Web search engine with graphic snapshots
First Claim
1. A method for processing data files stored at distributed addresses on a data processing network, at least some of the data files having text and graphic content, the method comprising:
- analyzing at least a subset of the data files to produce a database of information characterizing aspects of the data files that tend to distinguish the data files from one another, and cross referencing said information to addresses of the data files;
generating an image of at least a portion of the subset of data files, and storing a graphic file of said image in a manner cross referenced to the addresses of the data files, whereby the graphic file represents an image of the data files at a time of generation;
receiving search queries and applying the search queries to the database for selecting a hit list from among the data files;
reporting the hit list in a search report including the addresses of each of the data files selected and the image corresponding to the data files in the hit list at the respective time of generation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A search engine manages the indexing of web page contents and accepts user selection criteria to find and report hits that meet the search criteria. The inventive search engine has an associated crawler function wherein display images of the web pages are rendered and stored as snapshots, preferably when the pages are indexed. The search engine reports search results by composing an html page with links to the corresponding page hits and containing snapshot reduced size graphic images showing the web pages as they appeared when fetched and stored as snapshots.
856 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method for processing data files stored at distributed addresses on a data processing network, at least some of the data files having text and graphic content, the method comprising:
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analyzing at least a subset of the data files to produce a database of information characterizing aspects of the data files that tend to distinguish the data files from one another, and cross referencing said information to addresses of the data files;
generating an image of at least a portion of the subset of data files, and storing a graphic file of said image in a manner cross referenced to the addresses of the data files, whereby the graphic file represents an image of the data files at a time of generation;
receiving search queries and applying the search queries to the database for selecting a hit list from among the data files;
reporting the hit list in a search report including the addresses of each of the data files selected and the image corresponding to the data files in the hit list at the respective time of generation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A network search engine for managing user selection of information contained on data files stored at distributed network addresses on a global information processing network wherein distributed users have control over associated data files accessible by other users, each of said data files having at least some associated text and each of the data files having at least one mode of graphic presentation, comprising:
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a crawler having at least one processor operable to address and load successive data files comprising at least a subset of said data files stored at said distributed network addresses, the crawler being operable to produce and store a database of information characterizing aspects of the data files that tend to distinguish the data files from one another, cross referenced to addresses of the data files; and
,wherein the crawler is further operable to produce graphic image files representing at least some of the data files, the graphic image files each corresponding to content of corresponding said data files at a point in time, and wherein the crawler is operable to store the graphic image file so as to cross reference the graphic image file to the data files in the database. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An improved Internet search engine for managing user search and selection of web pages stored at distributed systems coupled at network addresses to the Internet, the search engine having an associated web crawler operable to address and load successive web pages, and to index text data associated with said successive web pages so as to obtain parameter information that distinguishes at least groups of the web pages from one another, the crawler storing the parameter information and associated addresses of the web pages, and the search engine being operable responsive to user submitted search criteria to search the parameter information and to report at least the associated addresses of web pages that met the search criteria when indexed, wherein the improvement comprises:
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said crawler being operable in conjunction with obtaining the parameter information for at least a subset of said successive web pages to generate a graphic image file containing a visual image that is substantially identical to an appearance of said web pages, for display in a size proportionally smaller than said web pages; and
wherein the search engine is operable when reporting the associated addresses of web pages that met the search criteria to include a representation of the graphic image file in said proportionally smaller size. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification