Automatic web page thumbnail generation

What is claimed is:

1. A method for presenting content from a web page in a distributed database, comprising the steps of

presenting a web page from the distributed database, wherein said web page includes a plurality of links to linked web pages in the distributed database, wherein the linked web pages are written in a markup language;

retrieving at least one of the linked web pages;

parsing the markup language of the at least one of the linked web pages;

creating a thumbnail image of the at least one of the linked web pages, wherein the thumbnail image represents how the at least one of the linked web pages would be displayed by a browser which parsed the markup language of the at least one of the linked web pages; and

presenting the thumbnail image of the at least one of the linked web pages proximate to the web page so that a user may examine a thumbnail image to determine whether to navigate to a corresponding linked web page.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the thumbnail is presented in a separate panel.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the thumbnail image is presented proximate to a corresponding link.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the thumbnail corresponding to a link is presented when a pointer icon is moved proximate to the link.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein thumbnail images of at least two linked web pages are presented and wherein the thumbnail images are presented in a list.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the list is a scrollable list.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the markup language is a hypertext markup language.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the markup language is an extensible markup language.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein there are at least two thumbnails and wherein the thumbnails are arranged around the perimeter of the presentation of the web page.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein there are at least two thumbnails, the web page is presented in a frame, and the thumbnails are arranged around the perimeter of the frame.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the thumbnail is presented in a dragable palette.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the pallet is resizable.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the thumbnail is resizable.

14. A computer program product in a computer readable media for use in a data processing system for presenting content from a web page in a distributed database, comprising:

first instructions for presenting a web page from the distributed database, wherein said web page includes a plurality of links to linked web pages in the distributed database, wherein the linked web pages are written in a markup language;

second instructions for retrieving at least one of the linked web pages;

third instructions for parsing the markup language of the at least one of the linked web pages;

fourth instructions for creating a thumbnail image of the at least one of the linked web pages, wherein the thumbnail image represents how the at least one of the linked web pages would be displayed by a browser which parsed the markup language of the at least one of the linked web pages; and

fifth instructions for presenting the thumbnail image of the at least one of the linked web pages proximate to the web page so that a user may examine a thumbnail image to determine whether to navigate to a corresponding linked web page.

15. The computer program product as recited in claim 14, wherein there are at least two thumbnails and the thumbnails are presented in a separate panel from the web page.

16. The computer program product as recited in claim 14, wherein the thumbnail is presented proximate to a corresponding link.

17. The computer program product as recited in claim 14, wherein the thumbnail corresponding to a link is presented where a pointer icon is moved proximate to the corresponding link.

18. The computer program product as recited in claim 14, wherein the thumbnail is presented in a dragable palette.

19. The computer program product as recited in claim 18, wherein the palette is resizable.

20. The computer program product as recited in claim 14, wherein the thumbnail is resizable.

21. A system for presenting content from a web page in a distributed database, comprising:

first means for presenting a web page from the distributed database, wherein said web page includes a plurality of links to linked web pages in the distributed database, wherein the linked web pages are written in a markup language;

second means for retrieving at least one of the linked web pages;

third means for parsing the markup language of the at least one of the linked web pages;

fourth means for creating a thumbnail image of the at least one of the linked web pages, wherein the thumbnail image represents how the at least one of the linked web pages would be displayed by a browser which parsed the markup language of the at least one of the linked web pages; and

fifth means for presenting the thumbnail image of the at least one of the linked web pages proximate to the web page so that a user may examine a thumbnail image to determine whether to navigate to a corresponding linked web page.

22. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein there are at least two thumbnails and the thumbnails are presented in a separate panel from the web page.

23. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the thumbnail is presented proximate to a corresponding link.

24. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the thumbnail corresponding to a link is presented where a pointer icon is moved proximate to the corresponding link.

25. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the thumbnail is presented in a dragable palette.

26. The system as recited in claim 25, wherein the palette is resizable.

27. The system as recited in claim 21, wherein the thumbnail is resizable.

28. A computer network, comprising:

a network;

a server connected to the network for providing web pages; and

client connected to the network; wherein

the network provides communications between the client and the server;

the client receives a web page from the server;

the client presents the web page from the server, wherein said web page includes a plurality of links to linked web pages, wherein the linked web pages are written in a markup language;

the client retrieves at least one of the linked web pages;

the client parses the markup language of the at least one of the linked web pages;

the client creates a thumbnail image of the at least one of the linked web pages, wherein the thumbnail image represents how the at least one of the linked web pages would be displayed by a browser which parsed the markup language of the at least one of the linked web pages; and

the client presents the thumbnail image of the at least one of the linked web pages proximate to the web page so that a user may examine a thumbnail image to determine whether to navigate to a corresponding linked web page.

29. The computer network as recited in claim 28, wherein the thumbnail is resizable.

30. The computer network as recited in claim 28, wherein the thumbnail corresponding to a link is presented where a pointer icon is moved proximate to the corresponding link.

Description Submit all comments and votes

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The invention relates generally to the field of computer software and, more specifically, to Internet related computer software.

2. Description of Related Art

The "Internet" is a globally accessible network of computers that collectively provide a large amount and variety of information to users. From services of the Internet such as the World Wide Web (or simply, the "web"), users may retrieve or "download" data from Internet network sites and display the data that includes information presented as text in various fonts, graphics, images, and the like having an appearance intended by the publisher. As the information revolution has exploded, more and more information is available through the internet. However, finding particular pieces of information out of the millions of "web sites" available can be daunting.

One way of sorting through this mass of information to find what is of interest for a particular user is through the use of "search engines". Search engines are software written to search, among the millions of web sites, for certain key words or criteria entered by a user, and to return to the user a list of links (references to other HTML pages) to the sites that the search engine determines to be relevant to the criteria entered by the user. Different search engines use different methods of determining the relevance of web sites, but most use some sort of quantitative method that determines the relevance of a site based on how many times the key words appear in that particular site.

Search engines typically return a list of links to relevant sites with perhaps a short verbal description of the site. A typical example of a screen image returned by a search engine is illustrated in FIG. 1. Notice that each link is represented only with a textual name followed by a short textual description of the linked page. Often times, this does not provide sufficient information to enable one to make an intelligent decision as to whether to follow the link. Thus, the user is left with the time consuming task of sorting through the links returned by the search engine to determine which of these is the best match. Furthermore, there is no way for a user to determine based on the search engine results whether the site or web page is still active or if it has been removed.

Similar problems exist with regard to following links from one web page to another (sometimes referred to as "web surfing"). Often times, users find the information they are looking for by following links on web pages, but the same problem exists here as with search engines. Many times, the links will have only short descriptions about the contents of the web page to which they link--usually, just a highlighted word. Furthermore, a web page will often contain a dead link and there is no way the user can determine this except by trial and error. Therefore, it would be beneficial for Internet users to have a tool to enable them to make more informed decisions about which links to follow.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a method for presenting content from the page in a distributed database. In a preferred embodiments a page of data from the database is presented to a user. The page has a plurality of links to linked pages in the database. A set of thumbnail images of the linked pages in the database is presented to the user near the links to the linked pages.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a typical screen image result for current Internet search engines;

FIG. 2 shows a pictorial representation of a distributed data processing system in which the present invention may be implemented;

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of a data processing system which may be implemented as a server in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of a data processing system in which the present invention may be implemented;

FIG. 5 depicts a block diagram of a browser program in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 shows a flowchart for an overview of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 shows a more detailed flow chart for a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 shows a screen image for search results with thumbnails placed in-line near a respective link;

FIG. 9 shows a screen image for search results from a search engine with some thumbnails having a border;

FIG. 10 shows a screen image for search results from a search engine with modified thumbnails;

FIG. 11 shows a flowchart for a preferred embodiment of the present invention using pup-up thumbnails;

FIG. 12 shows a screen image of search results from a search engine illustrating pup-up thumbnails;

FIG. 13 shows a flowchart for a preferred embodiment of the present invention using a thumbnail palette; and

FIG. 14 shows a screen image of search results with thumbnails of links displayed in a separate window.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference now to the figures, and in particular with reference to FIG. 2, a pictorial representation of a distributed data processing system is depicted in which the present invention may be implemented.

Distributed data processing system 200 is a network of computers in which the present invention may be implemented. Distributed data processing system 200 contains network 202, which is the medium used to provide communications links between various devices and computers connected within distributed data processing system 200. Network 202 may include permanent connections, such as wire or fiber optic cables, or temporary connections made through telephone connections. In the depicted example, server 204 is connected to network 202, along with storage unit 206. In addition, clients 208, 210 and 212 are also connected to network 202. These clients, 208, 210 and 212, may be, for example, personal computers or network computers. For purposes of this application, a network computer is any computer coupled to a network which receives a program or other application from another computer coupled to the network. In the depicted example, server 204 provides data, such as boot files, operating system images and applications, to clients 208-212. Clients 208, 210 and 212 are clients to server 204. Distributed data processing system 200 may include additional servers, clients, and other devices not shown.

In the depicted example, distributed data processing system 200 is the Internet, with network 202 representing a worldwide collection of networks and gateways that use the TCP/IP suite of protocols to communicate with one another. At the heart of the Internet is a backbone of high-speed data communication lines between major nodes or host computers consisting of thousands of commercial, government, education, and other computer systems that route data and messages. Of course, distributed data processing system 200 also may be implemented as a number of different types of networks such as, for example, an Intranet, the World Wide Web ("WWW"), or a local area network.

FIG. 2 is intended as an example and not as an architectural limitation for the processes of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, a block diagram of a data processing system which may be implemented as a server, such as server 204 in FIG. 2, is depicted in accordance with the present invention. Data processing system 300 may be a symmetric multiprocessor (SMP) system including a plurality of processors 302 and 304 connected to system bus 306. Alternatively, a single processor system may be employed. Also connected to system bus 306 is memory controller/cache 308, which provides an interface to local memory 309. I/O bus bridge 310 is connected to system bus 306 and provides an interface to I/O bus 312. Memory controller/cache 308 and I/O bus bridge 310 may be integrated as depicted.

Peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus bridge 314 connected to I/O bus 312 provides an interface to PCI local bus 316. A number of modems 318-320 may be connected to PCI bus 316. Typical PCI bus implementations will support four PCI expansion slots or add-in connectors. Communications links to network computers 208-212 in FIG. 2 may be provided through modem 318 and network adapter 320 connected to PCI local bus 316 through add-in boards.

Additional PCI