Resolution independent vector display of internet content

• US 20050131887A1
• Filed: 01/28/2005
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SoftView LLC
• Original Assignee: Gary B. Rohrabaugh
• Inventors: Rohrabaugh, Gary B., Sherman, Scott A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,461,353 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 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.

10. The computer system of claim 9, 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.

11. The computer system of claim 9, 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.

12. The computer system of claim 9, 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.

13. 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.

14. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, 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.

15. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, 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.

16. The machine-readable medium of claim 13, 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.