System and method for identifying segments in a web resource

• US 20060282758A1
• Filed: 06/10/2005
• Published: 12/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 3, LLC
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Katta, Robert, Simons, Kevin, Abou-Rizk, Mitri, Papp, William
• Granted Patent: US 7,853,871 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/210
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents

Abstract

A robust, lightweight, bottom-up segmentation method for Internet content. According to the present invention, individual segments are created based upon weights assigned according to document structure and markup elements and semantics. Smaller segments are then merged into larger segments by determining which portions of the content page are related to each other. The remaining segments are then intelligently divided based upon device constraints.

Claims

1. A method of obtaining segment identifiers in an content page for use in displaying content, comprising:

grouping items on the content page into segments based upon weightings of individual nodes;

merging smaller segments into larger segments based upon predefined criteria;

determining whether each of the remaining segments meet predefined constraints; and

if any of the remaining segments do not meet the predefined constraints, dividing the respective segments into sub-segments until the sub-segments meet the predefined constraints.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined constraints comprise constraints within an electronic device that is being used to display the content.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the predefined constraints include the size of the screen on the electronic device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a node is included in an individual segment if the difference between the weight of the node and the average weight of the segment is less than a predetermined threshold.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the weight of each node is equal to the sum of its own weight and the combined total weight of its parent nodes going back to a root node.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein nodes with similar weights are placed within the same segment.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein, if a node is not included in an existing segment, then a new segment is created to hold the node.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the merging of smaller segments into larger segments includes merging segments that possess similar shapes.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the merging of smaller segments into larger segments includes:

identifying images in the content page;

detecting text existing below the image; and

merging the segments containing the image and the detected text.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the merging of smaller segments into larger segments includes:

identifying a first segment;

identifying a second segment neighboring and either above or below the first segment; and

if the second segment occupies a smaller area than the first segment, and if the first segment and the second segment are left aligned, merging the first segment and the second segment.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the merging of smaller segments into larger segments includes:

identifying a first segment;

identifying a second segment neighboring and either to the left or right of the first segment; and

if the second segment occupies a smaller area than the first segment, and if the first segment and the second segment are top aligned, merging the first segment and the second segment.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the merging of smaller segments into larger segments includes:

identifying an aligned list of items; and

merging each of the segments containing at least one of the aligned list of items into the same segment.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the segments is assigned an index value based upon the underlying content for that particular segment, and wherein the index value for a segment remains constant despite minor modifications in the underlying content.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the merging of smaller segments into larger segments includes merging segments that share similar backgrounds.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the merging of smaller segments into larger segments includes the use of cascading style sheets.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein items are not grouped into segments until the entire content page has been downloaded from a remote location.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein items are grouped into segments at the same time as the entire content page is being downloaded from a remote location.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising, upon receiving a search request from a user, using a search algorithm to provide to the user only segments and sub-segments that contain information relevant to the search request.

19. A computer program product for obtaining segment identifiers in an content page for use in displaying content, comprising:

computer code for grouping items on the content page into segments based upon weightings of individual nodes;

computer code for merging smaller segments into larger segments based upon predefined criteria;

computer code for determining whether each of the remaining segments meet predefined constraints; and

computer code for, if any of the remaining segments do not meet the predefined constraints, dividing the respective segments into sub-segments until the sub-segments meet the predefined device constraints.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein a node is included in an individual segment if the difference between the weight of the node and the average weight of the segment is less than a predetermined threshold.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the weight of each node is equal to the sum of its own weight and the combined total weight of its parent nodes going back to a root node.

22. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the weight of a segment is based upon the relationship between nodes within the segment, and wherein closely related nodes possess a higher weight than less closely related nodes.

23. The computer program product of claim 19, further comprising computer code for, upon receiving a search request from a user, using a search algorithm to provide to the user only segments and sub-segments that contain information relevant to the search request.

24. An electronic device, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory unit operatively connected to the processor and including computer program product for obtaining segment identifiers in an content page for use in displaying content on an electronic device, including;

computer code for grouping items on the content page into segments based upon weightings of individual nodes;

computer code for merging smaller segments into larger segments based upon predefined criteria;

computer code for determining whether each of the remaining segments meet predefined constraints; and

computer code for, if any of the remaining segments do not meet the predefined constraints, dividing the respective segments into sub-segments until the sub-segments meet the predefined constraints.

25. The electronic device of claim 24, wherein a node is included in an individual segment if the difference between the weight of the node and the average weight of the segment is less than a predetermined threshold.

26. The electronic device of claim 24, wherein the weight of each node is equal to the sum of its own weight and the combined total weight of its parent nodes going back to a root node.

27. The electronic device of claim 24, wherein the memory unit further comprises computer code for, upon receiving a search request from a user, using a search algorithm to provide to the user only segments and sub-segments that contain information relevant to the search request.

28. A system for obtaining segment identifiers in an content page for use in displaying content, comprising:

a remote terminal for transmitting an content page; and

an electronic device in communication with the remote terminal, the electronic device including a processor and a memory unit operatively connected to the processor, the memory unit comprising;

computer code for grouping items on the content page received from the remote terminal into segments based upon weightings of individual nodes;

computer code for merging smaller segments into larger segments based upon predefined criteria computer code for determining whether each of the remaining segments meet predefined constraints; and

computer code for, if any of the remaining segments do not meet the predefined constraints, dividing the respective segments into sub-segments until the sub-segments meet the predefined device constraints.