Automatic banner resizing for variable-width web pages using variable width cells of HTML table

• US 6,185,589 B1
• Filed: 07/31/1998
• Issued: 02/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Votipka, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong, Stephen S.
• Application Number:
  US09/127,185
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 707/517, 707/501, 707/513, 707/526, 707/504, 345/335, 345/338, 345/341, 345/342, 345/347, 345/348
• US Class Current: 715/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/177 of tables; using ruled lines
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/189 Automatic justification

Abstract

Web page banners are constructed in parts using HTML tables rather than as a single graphical image to allow web page designers to reuse the banner for different window widths without requiring a separate banner for each width. The background image is defined in an HTML table. Each graphical image that in the prior art would normally be embedded within the single GIF image is separately overlaid, with a transparent background to allow the table background to remain visible, in a separate fixed-width cell of the table. Empty space regions are defined as transparent variable-width cells and appropriately positioned in the table. The user'"'"'s browser automatically resizes the variable-width cells to adjust the width of the table to cover the width of the window that displays the web page.

Claims

1. A system for generating a web page banner for a web page, said web page displayable in a window on a user'"'"'s display via an internet browser, said banner comprising:

a table comprising a plurality of cells, said plurality of cells comprising a fixed-width cell having a fixed width and a variable-width cell having an adjustable width, said fixed-width cell and said variable-width cell aligned horizontally;

a background image embedded across said plurality of cells, a first portion of said background image being embedded in said fixed-width cell and a second portion of said background image being embedded in said variable-width cell;

a foreground image with a transparent background overlaid over said first portion of said background image in said fixed-width cell such that said first portion of said background image appears through said transparent background of said foreground image in said fixed-width cell; and

wherein said internet browser adjusts said adjustable width of said variable-width cell such that the width of said table matches the width of said window.

2. A banner in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said background image comprises a solid background color.

3. A banner in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said foreground image comprises a graphical interchange format (GIF) 89a image with transparency enabled.

4. A banner in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said table is implemented using HyperText Markup Language (HTML) code.

5. A banner in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said plurality of cells comprises at least one additional fixed-width cell having a corresponding fixed width;

wherein each of said fixed-width cell and said at least one additional fixed-width cell are relatively positioned within said table such that when said internet browser adjusts said variable-width cell, each of said fixed-width cell and said at least one additional fixed-width cell maintain their relative position in said table with respect to said width of said table.

6. A banner in accordance with claim 5, wherein:

said plurality of cells comprises at least one additional variable-width cell, having an adjustable width and said internet browser adjusting said corresponding adjustable width of said at least one additional variable-width cell to maintain said relative position of said fixed-width cell and said at least one additional fixed-width cell in said row with respect to said width of said window.

7. A banner in accordance with claim 6, wherein:

said table is implemented using HyperText Markup Language (HTML) code.

8. A banner in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said fixed-width cell is relatively positioned within said table; and

said plurality of cells in said table comprise at least one additional variable-width cell, said at least one additional variable-width cell having an adjustable width and said internet browser adjusting said adjustable width of said variable-width cell and of said at least one additional variable-width cell to maintain said relative position of said fixed-width cell in said table with respect to said horizontal width of said window.

9. A banner in accordance with claim 8, wherein:

said table is implemented using HyperText Markup Language (HTML) code.

10. A method for generating an adjustable web page banner for a web page, said adjustable web page banner having a horizontal width of a web page banner that is adjustable by a user'"'"'s internet browser to match a horizontal window width of a window displaying said web page, said method comprising:

defining a table comprising a plurality of cells to have a horizontal table width that matches said horizontal window width, said plurality of cells comprising a fixed-width cell having a fixed width and a variable-width cell having an adjustable width;

embedding a background image across said plurality of cells of said table;

embedding a first portion of said background image in said fixed-width cell and embedding a second portion of said background image in said variable-width cell;

overlaying a foreground image comprising a graphical image with a transparent background over said background image in said fixed-width cell; and

wherein said internet browser adjusts said adjustable width of said variable-width cell such that said horizontal table width matches said horizontal window width.

11. A method in accordance with claim 10, comprising:

defining said background image as a solid background color.

12. A method in accordance with claim 10, comprising:

implementing said foreground image as a graphical interchange format (GIF) 89a image with transparency enabled.

13. A method in accordance with claim 10, comprising:

defining said plurality of cells in said table to comprise at least one additional fixed-width cell having a corresponding fixed width and aligned horizontally with said fixed-width cell and said variable width cell;

positioning each of said fixed-width cell and said at least one additional fixed-width cell relative to one another within said table such that when said internet browser adjusts said variable-width cell, each of said fixed-width cell and said at least one additional fixed-width cell maintain their relative position in said table with respect to said horizontal width of said window.

14. A method in accordance with claim 13, comprising:

defining said plurality of cells in said table to comprise at least one additional variable-width cell having a corresponding adjustable width;

wherein said internet browser adjusts said corresponding adjustable width of said at least one additional variable-width cell to maintain said relative position of said fixed-width cell and said at least one additional fixed-width cell in said table.

15. A method in accordance with claim 10, comprising:

positioning said fixed-width cell in a relative position within said row; and

defining said plurality of cells in said table to comprise at least one additional variable-width cell having a corresponding adjustable width;

wherein said internet browser adjusts said corresponding adjustable width of said variable-width cell and said at least one additional variable-width cell to maintain said relative position of said fixed-width cell in said table with respect to said horizontal width of said window.