Resolution independent vector display of internet content

• US 20020091738A1
• Filed: 06/08/2001
• Published: 07/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SoftView LLC
• Original Assignee: Mr. Gary Bruce Rohrabaugh
• Inventors: Rohrabaugh, Gary B., Sherman, Scott A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,210,099 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/249
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/95 Retrieval from the web
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/986 Document structures and storage, e.g. HTML extensions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/1048 Scalability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/103 Formatting, i.e. changing of presentation of documents automatic justification G06F40/189; automatic line break hyphenation G06F40/191
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/134 Hyperlinking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0492 Change of orientation of the displayed image, e.g. upside-down, mirrored
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/24 Generation of individual character patterns
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 : specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 : Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561

Abstract

Apparatus and methods are provided for creating resolution-independent vector display of Internet content to allow it to be scaled (zoomed) larger and smaller for better viewing or to fit any resolution or screen size. According to one embodiment, novel server processing of Web content is provided that converts Web content requested by a client to a scalable vector format, such as Simple Vector Format. The vector format enables the Web content to be rendered by the client such that the rendered display substantially retains an original page layout defined in mark-up language document(s) in which the Web content is stored. In one embodiment, a proxy server receives Web content requests from a client and translates the content from an original format into a scalable vector representation. The scalable vector representation is then sent to client, where it is scaled and/or offset, enabling users to zoom and/or pan the Web content.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

retrieving Web content having an original format defining an original page layout and attributes of the Web content from an Internet site in response to a request of the Web content from a client; and

translating the Web content from its original format into a scalable vector representation of the Web content, wherein the scalable vector representation of the Web content provides a scalable resolution-independent display of the content that substantially retains the original page layout and attributes of the content defined by its original format when rendered.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the Web content comprises a Web page that is stored on the Internet site in one or more markup language documents that include markup language code defining the original page layout and attributes of the Web page.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the Web content is translated from its original format into the scalable vector representation on the client.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the content is translated from it original format into the scalable vector representation on a computing device that is remote from the client, further comprising sending the scalable vector representation of the Web content to the client.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the computing device that is remote from the client is operated by the Internet site that receives a request for the Web content from the client via the Internet, retrieves the Web content in its original format and translates it into the scalable vector representation of the Web content, and returns the scalable vector representation of the Web content via the Internet to the client.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the computing device that is remote from the client comprises a proxy server that receives the request of the Web content from the client via the Internet, retrieves the Web content in its original format from the Internet site, translates the content from its original format into the scalable vector representation of the Web content, and sends the scalable vector representation of the Web content back to the client via the Internet.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the proxy server appears transparent to the client.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the client comprises one of a wireless Internet device, a cellular phone, a handheld computer, a desktop computer or workstation, a laptop computer, an electronic billboard, or a device having a display with an unconventional aspect ratio.

9. A method comprising:

enabling a client to request Web content comprising a Web page that is stored on an Internet site in an original format that include markup language code defining an original page layout and attributes of objects included in the Web page,

routing the request through a proxy server that retrieves the Web content in its original format from the Internet site and translates it into a scalable vector representation of the Web content, wherein the scalable vector representation of the Web content provides a scalable resolution-independent display of the content that substantially retains the original page layout and attributes of the Web page'"'"'s objects defined by the original format of the Web page when rendered; and

sending the scalable vector representation of the Web content from the proxy server back to the client.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the client enables a user to request the Web page in a conventional manner by entering a URL (uniform resource locator) for the Web page via a browser hosted by the client, and a software component running on the client intercepts the request for the Web page and routes the request to the proxy server rather than an Internet site corresponding to the URL such that the proxy server appears transparent to the client.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein translating the Web content from its original format into the scalable vector representation of the Web content comprises:

parsing the markup language code to determine the original page layout of the Web page, wherein the original page layout defines a layout location for a plurality of text objects and/or graphic image objects included in the Web page;

defining a primary datum corresponding to the original page layout;

defining an object datum corresponding to the layout location for each of said plurality of text objects, graphic layout objects, and/or graphic image objects;

generating a vector from the primary datum to the object datum for each of said plurality of text objects, graphic layout objects, and/or graphic image objects; and

creating a reference that links each of said plurality of text objects, graphic layout objects, and/or graphic image objects to its corresponding vector.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising translating graphic image objects from an original format into a scalable bitmap format.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising storing attribute information pertaining to each text object, said attribute information including a color and typefont for each text object.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising generating a bounding box for each object that substantially circumscribes a page layout area occupied by that object in correspondence with the original page layout.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the Web content is displaced at a different resolution by scaling the vector-formatted Web content.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising enabling a user of the client to select a zoom factor by which the vector-formatted Web content is scaled.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising enabling a user to cause a display of the Web content to be both scaled and offset.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the page layout of the Web page is defined to have an original aspect ratio, and wherein the vector-formatted Web content is scaled so as to produce a display having a different aspect ratio.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the scalable vector representation of the Web content comprises Simple Vector Format (SVF).

15. A method of displaying Web content on a client, comprising:

responsive to a request for Web content by the client, said Web content comprising a Web page that is defined to be rendered at a predetermined resolution, receiving, at the client, vector-formatted Web content comprising a scalable vector representation of the Web content that provides a scalable resolution-independent display of the Web content that substantially retains an original page layout and attributes of the Web content corresponding to an appearance of the Web page when it is rendered at its predetermined resolution; and

rendering the vector-formatted Web content on the client such that it is displayed to have a different resolution than the predetermined resolution.

21. A computer system comprising:

a processor,

a communications device coupled to the processor, to enable the computer system to be linked via the Internet to a client and an Internet site; and

a memory, coupled to the processor, in which a plurality of machine-executable instructions are stored that when executed by the processor enable the computer system to perform the operations of;

retrieving Web content having an original format defining an original page layout and attributes of the Web content from the Internet site in response to a request of the Web content from the client; and

translating the Web content from its original format into a scalable vector representation of the Web content, wherein the scalable vector representation of the Web content provides a scalable resolution-independent display of the content that substantially retains the original page layout and attributes of the content defined by its original format when rendered.

22. The computer system of claim 21, wherein execution of the plurality of the machine instructions translates the Web content from its original format into the scalable vector representation of the Web content by performing the operation of:

parsing the markup language code to determine the original page layout of the Web page, wherein the original page layout defines a layout location for a plurality of text objects and/or graphic image objects included in the Web page;

defining a primary datum corresponding to the original page layout;

defining an object datum corresponding to the layout location for each of said plurality of text objects, graphic layout objects, and/or graphic image objects;

generating a vector from the primary datum to the object datum for each of said plurality of text objects, graphic layout objects, and/or graphic image objects; and

creating a reference that links each of said plurality of text objects, graphic layout objects, and/or graphic image objects to its corresponding vector.

23. The computer system of claim 22, wherein execution of the plurality of the machine instructions further performs the operation of translating graphic image objects from an original format into a scalable bitmap format.

24. The computer system of claim 22, wherein execution of the plurality of the machine instructions further performs the operation storing attribute information pertaining to each text object, said attribute information including a color and typefont for each text object.

26. The computer system of claim 25, wherein the Web content is displayed at a different resolution by scaling the vector-formatted Web content.

27. The computer system of claim 25, further comprising enabling a user of the client to select a zoom factor by which the vector-formatted Web content is scaled.

28. The computer system of claim 25, wherein execution of the plurality of machine instructions by the processor further performs the operation of enabling a user to cause a display of the Web content to be both scaled and offset.

29. The computer system of claim 25, wherein the page layout of the Web page is defined to have an original aspect ratio, and wherein the vector-formatted Web content is scaled so as to produce a display having a different aspect ratio.

25. A computer system comprising:

a processor,

a communications device coupled to the processor, to enable the computer system to be linked via the Internet an Internet site; and

a memory, coupled to the processor, in which a plurality of machine-executable instructions are stored that when executed by the processor enable the computer system to perform the operations of;

receiving vector-formatted Web content comprising a scalable vector representation of a Web page that is originally defined to be rendered at a predetermined resolution, said vector-formatted Web content providing a scalable resolution-independent display of the Web page that substantially retains an original page layout and attributes of the Web page corresponding to an appearance of the Web page when it is rendered at its predetermined resolution; and

rendering the vector-formatted Web content on the client such that it is displayed to have a different resolution than the predetermined resolution.

30. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of machine-executable instructions that when executed by a machine performs the operations of:

retrieving Web content having an original format defining an original page layout and attributes of the Web content from an Internet site in response to a request of the Web content from the client;

translating the Web content from its original format into a scalable vector representation of the Web content, wherein the scalable vector representation of the Web content provides a scalable resolution-independent display of the content that substantially retains the original page layout and attributes of the content defined by its original format when rendered.

31. The machine-readable medium of claim 30, wherein execution of the plurality of the machine instructions translates the Web content from its original format into the scalable vector representation of the Web content by performing the operation of:

parsing the markup language code to determine the original page layout of the Web page, wherein the original page layout defines a layout location for a plurality of text objects and/or graphic image objects included in the Web page;

defining a primary datum corresponding to the original page layout;

defining an object datum corresponding to the layout location for each of said plurality of text objects, graphic layout objects, and/or graphic image objects;

generating a vector from the primary datum to the object datum for each of said plurality of text objects, graphic layout objects, and/or graphic image objects; and

creating a reference that links each of said plurality of text objects, graphic layout objects, and/or graphic image objects to its corresponding vector.

32. The machine-readable medium of claim 31, wherein execution of the plurality of the machine instructions further performs the operation of translating graphic image objects from an original format into a scalable bitmap format.

33. The machine-readable medium of claim 31, wherein execution of the plurality of the machine instructions further performs the operation storing attribute information pertaining to each text object, said attribute information including a color and typefont for each text object.

35. The machine-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the Web content is displayed at a different resolution by scaling the vector-formatted Web content.

36. The machine-readable medium of claim 34, further comprising enabling a user of the client to select a zoom factor by which the vector-formatted Web content is scaled.

37. The machine-readable medium of claim 34, wherein execution of the plurality of machine instructions further performs the operation of enabling a user to cause a display of the Web content to be both scaled and offset.

34. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon a plurality of machine-executable instructions that when executed by a machine performs the operations of:

receiving vector-formatted Web content comprising a scalable vector representation of a Web page that is originally defined to be rendered at a predetermined resolution, said vector-formatted Web content providing a scalable resolution-independent display of the Web page that substantially retains an original page layout and attributes of the Web page corresponding to an appearance of the Web page when it is rendered at its predetermined resolution; and

rendering the vector-formatted Web content on the client such that it is displayed to have a different resolution than the predetermined resolution.

38. The machine-readable medium 34, wherein the original page layout of the Web page is defined to have an original aspect ratio, and wherein the vector-formatted Web content is scaled so as to produce a display having a different aspect ratio.