Translating tabular data formatted for one display device to a format for display on other display device

• US 8,707,159 B1
• Filed: 08/18/2005
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Strong, Jack B, Kleid, Jonathan J, Patel, Vivek, Champlin, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Paula, Cesar
• Assistant Examiner(s): Schallhorn, Tyler J
• Application Number:
  US11/208,273
• Time in Patent Office: 3,169 Days
• Field of Search: 715227-228, 715/234, 715/236, 715/238, 715/239, 715/249
• US Class Current: 715/227
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/14 Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/145 related to small screens
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/027 Arrangements and methods specific for the display of internet documents

Abstract

A method and system are provided that translates tabular data prepared for a first display format into a second display format. Tabular data prepared for display on a conventional desktop display device may be adjusted for display on a portable computing device having a different display device. Tabular formatting may be removed for single row and single column tables. The method and system may also remove tabular formatting for tables having horizontal dimensions exceeding a specified amount. Tabular data may be removed from tables having more than one column that exceeds a specified maximum column size. The method and system may also identify nested tables and eliminate tabular formatting for all but the innermost tables.

Claims

1. A method for translating tabular data from a tabular format to a non-tabular format, the method being performed by one or more processors and comprising:

identifying a document that is to be provided to a computing device, the document including first tabular data and second tabular data that are each in the tabular format;

performing heuristic analysis on the first tabular data and the second tabular data to select one of the first tabular data or the second tabular data for conversion from the tabular format to the non-tabular format, while preserving the other of the unselected tabular data in the tabular format based on (i) a plurality of characteristics of the first tabular data and the second tabular data, the plurality of characteristics including an overall width of the first tabular data or the second tabular data and a width of one or more data items provided in the first tabular data or the second tabular data, and (ii) a first width threshold and a second width threshold each associated with a display of the computing device, the second width threshold being smaller than the first width threshold;

performing a conversion of the document by converting the selected one of the first tabular data or the second tabular data based on the heuristic analysis; and

providing, for display on the computing device, the converted document with the selected one of the first tabular data or the second tabular data in the non-tabular format and the other of the unselected tabular data in the tabular format.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein performing heuristic analysis further comprises at least:

determining whether the first tabular data or the second tabular data consists of a single row;

or

determining whether the first tabular data or the second tabular data consists of a single column.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein performing heuristic analysis further comprises determining whether the first tabular data or the second tabular data comprises at least one data item having a width exceeding the second width threshold associated with the display of the computing device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the second width threshold is based on a screen resolution of the computing device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein performing heuristic analysis further comprises determining whether the first tabular data or the second tabular data has an overall width exceeding the first width threshold associated with the display of the computing device.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first width threshold is based on a screen resolution of the computing device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein performing heuristic analysis further comprises determining that the first tabular data or the second tabular data comprises at least two columns and analyzing each of the at least two columns one by one.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first width threshold and the second width threshold are measured in pixels.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein performing heuristic analysis further comprises determining whether the first tabular data or the second tabular data comprises at least one text string having a length exceeding a text length threshold associated with the display of the computing device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the text length threshold is based on a screen resolution of the computing device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein performing heuristic analysis further comprises determining whether the first tabular data or the second tabular data comprises at least one image having a width exceeding the second width threshold associated with the display of the computing device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the second width threshold is based on a screen resolution of the computing device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein performing heuristic analysis further comprises determining whether the first tabular data or the second tabular data comprises at least one form field.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein performing heuristic analysis further comprises determining whether the first tabular data or the second tabular data comprises a nested table.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the document is suited for a first display device, and the converted document is suited for a second display device that is different than the first display device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first display device comprises a computer screen, and the second display device comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a handheld computing device screen;

a personal digital assistant screen;

a cell phone screen;

a telephone screen;

a wireless computing appliance screen; and

a computerized notebook screen.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the first tabular data or the second tabular data comprises HTML data.

18. A computer program product for translating tabular data prepared from a tabular format into a non-tabular format comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium; and

computer program code, encoded on the medium, for;

identifying a document that is to be provided to a computing device, the document including first tabular data and second tabular data that are each in the tabular format;

performing heuristic analysis on the first tabular data and the second tabular data to select one of the first tabular data or the second tabular data for conversion from the tabular format to the non-tabular format, while preserving the other of the unselected tabular data in the tabular format based on (i) a plurality of characteristics of the first tabular data and the second tabular data, the plurality of characteristics including an overall width of the first tabular data or the second tabular data and a width of one or more data items provided in the first tabular data or the second tabular data, and (ii) a first width threshold and a second width threshold each associated with a display of the computing device, the second width threshold being smaller than the first width threshold;

performing a conversion of the document by converting the selected one of the first tabular data or the second tabular data based on the heuristic analysis; and

providing, for display on the computing device, the converted document with the selected one of the first tabular data or the second tabular data in the non-tabular format and the other of the unselected tabular data in the tabular format.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the computer program code for performing heuristic analysis comprises at least one of:

computer program code for determining whether the first tabular data or the second tabular data consists of a single row;

computer program code for determining whether the first tabular data or the second tabular data consists of a single column.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the computer program code for performing heuristic analysis further comprises computer program code for determining whether the first tabular data or the second tabular data comprises at least one data item having a width exceeding the second width threshold associated with the display of the computing device.

21. The computer program product of claim 20, wherein the second width threshold is based on a screen resolution of the computing device.

22. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the computer program code for performing heuristic analysis further comprises computer program code for determining whether the first tabular data or the second tabular data has an overall width exceeding the first width threshold associated with the display of the computing device.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, wherein the first width threshold is based on a screen resolution of the computing device.

24. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the computer program code for performing heuristic analysis further comprises computer program code for determining that the first tabular data or the second tabular data comprises at least two columns and analyzing each of the at least two columns one by one.

25. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein first width threshold and the second width threshold are measured in pixels.

26. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the computer program code for performing heuristic analysis further comprises computer program code for determining whether the first tabular data or the second tabular data comprises at least one text string having a length exceeding a text length threshold associated with the display of the computing device.

27. The computer program product of claim 26, wherein the text length threshold is based on a screen resolution of the computing device.

28. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the computer program code for performing heuristic analysis further comprises computer program code for determining whether the first tabular data or the second tabular data comprises at least one image having a width exceeding the second width threshold associated with the display of the computing device.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein the second width threshold is based on a screen resolution of the computing device.

30. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the computer program code for performing heuristic analysis further comprises computer program code for determining whether the first tabular data or the second tabular data comprises at least one form field.

31. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the computer program code for performing heuristic analysis further comprises computer program code for determining whether the first tabular data or the second tabular data comprises a nested table.

32. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the document is suited for a first display device, and the converted document is suited for a second display device that is different than the first display device.

33. The computer program product of claim 32, wherein the first display device comprises a computer screen, and the second display device comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a handheld computing device screen;

a personal digital assistant screen;

a cell phone screen;

a telephone screen;

a wireless computing appliance screen; and

a computerized notebook screen.

34. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the first tabular data or the second tabular data comprises HTML data.

35. A computing device for translating tabular data prepared from a tabular format to a non-tabular format, the computing device comprising:

a display device;

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

identify a document that is to be displayed on the display device, the document including first tabular data and second tabular data that are each in the tabular format;

perform heuristic analysis on the first tabular data and the second tabular data to select one of the first tabular data or the second tabular data for conversion from the tabular format to the non-tabular format, while preserving the other of the unselected tabular data in the tabular format based on (i) a plurality of characteristics of the first tabular data and the second tabular data, the plurality of characteristics including an overall width of the first tabular data or the second tabular data and a width of one or more data items provided in the first tabular data or the second tabular data, and (ii) a first width threshold and a second width threshold each associated with a display of the computing device, the second width threshold being smaller than the first width threshold;

perform a conversion of the document by converting the selected one of the first tabular data or the second tabular data based on the heuristic analysis; and

provide, for display on the display device, the converted document with the selected one of the first tabular data or the second tabular data in the non-tabular format and the other of the unselected tabular data in the tabular format.

36. The computing device of claim 35, wherein the instructions cause the processor to perform heuristic analysis by performing at least one of:

determining whether the first tabular data or the second tabular data consists of a single row;

or

determining whether the first tabular data or the second tabular data consists of a single column.

37. The computing device of claim 35, wherein the instructions cause the processor to perform heuristic analysis by determining whether the first tabular data or the second tabular data comprises at least one data item having a width exceeding the second width threshold associated with the display device.

38. The computing device of claim 37, wherein the second width threshold is based on a screen resolution of the display device.

39. The computing device of claim 35, wherein the instructions cause the processor to perform heuristic analysis by determining whether the first tabular data or the second tabular data has an overall width exceeding the first width threshold associated with the display device.

40. The computing device of claim 39, wherein the first width threshold is based on a screen resolution of the display device.

41. The computing device of claim 35, wherein the instructions cause the processor to perform heuristic analysis by determining that the first tabular data or the second tabular data comprises at least two columns and analyzing each of the at least two columns one by one.

42. The computing device of claim 41, wherein the first width threshold and the second width threshold are measured in pixels.

43. The computing device of claim 35, wherein the instructions cause the processor to perform heuristic analysis by determining whether the first tabular data or the second tabular data comprises at least one text string having a length exceeding a text length threshold associated with the display device.

44. The computing device of claim 43, wherein the text length threshold is based on a screen resolution of the display device.

45. The computing device of claim 35, wherein the instructions cause the processor to perform heuristic analysis by determining whether the first tabular data or the second tabular data comprises at least one image having a width exceeding the second width threshold associated with the display device.

46. The computing device of claim 45, wherein the second width threshold is based on a screen resolution of the display device.

47. The computing device of claim 35, wherein the instructions cause the processor to perform heuristic analysis by determining whether the first tabular data or the second tabular data comprises at least one form field.

48. The computing device of claim 35, wherein the instructions cause the processor to perform heuristic analysis by determining whether the first tabular data or the second tabular data comprises a nested table.

49. The computing device of claim 35, wherein the document is suited for a first display device, and the converted document is suited for the display device of the computing device, wherein the first display device is a different display device than the display device of the computing device.

50. The computing device of claim 49, wherein the first display device comprises a computer screen, and the display device comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a handheld computing device screen;

a personal digital assistant screen;

a cell phone screen;

a telephone screen;

a wireless computing appliance screen; and

a computerized notebook screen.

51. The computing device of claim 35, wherein the first tabular data or the second tabular data comprises HTML data.