Deferred internet page display reformatting
View Patent ↗The invention relates to the generation of user selected pages from an internet site and the delay in the reformatting of the same following a user selection of a new data event i.e. the selection of a new page which is to be displayed. In accordance with the invention, upon a user selection, reformatting of the page is delayed either for a predesignated time interval from the previous page reformatting or until all or a predefined amount of the data for the new page has been received. This allows the processor to be controlled hence preventing delays and/or errors in navigational functions and also can reduce the generation of “flicker” on the on-screen display.
1. An internet web browsing method, said method comprising the steps of:
identifying and receiving data for a web page in response to instructions from a user;
processing said received data by a browser to generate a web page connected thereto;
displaying at least part of said web page corresponding to a first portion of data;
preventing the browser from reformatting the web page while the browser receives further data;
wherein when a predetermined event occurs in the reception of data that would conventionally cause an immediate reformat of the web page, the highest y-coordinate point or level in the displayed page that would be affected by the reformat is noted and commences a time interval;
reformatting said selected web page by the browser after said web page is selected and while further data is being received by the browser, only after:
either a predetermined amount of data has been received by the browser,
or after a predetermined time has elapsed since a previous reformat of that web page if said predetermined amount of data is not received within said predetermined time,
wherein a reformatting of the page display can occur during the time interval if all or a predefined proportion of data for the page is received during the time interval;
said predetermined amount of data and predetermined time being specified prior to obtaining data for that web page such that the number of reformats required in displaying the web page as data is received is reduced; and
displaying the reformatted web page.
2. An internet web browsing method according to claim 1 wherein sufficient data is deemed to have been received when data which would allow changes to the web page to be achieved up to the previously noted highest y-coordinate point or level has been received.
3. A broadcast data receiver including a web browser which is configured to perform the method of claim 1 .
4. An internet browsing method, said method comprising the steps of:
identifying and receiving data for a web page in response to instructions from a user;
processing said received data by a browser to generate a web page;
displaying at least a part of said web page corresponding to a first portion of data;
determining and noting a highest y-coordinate point or level in the displayed portion of the web page and commencing a timer;
storing any further data received during a time interval of the time and preventing the browser from reformatting the web page while the browser receives said further data;
reformatting said selected web page from the top of said highest y-coordinate point only after a predetermined amount of data has been received by the browser or after the predetermined time interval has elapsed since a previous reformat of that web page;
said predetermined amount of data and predetermined time being specified prior to obtaining data for that web page such that the number of reformats required in displaying the web page as data is received is reduced; and
displaying the reformatted web page.
5. An internet web browsing method, said method comprising the steps of:
identifying and receiving data for a web page in response to instructions from a user;
processing said received data by a browser to generate a web page;
displaying at least a first portion of said received data for said web page;
determining and noting a highest y-coordinate point or level in the displayed portion of the web page and commencing a timer with a predetermined time interval;
storing any further data received during the predetermined time interval and preventing the browser from reformatting the web page while the browser receives said further data;
overriding the timer and allowing the web page to be reformatted if a predetermined amount of data has been received;
if the timer having the predetermined time interval continues, then said selected web page is reformatted from the top of said highest y-coordinate point only after the predetermined time interval has elapsed since a previous reformat of that web page;
displaying the reformatted web page; and
wherein said predetermined amount of data and said predetermined time are specified prior to obtaining data for that web page such that the number of reformats required in displaying the web page is reduced.