(12) United States Patent
`Finseth et al.
`
`US006271840B1
`US 6,271,840 B1
`Aug. 7, 2001
`
`(10) Patent N0.:
`(45) Date of Patent:
`
`(54)
`
`(76)
`
`GRAPHICAL SEARCH ENGINE VISUAL
`INDEX
`
`Inventors: James Lee Finseth, 926 1st St., #2,
`Hermosa Beach, CA (US) 90254; Jerry
`Hermel, 5333 Wortser Ave., Sherman
`Oaks, CA (US) 91401; Bryan F. Pelz,
`3854 N. Orchid La., #D, Calabasas, CA
`(US) 91301
`
`(*)
`
`Notice:
`
`Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this
`patent is extended or adjusted under 35
`U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
`
`(21)
`(22)
`(51)
`(52)
`(58)
`
`(56)
`
`Appl. No.: 09/160,633
`Filed:
`Sep. 24, 1998
`
`Int. Cl.7 ...................................................... .. G06F 3/14
`US. Cl. ......................... .. 345/349; 707/513; 345/357
`Field of Search ................................... .. 345/968, 348,
`345/349, 357; 707/3, 104, 501, 4, 513
`References Cited
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`3/1993 Boes ................................... .. 364/408
`5,193,056
`5,721,851 * 2/1998 Cline ....... ..
`395/349
`5,761,655 * 6/1998 Hoffman
`...... .. 707/4
`6,070,176 * 5/2000 Downs ............................... .. 707/513
`* cited by examiner
`
`Primary Examiner—John Cabeca
`Assistant Examiner—Michael May
`(74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Cislo & Thomas, LLP
`
`(57)
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A visual index method provides graphical output from
`search engine results or other URL lists. Search engine
`results or a list of URLs are passed to a Web craWler that
`retrieves the Web page and other media information present
`at the associated URL. The Web craWler then passes this
`information to a page renderer Which also receives image
`scale and format information regarding the Web pages
`present at the URLs. The graphical information as Well as
`other media information is then rendered into a reduced
`graphical form so that the page may be summarily revieWed
`by the user. Media, visual, or other information may also be
`doWnWardly scaled as appropriate or rendered in its original
`as appropriate (such as With audio data streams). A variety
`of convenient formats alloWs the user to quickly and readily
`scan the presentation at the URL Web pages or other data
`present. Image maps associated With the reduced images
`may also provide hyperlink access to the linked Web page
`and/or multimedia alloWing the links present on the Web
`page in its original to be accessed through the reduced image
`provided by the Web page renderer.
`
`15 Claims, 4 Drawing Sheets
`
`SEARCH RESULT 1
`SEARCH RESULT 2
`
`IMAGE WITH HYPERLINK
`
`TEXT
`
`.
`
`IMAGE
`
`SEARCH RESULT
`
`TEXT WITH HYPERLINK
`
`Google Exhibit 1007
`Page 1
`
`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 7, 2001
`
`Sheet 1 014
`
`US 6,271,840 B1
`
`I’ """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""" __'|
`VISUAL INDEX PROCESS
`
`52
`
`PAGE RENDERED AS IMAGE (WITH
`IMAGE MAP AS NECESSARY)
`
`/——————————————""‘\
`
`IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
`
`Google Exhibit 1007
`Page 2
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 7, 2001
`
`Sheet 2 014
`
`US 6,271,840 B1
`
`PACE RENDERED AS IMAGE (WITH
`IMAGE MAP AS NECESSARY)
`
`DESTINATION
`SYSTEM/
`PROCESS
`
`1)
`
`;' VIRTUAL IMAGE or’;
`3
`PAGE 14
`§
`5
`3
`
`72
`
`9
`RENDERED
`DATA STREAM RENDE
`
`50
`
`PAGE’ MEDIA
`
`0
`
`PROCESS ON CLIENT (BROWSER)
`94
`.
`. .
`. . . .
`. . . . . . . . . . . . .
`
`. . .
`
`3
`
`REQUEST
`
`RESPONSE .1113
`.38
`
`INTERFACE
`
`DATABASE
`M
`
`BROWSER
`USER
`INTERFACE
`
`BACKGRO
`PROCES
`
`Google Exhibit 1007
`Page 3
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`

`

`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 7, 2001
`
`Sheet 3 0f 4
`
`US 6,271,840 B1
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`PROCESS 0N SERVER
`BROWSER .91 78;" """ "INTERNET """"
`
`.LLO
`
`F/G, 3
`SEARCH ENGINE
`
`19-6
`
`BROWSER
`
`USER
`INTERFACE
`
`92
`
`USER
`
`90
`
`'
`
`'
`
`J”
`
`-
`
`'
`
`'
`
`REQUEST
`RESPONSE m
`/38
`§PAGE
`PAGE
`
`ilZ
`USER
`
`INTERFACE
`
`SEARCH
`ENGINE
`DATQ-BLQSE
`/\
`
`170
`
`118§
`RENDERER
`5
`PAGES ) PROCESS
`
`PAGE
`
`PAGE
`
`PAGE
`
`PAGE
`
`PAGE
`
`5
`5
`5
`é
`
`I
`
`I
`
`l
`
`|
`
`T
`CRAWLER
`i
`I
`:
`<1» I
`i
`BACKGROUND :
`5
`l2
`:
`
`I
`|
`——————————————————————————————— ——
`
`SEARCH RESULT 2
`'
`
`SEARCH RESULT
`
`IMAGE WITH HYPERLINK
`
`TEXT
`
`IMAGE
`
`T
`+ TEXT WITH HYPERLINK
`S
`
`.. .1404
`
`.
`
`Google Exhibit 1007
`Page 4
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`

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`U.S. Patent
`
`Aug. 7, 2001
`
`Sheet 4 0f 4
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`US 6,271,840 B1
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`IMAGE wITH HYPERLINK / 750
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`IMAGE
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`/
`'52
`
`TEXT
`
`H2
`
`140
`/
`H6‘. 6
`
`TExT wITH HYPERLINK
`154J
`
`SEARCH RESULT 1
`.ZQQ
`
`RENDERED IMAGE 1
`? / 752
`
`SEARCH RESULT 2
`.L60
`
`RENDERED IMAGE 2
`.L42
`
`SEARCH RESULT 3
`m
`
`RENDERED IMAGE 3
`m F/G. 7
`
`SEARCH RESULT 4
`.LGO
`
`RENDERED IMAGE 4
`.L42
`
`SEARCH RESULT 1 f 760
`
`SEARCH RESULT 2 ,160
`
`SEARCH RESULT 3 f '50
`
`RENDERED IMAGE 1
`.L42
`
`RENDERED IMAGE 2
`.LiZ
`
`RENDERED IMAGE 3
`
`170
`
`1Z2
`
`J14
`
`F 8
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`Google Exhibit 1007
`Page 5
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`

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`US 6,271,840 B1
`
`1
`GRAPHICAL SEARCH ENGINE VISUAL
`INDEX
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`1. Field of the Invention
`This invention relates to Internet Web browsers and search
`engine output, and more particularly to a visual Internet
`search engine results index or summary that enables faster
`perusal of search engine output on both a hyperlink and
`graphical level.
`2. Description of the Related Art
`The meteoric rise of Internet use reveals the demand for
`information from the personal and trivial to the speci?cally
`technical and even vital. The Internet is the name given the
`WorldWide netWork of computers available for public access
`that provides email, FTP, telnet, and Web page access. As
`used herein, the term “Internet” refers to both this WorldWide
`netWork of computers and any netWork of tWo or more
`computers supporting broWsing. “Web pages” is the short
`hand term given to Internet computer ?les available for
`broWsing on both a text and graphics basis. BroWsing of
`such Web pages provides an enhanced user experience as
`hyperlinks, or Web page entries, leading to other Web pages
`or other Internet resources alloW users to obtain additional
`information on subjects associated With the Web page cur
`rently being vieWed. One of the ?rst broWsers Was named
`MOSAIC and Was developed by Mark Andreeson While at
`the National Center for Supercomputing Applications at the
`University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Internet
`activity, and particularly Internet commerce, are of particu
`lar interest at this point due to relevant commercial aspects.
`With the rise of the internet, an Internet connection
`(including those by telephone) becomes a link to the sum
`total of World civiliZation available electronically and made
`accessible by research, academic, and governmental insti
`tutions. Geography becomes much less of a limitation to the
`accessibility of information than does bandWidth. Any form
`of electronic communication can carry Internet information
`provided the user and the server have compatible modems or
`other interface devices.
`With such a vast reservoir of information available to
`those accessing the Internet, it has become a dif?cult ques
`tion as to hoW to ?nd pertinent information on a textual
`search basis. Logic is not currently available that alloWs
`computers to derive meaning from the text ?les or other data
`that they store in their memory. Consequently, literal string
`searches are the only manner in Which information is
`generally retrieved or accessed on the Internet. Such
`retrieval often includes the use of search engines such as
`ALTAVISTA, LYCOS, INFOSEEK, EXCITE, as Well as
`hierarchically ordered lists, including YAHOO!
`One of the great draWbacks of current search engines is
`the output that they provide to the user. Often, such results
`are in the form of a list of hyperlinks With a cursory, if not
`cryptic, excerpt of initial text present on the Web page. FeW,
`if any, search engine interfaces provide means by Which to
`gauge graphically the contents of the Web page. Such revieW
`or perusal of some summary form of a Web page, even if
`cursory, provides a signi?cant amount of information as the
`form in Which graphical information is presented often
`indicates to a signi?cant degree its content.
`For example, professional Web pages often have a very
`polished look and can be discriminated at a variety of levels
`of resolution. The use of marginal framing on the left hand
`side is a currently popular technique by Which access to the
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`entire Web presence of an organiZation can be delivered
`throughout all of its Web pages. HoWever, hobbyist or
`personal pages have a different look in general, often high
`lighting the subject matter most pertinent to the designer of
`such Web pages. For example, the American Kennel Club
`might have a Web page highlighting ?gures of canines that
`Would be easily distinguishable at almost any level of
`resolution from an entire computer screen doWn to a min
`iature thumbnail summary of the ?rst Web page screen.
`Well-recogniZed logos or the like Would also stand out in
`order to provide the user a means by Which Web pages could
`be evaluated quickly and either discarded or marked men
`tally or otherWise for future and/or closer revieW.
`As current search engines do not provide such an
`interface, and as such an interface is highly desirable in
`order to quickly ?lter through the vast information available
`from the simplest of searches, it Would be of signi?cant
`advantage and development in the art to provide such an
`interface.
`Additionally, greater advantage could also be provided by
`alloWing such an interface to reside either on the server side
`of an Internet connection or on the client or broWser side
`thereto.
`
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`The present invention remedies many of the shortcomings
`of current generation broWsers by providing means by Which
`thumbnail or other representational graphic information can
`accompany hyperlinks that result at the end of a search
`engine search. The present invention provides graphical
`summary information in a variety of user-friendly formats
`that greatly enhances the ability to revieW search engine
`results or other associated results having a plurality or a list
`of uniform/universal resource locators (URLs).
`Initially, one or more URLs are passed to a Web craWler
`that serves as an automatic process by Which the URLs and
`all associated media are retrieved. These results of the URL
`retrieval requests are then passed to a page renderer that
`secures image scale and format information either from the
`source system/process, or otherWise. The page renderer then
`transmits as output reduced images of the Web pages asso
`ciated With the URLs as Well as links to such URLs. The
`output is transmitted to a destination system, or process,
`such as a broWser user interface or the like. In some
`embodiments, the page renderer may provide its oWn for
`matted output or, alternatively may leave that to the broWser
`user interface.
`In an alternative embodiment, the reduced image may
`carry With it an image map of clickable areas Within the Web
`page that correspond to similar areas inside the reduced
`image. Algorithms directed toWards resolution of the
`reduced image and the ?neness With Which a user could
`manipulate a mouse may discriminate betWeen closely
`situated hyperlinks so that screen information could be
`accessed directly from the reduced image Without dif?culty.
`By providing a list of hyperlinks as Well as graphical
`representational of reduced images of the Web pages asso
`ciated With the hyperlink list, the present invention provides
`enhanced means by Which vast amounts of Internet Web
`page information can be delivered to the user. It then
`becomes an easier task for the user to discriminate betWeen
`those links that are of interest and those links Which are not
`based upon the summary graphical provided by the Web
`page renderer.
`Another advantage arising through the use of the present
`invention is the ability to compare several Web pages
`
`Google Exhibit 1007
`Page 6
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`US 6,271,840 B1
`
`3
`simultaneously. As the data associated With such Web pages
`is rendered by the present invention into a smaller siZe.
`Several of such rendered Web pages can be displayed
`simultaneously on one computer screen, alloWing rapid and
`convenient comparison and perusal.
`
`OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
`
`It is an object of the present invention to provide a better
`and quicker revieW of search engine results and/or URL list
`information.
`It is another object of the present invention to provide
`quicker revieW of search engine results by providing a
`graphical Web page summary in conjunction With the hyper
`link associated With the Web page.
`It is yet another object of the present invention to provide
`quick and summary graphical revieW of search engine
`results and the like by providing URL-handling processes
`that can reside, at least in part, on either the server or the
`client of an Internet connection.
`It is yet another object of the present invention to provide
`summary graphical information of search engine or other
`URL list results With such a reduced image accompanied by
`an image map providing access to the hyperlinks present on
`the Web page corresponding to the URL.
`These and other objects and advantages of the present
`invention Will be apparent from a revieW of the folloWing
`speci?cation and accompanying draWings.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`FIG. 1 is a diagram of the graphical search engine visual
`index method and process of the present invention.
`FIG. 2 is a diagram of the Web page renderer of the
`present invention.
`FIG. 3 is a diagram shoWing softWare architecture With
`the visual index method of the present invention resident on
`a server.
`FIG. 4 is a diagram of softWare architecture of the visual
`index method of the present invention With part of the
`process resident on the client/broWser.
`FIG. 5 is an example of an alternative embodiment of the
`screen output from the is visual index method of the present
`invention.
`FIG. 6 is a closeup of a dedicated graphical screen section
`of the screen output shoWn in FIG. 5.
`FIG. 7 is an alternative embodiment of the output of the
`visual index method of the present invention formatted for
`a computer screen.
`FIG. 8 is an alternative embodiment of output from the
`visual index method of the present invention formatted for
`a computer screen.
`
`DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
`EMBODIMENT(S)
`The detailed description set forth beloW in connection
`With the appended draWings is intended as a description of
`a presently preferred embodiment of the invention and is not
`intended to represent the only forms in Which the present
`invention may be constructed and/or utiliZed. The descrip
`tion sets forth the functions and the sequence of steps for
`constructing and operating the invention in connection With
`the illustrated embodiments. HoWever, it is to be understood
`that the same or equivalent functions and sequence may be
`accomplished by different embodiments that are also
`intended to be encompassed Within the spirit and scope of
`the invention.
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`As shoWn in the ?gures, the present invention resides in
`an efficient and user-friendly process by Which summary
`information is made readily available to the end user regard
`ing WorldWide Web (Web) pages on the Internet. In this Way,
`a greater quantity of Web page information can be perused
`or scanned in order to determine Which Web pages are of
`interest to the user. This maximiZes the users’ time and
`alloWs them to more fully exploit the advantages of the Web
`as less time is spent Waiting for pages to load and in the
`evaluation process. In general, the format of a Web page can
`indicate its contents to a certain degree, and by summarily
`presenting the Web page, the user is able to more readily ?nd
`those Web pages of interest. Additionally, Web pages having
`no content or that have expired (such as those returning a
`“404” error) are readily discriminated and can be ignored
`Without having to take the time to doWnload the entire page.
`FIG. 1 shoWs a general schematic of the Graphical Search
`Engine Visual Index Method of the present invention. The
`visual index method 20 of the present invention takes its
`input information from a source system/process 22 and
`returns it to a destination system or process 24. The general
`sequence of steps of the method are indicated by the
`highlighted numbers as shoWn in FIGS. 1 and 2. The present
`invention alloWs for a variety of alternative embodiments all
`encompassed Within the scope of the present invention.
`The source system/process 22 is generally contemplated
`as being an Internet search engine such as ALTAVISTA,
`LYCOS, INFOSEEK, EXCITE, and the like. Hierarchical
`indices such as YAHOO! could also be used to good effect
`as providing the appropriate uniform/universal resource
`locator (URL) information required as a starting point for
`the present invention. As used herein for purposes of
`description, the source system/process 22 includes any
`delivered list of URLs for retrieval and graphical summa
`riZing as rendered by the visual index method 20 of the
`present invention. As an alternative to search engines access
`ing the Internet as a Whole, search engines accessing URLs
`present on an intranet separate and apart, or collateral to, the
`Internet are also contemplated Within the scope of the
`present invention.
`For descriptive purposes, examples and explanation
`regarding search engines are used herein. HoWever, these
`should be understood as encompassing all sources of URLs,
`including URL databases or lists, Whether or not such URLs
`are actively or passively requested and/or delivered.
`Additionally, references herein to the Internet encompass all
`computer netWorks using URL-type resource descriptors or
`Which are otherWise subject to broWsing. The vocabulary
`used to describe the features, steps, and operation of the
`present invention is understood as providing an ample
`description of the present technology. As computer and
`electronic resources develop on a local and global basis, the
`concepts and foundations of the present invention may be
`subject to changing technical terms in the art. Developing
`technical vocabulary shall not change the applicability of the
`present invention to developing and emerging arts and
`sciences.
`In the present invention, the source system/process 22
`delivers the URLs 30 to the visual index Web craWler
`process or procedure 32. The URLs 30 are generally strings
`of locations often under 256 characters long that indicate
`resources available on the associated Internet, computer
`netWork, or otherWise. The visual index method Web craWler
`process 32 requests from the Internet the delivered URLs 30
`via hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) as is normal for Web
`broWsing under current practices. The Web craWler process
`32 submits the request 34 for the information associated
`With the URLs 30 to the Internet/Worldwide Web 36.
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`US 6,271,840 B1
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`5
`In FIG. 1, the information associated With the URLs 30 is
`represented by a variety of Web pages 38 Which are retrieved
`and transmitted by the Internet 36 and delivered 40 to the
`visual indeX method Web crawler process 32. Having
`retrieved the Web page data/information/media 38 associ
`ated With the URLs 30, the visual indeX method Web craWler
`process 32 then passes the information 50 to the visual indeX
`method page rendering process 52.
`It should be noted that in fetching and transmitting the
`Web page information 38 to the visual indeX method page
`rendering process 52, that the Web craWler process 32 may
`recogniZe the type of information 38 associated With the
`URLs 30. Occasionally, URLs point to data streams or other
`media (such as video, audio, or MIDI) information.
`Generally, such data streams are not capable of being
`visually summariZed. HoWever, once the Web craWler pro
`cess 32 recogniZes, determines, or detects the type of
`information presented (or the inability to determine such
`information), a token or other identi?er can be passed in the
`transmitted information 50 to the page rendering process 52.
`A graphic image can then be posted along With the Web page
`data 38 indicating the data stream and, alternatively, its type
`and/or other collateral information.
`The Web craWler process 32 also retrieves hyperlink,
`media, and other information embedded in the Web pages as
`the information associated With the URL. In so doing, the
`Web craWler process 32 provides information similar to that
`available to the user had the URL 30 been accessed by a
`broWser independently of the visual indeX method 20 of the
`present invention.
`After receiving the URLs (With their associated media)
`40, the Web craWler process 32 passes the information to the
`renderer 52 so that the graphic Web page summary can be
`prepared and transmitted to the destination system/process
`24. Upon receiving the data associated With the Web pages
`38 from the Web craWler 32, the Web page rendering process
`52 also receives image scale and format information 60
`indicating the general desired format for presentation in the
`destination system/process 24 of the Web page information
`38. Receipt of the image scale and format information 60
`may be contemporaneous With the receipt of the page and
`media information 50 from the Web craWler process 32.
`Upon receiving both the image scale and format information
`60 from the source system/process 22 and the Web page data,
`links, and associated media 50 from the Web craWler process
`32, the Web page rendering process 52 is then able to fashion
`a rendered image for the destination source system/process
`24. The Web page rendering process 52 may optionally also
`provide an image map indicating media area and/or hyper
`links associated With the Web page data 38 as rendered by
`the page rendering process 52.
`The Web page rendering process 52 holds either as a
`default or as a user-selected parameter information regard
`ing the preferred scale to Which the Web page data 50 is to
`be rendered. Upon reformatting and rescaling the Web page
`data 50, the Web page rendering process 52 transmits the
`rendered Web page or pages 62 as output to the destination
`system/process 24. The destination system/process 24 then
`makes available the rendered information to the user.
`FIG. 2 shoWs one embodiment of the Web page renderer/
`rendering process 52. In receiving the Web page 50, the
`renderer 52 may ?rst process the incoming data stream 50
`via a licensed Web document rendering engine 70 as is
`knoWn in the art. Such rendering engines may include: Web
`document or HTML rendering engines developed and/or
`licensed from companies such as Netscape Communications
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`Corporation or Spyglass Corporation. Such commercial
`entities have Web presences at the respective URLs: http://
`WWW.moZilla.org and http://WWW.spyglass.com. The HTML
`rendering engine 70 renders the incoming Web page/media
`data stream 50 into a virtual image of the Web page in
`memory. Such memory may include cache memory, disk
`drive memory or the like. The form of the memory is
`secondary to the actual storage of the rendered data stream
`72 as transmitted by the HTML rendering engine 70.
`Once a virtual image 74 of the Web page is created in
`memory, the information is retrieved 76 for rendering and
`scaling by the scaling process 78. The rendering process
`takes the image scale and format information 60 received
`from the source system/process 22 and scales the virtual
`image of the page 74 to the siZe and shape indicated by the
`default or user preferences. Additionally, the rendering pro
`cess 78 can selectively detect and select those hyperlinks or
`other links resident Within the virtual image of page 74
`according to the image, scale and format information 60. If
`the space occupied by the link or indicator in the virtual
`image of the Web page 74 is of sufficient siZe, the rendering
`process 78 can then maintain the links present in the
`rendered image 80 When transmitted as output to the desti
`nation system/process 24.
`When evaluating the virtual image of the Web page 74, the
`rendering process 78 may form an image map, or HTML
`image map, that indicates the siZe of the Web page as Well
`as the siZe and position of the links inside of it. If the image
`scale and format information indicates that the siZe and
`position of the rendered Web page 80 is too small to
`sufficiently make individual or other links inside the virtual
`image of the Web page 74 readable and available to the user,
`such links may be selectively omitted from the image map.
`Alternatively, if the user changes the siZe of the rendered
`image, the rendering process 70 may re-evaluate the image
`map and the rendered image according to the neW param
`eters associated With the rendered Web page. The user can
`then resiZe the rendered page if links are desired but are too
`small to designate. The rendered Web page siZe and dispo
`sition is generally achieved in the same manner as WindoWs
`are manipulated and fashioned in operating systems such as
`those used on the Macintosh® computer (manufactured by
`Apple Computer, Inc.) or as performed under operating
`systems similar to Windows@ (created and distributed by
`Microsoft Corporation).
`This omission of an image map is advantageous When
`only small representations of graphical Web page informa
`tion are needed as the links may be omitted from the
`rendered page output 80. Alternatively, When such informa
`tion is advantageous, the user may select the option of
`having an image map With the rendered Web page graphic,
`thus enabling hyperlinks.
`Once the rendering process 78 has transmitted the ren
`dered Web page 80 to the destination system/process, it can
`then be revieWed by the user Who may choose to select or
`bypass the Web page. The user may select the Web page by
`clicking on its rendered image as, preferably, a hyperlink is
`associated With the rendered image, namely the URL asso
`ciated With the location of the original of the Web page 38
`retrieved by the Web craWler process 32.
`Having set forth generally the operation, construction, and
`architecture of the visual indeX method of the present
`invention, other alternative embodiments eXist Whereby
`distributed or localiZed processing may occur in order to
`achieve the present invention. FIGS. 3 and 4 shoW alterna
`tive embodiments of the visual indeX method 20 of the
`
`Google Exhibit 1007
`Page 8
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`US 6,271,840 B1
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`present invention Where the rendering process is associated
`With or inherent to the server transmitting Web information
`to the user (FIG. 3) or Where the rendering process is
`associated With the broWser or client side of the Internet
`connection established by the user to the Internet (FIG. 4).
`In FIG. 3, the visual index method 20 of the present
`invention is present on the server. In this case, the visual
`index method 52 is associated With the search engine and
`acts in conjunction With the user interface associated With
`the search engine. The Web craWler 32 may be allocated as
`a background process that retrieves the Web page informa
`tion for ultimate transmission to the visual index method
`page renderer 52.
`As shoWn in FIG. 3, the user 90 requests and receives
`information 92 from a broWser 94 having a broWser inter
`face 96. The user 90 makes the search engine request 98 via
`the broWser user interface 96 to the search engine 110.
`The search engine 110 generally includes its oWn user
`interface 112 that provides formatted output to the broWser
`user interface 96 When a response or reply 114 is delivered
`from the search engine 110 back to the broWser user inter
`face 96. The search engine response may be determined
`predominately or in signi?cant part by the visual index
`method page rendering process 52 that is associated With
`both the search engine user interface 112 and search engine
`data base 116. The visual index method Web craWler process
`32 is operated in the background and serves to either search
`the Web for the available connections and resources, or by
`executing upon a list of URLs. Such URLs may be provided
`by the search engine data base 116. Alternatively, the Web
`craWler process 32 may supply URL information to the
`search engine data base 116 so that results of the search
`request may be more readily supplied to the user 90.
`When a search engine request 98 is made by the user 90,
`the search engine interface 112 may parse the request and
`pass it to the search engine data base 116. The search engine
`data base may either or both rely upon its list of URLs With
`summary information and/or make request of the Web
`craWler process 32 that a Web search be performed. The Web
`craWler process 32 retrieves the data associated With the
`URLs either as a result of the separate Web craWler search
`or from the search engine data base 116. The Web craWler
`process 32 can then pass the associated media and URL
`information to the visual index method page renderer pro
`cess 52 via the search engine data base 116 or otherWise. The
`user interface 112 can also pass the image scale and format
`information to the Web page renderer 52. Upon appropri
`ately completing its rendering process, the page renderer 52
`can then pass the rendered pages as output 120 to the search
`engine user interface 112. Image maps (as set forth above)
`may also be included With the rendered images.
`The search engine user interface 112 then transmits the
`formatted and rendered Web pages 38 in its response 114 to
`the broWser user interface 96 and ultimately to the user 90.
`In FIG. 4, the visual index method 20 of the present
`invention is shoWn distributed betWeen the Internet server
`and the broWser 94 local to the user 90. The user 90 makes
`a search engine request to the search engine 110 via a
`broWser 94 With a user interface 96 either together or in
`conjunction With a visual index method plug-in 130 that
`corresponds to the visual index method page renderer 52.
`In the art, such softWare plug-ins are commonplace and
`arise naturally When access is sought of certain data or other
`?les (such as audio or video data streams) that the broWser
`94 may not be able to handle inherently. The data stream
`may indicate to the broWser 94 the plug-in Which, in
`conjunction With the broWser 94, alloWs the data stream to
`be read.
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`The request 98 is made via the broWser 94 to the search
`engine user interface 112. The request is then parsed by the
`user interface and passed to the search engine data base 116.
`The search engine data base may operate in conjunction With
`a background Web craWler process 32 much in the same Way
`that the data base 116 and craWler 32 operated When the
`visual index method 20 of the present invention is located on
`the server (FIG. 3). The Web craWler process 32 fetches
`Internet Web pages 38 according to a list of URLs transmit
`ted to it. The data associated With the Web pages is then
`transmitted back to the search engine 110 and to the visual
`index method plug-in 130 as output 114 from the search
`engine 110. The visual index method plug-in 130 may obtain
`image scale and format information via the search engine
`output response 114 or by a speci?c request and reception
`118 of such information from the Web pages 38 associated
`With the corresponding URLs. The visual index method
`plug-in 130 then renders the Web pages as set forth above so
`that summary graphic information, as Well as optional
`HTML image maps, are rendered as output to the user 90 via
`the broWser user interface 96.
`Having set forth the visual index method 20 of the present
`invention, an additional alternative embodiment exists
`Where the user 90 is not separated from the search engine
`110. In such a case, the user 90 is generally operating on a
`system directly connected to the Internet and such an
`alternative embodiment Would operate similarly to the Ways
`and methods set forth above for the visual index method.
`In order to provide more convenient perusal or revieW of
`the results of the Internet search or other URL listing, three
`presentation formats are shoWn in FIGS. 5—8. FIGS. 5 and
`6 shoW a ?rst format Where a dedicated graphical sWing area
`140 is provided in one part of the computer screen. In FIG.
`5, this part of the screen is shoWn as being the right half of
`the computer screen. The left side of the screen provides a
`sorted or ordered list of hyperlinks corresponding With the
`rendered Web page shoWn in the dedicated graphical screen
`area 140. Due to the ?exibility of graphical programming
`and the like, the elements in this ?rst format may be shifted
`about the screen With relative ease. For example, the graphi
`cal screen area 140 may be resiZed or moved in r