초록 ▼

A host node is provided with an I/O port and a display monitor. The I/O port transmits packets to a specific one of the remotely accessible server nodes containing a request for information. In response, the I/O port receives packets containing requested information, entries describing other topics

A host node is provided with an I/O port and a display monitor. The I/O port transmits packets to a specific one of the remotely accessible server nodes containing a request for information. In response, the I/O port receives packets containing requested information, entries describing other topics of information that can be provided from the specific server node and entries describing other server nodes. The display monitor has a view area on which images are displayed. The display monitor displays a hierarchically organized table. The table includes the entries describing remotely accessible server nodes and the entries describing topics of information that can be retrieved from the remotely accessible server nodes. The entries are hierarchically organized so as to indicate a hierarchical organization of the entries as provided for retrieval from the remotely accessible server nodes which hierarchical order of retrieval is independent of a specific order of retrieval by the host node.

대표청구항 ▼

[ The invention claimed is:] [1.] A host node in an Internet or wide area communications network that can communicate packets with one or more remotely accessible server nodes via a backbone network, said host node comprising:an I/O port coupled to said host node which transmits, via said backbone n

[ The invention claimed is:] [1.] A host node in an Internet or wide area communications network that can communicate packets with one or more remotely accessible server nodes via a backbone network, said host node comprising:an I/O port coupled to said host node which transmits, via said backbone network, request packets to specific ones of said remotely accessible server nodes containing a plurality of requests for information, and which receives in response to each request of said request packets, via said backbone network, from said respective specific ones of said remotely accessible server nodes, response packets containing said requested information, entries describing other topics of information that can be retrieved from said specific server nodes and entries describing other server nodes,a processor coupled to said I/O port for receiving said entries and for generating a hierarchically organized table including said entries, said hierarchically organized table including said entries received in response to each of said requests describing remotely accessible server nodes and said entries received in response to each of said requests describing topics of information that can be retrieved from said remotely accessible server nodes,a memory coupled to said processor for storing said hierarchically organized table generated by said processor, anda display monitor coupled to a said memory for selectively displaying said requested information received in response to a most recently issued request or said hierarchically organized table stored in said memory including each of said entries received in response to each of said requests hierarchically organized so as to indicate a hierarchical organization of said entries as provided for retrieval at said remotely accessible server nodes, said hierarchical organization of said displayed table of entries being independent of a specific order of issuance of said requests or receipt of requested information in response to said requests.