(12) INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT)
`
`(19) World Intellectual Property Organization
`International Bureau
`
`llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll
`
`(43) International Publication Date
`30 August 2001 (30.08.2001)
`
`PCT
`
`(10) International Publication Number
`WO 01/63919 A1
`
`(51) International Patent Classification7:
`H04N 5/91,
`G06F 17100, 13/00, 17/30, H04N 7110, GliB 27/00
`
`[IL/IL]; 40 Agmon Street, 80500 Yavne (IL). EYAL, Ori
`[IL/IL]; 24 Hasharon Street, 80504 Yavne (IL).
`
`(21) International Application Number:
`
`PCT/ILOl/00172
`
`(74) Agent: G. E. EHRLICH (1995) LTD.; 28 Bezalel Street,
`52521 Ramat Gan (IL).
`
`(22) International Filing Date: 22 February 2001 (22.02.2001)
`
`(25) Filing Language:
`
`(26) Publication Language:
`
`English
`
`English
`
`(30) Priority Data:
`60/184,331
`60/246,600
`
`23 February 2000 (23.02.2000) US
`8 November 2000 (08.11.2000) US
`
`(71) Applicants (for all designated States except US): PENTA
`TRADING LTD. [GB/GB]; George Lane, 12 The Shrub(cid:173)
`beries, London, Greater London E18 1BD (GB). EYAL,
`Yeboshua [IL!IL); 24 Hasharon Street, 81504 Yavne (IL).
`
`= (72) Inventors; and
`
`iiiiiii
`
`(75) Inventors/Applicants (for U.S only): WEISS, Yuval
`
`(81) Designated States (national): AE, AG, AL, AM, AT, AU,
`AZ, BA, BB, BG, BR, BY, BZ, CA, CH, CN, CR, CU, CZ,
`DE, DK, DM, DZ, EE, ES, Fl, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, HR,
`HU, ID, IL, IN, IS, JP, KE, KG, KP, KR, KZ, LC, LK, LR,
`LS, LT. LU, LV, MA, MD, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MZ,
`NO, NZ, PL, PT, RO, RU, SD, SE, SG, SI, SK, SL, TJ, TM,
`TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG, US, UZ, VN, YU, ZA, ZW.
`
`(84) Designated States (regional): ARIPO patent (GH, GM,
`KE, LS, MW, MZ, SD, SL, SZ, TZ, UG, ZW), Eurasian
`patent (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, TJ, TM), European
`patent (AT, BE, CH, CY, DE, DK, ES, Fl, FR, GB, GR, IE,
`IT, LU, MC, NL, PT, SE, TR), OAPI patent (BF, BJ, CF,
`CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GW, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG).
`
`Published:
`with international search report
`
`[Continued on next page}
`
`iiiiiii ------------------------------------------------------------------------------(cid:173)
`(54) Title: SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GENERATING AND PROVIDING PREVIEWS OF ELECTRONIC FILES SUCH
`AS WEB FILES
`
`iiiiiii
`iiiiiii
`
`-
`
`iiiiiii
`
`---!!!!!!!!!!!
`iiiiiii = -
`iiiiiii -iiiiiii
`-iiiiiii
`iiiiiii -iiiiiii
`
`22
`
`22
`
`iiiiiii
`
`iiiiiii
`
`!!!!!!!!!!!
`
`20
`
`18
`
`14
`
`~ <
`="" ~
`=""
`~
`...._
`\,C
`
`~
`
`12
`
`= (57) Abstract: A system for previewing contents of Web files is provided. The system includes a computing platform (12) for
`
`0 executing a previewing application being designed and configured for retrieving at least a portion of the contents and/or source code
`> of a Web file (14) through communication network (16), and generating a preview of the contents of said Web file (14), said preview
`~ presenting at least a portion of the content of said Web file (14).
`
`Facebook's Exhibit No. 1007
`Page 1
`
`

`
`WO 01/63919 A1
`
`11111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111
`
`For two-letter codes and other abbreviations, refer to the "Guid(cid:173)
`ance Notes on Codes and Abbreviations" appearing at the begin(cid:173)
`ning of each regular issue of the PCT Gazette.
`
`Facebook's Exhibit No. 1007
`Page 2
`
`

`
`wo 01/63919
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`PCT /ILOl/00172
`
`1
`SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GENERATING AND PROVIDING
`
`PREVIEWS OF ELECTRONIC FILES SUCH AS WEB FILES
`
`FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`5
`
`The present invention relates to a searchable database and to
`
`systems for generating and utilizing same.
`
`With the advent of the World Wide Web, individuals have at their
`
`disposal vast amounts of information on a variety of topics. As such, at
`
`present, the World Wide Web represents the largest single searchable
`
`10
`
`database.
`
`However, since such data is dispersed among a staggering number
`
`of Web sites, searching for such information can be a daunting task. To
`
`facilitate Web searching, a number of search tools, tenned search engines,
`
`have
`
`been
`
`created,
`
`e.g.
`
`Google
`
`(WW\v.google.com),
`
`Lycos
`
`Is
`
`(www.lycos.com), Alta Vista (www.altavista.com), etc.
`
`The use of such search engines enables a user to receive
`
`information relating to Web accessible files of interest such as Web pages
`
`in accordance with a search query.
`
`Most Internet search engines search for Web files, such as Web
`
`20
`
`pages, video files (e.g., QuickTime™ movies), or music files (e.g., MP3).
`
`The results returned by the search engine (the result list) is a list of
`
`hyper links, that link to the Web files (e.g., Web pages) most relevant to the
`
`user's query(s).
`
`Search engine queries are
`
`typically effected vta keywords,
`
`25
`
`optionally separated by Boolean operators (and, or, not), topics, such as,
`
`for example searching through a specific topic, or an index, which provides
`
`access to a specific topic.
`
`For example, in keyword searches a user querying for "sports and
`
`(football or basketball) but not soccer" would typically receive a list of
`
`Facebook's Exhibit No. 1007
`Page 3
`
`

`
`WO 01/63919
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`PCT /ILOl/00172
`
`2
`links to Web pages which contain the word "sports" and also contain
`
`either the word "football" or the word "basketball" (or both) but which do
`
`not contain the word "soccer~'.
`
`To enable searching, search engines build up databases, which
`
`5
`
`index information on Web files. Such databases are generated by "Web
`
`spiders" (also known as "Web robots", "Web crawlers", "Web agents",
`
`etc.) which constantly scan the World Wide Web in a random, semi-
`
`random, or rule-based manner.
`
`Web spiders are computer programs that autonomously connect to
`
`10 World Wide Web addresses and categorize the information contained
`
`therein according to keywords, keyword frequency, font sizes, word
`
`placement inside documents, titles, images found, date of last modification,
`
`and/or any additional criteria. The categorized information generated is
`
`then stored by the search engine database.
`
`15
`
`Some search engines, which are referred to as "meta search
`
`engines" collect and display search result provided by one or more search
`
`engines (possibly after sorting and removing duplicate results). Examples
`
`include, MetaCrawler (\vww.metacrawler.com) and the like.
`
`Thus, following query entry, a search engine uses the categorized
`
`20
`
`information stored in its database to locate Web files such as Web pages
`
`of relevance. Links to Web pages of relevance are then presented to the
`
`user as a list (the result list) which includes a link to the Web page and
`
`typically also a short summary describing the Web file; the results list is
`
`typically sorted based on match accuracy.
`
`25
`
`Although such search engines
`
`facilitate World Wide Web
`
`searching, querying for specific information
`
`is oftentimes a
`
`trying
`
`experience, even when using the most sophisticated search tools available.
`
`Facebook's Exhibit No. 1007
`Page 4
`
`

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`wo 01/63919
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`PCT/ILOl/00172
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`3
`Because of the vast amount of infonnation and of the dispersed
`
`nature thereof, search results are oftentimes either not specific enough or
`
`not accurate.
`
`For example, keyword searches may yield irrelevant or no results if
`
`5
`
`the defined keyword is too specific, or they can yield numerous results if
`
`the keywords used are too generic.
`
`In any case, a user must either broaden the search or be forced to
`
`download numerous Web files in order to sort and uncover the information
`
`sought after.
`
`1 o
`
`In the latter case, such downloading and sorting can be a frustrating
`
`and time consuming endeavor especially in cases where the information
`
`sought after is not uncovered.
`
`Oftentimes, even in searches which seemingly provide good results,
`
`download of multiple Web files is required since the information available
`
`15
`
`in the summary of each result is not sufficient for determining the
`
`relevance of the Web file to the query made.
`
`In addition, in the case of Web page searches, a user often accesses
`
`irrelevant or slightly relevant Web pages resulting from a search query in
`
`efforts to possibly uncover more relevant links within these pages, a
`
`20
`
`practice which further prolongs a search and adds to the frustration of the
`
`user.
`
`Another common problem encountered by users searching through
`
`the Web arises from the existence of several different hypertext links which
`
`point to the same Web page or site. Such duplicate links oftentimes
`
`25
`
`contribute to redundancy in search results.
`
`Yet another common problem encountered by users searching the
`
`Web arises from "broken" hyperlinks which appear in a search results list.
`
`Such hyperlinks, which cannot be used to link to the site they represent
`
`Facebook's Exhibit No. 1007
`Page 5
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`

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`4
`because that site is down, or no longer available increase the frustration
`
`experienced by users.
`
`There is thus a widely recognized need for, and it would be highly
`
`advantageous to have, a system and method which would enable a user to
`
`5
`
`rapidly asses the accuracy, relevancy, and content of results obtained from
`
`a search query and to easily access related Web files such as Web pages
`
`even when contained within a Web page directly uncovered by the search
`
`query.
`
`Surfing the World Wide Web is oftentimes is often a tedious task as
`
`10
`
`connectivity to some addressed servers may prove time inefficient or non(cid:173)
`
`available, depending on, user load, maximal bandwidth, presently available
`
`bandwidth and other factors.
`
`There is thus a widely recognized need for, and it would be highly
`
`advantageous to have, a system and method which will allow efficient
`
`15 Web surfing at all times.
`
`SUMMARY OF TilE INVENTION
`
`According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided
`
`a system for previewing contents of electronic files, the system comprising
`
`20
`
`a computing platform for executing a previewing application being
`
`designed and configured for: (a) retrieving at least a portion of the
`
`contents and/ or source code of an electronic file; and (b) generating a
`
`preview of the contents of the electronic file, the preview presenting at
`
`least a portion of the contents of the electronic file.
`
`25
`
`According to further features in preferred embodiments of the
`
`invention described below, the electronic file includes at least one file type
`
`selected from the group consisting of text type electronic files, image type
`
`electronic files, olfactory type electronic files and multi-type electronic
`
`files.
`
`Facebook's Exhibit No. 1007
`Page 6
`
`

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`WO 01/63919
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`PCT/ILOl/00172
`
`5
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`embodiments the electronic file includes audio content.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`embodiments the preview includes a sample of the audio content, the
`
`5
`
`sample of the audio content is of reduced quality and/or file size as
`
`compared to the electronic files.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`embodiments the electronic file includes video content.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in the described preferred
`
`10
`
`embodiments the preview includes a sample of the video content, the
`
`sample of the video content is of reduced quality and/or file size as
`
`compared to the electronic file.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in the described preferred
`
`embodiments the electronic file is a Web file.
`
`15
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`embodiments the preview is an image presenting at least a portion of the
`
`Web page.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in the described preferred
`
`embodiments the electronic file is stored by the computing platform.
`
`20
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`embodiments the electronic file is stored by at least one additional
`
`computing platform capable of communicating with
`
`the computing
`
`platfonn.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in the described preferred
`
`25
`
`embodiments the computing platform is further designed and configured
`
`for converting the at least a portion of the contents and/or source code of
`
`the electronic file retrieved thereby from a first file type to a second file
`
`type prior to, during or following generating the preview of the contents of
`
`the electronic file.
`
`Facebook's Exhibit No. 1007
`Page 7
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`

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`
`6
`According to still further features m the described preferred
`
`embodiments the preview is an editable file.
`
`According to still further features m the described preferred
`
`embodiments the preview is of a file size substantially smaller than that of
`
`5
`
`the electronic file.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`embodiments the computing platfonn is further designed and configured
`
`for storing the preview generated thereby.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`10
`
`embodiments the at least a portion of the contents and/or source code of
`
`the electronic file is retrieved from at least one user client communicating
`
`with the computing platform.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in the described preferred
`
`embodiments the at least a portion of the contents and/or source code of
`
`15
`
`the electronic file is retrieved from a server being in communication with
`
`the computing platform.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`embodiments the system further comprising at least one additional
`
`computing platfonn being in communication with the computing platform,
`
`20
`
`the at least one additional computing platform storing links to
`
`the
`
`electronic files.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in the described preferred
`
`embodiments the at least one additional computing platform executes a
`
`search engine application capable of providing the links to the electronic
`
`25
`
`files as part of a search result list.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in the described preferred
`
`embodiments the at least one additional computing platform is capable of
`
`storing the preview generated by the computing platform.
`
`Facebook's Exhibit No. 1007
`Page 8
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`

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`7
`According to another aspect of the present invention there is
`
`provided a method of previewing contents of a Web file comprising: (a)
`
`retrieving at least a portion of the contents and/or source code of the Web
`
`file; and (b) generating a preview of the contents of the Web file, the
`
`5
`
`preview presenting at least a portion of the contents.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`embodiments step (a) is effected by linking to the Web file via a link
`
`thereof and downloading the contents and/or the source of the Web file.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`10
`
`embodiments the link is included in a results list of a Web search.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`embodiments the preview is generated in a manner enabling embedding of
`
`activatable links therein.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`15
`
`embodiments the activatable links are hyperlinks.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`embodiments the preview includes an activatable link to the content of the
`
`Web file.
`
`According to yet another aspect of the present invention there is
`
`20
`
`provided a system for previewing contents of Web files, the system
`
`comprising a computing platfonn for executing a previewing application
`
`being designed and configured for: (a) retrieving at least a portion of the
`
`contents and/or source code of a Web file; and (b) generating a preview of
`
`the contents of the Web file, the preview presenting at least a portion of
`
`25
`
`the content of the Web file.
`
`According to still further features m the described preferred
`
`embodiments the Web file is a Web page.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in the described preferred
`
`embodiments the system further comprising a server being for providing a
`
`Facebook's Exhibit No. 1007
`Page 9
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`

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`PCT/ILOl/00172
`
`link to the Web file.
`
`8
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`embodiments the link is a hyperlink representing a Web address of the
`
`Web file.
`
`5
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`embodiments the server employs a search engine application and further
`
`wherein the hyper! ink is presented thereby as a result of a search query.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in the described preferred
`
`embodiments the system
`
`further comprising at
`
`least one additional
`
`10
`
`computing platfonn being capable of accessing and optionally displaying
`
`the preview generated by the computing platform.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`embodiments the Web file includes audio content.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`15
`
`embodiments the preview includes a sample of the audio content.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`embodiments the sample is of reduced quality and/or size as compared to
`
`the Web file.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`20
`
`embodiments the Web file includes video content.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`embodiments the preview includes a sample of the video content.
`
`According to still fmther features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`embodiments the sample is of reduced quality and/or size as compared to
`
`25
`
`the Web file.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`embodiments the preview is a viewable image.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`embodiments the image is a thumbnail image.
`
`Facebook's Exhibit No. 1007
`Page 10
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`

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`wo 01/63919
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`PCT /ILOl/00172
`
`9
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`embodiments the image is scaleable without substantial loss of quality.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`embodiments at least a portion of the image is in a vector format.
`
`5
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`embodiments the image includes activatable links embedded therein.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`embodiments the activatable links are hyperlinks.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`10
`
`embodiments the Web file is stored by at least one additional computing
`
`platform capable of communicating with the computing platform.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`embodiments the computing platform is further designed and configured
`
`for converting the at least a portion of the contents and/or source code of
`
`15
`
`the Web file retrieved thereby from a first file type to a second file type
`
`prior to, during or following generating the preview of the contents of the
`
`Web file.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`embodiments the computing platfom1 is further designed and configured
`
`20
`
`for storing the preview generated thereby.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in the described preferred
`
`embodiments the at least a portion of the contents and/or source code of
`
`the Web file is retrieved from at least one user client communicating with
`
`the computing platfonn.
`
`25
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`embodiments the at least a portion of the contents and/or source code of
`
`the Web file is retrieved from a server being in communication with the
`
`computing platform.
`
`Facebook's Exhibit No. 1007
`Page 11
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`

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`
`10
`According to still further features m the described preferred
`
`embodiments the system further comprising at
`
`least one additional
`
`computing platfonn being in communication with the computing platform,
`
`the at least one additional computing platform storing links to the Web
`
`5
`
`files.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`embodiments the at least one additional computing platfonn executes a
`
`search engine application capable of providing the links to the Web files
`
`as part of a search result list.
`
`1 o
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`embodiments the at least one additional computing platform is a server or a
`
`user client.
`
`According to still another aspect of the present invention there is
`
`provided a computer readable storage media comprising a database
`
`15
`
`including a plurality of records each record being a preview of a content of
`
`an electronic file.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`embodiments the electronic file is selected from the group consisting of a
`
`Web page, an audio file, a video file and a text file.
`
`20
`
`According to an additional aspect of the present invention there is
`
`provided a method of previewing results of a search query comprising: (a)
`
`retrieving at least a portion of the contents and/or source code of at least
`
`one search result file; and (b) generating a preview of the contents of the
`
`at least one search result file, the preview presenting at least a portion of
`
`25
`
`the contents of the at least one search result file.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`embodiments the search result file is a Web page included in a results list
`
`of a Web search.
`
`Facebook's Exhibit No. 1007
`Page 12
`
`

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`wo 01/63919
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`PCT/ILOl/00172
`
`II
`According to yet an additional aspect of the present invention there
`
`is provided a system enabling a user to surf the World Wide Web, the
`
`system comprising: (a) a database server including previews of Web pages
`
`each of the previews presenting at least a portion of a content of a Web
`
`5
`
`page; and (b) at least one user client being in communication with the
`
`database, the at least one user client being capable of accessing and
`
`displaying each of the previews thereby enabling a user of the at least one
`
`user client to surf the World Wide Web.
`
`According to still further features m the described preferred
`
`IO
`
`embodiments at least one of the previews is generated by the database
`
`server according to a user command.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`embodiments the activatable link is a hyperlink of a Web page.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
`
`the described preferred
`
`15
`
`embodiments activation of the hyperlink results in a display of a preview of
`
`a content of a Web page represented by the hyper! ink.
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`According to still further features
`
`in
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`the described preferred
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`embodiments activation of the hyperlink results in access to a Web page
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`represented by the hyperlink.
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`20
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`According to still an additional aspect of the present invention
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`there is provided a method of displaying Web pages comprising: (a)
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`providing a thumbnail image of at least a portion of a Web page; and (b)
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`enabling resizing of the thumbnail image in response to a command.
`
`According to still further features
`
`in
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`the described preferred
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`25
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`embodiments the method fhrther comprising the step of providing a
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`second thumbnail image of an additional Web in response to an activation
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`of an activatable link embedded within the thumbnail image.
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`The present invention successfully addresses the shortcomings of
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`the presently known configurations by providing a database and method
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`and system utilizing same, which can be utilized, for example, to preview
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`the content of Web files while conducting searches and/or while surfing.
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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`5
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`The invention is herein described, by way of example only, with
`
`reference to the accompanying drawings. With specific reference now to
`
`the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way
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`of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred
`
`embodiments of the present invention only, and are presented in the cause
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`10
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`of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood
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`description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention.
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`In
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`this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention
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`in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the
`
`invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to
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`15
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`those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be
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`embodied in practice.
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`In the drawings:
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`FIG. la is a black box diagram illustrating one embodiment of the
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`system of the present invention;
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`20
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`FIG. 1 b is a black box diagram illustrating another embodiment of the
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`system of the present invention; and
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`FIGs. 2-9 represent a sequence of images which illustrate a Web
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`search as conducted using the system and method of the present
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`invention.
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`25
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`DESCRIPTION OF TilE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
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`The present invention is of systems and methods for previewing the
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`contents of electronic files including Web files such as Web pages.
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`Specifically, the present invention enables a user conducting a Web
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`search or surfing the Web to preview a content of a specific Web page
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`prior to accessing it, thereby substantially enhancing the ability to screen
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`search results for most relevant files and enhancing surfing capabilities.
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`The principles and operation of the present invention may be better
`
`s
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`understood with
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`reference
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`to
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`the drawings
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`and
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`accompanying
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`descriptions.
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`Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail,
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`it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to
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`the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set
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`10
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`forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The
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`invention is capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or carried
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`out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and
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`terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and should
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`not be regarded as limiting.
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`15
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`Referring now to the drawings, Figure la illustrates a system for
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`previewing contents of electronic files which is referred to hereinunder as
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`system 10.
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`System 10 includes a computing platform 12 which executes a
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`previewing application designed and configured for: (i) retrieving at least a
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`20
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`portion of the contents and/or source code of an electronic file; and (ii)
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`generating a preview of the contents of the electronic file.
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`The previews are generated by system 10 in response to a specific
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`user query, or they can be generated automatically according to a
`
`predetermined criteria. In any case, the previews generated are preferably
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`25
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`stored by computing platfonn in an accessible manner.
`
`As used herein the phrase "computing platfonn" refers to a device
`
`which includes a data processor, a memory device such as, but not limited
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`to, a magnetic, optic or optic-magnetic memory device, a power source and
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`optionally a user input/output interface and communication capabilities.
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`For example, a computing platform can be a personal computer (PC)
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`having an operating system such as DOS, Windows, OS/2™ or Linux; a
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`Macintosh™ computer; a computer having JAVA™ -OS as the operating
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`system; and a graphical workstations such as computers made by Sun
`
`5 Microsystems™ or Silicon Graphics™, and any other computer having
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`some version of the UNIX operating system such as AIX™ or SOLARIS™
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`of Sun Microsystems™ or any other known and available operating
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`system.
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`For purposes of this specification, the term "Windows™ 11 includes,
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`10
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`but is not limited to, Windows2001™, Windows2000™, Windows95™,
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`Windows 3x™ in which "x" is an integer such as "1", Windows NT™,
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`Windows98™, Windows CE™ and any upgraded versions of these
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`operating systems by Microsoft Corp. (USA).
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`As used herein the phrase "electronic file" refers to a computer
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`15
`
`readable file which includes, for example, text, image, audio, video and/or
`
`olfactory content which is created and/or saved in any computer readable
`
`/operable format. The phrase "electronic file" also refers to Web files such
`
`as Web pages, Web sites, and Web objects.
`
`Examples of "electronic files" include, but are not limited to, Text
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`20
`
`files, Pict files, Gif files, Jpeg files, Flash files, Web pages, Web sites, music
`
`files, MP3 files, Tiff files, HTML files, WML files, XML files, Bitmap files,
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`Wave files, Binary files, Animation files, VRML files, QuickTime™ files,
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`Word files, Windows Media files, Real Network files, streaming files and
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`the like.
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`25
`
`According to preferred embodiments of the present invention, the
`
`previewing application utilized by computing platfonn 12 is designed and
`
`configured such that the preview generated thereby presents at least a
`
`portion of the contents of the electronic file.
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`For example, in the case of electronic files including audio content
`
`(e.g., MP3 music files), the preview generated can include a portion
`
`(sample) of the audio content (e.g., a few seconds of an MP3 music file), or
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`it can include the entire file in a reduced sound quality and thus a reduced
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`5
`
`file size.
`
`Similarly, in the case of electronic files including image or video
`
`(film or animation) content, the preview generated can include a portion
`
`(sample) of the image/video content (e.g., a few seconds of a QuickTime
`
`movie), or it can include the entire file in a reduced image or video quality
`
`10
`
`and thus a reduced file size.
`
`Preferably, in the case of text or combined electronic files (e.g.,
`
`text/image), such as for example, files representing Web pages, the preview
`
`is a viewable image of at least a portion of the file.
`
`Such a viewable image file can be created/saved by system I 0 in
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`15
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`any layout format type such as, for example, an image format type (e.g.,
`
`PICT) or a vector format type, or any combination thereof.
`
`Generation of a preview in an image format is advantageous since it
`
`allows accurate representation of elements and/or layout of the original
`
`electronic file. An image file fonnat can simply be a "snapshot" of the
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`20
`
`original file as meant to be represented by the appropriate software
`
`application for which it was created.
`
`Generation of a preview in a vector fom1at is advantageous since it
`
`allows preview scaling from a small thumbnail image up to a large image
`
`(and vice versa) while preserving the quality of the text and/or other
`
`25
`
`elements embedded within the preview.
`
`Generation of a preview in a vector format which allows embedding
`
`of images is advantageous since any elements in the original file which
`
`cannot be represented in the vector preview, can be embedded into the
`
`vector preview file as an image.
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`According to a presently preferred embodiment of the present
`
`invention, the image preview is generated
`
`in a manner enabling the
`
`embedding of activatable links therein. Such activatable links can be used
`
`to link the image preview with the original file from which it was generated.
`
`5
`
`Embedding activatable links can be achieved using image maps, and/or
`
`using a file fonnat that can accept commands, such as HTML and/or any
`
`other suitable file formats. This feature of the present invention is further
`
`described with respect to the Web embodiment of system 10 which is
`
`detailed hereinbelow and in the Examples section which follows.
`
`10
`
`According to the present invention, the preview generated is
`
`preferably of a reduced file size as compared to the original electronic file.
`
`This feature of the present invention is of particular advantage in
`
`cases where a user screens a large numbers of files for a file of interest, as
`
`is further described with respect to the Web searching embodiment of the
`
`15
`
`present invention which is detailed hereinbelow and in the Exam