Hyperlinks are the basic building blocks of the web. Almost any web page contains hyperlinks, and with the browser’s help the users can navigate the web by clicking on a link.

Most users use their mouse to find and click the hyperlinks, but most browsers also allowing users to use their keyboard to navigate the hyperlinks.

Pressing the TAB key on a web page jumps from one link to the next, and pressing the Enter key will trigger a hyperlink action which then takes the user to another page. This functionality is built in many browsers and used by many people.

In May 12, 2004 Microsoft filed for a patent (20040210830) called “Discoverability and navigation of hyperlinks via tabs” which does exactly that.

The patent abstract say “A user may discover and navigate among hyperlinks through the use of a keyboard. For example, a user may press a tab key to discover and navigate to a first hyperlink that is part of a hypertext document. The first hyperlink is, in response, given focus and a focus shape is drawn around the text or graphics for the hot region of the hyperlink. If the user again presses the tab key, the next hyperlink is given focus and a focus shape (i.e., an outline that surrounds the next hyperlink) is drawn around the next hyperlink. A user may also tab to a placeholder for an image in order to make a decision whether the image should be downloaded or not.”

If Microsoft gets this patent they can potentially ask all browsers manufacturers to pay license fees for this navigation feature, which is being widely used by almost all major browsers.