US 5742768

Summary of U.S. Patent 5,742,768

Title: System and method for providing and displaying a web page having an embedded menu

Assignee: The original assignee was Silicon Graphics Inc. The patent was later assigned to Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC.

Inventors:

• Giuseppe Gennaro
• Jake McGowan
• Anne P. Wagner
• Kinney Wong
• Benjamin A. Zamora

Filing Date: July 16, 1996

Issue Date: April 21, 1998

Abstract: A method for providing a web page (26) having an embedded menu (46) to a web browser (24) and for displaying the web page (40) to a user of the web browser (24) are provided. A request for a web page (20) is received from a web browser (24). In response to the request, a web page (26) and an applet (28) associated with the web page (20) are packaged for transmission to the web browser (24). The web page (26) and the applet (28) are then transmitted to and downloaded by the web browser (24). When the web page (26) is displayed and the applet (28) is executed by the web browser (24), the applet (28) creates and manages an embedded menu (46) in the displayed web page (40) under control of the applet (28). This embedded menu (46) provides a user of the web browser (24) with a plurality of links (48) through one action in the displayed web page (40).

Independent Claims Overview

This patent contains three independent claims:

• Claim 1: Describes a method for a web server to provide a web page with an embedded menu. The process involves receiving a request for a web page from a web browser, packaging the web page with an associated applet, and sending both to the browser. The key aspect is that the applet, when run by the browser, creates and manages a menu directly within the web page. This embedded menu allows a user to access multiple hyperlinks through a single action, such as a mouse-over or click.

• Claim 9: This claim focuses on the client-side (the user's web browser) of the process. It outlines a method for the web browser to display a web page with an embedded menu. The browser downloads the web page and the accompanying applet from the server. Upon displaying the page, the browser executes the applet, which then generates and manages the embedded menu. This menu offers the user several links from a single interaction within the displayed page.

• Claim 16: This claim details the host system (the web server) that provides the web page with the embedded menu. It specifies a system comprising a data storage device for the web page and applet, a memory for the web server software, and a processor to execute the server software. The server is configured to receive a request for the web page, package the page and the applet, and transmit them to the requesting web browser. The applet is designed to create and manage the embedded menu on the user's displayed web page, providing multiple links from one user action.

Litigation Search

A search of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit (CAFC) 2026 dockets did not reveal any pending litigation specifically for US patent 5,742,768 within the available information. However, this does not conclusively rule out the possibility of past or ongoing litigation that may not be reflected in the 2026 dockets. The provided information also notes that this patent family has a history of litigation, with a case filed in the Washington Western District Court.