# How Browsers Automatically Choose Your Start Page Based on History

> An IBM patent from 1998 that describes how a web browser can automatically pick which website to load first based on your past browsing habits.

- **Patent:** US 6266060
- **Original title:** Menu management mechanism that displays menu items based on multiple heuristic factors
- **Owner:** International Business Machines Corp
- **Granted:** 2001
- **Status:** Public domain (expired)
- **Times cited:** 95
- **Field:** software, consumer_electronics

## What it does

This patent describes a method for a web browser to automatically select and display an 'initial' web page as soon as the browser finishes starting up. It uses a list of historical web page selections to determine which page should be shown first. The system uses 'ranking control' to decide this order, which can be either automatic (based on factors like frequency or recency of visits) or manual (user-defined). Essentially, it turns your browser's homepage into a dynamic list that updates itself based on where you spend your time.

## What it does NOT cover

- Does not cover general search engine result ranking algorithms.
- Does not cover browser extensions that manually set a static homepage URL.
- Does not cover the underlying network protocols used to fetch the web page.
- Does not cover tabbed browsing or session restoration features.

## The clever bit

The patent treats the browser's startup page not as a fixed setting, but as the top-ranked item in a dynamic, history-based list that the browser manages automatically.

## Real-world examples

1. Modern browser 'New Tab' pages that show frequently visited sites
2. Browser features that restore previous session tabs upon startup

## Why it matters

This patent represents an early attempt to make web browsers 'smarter' by personalizing the startup experience. It moved the browser away from a static, user-defined homepage toward a system that actively learns from user behavior, a concept now standard in modern browser 'new tab' pages.

## Frequently asked questions

### What does How Browsers Automatically Choose Your Start Page Based on History cover?

An IBM patent from 1998 that describes how a web browser can automatically pick which website to load first based on your past browsing habits.

### Who owns patent US 6266060?

International Business Machines Corp owns this patent, granted in 2001.

### When does this patent expire?

This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely.

### What is patent US 6266060 cited by?

This patent has been cited by 95 later patents that build on its ideas.

### What problem does this patent solve?

This patent represents an early attempt to make web browsers 'smarter' by personalizing the startup experience. It moved the browser away from a static, user-defined homepage toward a system that actively learns from user behavior, a concept now standard in modern browser 'new tab' pages.

### What does this patent NOT cover?

Does not cover general search engine result ranking algorithms.

**Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/6266060/windows-desktop

**Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US6266060

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_Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._