Webpage search

• US 8,204,950 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2005
• Issued: 06/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Alperin, Jordan
• Primary Examiner(s): Fan, Hua
• Application Number:
  US11/228,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20070061410A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,469 Days
• Field of Search: 709206-207
• US Class Current: 709/207
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation

Abstract

Systems, methods, and machine-readable media are disclosed to provide a search of contents of a webpage, where the search feature is provided as part of the webpage. In one embodiment, a method of providing such an in-page search of contents of a webpage can comprise reading a user'"'"'s search criteria through an element of the webpage. The contents of the webpage can be searched to identify text matching the search criteria. Formatting instructions can be inserted into the webpage to change the appearance of the identified text relative to other text on the webpage. The webpage can be redisplayed with the inserted formatting instructions.

Claims

1. A method of providing an in-page search of contents of a webpage, the method comprising:

displaying, with a web browser, a visible portion of a webpage, the webpage comprising;

markup text comprising text and formatting tags that format the text according to a markup language;

executable code that performs an in-page search of contents of the webpage, the executable code being independent of search functionality of the web browser and included in the markup text; and

an element that receives a user'"'"'s search criteria;

reading the user'"'"'s search criteria with the executable code;

searching contents of the webpage with the executable code to identify text matching the search criteria;

providing on the webpage, with the executable code, a set of user interface controls for the user to select text formatting options for text identified as matching the search criteria;

modifying, with the executable code, a set of markup tags corresponding to the identified text in accordance with the text formatting options selected by the user, based on a determination that the identified text matches the search criteria, to change the appearance of the identified text relative to other text on the webpage, wherein the modified set of markup tags make the identified text a hyperlink allowing the user to jump to a next match on the webpage, wherein modifying the set of markup tags corresponding to the identified text comprises;

removing the identified text from the webpage using the executable code;

adding formatting instructions in front of and behind the removed identified text using the executable code; and

reinserting the removed identified text and the added formatting instructions into the webpage at an original location of the removed identified text; and

redisplaying, with the executable code, the visible portion of the webpage with the modified set of markup tags.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the markup language comprises HyperText Markup Language (HTML) tags.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining with the executable code whether the identified text is visible to a user of the webpage.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein modifying a set of markup tags comprises modifying a set of markup tags corresponding to visible identified text.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the element of the webpage comprises a search box.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the search box includes a text box for accepting user input of the search criteria.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the search box includes one or more elements for controlling the search.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising causing the search box to become visible on the webpage in response to a first user input.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising causing the search box to become invisible on the webpage in response to a second user input.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying a set of markup tags corresponding to the identified text further comprises modifying a cascading style sheet corresponding to the identified text.

29. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

moving or copying the identified text on the webpage.

30. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting, on the webpage, a summary of the identified text.

10. A system for providing a webpage including an in-page search function, the system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled with and readable by the processor, the memory containing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

display, with a web browser, a visible portion of a webpage, the webpage comprising;

markup text comprising text and formatting tags that format the text according to a markup language;

executable code that performs an in-page search of contents of the webpage, the executable code being independent of search functionality of the web browser and included in the markup text; and

an element that receives a user'"'"'s search criteria;

read the user'"'"'s search criteria with the executable code;

search contents of the webpage with the executable code to identify text matching the search criteria;

provide on the webpage, with the executable code, a set of user interface controls for the user to select text formatting options for text identified as matching the search criteria;

modify, with the executable code, a set of markup tags corresponding to the identified text in accordance with the text formatting options selected by the user, based on a determination that the identified text matches the search criteria, to change the appearance of the identified text relative to other text on the webpage, wherein the modified set of markup tags make the identified text a hyperlink allowing the user to jump to a next match on the webpage, wherein modifying the set of markup tags corresponding to the identified text comprises;

removing the identified text from the webpage using the executable code;

adding formatting instructions in front of and behind the removed identified text using the executable code; and

reinserting the removed identified text and the added formatting instructions into the webpage at an original location of the removed identified text; and

redisplay, with the executable code, the visible portion of the webpage with the set of modified markup tags.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the markup language comprises HyperText Markup Language (HTML) tags.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to determine, with the executable code, whether the identified text is visible to a user of the webpage.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein modifying a set of markup tags comprises modifying a set of markup text corresponding to visible identified text.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the element of the webpage comprises a search box.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the search box includes a text box for accepting user input of the search criteria.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the search box includes one or more elements for controlling the search.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to cause the search box to become visible on the webpage in response to a first user input.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to cause the search box to become invisible on the webpage in response to a second user input.

19. A non-transitory machine-readable media having stored thereon a series of instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to provide a webpage including an in-page search function by:

displaying, with a web browser, a visible portion of a webpage, the webpage comprising;

markup text comprising text and formatting tags that format the text according to a markup language;

executable code that performs an in-page search of contents of the webpage, the executable code being independent of search functionality of the web browser and included in the markup text; and

an element that receives a user'"'"'s search criteria;

reading the user'"'"'s search criteria with the executable code;

searching contents of the webpage with the executable code to identify text matching the search criteria;

providing on the webpage, with the executable code, a set of user interface controls for the user to select text formatting options for text identified as matching the search criteria;

modifying, with the execution code, a set of markup tags corresponding to the identified text in accordance with the text formatting options selected by the user, based on a determination that the identified text matches the search criteria, to change the appearance of the identified text relative to other text on the webpage, wherein the modified set of markup tags make the identified text a hyperlink allowing the user to jump to a next match on the webpage, wherein modifying the set of markup tags corresponding to the identified text comprises;

removing the identified text from the webpage using the executable code;

adding formatting instructions in front of and behind the removed identified text using the executable code; and

reinserting the removed identified text and the added formatting instructions into the webpage at an original location of the removed identified text; and

redisplaying, with the executable code, the visible portion of the webpage with the set of modified markup tags.

20. The machine-readable media of claim 19, wherein the markup language comprises HyperText Markup Language (HTML) tags.

21. The machine-readable media of claim 19, further comprising determining with the executable code whether the identified text is visible to a user of the webpage.

22. The machine-readable media of claim 21, wherein modifying a set of markup tags comprises modifying a set of markup tags corresponding to visible identified text.

23. The machine-readable media of claim 19, wherein the element of the webpage comprises a search box.

24. The machine-readable media of claim 23, wherein the search box includes a text box for accepting user input of the search criteria.

25. The machine-readable media of claim 23, wherein the search box includes one or more elements for controlling the search.

26. The machine-readable media of claim 23, further comprising causing the search box to become visible on the webpage in response to a first user input.

27. The machine-readable media of claim 26, further comprising causing the search box to become invisible on the webpage in response to a second user input.