JP3362772B2 - Method and system for enabling print processing - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to information processing systems, and more specifically to enabling more efficient document processing techniques for selecting and printing documents available on a network. A method and a system to implement.

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION As computer and networked computer systems spread, information access time becomes more important. For many reasons, access times to information databases tend to increase, even with frequent equipment upgrades and technological advances. This trend is clearly seen in almost every database access, including communication links, and is especially noticeable for an increasing number of users using Internet and World Wide Web applications where a wide variety of graphics are realized.

On the Internet or the World Wide Web network, users "go" themselves.
You can specify the address of the site or target page you want. In that case, when the user inputs the selected site, the target page or the home page of the site is displayed on the user's display screen. In general, a target page or a very large text-only page with a substantial amount of graphical content will take a relatively long time to download to the user's terminal. Until the target page is displayed, many channels of the network are bound to retrieve the requested page and information and transfer it to the user's terminal. Not only is this process relatively slow for that user, but it also ties up the network to some extent, thus slowing the same process for other users of that network.

In addition, a user may
When a user wants to print a web page from a site, the user must display each web page he wishes to print, and from that page screen, usually point to and click "File" with a mouse device. , Then click Print in the submenu and
For example, you must choose to specify a printer. After printing is complete, the user typically enters another site or web page that they would like to browse and possibly print, or asks for a common subject and clicks the hyperlink presented on the current page. You can then go to the next level of reference sites that have aspects common to the current page. Also, when following the path of hyperlinks,
Users typically have to move between pages and wait for pages to be downloaded from a web server before executing another printing protocol.

If the addressed page does not present the expected or desired information, the user must specify another target address to seek access. Also, as noted above, the search process takes a relatively long period of time when the page to be searched contains a large number of colorful and complex graphic or audio files, for example. This occurs because of the large amount of data and parameters required to specify a color graphic display or audio output as compared to a text only display. When you have to print several different pages from several different sites, you need to visit different sites and download for printing from one site before you can access the next site and try the printing protocol again. There is a great deal of time lost in the calling procedure. Moreover, not only is this process unbearably slow for the user, but it also unnecessarily ties up the network channels that could have been used by other network subscribers, thus tying up the entire network. Slow down. This shortcoming in search and access protocols and web page printing becomes even more apparent when there are millions of subscribers simultaneously using the network.

In addition, HTML (hypertext markup
Printing a document is often cumbersome because it contains links to other documents. In most applications today, goal pages include links to the goal page or other pages that are at some point related to the subject of the goal page. These links are usually accepted as a group of words that describe the page to which the link is normally provided. These links are sometimes called "hyperlinks" and the context in which they are presented is called "hypertext." Hypertext is typically bold and underlined, and may also be displayed in different colors to help users find links on pages that might otherwise be filled with text. is there. The user moves the cursor device, for example the mouse device, to point to the active screen area where the hyperlink is presented in hypertext,
You can go straight to any of the landing pages displayed by simply clicking the selected input button on the device.

The linking method accelerates the search to some extent over the method of typing in a new location each time the user wants to go to a new page, but this method
It is still relatively slow, especially when it is desired to print web pages. Each time a hyperlink is selected and clicked, it will search the entire page, including all graphics and text and the required graphics-related parameter standards. In many cases, the user can decide from the title or hyperlink descriptor whether he wants to print the referenced page. For example, if the main web page is a table of contents listing the chapters in a book, the user generally does not need to print all the chapters in the book, but which chapters to print by looking at the table of contents. You will be able to judge whether. Using current technology, the user clicks on a specified chapter, downloads each chapter one at a time, one at a time, runs the print protocol for each downloaded chapter, sometimes page by page, and returns to the table of contents, Finally, I will access the next chapter and request printing.

Furthermore, existing techniques require the web page creator to create complex documents for the entire book to make it easier for the user to print the book. Some modern software products allow users to collect some documents in a'print basket 'and print them all later. However, the user still must retrieve each document from the web page and then issue the modified print command. Moreover, this process is still synchronous, wasting user time and system bandwidth.

This application shares the same assignee as this application and is included in this application by way of reference as "Skeleton Page Retrieva.
l Mode For Web Navigation ", co-pending application (AT9-96-532).

[0010]

Accordingly, an improvement that requires more efficient search and print techniques for printing network documents while requiring a reduction in network usage time and bandwidth to be achieved. What is needed is a method and network system to implement.

[0011]

A method and implementation that allows a network user to invoke a print selection mode to quickly identify and queue web pages for printing in one continuous batch. A computer system is provided. The print selection method displays a plurality of options, from which the user can select a full-text target parameter or an individual parameter for the requested print processing. In one example, the user can select from a list of only hyperlinks available on the target page for later print selection. The user prints with the selected print parameters, so the list of selected pages and hyperlink destination pages can be quickly specified to the specified level, saved, and then asynchronous to all selected pages at once. The printing process can be started.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to FIG. 1, the various methods discussed herein can be implemented in a typical computer system 101, which may include a workstation or personal computer. In general, an implementing computer system may include multiple processors in a multibus system of networks of similar systems. However, since the workstation or computer system 101 that implements the present invention in the illustrative embodiment comprises electronic components and circuits known in the art and also known to those skilled in the art, the circuit shown in FIG. To avoid obscuring and confusing the teachings of the invention, it has not been described in detail beyond what is necessary to understand and appreciate the basic concepts of the invention.

In FIG. 1, a computer system typically includes a processor circuit as the computer system 1.
01 other component devices and subsystems and a processing unit 103 provided for storage. Computer system 101 is also a monitoring device 1, both interconnected with a computer system as shown.
05, a keyboard 107 and a mouse or pointing device 109. Similarly, a connector 111 provided to connect a modem in the computer system to a communication line, for example, a telephone line in this embodiment.
It is shown. The present invention can also be implemented in a cellular system, in which case the connector 111 is unnecessary.

Some of the major components of system 101 are shown in FIG. If the processor circuit 201 is
It is connected to a system bus 203 which may be a system bus. It will be appreciated that the processing methods disclosed herein are also applicable to many different bus and / or network equipment configurations. Further, the cache storage device 205 and the system storage device are connected to the bus 203. A modem 209 is provided for providing a connection 210 to a communication line, eg a telephone line, via the connector 111 (FIG. 1). Modem 209, in this embodiment, selectively enables 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 also includes the network interface subsystem 217 and the disk drive 2
It is also connected to 19. An image subsystem 220, which may include a graphics subsystem, is connected to the display device 221. A storage device 218, which may include a hard drive, is also coupled to bus 203. The disk drive provides a means by which individual disk programs can be used to load and directly access the hard drive for selective execution by the computer system 101.
As is well known, a program disc containing an application program represented by magnetic indicia on the disc can be read from a disc drive and the computer system selectively activated to A magnetic signal can be read out and a program signal can be generated. Such a program signal selectively exerts its effect by the computer system.
Present the display on the screen of the display device and respond to user input according to the functional flow of the application program on disk.

When running an internet access program or browser program on computer system 101, the access program is typically stored in storage 218, when the system is first turned on, or Then, at the point in time that the user wants, selectively or automatically, and partially or completely,
It is loaded into the system memory 207. The browser is
As described herein, selectively operates to access the site selection program and execute it directly from a disk in disk drive 219 or directly from a copy of the site selection program stored in hard drive 218. can do. When the program is running,
System memory 207 for part or all of the program
And / or may be loaded into system cache memory 205. Depending on the specific program design, the system may be obtained by accessing a database in storage 218, cache memory 205 or system memory 207, or directly from a disk loaded in disk drive 219. Also, any information can be stored. Assuming the user has booted the system and has, for example, a browser program active from memory, a series of screens will be displayed on the display device 22.
1 is displayed to the user. Each screen typically has one or more options that the user can select when navigating the program. Generally, the user will be required to use the keyboard 213 or the mouse or pointer device 21.
Use 5 to make a selection from the display screen. In an internet-operated program, the choices made by the user determine where, ie, which site or web page the user goes, and in some cases, the communication link or route to take to go to the selected site.

FIG. 3 illustrates a typical program screen display 301 during an internet working session. Browser screens typically have several different modes that the user can select, such as "File" selection 3
08 and a mode line 303 displaying a "Bookmark" selection 304. Another line 305
Can be displayed in network applications to assist users in navigating documents, sites or pages quickly. The address or “Location” section 307 allows the user to type in and also displays the name of the internet address of the site to which they are visiting or browsing. Implement other quick access buttons on the screen to select other selected network services and / or network features, such as "What's Nes
You may allow quick access to "w" or "Net Search". In general, any of the items shown can be selected by the point-and-click method associated with the mouse device 215 and the cursor or pointer markings visible on the display screen. For example, downloading data from a remote site is
It can be stopped immediately by pointing to the (Cancel) button and clicking the specified mouse button.
Similarly, "Back" and "Forward"
You can also use the button to return to the previous screen display or advance to the next screen display.

In the example of FIG. 3, "Location", that is, U
The specification of RL (Uniform Resource Locator) is "Target
page # 3.com ”. An example web page is the table title, which lists the book titles and book chapters.
(Table of contents) ”together with the hyperlink format. Hyperlinks are usually shown in bold, underlined, and often in contrasting colors for easy recognition. Hyperlinks typically include a set of descriptive words that, when selected by the user by placing a pointer and clicking, access the page or site specified by the link. Hyperlinks launch the access program for the selected site, as opposed to plaintext on the page, which only represents text that has no functional aspects. The use of hyperlinks allows users to identify sites that they may be interested in relatively quickly, and clicks on the hyperlink to immediately access that site from the current page.
Usually, if the user wants to print one of the chapters, when the user clicks on the selected hyperlink, the screen presents the chapter text of the book and also contains additional hypertext and graphics, and possibly , And may also include image and / or audio segments for selection. So the user selects "File" mode,
You can then select the “Print” option to print the selected chapter. If the user wants to print another chapter, the user can return to the Table of Contents page, for example by clicking Back, select the chapter to print, and select the page with the associated graphics and It will wait to be retrieved with the hyperlink and then run the file / print protocol again.

However, in the illustrated example, "Print Selection
An “s (print selection)” function button 311 is added.
With this additional feature, the user points the "Print Selections" button with the cursor or pointer 313,
Click to invoke the batch selection and printing process described herein. Although this example shows access to the "Print Selections" feature from a feature line on a web page, it is understood that the access may be designed to be located at any other convenient screen or screen location. See. For example, the co-pending application “Sk” cited above
eleton PageRetrieval Mode For Web Navigatio
"n" discloses a method of creating and displaying a "framework page" of hyperlinks that are referenced from a specified web page to selectable reference depth levels. "Print
The "Selections" button can also be designed to be displayed as part of a referenced "skeleton page" for use in selecting a hyperlinked page for printing. In addition, selecting the "Print Selections" button will cause the program to disable the successful execution of the specified hyperlinks, allowing the user to select which hyperlinks to print, and click "Print Sel
During the "sections" session, the page referenced by the hyperlink is not called and is not displayed.

FIG. 4 shows an example of the print selection screen 403 displayed to the user in response to the operation of the "Print Selections" function button 311. At the top of the menu in the illustrated example is a feature selection area 405 for the user to make a first level selection regarding their print request. As shown, the user can specify the level 409 to which the program should go when assembling hyperlinks and / or web pages for printing.
The user may also choose to simply print the current page by clicking on the "PRINT CURRENT PAGE" option 411. The user is also identified by the user "PRINT DESIG
You can also select "NATED SELECTIONS" or you can click the "PRINT" ALL BUT "SELECTIONS" button 415. When the "ALL BUT" option 415 is clicked by the user, the program prints all hyperlinks on the page except the selected hyperlink. This is a useful feature when a user wants to print most of the entities on a hyperlink page and wants to remove only some.

When "PRINT CURRENT PAGE" is selected, the program goes straight to the page print function and returns to the previous page 301 shown in FIG. "PRINT TO LEVEL _" selection 409 is entered, but "Print Sel
The "sections" display remains on the screen. The user clicks "PRINT DE
SIGNATED SELECTIONS button 413 or “PRINT“ A
Selecting any of the LL BUT "SELECTIONS" buttons 415 causes the program to present a pop-up menu 417 to the user for further "Global Selections".
(Full-text target selection) ”, that is, selection applicable to all documents selected for printing is performed. "OMIT GRAPHI
The CS (graphics omitted) selection can be made so that the document selected for printing does not contain graphics that might accompany the printed page. Full-text target selection menu 41
7 can also include options for specifying that all chapters on the page be printed. Such a function can be activated, for example, by clicking "EX" before making individual selections from the
It can be started by clicking on the "ECUTE" option.

Another option is "SAVE PRINT", which automatically saves print instructions and documents to a file for future reference.
You can select “SELECTIONS”. The user selects "SAVE PRINT SEL" from menu 417.
If you select the "ECTIONS" option, another pop-up input area will appear allowing the user to specify the name of the print job file being designed. Then the user
You can go to another site, save the print file, and add future choices from other web pages. When the user is ready to identify the hyperlink to be printed, the user may select "MAKE SELECTIO" from menu 417.
Click the NS (select and execute) hypertext. After this action, the user can also point to and click on a chapter item on the list that the user wants to print,
If button 415 was preselected, then all items except the currently selected one are printed. An example of a selection device is to let you specify an area on the screen, such as a rectangle, square, circle, or polygon, and make all hyperlinks that fall within a boundary (eg, 431) a specified number of levels for each link. To print up to the depth of. Regions can be dragged with the mouse
Alternatively, it can be specified by other means. For example, the user may also point to one of the items or a selected point, such as point 427 with a pointer 419,
Drag the mouse pointer to point 429,
A series of items (eg, in box 431),
That is, a group of items or chapters can be selected for printing. Another option is to pop up a menu 421 for each item each time an item is selected, let the user determine the level of assembly for each selected item, and select the full text target graphic in menu 417 from menu 421 to the document. It is to give the opportunity to change on a per-criteria basis. Further, the sub-menu 421 may include other options that allow individual changes from full-text target selection. If the user wishes to proceed to a print job after completing the selection process, the user may select "EXECUTE PRINT SELECTIONS" in the full text subject menu 417.
Click the "Perform print selections" button and the program will merge the selections and instructions and start a continuous asynchronous printing process to print all of the selected documents in the selected format in a row. .

FIG. 5 helps explain the depth level of a document for assembling hyperlinks that appear in a hyperlink format on a web page. The referenced technology refers to a tree structure where the skeleton page or hyperlink list function navigates when assembling a skeleton page or hyperlink list. If only one level is specified for the search, the program assembles hyperlinks 509 and 511 on page 507 and hyperlinks 515 and 517 from the target page 501, which can contain two hyperlinks 503 and 505. Assemble on page 513. If "2" is specified as the hyperlink level specified by the user, the program also returns to the next level page, page 519,
Returns the hyperlinks listed at 521, 523 and 525. Hyperlinks are clearly distinguished and easily accessible from the server site for use in assembling and displaying hyperlink listings. For example, in HTML, hyperlinks are marked by the display "href" so that they can be identified from the source code listing of source code used to create a web page. This view can also be viewed from the source code list available on the server site by clicking "View" from the web page menu and then clicking "SOURCE" from the submenu. . The "href" code segment that creates a hyperlink on a web page can also be used to create a hyperlink listing that allows the user to select the page to print.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating some option selections in the disclosed network method.
When the "Print Selections" button 311 is activated (601), the print selection menu 403 is displayed (6
03). Select "PRINT CURRENT PAGE" (60
5), the program immediately goes to the print function (607).
Otherwise, "PRINT DESIGNATED SELECTIONS"
The selection of 609 or "PRINT" ALLBUT "SELECTIONS" 611 causes the program to save the selection (613) and "Glob
Proceed to the "al Selections" pop-up menu 417 (615).

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing an example of the operation sequence of the selected portion of the program. Main menu 40
When either of the print selections 413 or 415 from 3 is selected, the “Global Selections” portion 701 of the program
Starts and the "Global Selections" menu is displayed (703). From this point, the user can select one of four choices, namely "SAVE PRINT SELECTIONS" 72.
7, "MAKE SELECTIONS" 709, "EXECUTE PRINT
SELECTIONS ”733 or“ OMIT GRAPHICS (GLOBA
L) ”705 can be clicked. "SAVE PRI
When "NT SELECTIONS" 727 is activated, the selections are saved (729) and the program returns to the main menu (731). When "OMIT GRAPHICS (GLOBAL)" is selected (705), the program saves the selection (707) and the "Global Selections" menu 417.
Return to. When the "MAKE SELECTIONS" hypertext is clicked (709), it points to the listed item or chapter and each time you select by clicking, in the example,
The selections are highlighted (712) and a pop-up menu for each chapter is displayed (713) to allow the user to make selections on an item-by-item basis. In some cases, the user may have previously selected whether or not to include pop-up functionality for each item (not shown).
May be given.

In the chapter-by-chapter pop-up menu 421, the user does not want to further specify the specific characteristics of the selected chapter, eg, "Print Level_", or the user does not If the user desires to change the full-text target selection of a graphic, the user can make one selection and then immediately proceed to another selection (714). If another selection is performed (714) before the specific individual chapter parameters are selected, the program saves the predetermined default parameters (71).
5) Stop the chapter-by-chapter menu (at least when it is bound to the previously selected chapter) and return to highlighting the next selection (712). If sub-menu selection for each chapter, such as assembly level designation or omission of graphics from items to be printed, is made (7
16), those selections are saved (717), the chapter submenu is turned off (718), and the “Global Selection
It is determined whether "EXECUTE PRINT SELECTIONS" has been performed from the "s" menu (719). "EXECUTE
If "PRINT SELECTIONS" is clicked, the program gets the current document and saved documents (735), asynchronously prints the selected document with the selected parameters and instructions (737), The process ends (739). If "EXECUTE" is not clicked, the program returns to the "Global Selections" menu display (703) to await further instructions.

One of the many possible pseudocode listings that can be implemented to implement the present invention is shown below.

[0028]   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);   }   // level = 0 if only current page is to be printed   print_menu (url, level, flag) {                   // flag = true implies print all but mode                   skelton = 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_extention) 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, if the user wants to print a document from the web, it will include a link to the original web page and indicate to the user whether the content of that link needs to be printed. New forgiving screens and web pages are provided. The user can indicate it by clicking on the dialog box for each page. Allows the user to select all links on the page to print, or only selected links to print, or vice versa, including fast paths, to print everything except the selected links Good. The system automatically identifies links that contain printable material, and for listed files that contain non-printable material, for example audio files, which can be identified by various filenames and filename extensions. Programmed to not provide a dialog box. The user can also select the depth of the web page to print. For example, the user may select "Table of Contents"
You may want to print the links on the page and the links that are directly referenced back by each page. Such listings have a depth level of "1". Level "2"
Printing is a link to another level one below the user, ie a "first level" link that is referenced directly from a given page, as well as a "second level" referenced on the "first level" page. Means you want to follow the link.

To allow the user to interactively select the pages to print at each level, a "Print Selections" web page is created containing the names of all the links corresponding to the level selected by the user. The user can then, for example, mark the pages that they want to print and make other choices, such as including or omitting the graphics file associated with the selected pages. Moreover, such selections can be made on a full-text target basis or on an individual page basis.

In some cases, files that do not contain printable material may be displayed in a different manner than other entries on the base page, for example in different colors. Another option is the user has a retry function (not shown)
, And the program periodically retries to access the selected item and print it if it was not accessible the first time it was attempted. With the menus and options shown,
The user can quickly specify which pages should be printed, save such pages, and print asynchronously. Once the user, for example, issues a new print command, the system can group all previous requests and selections by their site and issue the appropriate bulk document retrieval request. By grouping a large number of requests, a persistent network connection can be maintained to avoid startup overhead delays and per page bandwidth constraints.

The method and apparatus of the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments disclosed herein. The disclosed method can be implemented in a wide range of orders, menus and screen designs to achieve the desired results presented herein. While embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described herein in detail along with some variations thereof, many other variations that incorporate the teachings of the invention can be readily constructed by those skilled in the art. Moreover, they can be included or integrated in a processor or CPU or other larger system integrated circuit or chip. The disclosed method is also embodied solely in program code stored on a disk or diskette (fixed or portable) or other storage device that can be executed to achieve the beneficial results described herein. It can also be converted. Therefore, this invention is not limited to the specific forms described herein, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover alternatives, modifications and equivalents, as may be reasonably included within the spirit and scope of the present invention. .

In summary, the following matters will be disclosed regarding the configuration of the present invention. (1) A method that enables a printing process for printing a plurality of reference items that can be selected by a user during a user network session and that are designated by indicia presented on a user screen, Displaying a selection screen containing a plurality of said indicia each arranged for the user to select for printing, saving the selections made by the user, and presenting the user with print execution options Starting a printing process in response to the user selecting the print execution option, whereby all of the reference items selected by the user are printed in the specified printing process. A method characterized by: (2) The method according to (1) above, wherein the mark includes a hyperlink to a designated web page on the network. (3) The method according to (2) above, wherein the web page is located at a plurality of sites on the network. (4) further comprising presenting a selection device to a user, which allows the user to select a level designation, said level designation representing a number of reference levels at which a plurality of said indicia are assembled. (1) The method described. (5) The method of (1) above, further comprising the step of presenting a selection device to the user, which allows the user to choose not to print the selected one of the reference items. (6) The method of (1) above, further comprising the step of presenting the selection device to the user, which allows the user to select to exclude a predetermined type of data from the reference item. (7) The method according to (6) above, wherein the predetermined type of data includes audio data regarding the reference item. (8) The method according to (6), wherein the predetermined type of data includes image data regarding the reference item. (9) The method according to (6), wherein the predetermined type of data includes graphic data regarding the reference item. (10) A storage medium including a machine-readable encoded indicium, the storage medium being selectively coupled to a reading device, the reading device being selectively connected to a processing circuit in a computer system. When coupled, the reader may be selectively activated to read the machine-readable encoded indicia and provide a program signal representative thereof, the program signal being presented on a user screen. Having the effect of enabling a continuous printing process for printing a plurality of reference items specified by a visual indicia, said visual indicia being selectable by a user during a user network session, The program signal is selectively activated to include a selection including a plurality of the visual indicia each arranged for selection by a user for printing. Displaying a screen, saving the selections made by the user, presenting print execution options to the user, and in response to the user selecting the print execution options, initiating the printing process. Steps and can be achieved,
As a result, all of the reference items selected by the user are printed in a designated print process. (11) The medium according to (10), wherein the visual mark includes a hyperlink to a designated web page on the network. (12) The medium according to (11) above, wherein the web page is located at a plurality of sites on a network. (13) The program signal further has the effect of presenting a selection device to the user, whereby the user
You can select the level designation, and the level designation is
The medium of (10) above, wherein the medium represents the number of reference levels at which the plurality of visual indicia are assembled. (14) The program signal further has the effect of presenting a selection device to the user, whereby the user
The medium according to (10) above, wherein the selected one of the reference items can be selected not to be printed. (15) The program signal further has the effect of presenting the selection device to the user, whereby the user:
The medium according to (10) above, which can be selected to exclude a predetermined type of data from the reference item. (16) The medium according to (15) above, wherein the predetermined type of data includes audio data regarding the reference item. (17) The medium according to (15), wherein the predetermined type of data includes image data regarding the reference item. (18) The medium according to (15), wherein the predetermined type of data includes graphic data regarding the reference item. (19) An information processing system including a processing device, a storage device, a display device, a printing device, and a bus connecting the processing device, the display device, the printing device and the storage device, The processing device selectively operates to be selected by the user during the user network session and to print a selection of a plurality of reference items designated by visual indicia presented on the user screen. And a plurality of said visual indicia each arranged to enable the system to selectively activate and be selected for printing by the system. A selection screen including a selection screen is displayed on the display device, the selection made by the user is stored in the storage device, and the print execution option is displayed on the display device. The print process can be initiated in response to the user selecting the print execution option, such that all of the reference items selected by the user are printed by the printing device. System characterized by. (20) A network system including a network server device, a user terminal device, and connection means provided for connecting the user terminal device to the network server device, the network server device Selectively responding to a signal from the user terminal device to download an encoded indicia from the network server device to the user terminal device, the user terminal device selectively activating, and Continuous printing for reading the coded indicia and providing a program signal representative thereof, said program signal for printing a plurality of reference items designated by visual indicia presented on a user screen. Has the effect of enabling processing, wherein the visual indicia allows the user terminal device to contact the network server device. User network that is -
Can be selected by the user during the session,
Displaying on the user terminal a selection screen comprising a plurality of the visual indicia, each of which is selectively activated by the program signal and arranged for the user to select for printing; Saving the selections made by the user, presenting print execution options to the user, and initiating the print process in response to the user selecting the print execution options. A network system capable of enabling all of the reference items selected by a user to be printed by a designated printing process.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a computer capable of implementing the present invention.
It is a figure of a system.

2 is a simplified diagram showing selected components and subsystems of the computer system shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen of a typical web page to be referenced for explaining the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a selection screen used in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a simplified diagram of a hyperlink tree structure in the Internet system.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing some optional options in the disclosed network method.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of an operation sequence in one application of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

101 computer system 103 processor 105 monitor 107 keyboard 109 mouse 111 connector 201 processor circuit 203 system bus 205 cache storage device 207 system storage device 209 modem 211 Input interface circuit 213 keyboard 215 mouse 217 Network Interface Subsystem 218 storage device 219 disk drive 220 image subsystem 221 display device

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Avisit Saha, USA 78759, Austin, Dominion Cove 4000 (56) References JP-A-8-278865 (JP, A) JP-A-9-146719 (JP , A) JP-A-9-325957 (JP, A) JP-A-11-24861 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G06F 3/12 G06F 13/00 354

Claims (16)

(57) [Claims] 1. To print a predetermined web page on a network that can be selected by a user during a user network session and that is designated by a hyperlink function based on indicia presented on the user screen. Of a plurality of marks, each of which is arranged so that a user can select to print, and a function selection area in which a printing range can be selected. The step of displaying a screen, the step of saving the selection of the mark made by the user, the step of starting the printing process in response to the selection of the print range in the function selection area, the function selection area Is a predetermined web page specified by the mark selected by the user among the plurality of marks, or the plurality of marks. Wherein the predetermined web page designated by the marks other than the marks which are the selected by the user of the mark, one of a selectable as the print range. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the web page is located at multiple sites on the network. 3. The function selection area can specify a print level indicating the number of layers of the hyperlink destination, and by specifying the print level in the function selection area, a predetermined print area selected as the print range can be specified. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the web page is printed up to the number of hierarchies of hyperlinks according to the designated print level. 4. The method further comprises presenting an option printing function to a user, wherein the option printing function can be selected to exclude a predetermined type of data from a predetermined web page selected as the print range. Including print options,
The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the predetermined type of data comprises audio data for the predetermined web page. 6. The method of claim 4, wherein the predetermined type of data comprises image data for the predetermined web page. 7. The method of claim 4, wherein the predetermined type of data comprises graphic data for the predetermined web page. 8. A storage medium containing machine-readable encoded information, comprising: (A) said storage medium being selectively coupled to a reading device, said reading device being a processing circuit within a computer system. Selectively coupled to enable the reader to selectively operate to read the machine-readable encoded information from the storage medium and provide a program signal representative of the information to the processing circuit; (B) The effect that the program signal in the computer system enables a continuous printing process for printing a predetermined web page on the network designated by the hyperlink function based on the mark presented on the user screen. And said indicia can be selected by the user during a user network session, (C) said The program signal is selectively activated to include (a) a plurality of the marks, each of which is arranged so that a user can select to print, and a function selection area in which a printing range can be selected. Displaying a selection screen; (b) storing the selection of the mark made by the user; (c) starting the printing process in response to the selection of the printing range in the function selection area; And (D) the function selection area is a predetermined web page designated by a mark selected by the user among the plurality of marks or a plurality of marks of the plurality of marks. One of the predetermined web pages designated by a mark other than the mark selected by the user can be selected as the print range. Storage medium. 9. The storage medium according to claim 8, wherein the web page is located at a plurality of sites on the network. 10. The function selection area can specify a print level indicating the number of layers of the hyperlink destination, and by specifying the print level in the function selection area, a predetermined area selected as the print range can be specified. 10. The storage medium according to claim 8, wherein the web page is printed up to the number of layers of the hyperlink destination according to the designated print level. 11. The program signal further has the effect of presenting an optional print function to the user, the optional print function excluding data of a predetermined type from a predetermined web page selected as the print range. Including print options that you can choose to
The storage medium according to claim 8, wherein the storage medium is a storage medium. 12. The storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the predetermined type of data includes audio data regarding the predetermined web page. 13. The storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the predetermined type of data includes image data regarding the predetermined web page. 14. The storage medium according to claim 11, wherein the predetermined type of data includes graphic data regarding the predetermined web page. 15. An information processing system comprising: (A) a processing device, a storage device, a display device, a printing device, and a bus connecting the processing device, the display device, the printing device and the storage device. (B) the processing device selectively operates to read a program from the storage device and may be selected by a user during a user network session and presented on a user screen of the display device. A program for enabling the printing of a selected one of the predetermined web pages on the network specified by the hyperlink function based on the mark (C) selected by the information processing system. Of a plurality of said marks, each arranged in such a way that the user can select to print, and a printing range A selection screen including a function selection area that enables the user to save the selection of the mark made by the user in the storage device so that the user can select a print range in the function selection area. In response, the printing process can be started, wherein the function selection area is a predetermined web page designated by the mark selected by the user among the plurality of marks, or the one of the plurality of marks. Any one of predetermined web pages designated by marks other than the mark selected by the user can be selected as the print range, and all of the web pages selected by the user as the print range are printed by the printing device. An information processing system characterized by being performed. 16. A network system comprising: (A) a network server device, a user terminal device, and connection means provided for connecting the user terminal device to the network server device. (B) the network server device selectively responds to a signal from the user terminal device to download a program signal from the network server device to the user terminal device, and the user terminal device selectively operates. And reading the program signal, (C) a predetermined web page on the network specified by the hyperlink function based on an indicia presented on the user screen connected to the network system, For printing by a printing device connected to the network system Has the effect of enabling a subsequent printing process, the indicia being selectable by a user during a user network session, (D) the network system being selectively activated based on the program signal Then, (a) a selection screen including a plurality of the marks, each of which is arranged so that the user can select for printing, and a function selection area in which the printing range can be selected, on the user screen. A step of displaying, (b) a step of storing the selection of the mark made by the user in the user terminal device, and (c) a printing process in the printing device according to the selection of the printing range in the function selection area And (E) the function selection area is included in the plurality of indicia. A predetermined web page designated by the mark selected by the user, or a predetermined web page designated by a mark other than the mark selected by the user among the plurality of marks is printed. A network system characterized by being selectable as.