Graphical web browser history toolbar

• US 20060224997A1
• Filed: 03/31/2005
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Wong, Curtis G., Drucker, Steven M., Glenner, Steve C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,205,172 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/838
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9562 Bookmark management

Abstract

The present subject matter describes a graphical web browser toolbar the stores visual representations of user-selected web pages. A saved page is included in the toolbar as a tile that shows a thumbnail image of at least a portion of the page. A user may customize the thumbnail image by zooming onto an area of the page. The user selects a tile from the toolbar to show an enlarged version of the thumbnail image with data from the web page, such as a link to the web page. A comments section allows a user to enter comments related to the web page into the tile. Tiles may be arranged according to groups as configured by the user. The toolbar may be stored and transmitted to a remote location. Using the described techniques, a web shopper can save images in a graphical toolbar and send items saved therein to an acquaintance.

Claims

1. One or more computer-readable media containing executable instructions that, when executed, display a graphical user interface that comprises one or more tiles that each includes a thumbnail image of at least a portion of an electronic page that graphically represents the electronic page.

2. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the portion of the electronic page that graphically represents the electronic page thumbnail image is user-selectable from the electronic page.

3. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more tiles are arranged within a graphical toolbar.

4. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein each tile is configured to receive and display user comments.

5. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein each tile is further configured to display an actuatable link that, when actuated, navigates a web browser to the electronic page associated with the tile.

6. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the tiles are user-actuatable tiles that, when actuated, display an enlarged version of the thumbnail image in a web browser window.

7. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the thumbnail image is configured such that a portion of the thumbnail image may be selected to create a zoomed thumbnail image which is subsequently used to graphically represent the electronic page.

8. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the tiles are represented as an object that can be electronically transmitted to a remote location.

9. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the one or more tiles further comprises at least two tiles; and

the tiles are separated into two or more visually distinct groups created by a user, the tiles being moveable between the two or more groups.

10. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 9, wherein:

the tiles displayed within a group are reduced versions of the thumbnail images;

the groups are user-selectable; and

the graphical user interface further comprises a main tile display are that displays the originally-sized tiles of a group when the group is selected by a user.

11. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises a data summary area that displays a summary of data selected from one or more of the electronic pages represented by the one or more tiles.

12. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises a graphic display area and is further configured to display the thumbnail image of a tile, a link to the electronic page, and user comments in the graphic display area when the tile is selected.

13. A method, comprising:

identifying a web page;

identifying a user selection of at least a portion of the web page that indicates a portion of the web page that the user wants to include in a graphical toolbar;

creating a thumbnail image from the web page or portion of the web page;

storing the thumbnail image in memory; and

associating the stored thumbnail image with the graphical toolbar so that the thumbnail image is displayed with the graphical toolbar.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

receiving user annotations associated with the web page; and

storing the user annotations with the thumbnail image so that the user annotations are displayed with the thumbnail image.

15. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

identifying a network address of the web page; and

storing the network address with the thumbnail image so that the network address is displayed as an actuatable link with the thumbnail image.

16. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the web page further comprises an original thumbnail image of a web page.

17. A system, comprising:

a processor;

memory;

a web browser stored in the memory;

a display configured to display a web page;

a web page toolbar application configured to;

identify a user-selected portion of the web page;

create a thumbnail image of the user-selection portion of the web page in a graphical toolbar;

store the thumbnail image in the memory; and

render the graphical toolbar on the display.

18. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein the web page toolbar application is further configured to:

identify a web address associated with the web page;

store the web address with the thumbnail image;

display the web address with the thumbnail image when displaying the graphical toolbar;

identifying a user actuation of the web address in the displayed thumbnail image; and

cause the web browser to navigate to the web page associated with the web page address.

19. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein:

the thumbnail image is displayed as a user actuatable tile in the graphical toolbar; and

when the thumbnail image is actuated, enlarging the display of the thumbnail image.

20. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein the web page toolbar application is further configured to:

receive user annotations related to the web page; and

store the user annotations with the thumbnail image so that the user annotations are displayed when the thumbnail image is displayed.