Framework for providing visual context to www hyperlinks

• US 20100306636A1
• Filed: 03/09/2010
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Girafacom Incorporated (Girafa)
• Inventors: Ran, Shirli, Barnoon, Eldad, Yarom, Yuval
• Granted Patent: US 8,782,507 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/205
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents

Abstract

A method and a system for presenting Internet information to a user including providing to a user a visual image of a web page containing at least one hyperlink, and at least partially concurrently providing a visual image of another web page of at least one web site which is represented by the at least one hyperlink.

Claims

1-40. -40. (canceled)

41. A method for presenting Internet information to a user comprising:

causing the display of a visual image of a first web page containing at least one hyperlink, said web page being defined by code served from a web server; and

causing the display of a visual image of a second web page representing said at least one hyperlink, said visual image of a second web page being retrieved from an image server, separate from said web server, that stores and provides said visual image of a second web page.

42. A method according to claim 41 and wherein said visual image of a second web page is displayed at least partially concurrently with the display of said visual image of a first web page.

43. A method according to claim 41 and wherein said at least one hyperlink refers to a third web page.

44. A method according to claim 43 and wherein said second web page is the same as said third web page.

45. A method according to claim 43 and wherein said second web page is different from said third web page.

46. A method according to claim 45 and wherein a URL of said second web page is a portion of a URL of said third web page.

47. A method according to claim 46 and wherein said URL of said second web page is a top level URL of a host of said third web page.

48. A method according to claim 45 and wherein said second web page is a home page for said third web page.

49. A method according to claim 41 and wherein said visual image of a second web page is a snapshot of said second web page.

50. A method according to claim 41 and wherein said visual image of a second web page is in a bitmap form.

51. A method according to claim 41 and wherein said visual image of a second web page is resized to be smaller than said second web page.

52. A method according to claim 41 and wherein said visual image of a second web page is displayed within the visual image of said first web page.

53. A method according to claim 41 and wherein said visual image of a second web page is displayed alongside the visual image of said first web page.

54. A method according to claim 41 and wherein said visual image of a second web page is displayed alongside said at least one hyperlink.

55. A method according to claim 41 and wherein said visual image of a second web page is displayed hovering alongside said at least one hyperlink.

56. A method according to claim 41 and wherein said visual image of a second web page is displayed hovering above said at least one hyperlink.

57. A method according to claim 41 and wherein the user selects said hyperlink to a second web page.

58. A method according to claim 41 and wherein said first web page includes commands operable to cause said display of a visual image of a second web page.

59. A method according to claim 41 and wherein said causing the display of a visual image of a second web page comprises employing a web browser including a visualization functionality to display said visual image of a second web page.

60. A method of presenting Internet information comprising:

receiving, at an image server, a request via the Internet, said request originating from a web browser in connection with said web browser displaying a first web page served from a web server separate from said image server, said first web page including a hyperlink to a second web page; and

transmitting, in response, an image of a third web page.

61. A method according to claim 60 and wherein said third web page is the same as said second web page.

62. A method according to claim 60 and wherein said third web page is different from said second web page.

63. A method according to claim 62 and wherein a URL of said third web page is a portion of a URL of said second web page.

64. A method according to claim 63 and wherein said URL of said third web page is a top level URL of a host of said second web page.

65. A method according to claim 62 and wherein said third web page is a home page for said second web page.

66. A method according to claim 60 and wherein said image server employs an image storage for storing images of web pages.

67. A method according to claim 66 and wherein said image storage comprises a first database containing images of web pages.

68. A method according to claim 67 and wherein said image storage further comprises a second database containing URLs of web pages the images of which are contained in said first database.

69. A method according to claim 67 and wherein and wherein said first database stores said images of web pages in a directory structure on a file system.

70. A method according to claim 68 and wherein said second database is a relational database.

71. A method according to claim 66 and wherein said image storage is at least partially populated by a plurality of downloaders.

72. A method according to claim 71 and wherein said plurality of downloaders includes at least three downloaders.

73. A method according to claim 60 and also comprising:

downloading web pages to at least one computer; and

rendering said web pages, using said at least one computer, to a predetermined size.

74. A method according to claim 73 and wherein said predetermined size is smaller than the original size of said web pages.

75. A method according to claim 66 and also comprising:

generating at least one image of a web site; and

storing said image of a web site in said image storage, prior to said image server receiving any request for an image of said web site.

76. A method according to claim 60 and wherein said request includes a URL.

77. A method according to claim 76 and wherein said URL is a URL of said second web page.

78. A method according to claim 76 and wherein said URL is not a URL of said second web page.

79. A method according to claim 76 and wherein said URL is a URL of a home page of said second web page.

80. A method of presenting Internet information comprising:

receiving, at a web server, a request for a first web page; and

returning, in response, code defining said first web page,

said code including a hyperlink to a second web page and commands operable to retrieve from an image server separate from said web server a visual image of a third web page.

81. A method according to claim 80 and wherein said third web page is the same as said second web page.

82. A method according to claim 80 and wherein said third web page is different from said second web page.

83. A method according to claim 82 and wherein a URL of said third web page is a portion of a URL of said second web page.

84. A method according to claim 83 and wherein said URL of said third web page is a top level URL of a host of said second web page.

85. A method according to claim 82 and wherein said third web page is a home page for said second web page.

86. A method according to claim 80 and wherein said visual image of a third web page is a snapshot of said third web page.

87. A method according to claim 80 and wherein said visual image of a third web page is in a bitmap form.

88. A method according to claim 80 and wherein said visual image of a third web page is resized to be smaller than said third web page.

89. A method according to claim 80 and wherein said code also includes commands operable to display said visual image of a third web page within said first web page.

90. A method according to claim 80 and wherein said code also includes commands operable to display said visual image of a third web page alongside said first web page.

91. A method according to claim 80 and wherein said code also includes commands operable to display said visual image of a third web page alongside said hyperlink to a second web page.

92. A method according to claim 80 and wherein said code also includes commands operable to display said visual image of a third web page above said hyperlink to a second web.

93. A method according to claim 80 and wherein said code also includes commands operable to receive user selection of said hyperlink to a second web page.

94. A method according to claim 80 and wherein said web server comprises a visualization functionality operable to insert said commands into said code.

95. An Internet information system comprising:

a web server; and

an image server separate from said web server,

said web server serving code defining code defining a first web page including a hyperlink to a second web page,

said code including commands operable to retrieve an image of a third web page from said image server,

said image of a third web page corresponding to said hyperlink to a second web page.

96. A system according to claim 95 and wherein said third web page is the same as said second web page.

97. A system according to claim 95 and wherein said third web page is different from said second web page.

98. A system according to claim 97 and wherein a URL of said third web page is a portion of a URL of said second web page.

99. A system according to claim 98 and wherein said URL of said third web page is a top level URL of a host of said second web page.

100. A system according to claim 97 and wherein said third web page is a home page for said second web page.

101. A system according to claim 95 and wherein said image of a third web page is a snapshot of said third web page.

102. A system according to claim 95 and wherein said image of a third web page is in a bitmap form.

103. A system according to claim 95 and wherein said image of a third web page is resized to be smaller than said third web page.

104. A system according to claim 95 and wherein said image server employs an image storage for storing images of web pages.

105. A system according to claim 104 and wherein said image server comprises a first database containing images of web pages.

106. A system according to claim 105 and wherein said image server further comprises a second database containing URLs of web pages the images of which are contained in said first database.

107. A system according to claim 105 and wherein said first database stores said images of web pages in a directory structure on a file system.

108. A system according to claim 106 and wherein said second database is a relational database.

109. A system according to claim 104 and further comprising a plurality of downloaders.

110. A system according to claim 109 and wherein said plurality of downloaders includes at least three downloaders.

111. A system according to claim 104 and further comprising at least one computer that downloads web pages and renders them to a predetermined size.

112. A system according to claim 111 and wherein said predetermined size is smaller than the original size of said web pages.

113. A system according claim 95 and wherein said code also includes commands operable to display said image of a third web page within said first web page.

114. A system according to claim 95 and wherein said code also includes commands operable to display said image of a third web page alongside said first web page.

115. A system according to claim 95 and wherein said code also includes commands operable to display said image of a third web page alongside said hyperlink to a second web page.

116. A system according to claim 95 and wherein said code also includes commands operable to display said image of a third web page above said hyperlink to a second web page.

117. A system according to claim 95 and wherein said code also includes commands operable to receive user selection of said hyperlink to a second web page.

118. A system according to claim 104, wherein at least one image of a web site is generated and stored in said image storage in advance of said image server receiving a request for an image of said web site, said request having been generated based on code served from said web server.

119. A system according to claim 104, wherein at least one image of a web site is generated and stored in said image storage in advance of said web server requesting the generation or storage of an image of said web site.