Space-optimizing content display

• US 7,395,500 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2003
• Issued: 07/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yahoo Assets LLC
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Whittle, Derrick Wang, Seitz, Edward F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene; John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stevens; Robert
• Application Number:
  US10/651,476
• Publication Number:
  US 20050050462A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,768 Days
• Field of Search: 715/513, 715/517, 715/234, 715243-245, 715/711, 715784-787
• US Class Current: 715/243
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• 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 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars

Abstract

An apparatus, method, computer system, and computer program product to optimize space available for displaying text descriptions in a limited area, such as a sidebar. Space is optimized by displaying only the maximum portion of the text describing each selection that will fit within the limited area, thereby allowing space to display additional text descriptions in the remaining portion of the limited area. Positioning a pointer over the maximum portion of the text causes the complete portion of the text to be displayed. The complete portion of the text can serve as a link to content related to the text. Space is also optimized by providing a thin scroll bar to add space for displaying content within a window.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

dynamically obtaining a text included in a web page;

displaying a scroll bar having a dimension greater than zero in a first area that is thinner than a scroll bar displayed in a third area to increase available size of the first area, wherein the third area is associated with the first area;

dynamically calculating from the text a maximum portion of the text that can be displayed within the first area, wherein dynamically calculating is a function of available size of the first area and the size of all of the text;

displaying the maximum portion of the text that can be displayed within the first area when all of the text cannot be displayed within the first area; and

displaying all of the text in a second area in response to a mouseover event occurring with reference to the maximum portion of the text displayed in the first area.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

performing an action related to the text in response to a second event occurring in the second area displaying all of the text.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein a portion of the second area extends outside the first area, and the second event occurs within the portion of the second area.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the second event is a click event.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the performing the action comprises displaying information related to the text in a fourth area adjacent to the first area.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

continuing to display the maximum portion of the text in the first area when the information related to the text is displayed in the fourth area.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the second area overlays a fourth area, and the fourth area exists outside a window provided by a host application, wherein a text presentation control instance running within the host application performs:

the displaying of the maximum portion of the text, and

the displaying of all of the text.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein all of the text comprises a hyperlink to content described by the text.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the first area comprises a sidebar.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

displaying a remaining portion of the text outside the first area when all of the text is displayed, wherein the maximum portion of the text does not comprise the remaining portion.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the text are obtained from an HTML document prior to the displaying.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining the text from a document prior to the displaying, wherein a web browser performs the obtaining.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

adjusting the maximum portion of the text when the available size of the first area changes.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein adjusting the maximum portion of the text comprises adjusting a number of characters displayed in the maximum portion of the text to fit within the available size of the first area.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

when the maximum portion of the text comprises all of the text, performing an action related to the text in response to a click event occurring with reference to the maximum portion of the text.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the performing the action comprises presenting information related to the text in a second area adjacent to the first area.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

continuing to display the first area and the maximum portion of the text when the information related to the text is displayed in the second area.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein continuing to display the first area and the maximum portion of the text when the complete description is displayed in a second area.

19. A method comprising:

displaying a web page in a main browser window;

dynamically obtaining a text included in the web page;

displaying a scroll bar having a dimension greater than zero in a first area that is thinner than a scroll bar displayed in the main browser window to increase available size of the first area, wherein the first area excludes text within a scroll bar area for the thinner scroll bar, and the main browser window is associated with the first area;

dynamically calculating from the text a maximum portion of the text that can be displayed within the first area, wherein dynamically calculating is a function of available size of the first area and the size of all of the text;

displaying the maximum portion of the text that can be displayed within the first area outside the main browser window when all of the text cannot be displayed within the first area;

displaying all of the text in a second area in response to a mouseover event occurring with reference to the maximum portion of the text; and

continuing to display the web page in the main browser window after the mouseover event.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

continuing to display the web page in the main browser window until a click event occurs in the second area.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the click event causes a second web page to be displayed in the main browser window.

22. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

continuing to display the maximum portion of the text within the first area after the click event.

23. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

continuing to display all of the text until a second click event occurs outside the second area.

24. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

overlaying the first area with the second area when the maximum portion of the text comprises all of the text.

25. A computer-readable storage medium comprising:

text presentation instructions configured to;

dynamically obtain a text included in a web page;

display a scroll bar having a dimension greater than zero in a first area that is thinner than a scroll bar displayed in a third area to increase available size of the first area, wherein the first area excludes text within a scroll bar area for the thinner scroll bar, and the third area is associated with the first area;

dynamically calculate from the text a maximum portion of the text that can be displayed within the first area, wherein the dynamic calculation is a function of available size of the first area and the size of all of the text;

display the maximum portion of the text that can be displayed within the first area when all of the text cannot be displayed within the first area; and

display all of the text in a second area in response to a mouseover event occurring with reference to the maximum portion of the text displayed in the first area.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25 wherein the text presentation instructions are further configured to perform an action related to the text in response to a second event occurring in a second area displaying all of the text.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 26 wherein the text presentation instructions are further configured to display information related to the text in a fourth area adjacent to the first area in response to the second event.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 27 further comprising:

the text presentation instructions configured to continue to display the first area and the maximum portion of the text when the information related to the text is displayed in the third area.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 25 wherein a portion of the second area extends outside the first area, and the second event occurs within the portion of the second area.

30. A computer-readable storage medium comprising:

instructions configured to use a text presentation control program, wherein the text presentation control program is configured to;

dynamically obtain a text included in a web page;

display a scroll bar having a dimension greater than zero in a first area that is thinner than a scroll bar displayed in a third area to increase available size of the first area, wherein the first area excludes text within a scroll bar area for the thinner scroll bar, and the third area is associated with the first area;

dynamically calculate from the text a maximum portion of the text that can be displayed within the first area, wherein the dynamic calculation is a function of available size of the first area and the size of all of the text;

display the maximum portion of the text that can be displayed within the first area when all of the text cannot be displayed within the first area; and

display all of the text in a second area in response to a mouseover event occurring with reference to the maximum portion of the text displayed in the first area.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 30 wherein the text presentation control program is further configured to

perform an action related to the text in response to a second event occurring in a second area displaying all of the text.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 31 wherein the text presentation control program is further configured to

display information related to the text in a fourth area adjacent to the first area in response to the second event.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 32 further comprising:

the text presentation control program is further configured to

continue to display the first area and the maximum portion of the text in the first area when the information related to the text is displayed in the fourth area.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 30 wherein the text presentation control program is further configured to

display the complete portion in second area, wherein a portion of the second area extends outside the first area, and

the second event occurs within the portion of the second area.

35. A computer system comprising:

a processor to execute instructions, and

a memory to store the instructions, wherein the instructions comprise;

text presentation instructions configured to

dynamically obtain a text included in a web page;

display a scroll bar having a dimension greater than zero in a first area that is thinner than a scroll bar displayed in a third area to increase available size of the first area, wherein the first area excludes text within a scroll bar area for the thinner scroll bar, and the third area is associated with the first area;

dynamically calculate from the text a maximum portion of the text that can be displayed within the first area, wherein the dynamic calculation is a function of available size of the first area and the size of all of the text;

display the maximum portion of the text that can be displayed within the first area when all of the text cannot be displayed within the first area; and

display all of the text in a second area in response to a mouseover event occurring with reference to the maximum portion of the text displayed in the first area.

36. The computer system of claim 35 wherein the text presentation instructions are further configured to

perform an action related to the text in response to a second event occurring in a second area displaying all of the text.

37. The computer system of claim 36 wherein the text presentation instructions are further configured to display information related to the text in a fourth area adjacent to the area in response to the second event.

38. The computer system of claim 37 further comprising:

the text presentation instructions are further configured to continue to display the area and the maximum portion of the text in the area when the information related to the text is displayed in the fourth area.

39. The computer system of claim 35 wherein the text presentation instructions are further configured to display all of the text in a second area, wherein a portion of the second area extends outside the first area, and

the second event occurs within the portion of the second area.

40. A hardware apparatus comprising:

means for dynamically obtaining a text included in a web page;

first displaying means for displaying a scroll bar having a dimension greater than zero in a first area that is thinner than a scroll bar displayed in a third area to increase available size of the first area, wherein the first area excludes text within a scroll bar area for the thinner scroll bar, and the third area is associated with the first area;

second displaying means for displaying from the text a maximum portion of the text that can be displayed within the first area when all of the text cannot be displayed within the first area, wherein the maximum portion of the text that can be displayed within the first area is dynamically calculated, and the dynamic calculation is a function of the available size of the first area and the size of all of the text; and

third displaying means for displaying all of the text in a second area in response to a mouseover event occurring with reference to the maximum portion of the text in the first area.

41. The apparatus of claim 40 further comprising:

performing means for performing an action related to the text in response to a second event occurring in a second area displaying all of the text.

42. The apparatus of claim 41 further comprising:

fourth displaying means for displaying information related to the text in a fourth area adjacent to the area in response to the second event.

43. The apparatus of claim 42 further comprising:

continuing means for continuing to display the area and the maximum portion of the text in the area when the information related to the text is displayed in the fourth area.

44. The apparatus of claim 40 wherein the second displaying means comprise third displaying means for displaying all of the text in a second area, wherein

a portion of the second area extends outside the first area, and

the second event occurs within the portion of the second area.