MXPA00008563A - Method for finding an internet or e-mail address - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention is based on a method for finding an Internet or E-mail address. Internet or E-mail addresses are noted in the content of many teletext pages regardless of whether they contain advertising or information. The addresses are currently transmitted within the visible area of a teletext page so that the user must normally copy them and enter them into an Internet browser. The invention is based on the object of creating a simplified method for finding an Internet or E-mail address. The method according to the invention for finding an Internet or E-mail address which is reproduced in a teletext system, comprising visible areas and non-visible areasof the teletext system, a selection unit, a control unit and a link unit, is distinguished by the fact that the address in the visible area is selected by the selection unit, the control unit recognizes the selected address, the control unit accepts and/or modifies the address format and the address is selected via the link unit.

Description

METHOD FOR FINDING AN INTERNET OR EMAIL ADDRESS The invention is based on a method for finding an Internet or email address. Internet or e-mail addresses are recorded in the content of many teletext pages regardless of whether they contain advertising or information. The addresses are currently transmitted within the visible area of a teletext page so that the user should normally copy them and enter them into an Internet browser. The invention is based on the objective of creating a simplified method for finding an Internet or e-mail address. This object is obtained by the characteristics of the invention specified in the claims. Dependent further developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims. The method according to the invention for finding an Internet or e-mail address which is reproduced in a teletext system, comprises visible areas and areas not visible in the teletext system, a selection unit, a control unit and a link unit, and is differentiated by the fact that the address in the visible area is selected by the selection unit, the control unit recognizes the selected address, the control unit accepts or modifies, or both, the format address and the address is selected via the link unit. The method according to the invention provides the user with the advantage that he does not need to copy the Internet address which he observes in teletext. This gives you faster access. In addition, the method can be characterized in that the control unit recognizes the address by means of obvious address information. If the user is not able to select the address required by the person with the help of a cursor or another unit to highlight the address, it is possible that the system itself emphasizes the Internet address. This means that the Internet address in the teletext becomes visible to the user and can cause the address to be selected by means of an acknowledgment key or a remote control unit. The obvious address information is, for example, the Internet address strings such as "http: //", "www." or subsequent strings such as, for example, ".com" or ".de" or strings which are preferably separated only by dots (without spaces). The control unit can use this information to perform the highlighting. For example, if the highlight starts with "www" and ends with ".com", the control unit will translate the address found in this way and use it for selection. Or if the highlighting starts at "www", the end can be determined according to the extraction algorithm described below. The control unit can then translate the address found in this way and use it for selection. In addition, the method can be differentiated by the fact that the address is displayed in the visible area and in the non-visible area contains address information which is used by the control unit to request the address. If the translation of the Internet address is omitted, it is possible to store the address information in the non-visible area so that it can be found there. This means that there is a link between the visible teletext information and the non-visible Internet address which is then used by the control unit for selection. It is also possible for the user to highlight the address by means of a highlight unit and this address can be transferred to the control unit. The highlighting unit has the advantage that the user himself can highlight the part of the address relevant to the person. For example, in the case of a long Internet address where, however, only the home page is of interest to the user, only the first part of the address needs to be highlighted which, as a rule, is applied to the main page. In this way, the user will not have to reach the main page via the deviation of a secondary page. In addition, the method can be differentiated by the fact that the control unit contains a memory or that there is a link to the memory, or both, to store the addresses or to retrieve addresses. If the control unit contains a memory or access to a memory, or both, this can have the advantage that, as soon as the control unit recognizes an address on the teletext page, it can be stored in the memory. The memory can also be used to check if the address selected by the control unit is correct.

For example, if the Internet address has not been fully specified, it can be found completely by means of a comparison with the addresses in a memory. This memory can be filled with many Internet addresses right from the start in order to provide in this way a prerequisite that the correct Internet address will be found. Using the control unit, the user can also use a search algorithm so that he can find in this way the address which he does not know reliably. A circuit for finding an Internet or e-mail address which is reproduced in a teletext system comprising a selection unit, a control unit and a link unit is distinguished by the fact that the selection unit recognizes the address and the link unit establishes the link as soon as the control unit requests that this be done. In addition, the circuit may contain a selection unit and a link unit in the control unit. In addition, the circuit can be differentiated by the fact that the control unit contains a memory or where there is a link in the memory, or both. In the text that follows, the possibilities will be explained again by means of which an Internet or email address can be found. The address or Internet addresses or email can be called addresses in the text that follows. Teletext pages are called called pages in the text that follows. They are named by deposit numbers and decimal page number. The corresponding line in the deposit is identified by a numerical value, for example x / 5 is line 5 in deposit x. Teletext pages with a hexadecimal page number are called "ghost page".

ADDRESSES RELATED TO PAGES The addresses related to pages must establish their reference to the page with at least one reference that is also transmitted in one of the data packages belonging to this page.

VISIBLE AREA: x / 1 - / 23 The addresses which are transmitted in the visible area of the page do not have an identification which identifies them as addresses. Such a page is then analyzed to determine specific address identifiers. The names of the addresses are subject to family restrictions of characters that are established according to the teletext specification (European Broadcasting Union: Interim Technical Document SPB 492). Therefore, the characters @ ("in") and ~ (tilde) are not available in each established international character. Although it is possible to generate them by x / 2ß, as a rule they are replaced, specifically @ by (in) and ~ by (*). The data itself is sensitive to interference along the transmission path since they are only protected by 1 parity bit per 7 data bits.

AREA NOT VISIBLE: x / 27 to x / 31 As a rule, such additional data is protected by Hamming coding. Character codes which contain color attributes and others in the visible area can be used to complete the character set. The following ways are conceivable to optimize transmission: - direct entry of directions, if necessary with row / column addresses for display within the visible area; - reference to a table of addresses which is transmitted on a separate "ghost page" (see under "addresses related to the transmitter") and a navigation medium (mouse, pointing device, fabulator bar) points to such entry or reference , the complete address can be displayed in a superimposed window (free or anchored), or it can be emphasized that it is already displayed on the screen (as in the case of "directions related to the page"). x / 27 The functions that have the designation codes 0-7 are used to transmit links to other teletext pages. The functions can also be used in this sense to search for corresponding addresses.

The functions that have the designation codes 0-4 are used. The functions that have the designation codes 5-15 can be freely specified to point to an address or to contain one. x / 30 The functions that have the designation codes 0-3 are used in the deposit 8.

-Z31 The data service packets are used in deposits 1-3 and 8.

ADDRESSES RELATED TO THE TRANSMITTER Addresses which can be requested from each end should be transmitted and stored in separate tables on the page. Such tables are usually transmitted with hexadecimal number of pages and therefore are not directly selectable by the user.

The x / 28 data to be defined can also contain references to "ghost pages". These can be handled in the same way as the teletext presentation pages of level 2.5 (described in ETS (European Telecommunication Standard) 300 706 published by the European Telecommunications Standards Institute, F-06921 Sophia Antipolis).

Request A request in the sense of ETS 300 708 is a non-teletext service which is transmitted in accordance with the teletext transmission specification. This only - may contain addresses in a form which allows or requires that addresses be administered independently of teletext.

Separate Application Internet access can be defined as a separate application. This requires that addresses be managed independently of teletext.

Existing Application Within an electronic program guide (EPG), addresses can be named as pure text characters short or long information in relation to the individual PI (program information) (compare "visible area" differs from teletext in the generation of special characters: by x / 26 in teletext and by ESC sequences in EPG).

Extraction Algorithm The transmitted addresses, as described earlier in the "visible area" section, require a special extraction algorithm. This is able to recognize addresses, if necessary, about line breaks. In this regard, attention must be paid to various conditions. If the assumption is made that the texts which are written on a number of lines continues in the first possible column of the text line that follows, the column number in the continuation line is smaller or equal to the initial column . If the assumption is made that texts are written in various color combinations (front-bottom), the assumption must be made that a start-up paragraph continues in the same color combination. Therefore, all areas with different colors and all tile graphic areas must be ignored (mosaic color = text color).

Management Generation In addition to the method of extracting complete Internet addresses from the received data, it would also be possible to generate Internet addresses by oneself from fractions. For this purpose, the user can select a part of the text displayed by a mouse device or pointer. If the selected text is free of characters which can not be presented in an Internet address such as, for example, a space, an attempt is made to find a valid Internet address in the following way: a) by previously setting a chain which determines the type of Internet addresses such as, for example, "www.", "ftp." or "gopher." b) when appended a string which represents what is called domain name such as, for example, ".com", ".edu", ".gov" or one or several dynamic probabilities of use, or stored for the user, or both, according to the geographical position, such as, for example, ".de", ".fr", ".it" c) by arbitrary combinations of two of the measures mentioned above d) by Progressive shortening of the text by the last "/" in each case and the subsequent text.

In each case, the control unit transfers an Internet address generated in this way to the Internet browser. If an address is recognized as valid, that is, if the browser is able to obtain the Internet address without errors, the current address is entered into a list of valid Internet addresses. At this time, the browser can, for example, display the contents of the address recognized first as valid. If more than one Internet address is recognized as valid, the user is presented with a list containing these addresses for selection. If only a valid address is found, the browser requests the contents of this address. If a valid address is not found for the selected text or if the text contains characters which can not be presented in an Internet address, this text is transferred to the browser with the instruction to search the Internet for the text or to logically combine parts of the text through a search engine established as a standard. Therefore, for example, you can search Internet pages which contain each of at least one of the words of a selected text.

Navigation The navigation becomes possible as follows: addresses or address components which are read explicitly in the text (see "address generation") are visually emphasized (for example by underlining). If a navigation means (for example a mouse, a visual indication device or a cursor, if necessary by the tabulation bar) is within the scope of capturing an address, the address is marked as logically combinable. This marking can be done by changing the cursor or by inserting the address (Superimposition in a window of instantaneous appearance or in a line of special state). When confirming by means of an OK button, the selected address is provided to a browser for selection or, respectively, for disposal. In a similar way, it is possible to insert all the information contained in the page (visible, as a fragment or in the non visible area) in a menu of instantaneous appearance within which it is possible to navigate by means of the cursor keys or_by a mouse ( pointing device).

"Ok" - see before. In the text that follows, the invention will be explained with several illustrative embodiments in which reference is made to the drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a block diagram of the method according to the invention, Figure 2 shows a diagram of flow of the method according to the invention. Figure 1 shows a block diagram of the method according to the invention. The T adjuster receives the satellite, wire or terrestrial IN signal which is then sent to the DD data decoder and the FD color demodulator. The data then passes via a line or via a common link system to the MEM memory which contains data and programs. In addition, the data passes to the PR processor. The processor sends the obtained data to the image tube B by means of the graphics card GK. The picture tube can be constructed as a television set or as a monitor. The PR processor also performs a data exchange with the MD modem, and the modem is connected to an analog or digital TEL telephony network. The processor contains the selection unit and the control unit. The link unit is implemented in the MD modem. If a string which is an Internet address is subsequently displayed on the image tube B, the user can highlight this by means of the remote control unit FB.

The remote control unit FB is connected to the other units by wire or wirelessly. The address formed in this way is converted by the processor into a form such that the search can start via the modem. That is, the program which is stored in a MEM memory is called by the processor in the background, the data in the Internet address is transported to program and the program activates a modem for the search. The program is preferably a program which is also used for normal Internet use. It is also possible to perform a routine search and then run what is displayed to the user in the image tube B. That is, the user observes that the address selected by him in the teletext is transferred to the program and that a search mechanism has been initiated. As soon as the address is found, the content of the page is displayed to the user. The display is preferably also done in a way in which they build the programs for the Internet or emails. If the user has sent enough information, he can also surf the Internet, simply by changing the teletext or also completely to the television program by means of the remote control unit. makes it possible for the user to select in a simple way an Internet or email address discovered in a teletext and the result can be provided to the person directly.

If the user does not highlight the address, the system searches for the address information on the teletext page, highlights this address information and the user can leave the address to be searched by means of the remote control unit. Address search and selection is done in the same way as in the case of highlighted addresses. Figure 2 shows a flow diagram of the method according to the invention. If the user does not highlight the address by means of the remote control unit, the PR processor initiates a program to find addresses. First, the program looks for significant address components. These can be, for example, "http: //", "www.", ".com", ".de", and others. As soon as an address satisfying the start or end conditions is found, it is stored. After this, a check is made to determine if the addresses end before column 38 or if an invalid character is detected. If this is the case, the search ends and, if not, the search continues in the "continue search" subroutine. The "continue search" subroutine compares whether the color combination is the same as in the case of start addresses: If this is the case, the content of the column is assigned to the address, and if not, it is searched The next color combination is checked if it is constituted either as a column number which is greater than in the case of the start address. If the column number is greater than the start address, the search ends because the address will continue in this column, like the last one. If the column number is not greater, the subroutine is carried out again. In this way, an address is found since the address has the same color continuously, as a rule, that is, if the address starts in a column, the color is used to verify if the address ends in the column or continues in the next higher or lower column. This depends on the following criteria: if it continues in the next lower column (that is, a higher column number) if the start characters of the address are found and if it continues in the next higher column (ie a column number) minor) if it is in the end of address condition. If both address conditions are found, that is, the start and end condition, the address can be determined by taking the start condition, the end condition and information between them, or it is possible to recognize the complete address by medium of the color information, or both.

Claims (10)

1. A method for calling an Internet or e-mail address, comprising the steps of: accessing the Internet or e-mail address through an Internet browser; receive teletext data, and display received teletext data; which also comprises the following characterizing steps: selecting Internet address information or e-mail information from the teletext data displayed; and providing an Internet or email address corresponding to the Internet address or selected email information to the Internet browser.

2. The method as described in claim 1, further comprising supplying the Internet or email address from the teletext data which has been transmitted on teletext pages not selectable by the user.

3. The method as described in claim 1 or 2, further comprising analyzing the teletext data displayed for Internet address or e-mail information and highlighting the detected Internet address or e-mail information.

4. The method as described in claim 3, further comprising displaying all Internet address information or e-mail information contained in a teletext page in a pop-up menu.

5. The method as described in any of the preceding claims, further comprising generating the Internet or e-mail address from the selected fractions in the teletext data displayed.

6. The method as described in claim 5, further comprising prefixing the selected fraction with a string that determines the type of Internet address or e-mail address such as, for example, "www." and / or an appendix to the "selected fraction of a string that represents the domain name such as, for example," .com "or both.

7. The method as described in claim 5 or 6, further comprising for only a valid address found, requesting the content of this address by the browser. _

8. The method as described in any of claims 5 to 7, further comprising for more than one valid address found, displaying a list containing these addresses for selection.

9. The method as described in any of claims 5 to 8, further comprising, for an invalid address found, transferring the selected fraction to the browser and searching the Internet for the text or for logically combined parts of the text by means of a seeker.

10. An apparatus for calling an Internet or e-mail address, wherein the Internet or e-mail address is supplied to an Internet browser, characterized in that a means (T) for receiving teletext data is included in a signal ( IN) of satellite, cable or terrestrial, means (B) for displaying the received teletext data, a means (FB) for selecting the Internet address information or e-mail from the tei-text data, and a means (B) to provide an Internet or email address corresponding to the Internet address or selected email address to the Internet browser.