Method for downloading a web page to a client for efficient display on a television screen

• US 6,311,197 B2
• Filed: 06/10/1998
• Issued: 10/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rovi Technologies Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: WebTV Networks Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Leak, Bruce A., Mighdoll, Lee S., Goldman, Phillip Y., Perlman, Stephen G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Le Hien
• Assistant Examiner(s): Prieto, Beatriz
• Application Number:
  US09/095,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20010003823A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,238 Days
• Field of Search: 709/202, 709/203, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/223, 709/225, 709/226, 709/227-28, 709/238, 709/213, 709/247, 345/328, 345/302, 345/131, 345/327, 348/321, 348/231, 348/43, 348/6, 348/17, 348/552, 713/201, 707/9, 707/10, 707/104, 707/1, 707/500-501, 707/516-517, 707/523, 707/526, 707/908, 707/911, 707/513
• US Class Current: 715/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04892 Arrangements for controlling cursor position based on codes indicative of cursor displacements from one discrete location to another, e.g. using cursor control keys associated to different directions or using the tab key arrangements for controlling cursor position based on coordinate signals G06F3/038
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04897 Special input arrangements or commands for improving display capability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/027 Arrangements and methods specific for the display of internet documents
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/0235 specially adapted for remote control, e.g. of audio or video apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/06 Simultaneous speech and data transmission, e.g. telegraphic transmission over the same conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42059 Making use of the calling party identifier
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/428 Arrangements for placing incoming calls on hold
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/12 for working between exchanges having different types of switching equipment, e.g. power-driven and step by step or decimal and non-decimal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/40 using video transcoding, i.e. partial or full decoding of a coded input stream followed by re-encoding of the decoded output stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/46 Embedding additional information in the video signal during the compression process H04N19/517, H04N19/68, H04N19/70 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2356 : by altering the spatial resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 : Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 : Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 : involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 : being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2662 : Controlling the complexity of the video stream, e.g. by scaling the resolution or bitrate of the video stream based on the client capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 : Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 : Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4355 : involving reformatting operations of additional data, e.g. HTML pages on a television screen optimising the visualization of content for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/9577; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/066; media handling at the source in data packet switching networks H04L65/764
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 : Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 : End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 : Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 : Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 : e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8166 : involving executable data, e.g. software arrangements for executing specific programs G06F9/44; broadcasting computer programmes in broadcast systems H04H20/91; involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/72 : Finding out and indicating number of calling subscriber

Abstract

An improved method of providing a document to a client coupled to a server. The server provides a number of Internet services to the client, including functioning as a caching proxy on behalf of the client for purposes of accessing the World Wide Web. The proxying server retrieves from a remote server in response to a request from the client a Web document used to generate a Web page on a television screen coupled to the client. Prior to downloading the requested Web page to the client, the server lays out the entire Web page and separates the Web page into partitions such that each one of the partitions corresponds to the viewable display area of the television screen coupled to the client. The server downloads the HTML data that drives the layout within the viewable display area of the television screen. The server then downloads all of the image data that is displayed within the viewable display area of the television screen such that the portion of the Web page within the viewable area of the television can be fully generated and displayed by the client in a reduced amount of time. The server subsequently downloads the remaining partitions of the Web page in similar fashion until the entire web page has been downloaded to the client.

Claims

1. In a proxying server coupled to a client having a display device, a method of transmitting a document to the client in a manner such that a portion of the document that is to be displayed in a viewable display area of the display device is efficiently transmitted to the client, the method comprising the steps of:

in response to a request for the document from the client, receiving the document at the proxying server, the document including image data and non-image data for causing the client to display the document;

based on information at the proxying server specifying the height of the viewable display area of the display device, transmitting to the client a portion of the document that is to be displayed in the viewable display area of the display device, said portion of the document having the height of the viewable display area and including;

any of the non-image data that drives a layout of said portion of the document; and

any of the image data that is to be displayed on the display device within said portion of the document; and

only after said portion of the document that is to be displayed in the viewable display area is transmitted to the client, transmitting the remainder of the document to the client.

2. The method described in claim 1, further comprising the step of dividing the document into portions based on information specifying the height of the viewable display area, each portion other than a last portion having the height of the viewable display area, the last portion having a height that is no greater than the height of the viewable display area.

3. The method described in claim 2 wherein the step of dividing the document includes the step of laying out, at the proxying server, a Web page caused to be generated by the document.

4. The method described in claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the remainder of the document to the client includes the steps of:

transmitting any of the non-image data that drives a layout of a next portion of the document to the client, the next portion of the document having the height of the viewable display area; and

transmitting any of the image data that is to be displayed within the next portion of the document.

5. The method described in claim 1 wherein the non-image data comprises Hypertext Mark-up Language (HTML) data, wherein the step of transmitting to the client the portion of the document comprises the step of transmitting the HTML data of the portion of the document to the client.

6. The method described in claim 5 wherein the document includes Hypertext Mark-up Language (HTML) data, wherein the step of transmitting the remainder of the document to the client includes the steps of:

transmitting any of the HTML data that drives a layout of a next portion of the document to the client the next portion of the document having the height of the viewable display area; and

transmitting any of the image data that is to be displayed within the next portion of the document.

7. The method described in claim 1 wherein the display device comprises a television display, the height of the viewable display area corresponding to a height of the television display in pixels.

8. In a proxying server coupled to a client having a display device and to a remote server, the proxying server operating as a proxy on behalf of the client for accessing the remote server, a method of providing a document to the client in a manner such that successive portions of the document that correspond to a viewable display area of the display device are efficiently transmitted to the client, the method comprising the steps of:

retrieving the document from the remote server in response to a request from the client, the document including Hypertext Mark-up Language (HTML) data and image data;

based on information specifying the height of a viewable display area of the display device, partitioning the document into partitions, each having a display height corresponding to the viewable display height of the display and each including HTML data that drives the layout of the particular partition and any of the image data that is to be displayed on the display device within the particular partition;

downloading the HTML data included in a first of the partitions to the client;

downloading said any of the image data included in the first of the partitions; and

then

repeating, until the document has been entirely provided to the client, the steps of;

downloading the HTML data included in a next of the partitions to the client; and

downloading said any image data included in the next of the partitions to the client.

9. The method described in claim 8 wherein the display device comprises a television display, the height of the viewable display area corresponding to a height of the television display in pixels.

10. The method described in claim 8 including the additional step of laying out, at the proxying server, the Web page caused to be generated by the document, the laying out step performed after the retrieving step.

11. In a proxying server coupled to a client having a display device, a method of transmitting a document to the client in a manner such that successive portions of the document that correspond to a viewable display area of the display device are efficiently transmitted to the client, the method comprising the steps of:

in response to a request for the document from the client, receiving the document at the proxying server, the document including image data and non-image data for causing the client to display the document;

laying out the document at the proxying server;

based on information at the proxying server specifying the height of the viewable display area of the display device and the layout of the document, partitioning the document into successive partitions, each partition other than a last partition representing a portion of the document that has the height of the viewable display area, the last partition representing a portion of the document that has a height no greater than the height of the viewable display area, each partition including;

any of the non-image data that drives the layout of the portion of the document represented by the particular partition; and

any of the image data that is to be displayed on the display device within the portion of the document represented by the particular partition;

transmitting a first of the partitions to the client; and

then

sequentially transmitting the other of the partitions to the client, wherein each of said other of the partitions is transmitted only after the previous partition has been transmitted.

12. The method described in claim 11, wherein the display device comprises a television display, the height of the viewable display area corresponding to a height of the television display in pixels.

13. In a proxying server coupled to a client having a display device and to a remote server, the proxying server operating as a proxy on behalf of the client for accessing the remote server, a method of providing a document to the client in a manner such that successive partitions of the document that correspond to a viewable display area of the display device are sequentially transmitted to the client, the method comprising said proxying server performing the steps of:

retrieving the document from the remote server in response to a request from the client, the document including Hypertext Mark-up Language (HTML) data and image data;

based on information obtained by the proxying server, specifying the height of a viewable display area of the display device of the client, partitioning the document into partitions prior to downloading said document to the client, each partition having a display height corresponding to the viewable display height of the display device of the client and each partition including HTML data that drives the layout of the particular partition and any of the image data that is to be displayed on the display device of the client within the particular partition;

downloading the HTML data included in a first of the partitions to the client;

downloading said any of the image data included in the first of the partitions to the client, such that the first partition can be displayed on the display device of the client prior to the client receiving any subsequent partition; and

then

repeating, until the document has been entirely provided to the client, the steps of;

downloading the HTML data included in a next of the partitions to the client; and

downloading said any image data included in the next of the partitions to the client.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the display device comprises a television display, the height of the viewable display area corresponding to a height in pixels of the television display.

15. A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising the step of laying out, at the proxying server, the web page caused to be generated by the document, the step of laying out being performed after the step of retrieving.

16. In a proxying server coupled to a client having a display device, a method of transmitting a document to the client in a manner such that successive partitions of the document that correspond to a viewable display area of the display device are sequentially transmitted to the client, the method comprising the proxying server performing the steps of:

in response to a request for the document from the client, receiving the document at the proxying server, the document including image data and non-image data for causing the client to display the document;

based on information at the proxying server specifying the height of the viewable display area of the display device of the client, transmitting to the client a first partition of the document that is to be displayed in the viewable display area of the display device of the client, said first partition of the document having the height of the viewable display area and including;

any of the non-image data that drives a layout of said first partition of the document; and

any of the image data that is to be displayed on the display device within said first partition of the document, such that the first partition of the document can be displayed on the display device of the client prior to the client receiving any subsequent partition of the document; and

only after said first partition of the document that is to be displayed in the viewable display area is transmitted to the client, transmitting subsequent partitions of the document to the client.

17. The method described in claim 16, further comprising the step of dividing the document into portions based on information specifying the height of the viewable display area, each portion other than a last portion having the height of the viewable display area, the last portion having a height that is no greater than the height of the viewable display area.

18. The method described in claim 16 wherein the step of transmitting the remainder of the document to the client includes the steps of:

transmitting any of the non-image data that drives a layout of a next portion of the document to the client, the next portion of the document having the height of the viewable display area; and

transmitting any of the image data that is to be displayed within the next portion of the document.

19. The method described in claim 17 wherein the step of dividing the document includes the step of laying out, at the proxying server, a Web page caused to be generated by the document.

20. The method described in claim 16, wherein the non-image data comprises Hypertext Mark-up Language (HTML) data, wherein the step of transmitting to the client the portion of the document comprises the step of transmitting the HTML data of the portion of the document to the client.

21. The method described in claim 20 wherein the document includes Hypertext Mark-up Language (HTML) data, wherein the step of transmitting the remainder of the document to the client includes the steps of:

transmitting any of the HTML data that drives a layout of a next portion of the document to the client, the next portion of the document having the height of the viewable display area; and

transmitting any of the image data that is to be displayed within the next portion of the document.

22. The method described in claim 16 wherein the display device comprises a television display, the height of the viewable display area corresponding to a height of the television display in pixels.