GB2362550A - Displaying of web-pages on a small screen - Google Patents

Abstract

A web-site navigator (web-browser) is described which permits the information (i.e. format) of web-pages to be modified, thereby permitting them to be downloaded onto small screens. This is of particular use in internet phones, GSM network phones and WAP phones.

Description

2362550 Communication device for a computer network, provided with a

navigator and a rudimentary screen With the present development of computer networks, and particularly of the internet. many communication devices. such as mobile telephones, now have a computer navigator making a possible to collect and display pages from sites on the computer network.

A mobile telephone, to take up that example, has a rudimentary display screen which has only a few lines Ibr display. It is therefore difficult to display pages collected from the network, which are generally rich in infbmn, on such sns.

To get round that disadvantage, the riavigator of a rnobile telephone is sirnplified and adapted to reduce the richness of the inforination to be displayed.

But such a solution does not prove entirely satisfactory.

The present invention proposes to further improve " quality of display of the navigation infbnnaUon upon a small size scremen.

To this end. " invention concerns a communication device of a computer network, comprising a computer navigator, a display screen and input means. the navigator being intended to control the display of information on the screen, charactedsed by the fact that it comprises means of modification organ to Ify the information whose display is controlled by the navigator.

The manufacturers of communication devices with a rudimentary screen are now trying to increase the size of screens on devices. without detrimentally increasing the size of these de.

1 The present invention an the other hand makes it possible to modify the information to be displayed, so that the maximum information can be displayed on the screen. For this reason, M is no longer necessary to modify the devices structurally.

To advantage. the means of modification comprise parameterAefining means, making it possible to define at least one display parameter and means of controlling the display.

In a pardcular embodiment of the invention, the means controlling the display are organised to control the navigator.

In that case and to advantage. the navigator is organised so that in the event of a change in the display parameter. it controls a new display of the infbrmation which is in the process of being displayed.

In another embodiment of the inventibn. the means for controlling the display are organised to be controlled by the navigator.

In that case and to advantage. the means controlling the display are organised to modify the information whose display is controlled by the navigator.

The means contmiling the display may be organ to replace upper case by lower case.

In this way, the space occupied by the information to be displayed is reduced.

Since the infbrmafton to be displayed comprises a succession of information elements, the means controding the display may be organised to define the respective lengthis of the spaces between the successive infbrmn elements, for each line of display of the screen.

2 In this way, the legibility'of the displayed information and the display quality are improved.

For preference. means of filtering are provided, W the purpose of nisirwj a parameter command from amohgst the data entered.

The means of filtering make it possible to discern, from amongst the entered data, thow elements which correspond to parameter-defining commands and those which conrespond to navigation information. The navigation information is transmitted back to the navigator. whilst the parameter-defining commands are intercepted by the means of recognition and make it possible to activate dhe parameter-defining means and thus to command the change of a display parameter.

Again Ibr preference, the means of controlling the display. the parameterdefining mean.% and the filtering means are mdernal to the navigator.

As a mwK a standard commercial navigator can be used and can be easily replaced by another navkr, for instance a rnore advanced one.

The invention will be be understood with the aid of the fbilovwing description of a particular eiment of the device of the invention with reference to the appended drawing in which; - figure 1 represents a functional block diagram of the device of the invention. according to the particular embodiment - figure 2 represents a diagram of a display screen for the device in figure 1 and its useful display area, in normal display mode, and - figure 3 represents a diagram of a display screen and its useful display area, in full screen dispiay mode.

3 The device represented in figure 1 is a mobile telephone of a cellular network, in this case GSM, having access to a computer network, in this instance the Internet supplied by an access provider.

For reasons of clarity, only the parts necessary to the understanding of the invention will now be described.

The telephone has an'inputhng keypad 1, a display screen 2. an Internet connection module and a simplMW Internet navigator 3. or WAJP'" navigator.

The display screen 2 comprises a reduced number of display lines.

The Intemet connection module, not shown, allows the telephone to be connected to the Irdemet by a telephone connection. through the GSM network, to its access provider.

The Internel: navigator allows the telene, connected to the Internet, to gather pages of information from mt sacs. hosted by Internet servers. and to display them pages on 2w screen 2. Since the information.to be displayed comprises a multiplicity of information elements, for example a text contairing words and elements of punchMion, the navigator 3 is organised to determine the distribution of these tqemnts on the diftrent display lines of the screen 2, according to the various display parameters, and to control their display on the screen 2.

The telephone also comprises various display parameter-defining modules 41-46, a filtering module 5, placed between the keypad I and the navigator 3, and a display control module 6, placed between the navigator 3 and the screen 2. These modul6s for pararnetei%.definkion 41-45, filtering 6 and display-control 6 are intended tc) modify the infiamiation whose display is controlled by the navigator 3, as will be made clear in the description of the operation of the telephone.

4 The parameter-defining modules 41-45 make R possible to define various information display parameters whose display is controlled by the navigator 3. These display parameters define the manner in which the information from the navigator 3. is displayed.

Module 41 makes R possible to define the size of the displayed elements of infonnation, such as the tod characters (letters elements of punctuation).

Module 42 makes it possible to select either normal display mode or full screen display mode. In normal display mode (figure 2). the screen 2 comprises an upper zone containing information icons and a lower zone containing command buttons, each extending over a line of the screen 2. In the full screen display mode (figure 3), the sn 2 has neither an upper icon line nor a lower command button line.

Module 43 makes It possible for the navigator 2 to centre the displayed information on an element of information, predefined by the user, such that this element contained in the information displayed on the screen 2, appears appro)dmately in the middle of the screen 2. This element may be for example a word or a group of "rds, previously entered by the user, as vAll be explained later. Module 43 is In particular intended to simulate commands for scrolling information on the screen 2 and to transmit these commands to the navigator 3, via the filtering module S.

Where the kiformation to be displayed contains a succession of information elements, such as a text containing words and elements of punctn, module 44 is designed to control the display control module 6 so that it justifies the successive information elements to be displayed, that is to define the respective lengths of the sp be successive elements of information, for each line of the display screen 2, according to a justtfication algorithm. This algorithm is such that the spaces between successive words are relatively regular.

Module 46 is designed to control the display control module 6 so that R replaces upper case charactem wRh lower case, The display parameters constituted by the inforrnation size, the display mode and the centring of information upon an information element, may be modified by the user by means of the inputting key pad 1. On the other hand, in the particular example of the description, the function for justifying successive elements of information and the fon of reptaidng upper case with lower case are activated automatically, and the user is not able to modify them.

The filtering module 5 is designed to analyse data entered from the keypad 1 in order to recognise parameter commands fFom arnongst this data. In the event of a parameter command being recognised, the module 5 intercepts that command and activates the corresponding parameter- defining module. if not, the data entered is transmitted back to the navigator 3.

The display control module 6 is designed to control and manage the display of information on the screen 2. The module 6 is in Particular organised to process and W information whose display is controlled by the navigator 3. in acciordance-with certain display parameters. and to inform the navigator 3 of a change of display parameter and thus to command R so that it modifies the infiormation to be displayed, as Will be explained later.

The parameter-defining modules 41.45, the filtering ule 5 and the display control module 6 are software modules, external to the navigator 3. For this reason, it is easy to change the navigator 3. The filtering rnodule 5 and the display control module 6 are each connected to the navigator 3 Via a programming interface 7, 8. The parameter-defining modules 41-45 are connected to the filtering modul6 5 and the display control module 6.

6 The operation of the telephone will now be desedbed.

In the particular example of the description, the information to be displayed comprises text, containing words and elements of punctuation.

In operation, the navigator 3 determines the content of the irdormaticm to be displayed and the dWbution of that infiDnnation on the different display fines 'of the screen 2, according to the current display parameters, and commands the display control module 6 to display this intiormation.

To modify the size of the Inkmnation elements or to select a display mode, the user presses a predefined key combination on the keypad I. The fiftering module 6 recognises that the activated key combination corresponds to a parameter-Mning command and sends that cornrnand to the conespanding parameter-defining module. The parameter-de-fining module infiorms the display control rinodule 6 of the change in display parameter. The control module 6 then supplies the navigator 3 With the display parameter change instruction. Upon receipt of this instruction, the navigator 3 modifies the content of the information to be displayed as appropriate and determines the new distribution of this intbrmation, that is of the words and elements of punctuation of the text, on the diflerent display lines of the screen, according to the new display parameter. and commands a new infamotion display to Yetresh"the screen 2.

Thus, to select full screen mode, when the current display mode is normal, the user inputs a display mode selection command, by pressing a predefined key combination on the keypad 1. The fiftering module 5 recognises the full screen display mode selection command and sends it to the display mode selection module 42, thus actirAng full screen mode. Module 42 in1brms the navigator 3 of the display mode change, via the display commarid unit 6. Upon receipt of this infiormation, the navigator 3 modifies the content of the information to be displayed, the full screen display 7 mode malting it possible to display more information, and determines the distribution of this information on the screen 2, by taking the new parameter, that is full screen display mod6, into account The same process is followed for changing from full screen display mode to normal display mode.

To reduce Vie size of the displayed inforrnation elements, the user inputs a command for reducing size, together with the desired reduction factor, by pressing a predefined key combination on the keypad 1. As indicated above, the fiftering module 5 intercepts this command, sends it to module 41, thus activating the information size reducti1on function. Module 41 then transmits the instruction to reduce the stze of the information to the navigator 3, via the display control module 6. Upon receipt of this instruction, the navigator 3 reduces the size of the infionnation to be displayed, modifies the content of the information to be displayed (the size reduction making it possible to display more information) and determines the new distribution of this lnfbrmation on the screen 2, taNng into account the now information size. To increase the information size, a similar prxx;ess is followed.

It is stressed at this point in the event of changing the size of the information to be displayed or the display mode, the display control module 6 commands the 'navigator 3 to modify the information to be displayed. by sending to it the change of display parameter instruction.

To centre the inforrnn displayed on a particular element of information, flor example a word, the user enters a search command by pressing a predefined key combination on the keypad 1. The filtering module 5 recognises the command and sends h to the centring module 43. Commanded by module 43, the telephone invites the user to enter the word sought, by displaying a corresponding message on the screen 2. The user enters the word sought. The latter is intercepted by the fiftering module 5 which sends it to the centring module 43. Module 43 then searches for the entered word in the information, the display of which. controlled by the display control module 6, is in progress or planned. if this information contains the 8 word sought, the centring module 43 transmits, to the filtering module 5 a series of events simulating a combination of presses on a key of the keypad 1, constituting commands Ibr scrolling infbnnation on the display screen 2 in such a way as to centre the displayed information upon the word sought. The filtering module 5 transmits theise scrolling commands back to the navigator 3 which, by rneans of the display control unit 6, commands the scrolling of information on the sn 2 until this information is centred upon the word sought. If the information for which the display is in progress or planned does not contain the word sought the parameter- definhg module 43 infiarms, the user by means of a message displayed on the screen 2.

In this case. it Ls the filtering module 5 which commands the navigatcw 3 to modify the information to 0 displayed.

In operation, the navigator 3 controls the display of infiormation at the display control unit 6. The latter justifies the information elements to be displayed. modifying the wiM of the spaces between the successive ents, and ces upper case chara with lower case. in coopefation with the parmneter-defining modules 44 and 45. Since the replacement of upper case by lower case may necessitate a new distribution of the information to be displayed, the display control module 6 procezses and modifies the information to be displayed as appropriate and distributes it again on the scrten 2.

It is stressed that in this case, it is the navigator 3 whith commands the display control module 6.

In the particular example of the foregoing description, the functions of text justification and replacement of upper case by lower case are activated automatically, and ft user is not able to modify them. It could of course be arranged so that the user could modify these display parameters, or eliminate justification and replacement of upper case by lower case, by means of the data input keypad 1.

9 Of course, the device could not comprise certain of the parameterdefining modules which have just been described and/or other parameterdefining modules.

The invention could likewise apply to any other communication device which has a screen and a computer navigator.

Claims (1)

1 - Communication device of a computer network, comprising a computer navigator, a display screen and input means. the navigator being intended th control the display of information on the screen., chaerised by the tiact: that it comprises means of modification origanised to modify dw m whose display is controlled by the navigator 2- Device in accordance with claim 1. in which the means of modilication comprise pararneter-defining means maWM it possible to define at least one display parameter and means of controlling the disOay.

3- Device in accordance with claim 2, in wNch the means of controlling the display are organised to control the navigator - 4- Device in accordance with claim 3. in whkh'the navigator is organised so that, in the ovet of a change in the display parameter, it controls a new display of the irftrnnation.

5- Device in accordance with cither of claims 3 and 4, in which. since the infonnation to be d cornpv: a rnultiplicity of information elements, the navigator is organ to determine the dbuCion of these elements on the dnt display lines of the screen according to the display parameter.

6- Device in accordance whh any of claims 2 to 5, in which the means for controlling the disMay are organised to be controlled by the navigator..

7- Device in accordance with claim 6, in which the display control rneans. are organised to tfy the information whose display is controlled by the navigator, 11 8- Device in accordance widh claim 7, in which, since the information to be displayed comprises a succession of information elements, the display control means. are organised to define the respective lengths of the sp between the successive character elements W each display line of the screen g- Device in accordance with either of claims 6 or 7. in which the display control means are organised to repLa upper case characters with lower case.

- Device in accordance with any of claims 1 to 9. in which filtering means are provided for the puq of nising a parameter-defining command, from amongst the data entered.

11- Device in accordance with claim 10. in which the filtering module controls the neWigaW so "t it rmd i. vfbv w v ation to be displayed.

12 - Device in accordance with cWtm 11, in which " parameterdefining means are intended to simulate commands for smiling information on the display sn and to transmit it to the navigator via the filtering module.

13 - Device in accordance with any of claims 2 to 12, in which the display control means, the parameter-defining means and the filtering means are external to the navigator.

14 - Device in accordance with any of claims 2 to 13, in which the parameter-defining means make R possible to define at least one of the display Parameters from the group comprising character font display mode, centring of information on a predefined information element, justification of infortnation and the replacement of upper case by lower case.

12 - A communications device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

13 1 LA..

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. Communication device of a computer network, comprising a computer navigator, a display screen and input means, the navigator being intended to control the display of information on the screen, characterized by the fact that it comprises parameter-defining means making it possible to define at least one of the display parameters from the group comprising character font, display mode, centring of information on a predefined information element, justification of information and the replacement of upper case by lower case and means of controlling the display, said means being organised to modify the information whose display is controlled by the navigator.

2. Device in accordance with claim 1, in which the means of controlling the display are organised to control the navigator.

1 1 3. Device in accordance with claim 2, in which the navigator is organised so that, in the event of a change in the display parameter, it controls a new display of the information.

4. Device in accordance with either of claims 2 and 3, in which, since the information to be displayed comprises a multiplicity of information elements, the navigator is organised to determine the distribution of these elements on the different display lines of the screen, according to the display parameter.

5. Device in accordance with any of claims 2 to 4, in which the means for controlling the display are organised to be controlled by the navigator.

(45 6. Device in accordance with claim 5, in which the display control means are organised to modify the information whose display is controlled by the navigator.

7. Device in accordance with claim 6, in which, since the information to be displayed comprises a succession of information elements, the display control means are organised to define the respective lengths of the spaces between the successive character elements for each display line of the screen.

8. Device in accordance with either of claims 6 or 7, in which the display control means are organised to replace upper cdse characters with lower case.

9. Device in accordance with any of claims 1, to 8, in which filtering means are provided for the purpose of recognising a parameter-defining command, from amongst the data entered.

10. Device in accordance with claim 9, in which the filtering module controls the navigator so that it modifies the information to be displayed.

11. Device in accordance with claim 10, in which the parameter-defining means are intended to simulate commands for scrolling information on the display screen and to transmit it to the navigator via the filtering module.

12. Device in accordance with any of claims 2 to 11, in which the display control means, the p arameter- defining means and the filtering means are ekternal to the navi ator.

1 is 6. Device in accordance with claim 5, in which the display control means are organised to modify the information whose display is controlled by the navigator.

7. Device in accordance with claim 6, in which, since the information to be displayed comprises a succession of information elements, the display control means are organised to define the respective lengths of the spaces between the successive character elements for each display line of the screen.

8. Device in accordance with either of claims 6 or 7, in which the display control means are organised to replace upper case characters with lower case.

9. Device in accordance with any of claims 1 to 8, in which filtering means are provided for the purpose of recognising a parameter-defining command, from amongst the data entered.

10. Device in accordance with claim 9, in which the filtering module controls the navigator so that it modifies the information to be displayed.

11. Device in accordance with claim 10, in which the parameter-defining means are intended to simulate commands for scrolling information on the display screen and to transmit it to the navigator via the filtering module.

12. Device in accordance with any of claims 2 to 11, in which the display control means, the parameter- defining means and the filtering means are external to the navigator, --- ---