Sun Microsystems, Inc.

Eric D Bergman

Michael C Albers

Kuldipsingh A Pabla

Venkatesh Narayanan

Yu-Tung Kan

A system for presenting hypermedia link information. A computer-implemented method for presenting hypermedia link information is described which relates to the user the characteristics of a data file pointed to by the hypermedia link. The computer system waits for an event to occur. This event is the user or system selecting one or more hypermedia links. The hypermedia link in this scenario points to a data file about which information is to be gathered. The computer system then requests information about the data file. In one embodiment, a cue is generated to communicate information about said data file to a user. This information may be conveyed to the user by auditory or visual means, such as a pop-up information box on the user's display. A powerful and convenient system for browsing hypermedia information is thus provided.

Presentation of link information as an aid to hypermedia navigation

The invention is a method and apparatus for navigating displayed screen elements. In accordance an embodiment of the invention, the method comprises the steps of generating a reference anchor, accepting a navigation input from a user, and determining a next displayed element to be selected based on the user-entered navigation input and the positions of the displayed elements to the reference anchor.

Method and apparatus for navigating displayed elements

A system for presenting hypermedia link information. A computer-implemented method for presenting hypermedia link information is described which relates to the user the characteristics of a data file pointed to by the hypermedia link. The computer system waits for an event to occur. This event is the user or system selecting one or more hypermedia links. The hypermedia link in this scenario points to a data file about which information is to be gathered. The computer system then requests information about the data file. Finally, an auditory cue is generated to communicate information about said data file to a user. Alternatively, this information may be conveyed to the user by visual means, such as a pop-up information box on the user's display. A powerful and convenient system for browsing hypermedia information is thus provided.

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Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Eric D Bergman