the search somewhat compared to typing a new location on the keyboard every time a user navigates to a new page, the process is still relatively slow, especially where it is necessary to print a web page. Yes. Each time a hyperlink is selected and clicked, the entire page is searched, including all graphics and text and parameter definitions related to the required graphics. In many cases, the user can determine whether to print the referenced page from the title or hyperlink description. For example, if the main web page is a table of contents listing a list of chapters for a book title, the user would normally not have to print all the chapters in the book, but would look at that table to determine which chapter to print. Can be. Using current technology, a user clicks on a given chapter and downloads it one at a time, in sequence, sometimes for each page, performing the printed protocol of the downloaded chapter, and then accessing the table of contents before accessing it to print the next chapter. Return to.

Further, according to the existing technology, the creator of a web page should produce a composite document of the entire book so that the user can easily print the book. Some recent software products allow users to collect some documents in a print backet and later print them all. However, the user still needs to get each document from the web and issue a modified print command. Furthermore, the process is still synchronous and wastes user time and bandwidth of the system.

Therefore, there is a need for a method in which more efficient retrieval and printing techniques for printing network documents can be used while reducing the amount of network usage time and bandwidth and a network system on which it is implemented.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to perform a print selection mode for a user to quickly identify and store a queue of web pages in order to print the web pages in one continuous batch process. The present invention provides a method and a computer system. The print selection method displays a number of selections that the user can select as either a global parameter or an individual parameter for the desired print operation. As an example, the user can select from a list of only hyperlinks available on the target page for later printing selections. The user quickly identifies and stores a list of selected and hyperlinked pages, descends to a specified level for printing with the selected print parameters, and initiates one asynchronous printing process for all selected pages.

1 illustrates a computer system in which the present invention may be implemented.

2 is a conceptual diagram of some components and subsystems of the computer system shown in FIG.

3 shows an example of a display screen showing a typical web page for reference to the description of the present invention.

4 shows an example of a selection screen used in one embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a conceptual diagram schematically illustrating a hyperlink tree structure of an Internet system.

6 is a flow chart showing some options in the disclosed network scheme.

7 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation sequence according to an embodiment of the present invention.

<Description of the code | symbol about the principal part of drawing>

101: computer system

103: processor unit

105: monitor unit

107: keyboard

109: pointing device

111: connector

201: processor circuit

203: system bus

205: cache memory device

209: modem

211 input interface circuit

217: network interface subsystem

219: Diskette Drive Unit

220: video subsystem

221: display device

Detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings will be able to better understand the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, various methods discussed below may be implemented in a typical computer system including a workstation or a personal computer. In general, implemented computer systems may include multiple processors in a multi-bus system of a network of similar systems. However, a workstation or computer system 101 in which an embodiment of the present invention is implemented is generally electronic components and circuits already known in the art and already known to those skilled in the art. In order to understand and recognize the concepts inherent in the present invention, and not to obscure or confuse the technical idea of the present invention, more detailed circuits than those shown in FIG. It is not specified in more detail than is deemed necessary.

In FIG. 1, computer system 101 typically includes a processor unit 103 arranged to house processor circuitry along with other components and subsystems of the system. The computer system 101 also includes a monitor unit 105, a keyboard 107 and a mouse or pointing device 109, all of which are interconnected with the computer system shown. It is. Also shown is a connector for connecting the computer system to a communication line such as a telephone line in this embodiment. The invention may also be implemented in a cellular system that does not require the connector 111.

Some major components of the system 101 are shown in FIG. 2. Processor circuit 201 is connected to a system bus 203 which is any host system bus. The processing schemes disclosed herein may be applied to many different bus and / or network configurations. Cache memory device 205 and system memory unit are also connected to the bus 203. Modem 209 is arranged to connect 210 to a communication line, such as a telephone line, through connector 111 (see FIG. 1). According to this embodiment, the modem 209 selectively activates the computer system 101 to establish a communication link and initiate communication with another computer system or network or database server.

The system bus 203 is also connected to a keyboard 213 and a mouse or pointing device 215 via an input interface circuit 211. The bus 203 is also connected with a network interface subsystem 217 and a diskette drive unit 219. A video subsystem 220, which may include a graphics subsystem, is connected to the display device 221. Storage device 218, which may include a hard drive unit, is also connected to the bus 203. The diskette drive unit provides a means for the individual diskette program to be loaded or accessed directly into the hard drive for selective execution by the computer system 101. As is already well known, a program diskette containing an application program represented by a magnetic force of a diskette is read from the diskette drive, and the computer system can selectively operate to read the magnetic force and generate a program signal. . Such program signals selectively operate the computer system to present a display on the screen of the display device and respond to user input in accordance with the functional flow of the application program on the diskette. Running an Internet access program or browser program in the computer system 101 allows the access program to be typically stored in the storage device 218 when the system is first powered on or later, if desired by the user. Or automatically, partially or fully, loaded into system memory 207. The browser accesses and executes the site selection program directly from the diskette of the diskette drive unit 219 or directly from a copy of the site selection program stored in the hard drive unit 218, as described below. In order to operate selectively. As the program executes, some or all of the program is loaded into the system memory 207 and / or the system cache memory 205. According to a particular program design, the system stores any information accessed directly from the storage unit 218, cache memory 205, system memory 207 or from a diskette loaded into the diskette drive 219. do. Assuming a user starts up the system and, for example, runs a browser program from memory, a series of screens are displayed on the display device. Each screen typically has one or more options for navigating through the program. In general, the user determines the selection from the display screen using the keyboard 213 or the mouse or pointing device 215. In an Internet operating program, the choices made by the user are determined by the user "where", ie which "site" or which "web page" the user is going to, and in some cases, to reach the selected site. Determine a communication link or path for the purpose.

3 shows a typical program screen display 301 in an Internet operating session. The browser screen typically includes a mode row 303 that displays several different modes that the user can select, such as a "File" option or a "Bookmark" option. . Another column 305 may be displayed to help the user quickly navigate through the documents, sites or pages of the network application. The address or “location” section 307 allows a user to enter the Internet address of the site being visited or to visit with a keyboard and display its name. Other quick access buttons can be implemented on the screen for quick access to other selected network services and / or network functions, such as "What's New" or "Net Search". In general, any of the items shown may be selected in a " point and click " manner associated with a cursor or pointer indication visible on the mouse device 215 and display screen. For example, downloading data from a remote site can be terminated immediately during its transfer by pointing to the "Stop" button and clicking the designated mouse button. Similarly, the "Back" and "Forward" buttons can be used to return to the last screen display or to advance to the next screen display, respectively.

In the example of FIG. 3, "Multichapterbook.com" is indicated in the "Location" or Uniform Resource Locator (URL) designation. In the example web page, a book title is shown along with a "Table of Content", which lists the chapters in a hyperlink format. "Hyperlinks" are typically decorated with underlined bold text and are often displayed in contrasting colors for easy recognition. The hyperlink typically includes a set of statements that, when the user selects by positioning and clicking the pointer, access the page or site designated by the link. The hyperlink activates an access program to the selected site, unlike plain text that represents only a simple sentence with no functional phase. By using the hyperlink, the user can relatively quickly click on the hyperlink to identify the site of interest and immediately access it from the current page. Typically, if the user wants to print one of the chapters, the user clicks on the selected hyperlink and the screen displays a sentence of the chapter of the book and a video and / or audio segment for selection. It may also include. Then, the user selects the "file" mode and selects the "print" option to print the selected chapter again. If the user wants to print another chapter, for example, the user clicks the "Back" button to return to the "Table of Contents" page, selects the chapter to print, waits for the selected page to be retrieved along with the associated graphics and hyperlinks, and then returns Enter the "File / Print" protocol.

However, in the example shown, a "select print" function button 311 has been added. By the added function, the user points the "print selection" button with a cursor or pointer 313 and clicks to cause a batch selection and printing process as described below. While this embodiment discloses access to a "print selection" function from a function row of a web page, it should be noted that the access can be designed to be located at any convenient screen or screen location. For example, in our other patent applicant, "Skeleton Page Retrieval Mode For Web Navigation," the referenced hyper descends to a selectable reference depth level from a given web page. A method for creating and displaying a "skeleton page" of links has been disclosed. The "print selection" button may be designed to be displayed as part of the referenced "framing page" for use in selecting a hyperlinked page for printing. In addition, if the "Select Print" button is selected, the user can select a page to be printed by deactivating normal execution of a designated hyperlink, and the page referenced by the hyperlink is not called or displayed during the "Select Print" session. Do not.

In FIG. 4, an example of a print selection screen 403 that can be displayed to a user in response to the activation of the " print selection " function button 311 is shown. In the example shown above, at the top of the menu is a first level function selection area 405 that the user can select in relation to the user's print request. As shown, the user may define the level 409 the program should go to in order to collect hyperlinks and / or web pages to print. To print the current page, the user only needs to click and select the "Print Current Page" option 411. The user may also select "Print Designated Pages" to be identified by the user or click the "Print 'All But' Selection" button 415. When the user clicks on the "some print" selection, the program prints all hyperlinks except the selected hyperlink on the page. This is a useful function when the user wants to print all the contents except a part of the hyperlink page.

If the " print current page " is selected, the program proceeds to the direct page print function and returns to the previous page 301 as shown in FIG. The "Print to Level" option 409 starts but the "Print Select" display remains on the screen. When the user selects the "Print Designated Selections" button 413 or the "Some Print Selections" button 415, the program will select "global selections", i.e., for printing. Displays a pop-up menu 417 to allow selection of options to apply to all selected documents. The "Omit Graphics" option is selected to ensure that none of the documents selected for printing contain graphics associated with the page to be printed. The generic options menu 417 may include options for specifying that all chapters of the page should be printed. The function is initiated by clicking the "Execute" option, for example, before selecting any individual option from the list of chapters.

Another option is "Save Print Selections", which automatically saves print commands and documents to a file for future reference. When the user selects the "Save Print Options" option from the menu 417, another pop-up input area appears that allows the user to specify a name for the print job file being designed. The user then goes to another site and saves the print file to add subsequent options from another web page. When the user is ready to identify the hyperlink to be printed, the user clicks on the "Make Selections" hypertext from menu 417. Then, the user points and clicks on the chapter item in the list that he wants to print, or if the button 415 is already selected, all items except those currently selected are printed. As an example of a selection device, an area of a screen designated by a rectangle, square, circle, polygon, or the like is defined, and an instruction is issued to print all hyperlinks falling within the boundary including a specified number of levels to be visited in each link. The area may be defined by dragging the mouse or by other means. For example, a user may point to one of the items for printing, or point 427 with a pointer 419 to select a sequential item (such as a box 431) or a group of items or chapters. Point to a selected point, and perform a " drag " of the mouse pointer to point 429. Other options may allow the user to determine the "level" of collection for each selected item as well as the opportunity to modify the comprehensive graphical choices in the menu 417 in a "per document" manner from the menu 421. In order to do so, each time one item is selected, a pop-up menu 421 in a "per item" manner is displayed. Other choices may be included in submenu 421 to allow individual changes from comprehensive choices. If the user wants to proceed with the print job after completing the selection process, the user clicks the "Execute Print Selections" button in the comprehensive menu 417, and the program integrates the selections and commands. Initiates an operation for printing all selected documents in the selected format continuously and asynchronously at a time.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for describing a depth "level" of a document for collecting hyperlinks displayed on a web page in a hyperlink format. The technique illustrates a tree structure in which the skeleton page or hyperlink list function collects and cruises through the skeleton page or hyperlink list. If only "one" level is specified to retrieve from the target page 501, which includes two hyperlinks 503 and 505, then the program selects the hyperlinks 509 and 511 on page 507. At 513, hyperlinks 515 and 517 are collected. If the user specifies the number "2" as the hyperlink level designation, the program returns the hyperlinks listed on the next level of pages: pages 519, 521, 523, and 525. Hyperlinks can be clearly identified and easily accessed from a server site for use in collection and display for a list of hyperlinks. For example, in HTML, the hyperlinks are represented by a designation called "href" so that the hyperlinks can be identified from the source code list of the source code used to create the web page. This designation can be viewed from the list of source codes available at the server site by clicking "VIEW" from the web page menu and then "SOURCE" from the submenu. The "href" code segment for creating a hyperlink in the web page can also be used to generate a list of hyperlinks for the user to select the page to be printed.

6 is a flow chart illustrating some optional options in a networked manner. When the "Print Options" button 311 is activated, the "Print Options Menu" 403 is displayed (step 603). If the "print current page" is selected (step 605), the program immediately proceeds to the print function (step 607). Otherwise, select "Print Selected Selection" (step 609), or select "Partial Print" (step 611), and the program will then save the selection (step 613) and select the pop-up menu ("Universal Options") Proceed to step 417 (step 615).

7 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation sequence for the optional portion of the program. If a print option 413 or 415 has been selected from the main menu 403, the "general option" portion of the program is initiated (step 701), and a comprehensive option menu is displayed (step 703). Here you can select four options: "Save print options" (step 727), "Select" (step 709), "Run print options" (step 733), or "Global Omit Graphics". One of (step 705) may be clicked. If "Save Print Options" is activated (step 727), the options are stored (step 729) and the program returns to the main menu (step 731). If the "Global Omit Graphics" option is selected (step 705), the program saves the selection (step 707) and returns to the global options menu 417. If the "Selection" hypertext is clicked (step 709) and the listed item or chapter is clicked to select it, the selection is highlighted in this embodiment (step 712) and the pop-up menu of "per chapter" appears. Is displayed (step 713) so that the user can determine the selection for each item. Alternatively, the user may be presented with the previous options to include or not include a "per item" popup configuration.

In the "per chapter" pop-up menu 421, if the user no longer wants to specify the specific characteristics of the selected chapter, such as whether to change the comprehensive choice for "print level" or "graphic", After the choices have been determined, other choices may be immediately determined (step 714). If other options were determined before the specific individual chapter parameters were selected (step 714), the program stores the predetermined default parameters (step 715) and (because they have been combined with at least the previously selected chapter). Close the "Each Chapter" menu and return to highlight the next option. If other options have been determined in the "Each Chapter" submenu, such as collection level or designation to omit graphics from the item to be printed, the selection is saved (step 717), and the submenu of the chapter is closed (step). 718, a determination is made as to whether "execute print options" has been selected from the global options menu (step 719). If "Run Print Options" is clicked, the program "acquires the current and selected stored document" (step 735) and asynchronously prints the selected document with the selected parameters and commands (step 737). Proceed, then end (step 739). If "Run" has not been clicked, the program returns to "Display Comprehensive Options Menu" (step 703) and waits for further instructions.

One of the various pseudocodes that may be implemented to practice the invention is described below. In other words,

print_to_level (level) {

print_menu (level, print_to_level);

}

designate_selections_and_print () {

print_menu (level, make_selections);

}

print_by_geometry () {

print_menu (level, clip_geometry);

}

// print only the current page level = 0

print_menu (url, level, flag) {

// flag = true if some print mode

skeleton = get_skeleton (url, level, flag);

if (flag = print_to_level) {

for each url in skeleton do print_url (url);

}

else if (flag = make_selections) {

for each url in skeleton do {

put check_box ();

}

wait for print execute command from user;

for each url in skeleton do print_url (url);

}

}

skeleton

get_skeleton (url, level, mode)

{

retrieve page specified by url;

locate_hyperlinks_in_page (url);

if (mode = all_but_mode) invert links;

if (mode = clip_geometry) remove links outside specified geometry;

for each hyperlink in page do {

add link to hierarchical skeleton listing;

if (level_to_fetch> 1) process_page (hyperlink, level-1, skeleton);

}

return skeleton listing page;

}

locate_hyperlinks_in_page (url)

{

while there is more text in url page

search for html link;

add html link;

end while

return links;

}

print_url (url) {

if (omit_graphics) strip_away (url, graphics);

if (omit_file_extension) strip_away (url, file_extension);

print page;

}

strip_away (url, type) {

parse html for page;

if (type = graphics) delete images such as gifs, pngs, bmps, jpgs;

else delete by file extensions;

return page;

}

According to the above example, when a user wants to print a document from the web, a new screen and web page including a link to the original web page are provided to instruct the user as to whether to print the contents of the link. Let's do it. The user can do that by clicking on the dialog box for each page. A fast path may be included so that the user can select all links or only selected ones of the pages for printing, or print "except all" only those selected in the reverse operation. The system automatically identifies links containing printable material and does not provide a dialog box listing files containing non-printable material, such as sound files that can be identified by various file names or their extensions. Was programmed. The user can also select the depth of the web page to be printed. For example, you may want to print a link to a "Table of Contents" page followed by a direct reference to each page in turn. Such a list has a depth level of "1". Printing at level "2" follows a link where the user has descended another level, that is, a "first level" link referenced directly from a given page and a "second level" link referenced on the "first level" page. It means you want to go.

In order to allow the user to interactively select the pages to be printed at each level, a "printing options" web page is generated that includes the names of all links corresponding to the level selected by the user. The user then determines other options such as, for example, marking the page he wants to print and whether to include or omit the graphic file associated with the selected page. Such additional choices are determined globally or in terms of individual pages.

Alternatively, pages that do not contain printable material may be displayed in a different way, as if displayed in a different color than other entries of the base page. Another option is to allow the user to specify a "retry" function (not shown) to periodically re-select the selected item if the program attempts first access and cannot access the item. You can access and print. With the menus and options shown, the user can quickly indicate which pages need to be printed, which pages are stored and printed asynchronously. Once the user has issued a new print command, for example, the system can group all of the previous needs and options by the site to issue the appropriate bundle document retrieval request. By grouping multiple requests, you can maintain a constant network connection to avoid startup overhead delays and bandwidth bundling for each page.

The method and apparatus of the present invention have been described in connection with the preferred embodiment of the present invention as described above. The described schemes can be implemented in a wide variety of orders, menus, and screen designs to achieve the above results. Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail in connection with specific modifications thereof, those skilled in the art may easily configure many other embodiments for implementing the technical idea of the present invention. It may be included in or integrated into an integrated circuit or chip that is a processor or CPU or other larger system. The disclosed schemes may also be implemented with program code stored on disks or (portable or fixed) diskettes or other memory devices that can be executed to achieve the above advantages. Accordingly, the present invention is not to be limited to the specific forms described herein, but on the contrary encompasses the above modifications, modifications and equivalents that are reasonably construed as falling within the scope of the inventive idea.

According to the present invention, a user can perform a print selection mode for quickly identifying a web page and storing it in a queue in order to print the web page in one continuous batch process. .

Claims (17)

A method of printing a plurality of documents by a single print operation, wherein each document is referenced by a hyperlink in the displayed document. Allowing a user to select and exclude certain hyperlinks such that a particular number of hyperlinks of the hyperlinks in the displayed document are selected; Initiating the printing operation; Transmitting to print the document indicated by the selected hyperlink. 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting to print only documents indicated by unselected hyperlinks. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein any type of data contained in the document being sent for printing is excluded from printing. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the predetermined type of data is audio data. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the predetermined type of data is video data. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the predetermined type of data is graphic data. A system for printing a plurality of documents by a single print operation, wherein each document is referenced by a hyperlink in the displayed document. At least one computer system and a printer, Means for displaying a document in the computer system; Means for allowing a user to select and exclude certain hyperlinks such that a particular number of hyperlinks of the hyperlinks in the displayed document are selected; Means for initiating the printing operation; Means for sending to the printer to print the document indicated by the selected hyperlink Document printing system comprising a. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting a hyperlink comprises disabling a link function, such that the document is displayed when a hyperlink referencing the document is selected when enabled. How to print a document. 10. The method of claim 8, further comprising re-enableing the link function. A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for executing the steps of the method of any one of claims 1, 2-6, 8, and 9. 8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the means for selecting a hyperlink comprises means for disabling a link function, such that the document is displayed when a hyperlink referencing the document is selected when enabled. Document printing system. 12. The system of claim 11, further comprising means for re-enabling the link function. 13. The document printing system of claim 12, further comprising means for sending to print only documents indicated by unselected hyperlinks. The document printing system according to claim 13, wherein any type of data included in the document to be sent for printing is excluded from printing. 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the predetermined type of data is audio data. The document printing system of claim 14, wherein the predetermined type of data is video data. 15. The system of claim 14, wherein the predetermined type of data is graphic data.