System and Method for Enhanced Information Retrieval

Abstract

An improved document retrieval system. In response to detecting that the user has moved a pointing device cursor over a display element in a first web page within a web browser window, retrieving information from a second web page before the user requests that the second web page be displayed within the web browser window.

1 - 20 . (canceled)  
   
   
       21 . A system for providing access to information on a network, where the network includes a first server and a second server, and where a first web page that is available at the first server includes a link to a second web page that is available at the second server, the system comprising: 
 (a) an apparatus including a third server connected to the network, where the apparatus is configured to carry out the operations of:    retrieving the second web page over the network from the second server, and    making an alternate version of the second web page available on the network at the third server, where the alternate version of the second web page is made available at the third server so that it can be retrieved over the network and displayed more quickly than the second web page stored on the second server; and    (b) a storage medium having computer program instructions stored on it, where the computer program instructions are executable on a client computer operated by a user and connected to a network, and where the computer program instructions configure the client computer to be capable of carrying out the operations of:    monitoring input from the user operating the client computer, where the operation of monitoring input includes monitoring input from a pointing device associated with the client computer, and where the pointing device controls a pointing device cursor that is displayed on a display screen associated with the client computer,    detecting a first user action as input from the user operating the client computer, where the first user action indicates that the user has requested that the first web page be displayed on the display screen associated with the client computer,    retrieving the first web page over the network to the client computer, where the first web page is retrieved over the network from the first server located at a remote location relative to the client computer,    displaying the first web page in a web browser window on the display screen associated with the client computer, where the link to the second web page is selectable by the user through the pointing device associated with the client computer, thereby enabling the second web page to be displayed within the web browser window,    continuing to monitor input from the user operating the client computer,    detecting a second user action as input from the user operating the client computer, where the second user action indicates that the user wishes to make the second web page visible, and    in response to detecting the second user action as input from the user, displaying the alternate version of the second web page on the display screen associated with the client computer by retrieving the alternate version of the second web page over the network from the third server to the client computer, where the alternate version of the second web page is made available at the third server prior to the operation of detecting the second user action as input from the user operating the client computer.    
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 21 , 
 where the second user action is moving the pointing device over an object that is different than the link to the second web page and is displayed near the link to the second web page,    where the alternate version of the second web page comprises a file that includes within it an object referenced by the second web page, and    where the operation of displaying the alternate version of the second web page is carried out under the direction of computer program instructions embedded within the first web page, and where the computer program instructions are subject to security restrictions at the client computer.    
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 21 , 
 where the alternate version of the second web page is stored at the third server in a single file that is smaller than the second web page, and that includes within it an object referenced by the second web page, and    where the operation of displaying the alternate version of the second web page is carried out at the direction of computer program instructions embedded within the first web page, and where the computer program instructions are subject to security restrictions, and where the computer program instructions are written in JavaScript.    
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 21 , 
 where the first web page is responsive to a search query entered as input by the user, and where the second web page is a search document identified as being relevant to the search query, and    where the alternate version of the second web page is retrieved by the client computer using fewer network requests and by transferring less data to the client computer compared to retrieving the second web page available at the second server.    
   
   
       25 . A method for providing information on a network, where the network includes a first server and a second server, and where a first web page that is available at the first server includes a link to a second web page that is available at the second server, the method comprising the acts of: 
 (a) retrieving the second web page over the network from the second server;    (b) making an alternate version of the second web page available on the network at a third server, where the alternate version of the second web page is made available at the third server so that it can be retrieved over the network and displayed more quickly than the second web page stored on the second server; and    (c) communicating with a client computer operated by a user and connected to the network, where the client computer is programmed to carry out the operations of:    monitoring input from the user operating the client computer, where the operation of monitoring input includes monitoring input from a pointing device associated with the client computer, and where the pointing device controls a pointing device cursor that is displayed on a display screen associated with the client computer,    detecting a first user action as input from the user operating the client computer, where the first user action indicates that the user has requested that the first web page be displayed on the display screen associated with the client computer,    retrieving the first web page over the network to the client computer, where the first web page is retrieved over the network from the first server located at a remote location relative to the client computer,    displaying the first web page in a web browser window on the display screen associated with the client computer, where the link to the second web page is selectable by the user through the pointing device associated with the client computer, thereby enabling the second web page to be displayed within the web browser window,    continuing to monitor input from the user operating the client computer,    detecting a second user action as input from the user operating the client computer, where the second user action indicates that the user wishes to make the second web page visible, and    in response to detecting the second user action as input from the user, displaying the alternate version of the second web page on the display screen associated with the client computer by retrieving the alternate version of the second web page over the network from the third server to the client computer, thereby satisfying the user's request to make the second web page visible, where the alternate version of the second web page is made available at the third server prior to the operation of detecting the second user action as input from the user operating the client computer.    
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , 
 where the alternate version of the second web page is retrieved by the client computer using fewer network requests and by transferring fewer bits to the client computer compared to retrieving the second web page available at the second server, and    where the operation of displaying the alternate version of the second web page is carried out at the direction of computer program instructions embedded within the first web page, and where the computer program instructions are subject to security restrictions imposed by the client computer.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 25 , 
 where the second user action is moving the pointing device cursor over the link to the second web page,    where the alternate version of the second web page is retrieved by the client computer with fewer network requests and by transferring fewer bits to the client computer compared to retrieving the second web page available at the second server, and    where the operation of displaying the alternate version of the second web page is carried out at the direction of computer program instructions embedded within the first web page, and where the computer program instructions are subject to security restrictions imposed by the client computer.    
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 25 , 
 where the first web page is responsive to a search query entered as input by the user, and where the second web page is a search document identified as a result of processing the search query, and    where network access from the client computer to the third server is faster than network access from the client computer to the second server.    
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 25 , 
 where the first web page is responsive to a search query entered as input by the user, and where the second web page is a search document identified as being relevant to the search query,    where the alternate version of the second web page comprises a file that has embedded within it an object referenced by the second web page,    where the operation of displaying the alternate version of the second web page is carried out at the direction of computer program instructions embedded within the first web page, and    where the alternate version of the second web page available at the third server is difficult to read at the client computer.    
   
   
       30 . A storage medium having computer program instructions stored on it, where the computer program instructions are executable on a client computer operated by a user and connected to a network, and where the computer program instructions configure the client computer to be capable of carrying out the operations of: 
 monitoring input from the user operating the client computer, where the operation of monitoring input includes monitoring input from a pointing device associated with the client computer, and where the pointing device controls a pointing device cursor that is displayed on a display screen associated with the client computer;    detecting a first user action as input from the user operating the client computer, where the first user action indicates that the user has requested that a first web page be displayed on the display screen associated with the client computer;    retrieving the first web page over the network to the client computer, where the first web page is retrieved over the network from a first server located at a remote location relative to the client computer;    displaying the first web page in a web browser window on the display screen associated with the client computer, where the first web page includes a plurality of links to other web pages, including a link to a second web page and a link to a third web page,    where the link to the second web page is selectable by the user through the pointing device associated with the client computer, thereby enabling the second web page to be displayed within the web browser window, and where the link to the third web page is selectable by the user through the pointing device associated with the client computer, thereby enabling the third web page to be displayed within the web browser window;    continuing to monitor input from the user operating the client computer;    detecting a second user action as input from the user operating the client computer, where the second user action indicates that the user is seeking to retrieve information that can be used to display the second web page over the network to the client computer without yet making the second web page visible on the display screen; and    in response to detecting the second user action as input from the user, retrieving information that can be used to display the second web page over the network to the client computer without yet making the second web page visible on the display screen.    
   
   
       31 . The storage medium of  claim 30 , where the second user action includes interacting with the link to the second web page and selecting from a menu that appears upon interacting with the link to the second web page, and where the client computer is further configured to be capable of carrying out the operations of: 
 storing the information that can be used to display the second web page in local storage at the client computer;    detecting a third user action as input from the user operating the client computer; and    in response to detecting a third user action, quickly making the second web page visible on the display screen by accessing the stored information.    
   
   
       32 . The storage medium of  claim 30 , where the operation of retrieving information that can be used to display the second web page includes the operations of retrieving the entire second web page and presenting to the user information about the progress of the retrieval, and where the client computer is further configured to be capable of carrying out the operations of: 
 storing the information that can be used to display the second web page in local storage at the client computer;    detecting a third user action as input from the user operating the client computer; and    in response to detecting a third user action, making the second web page visible on the display screen quickly by using the stored information.    
   
   
       33 . The storage medium of  claim 30 , where the second user action includes interacting with, using the pointing device, an object displayed on the display screen that is different than the link to the second web page, and where the client computer is further configured to be capable of carrying out the operations of: 
 storing the information that can be used to display the second web page in local storage at the client computer;    detecting a third user action as input from the user operating the client computer; and    in response to detecting a third user action, quickly making the second web page visible on the display screen by using the stored information.    
   
   
       34 . The storage medium of  claim 30 , where the client computer is further configured to carry out the operations of: 
 after detecting the second user action as input from the user, retrieving information that can be used to display the third web page over the network to the client computer, without yet making the third web page visible on the display screen,    where the operations of retrieving information that can be used to display the second web page and retrieving information that can be used to display the third web page are performed using separate threads of execution on the client computer;    storing the information that can be used to display the second web page in local storage at the client computer;    storing the information that can be used to display the third web page in local storage at the client computer;    detecting a third user action as input from the user operating the client computer; and    in response to detecting a third user action, quickly making the second web page visible on the display screen by using the stored information that can be used to display the second web page.    
   
   
       35 . The storage medium of  claim 34 , 
 where the first web page is responsive to a search query entered as input by the user, and where the second web page and the third web page are search documents identified as relevant to the search query,    where a visual indication is displayed when the second web page can be displayed quickly, and    where the operation of retrieving information that can be used to display the third web page is performed without requiring any additional input from the user.    
   
   
       36 . The storage medium of  claim 34 , 
 where the first web page is responsive to a search query entered as input by the user, and where the second web page and the third web page are search documents identified as relevant to the search query, where the operation of retrieving information that can be used to display the second web    page is carried out at the direction of computer program instructions that are downloaded over the network and installed on the client computer using persistent storage, and where the client computer places restrictions on the execution of computer program instructions downloaded over the network, but where the computer program instructions are installed at the client computer so that they are not subject to the restrictions.    
   
   
       37 . A storage medium having computer program instructions stored on it, where the computer program instructions are executable on a client computer operated by a user and connected to a network, and where the computer program instructions configure the client computer to be capable of carrying out the operations of: 
 monitoring input from the user operating the client computer, where the operation of monitoring input includes monitoring input from a pointing device associated with the client computer, and where the pointing device controls a pointing device cursor that is displayed on a display screen associated with the client computer;    detecting input from the user operating the client computer, where the input from the user indicates that the user has requested that a first web page be displayed on the display screen associated with the client computer;    retrieving the first web page over the network to the client computer, where the first web page is retrieved over the network from a first server located at a remote location relative to the client computer;    displaying the first web page in a web browser window on the display screen associated with the client computer, where the first web page includes at least one link to another web page, including a link to a second web page that is stored on a second server,    where the link to the second web page is selectable by the user through the pointing device associated with the client computer, thereby enabling the second web page to be displayed within the web browser window;    continuing to monitor input from the user operating the client computer;    detecting that the user has moved the pointing device cursor over a display object that is displayed within the first web page in the web browser window on the display screen associated with the client computer;    in response to detecting that the user has moved the pointing device cursor over a display object that is displayed within the first web page, retrieving information that can be used to display the second web page over the network to the client computer without removing the first web page from the web browser window.    
   
   
       38 . The storage medium of  claim 37 , where the client computer is further configured to be capable of carrying out the operations of: 
 detecting that the user has selected the link to the second web page through the pointing device associated with the client computer; and    in response to detecting that the user has selected the link to the second web page, displaying the second web page in the web browser window, where the second web page is displayed by retrieving the second web page from the second server.    
   
   
       39 . The storage medium of  claim 38 , 
 where the first web page is responsive to a search query entered as input by the user, and where the second web page is a search document,    where the display object that the user has moved the pointing device cursor over is different than the link to the second web page and is a graphical object displayed within the first web page near the link to the second web page, and    where the operation of retrieving information that can be used to display the second web page is carried out at the direction of computer program instructions that are downloaded over the network and installed on the client computer using persistent storage, and where the client computer places restrictions on the execution of computer program instructions downloaded over the network, but where the computer program instructions are installed at the client computer so that they are not subject to the restrictions.    
   
   
       40 . The storage medium of  claim 38 , 
 where the display object that the user has moved the pointing device cursor over is the link to the second web page,    where the operation of retrieving information that can be used to display the second web page includes the operation of retrieving over the network an alternate version of the second web page that is stored on the network, and    where the alternate version of the second web page is retrieved by the client computer with fewer network requests and by transferring fewer bits to the client computer compared to retrieving the second web page available at the second server.    
   
   
       41 . The storage medium of  claim 38 , 
 where the display object that the user has moved the pointing device cursor over is the link to the second web page,    where the operation of retrieving information that can be used to display the second web page includes the operation of retrieving over the network an alternate version of the second web page that is stored on the network,    where the alternate version of the second web page comprises a file that includes within it an object referenced by the second web page, and    where the operation of displaying the alternate version of the second web page is carried out at the direction of computer program instructions embedded within the first web page, and where the computer program instructions are subject to security restrictions imposed by the client computer.    
   
   
       42 . The storage medium of  claim 38 , 
 where the first web page is responsive to a search query entered as input by the user, and where the second web page is a search document,    where the display object that the user has moved the pointing device cursor over is different than the link to the second web page and is displayed within the first web page near the link to the second web page,    where the operation of retrieving information that can be used to display the second web page includes the operation of retrieving over the network an alternate version of the second web page that is stored on the network, and    where the alternate version of the second web page is retrieved by the client computer with fewer network requests and by transferring fewer bits to the client computer compared to retrieving the second web page available at the second server.    
   
   
       43 . The storage medium of  claim 37 , 
 where the operation of retrieving information that can be used to display the second web page includes the operation of retrieving over the network an alternate version of the second web page that is stored on the network,    where the alternate version of the second web page comprises a file that includes within it an object referenced by the second web page,    where the alternate version of the second web page is retrieved by the client computer with fewer network requests and by transferring fewer bits to the client computer compared to retrieving the second web page available at the second server, and    where the operation of displaying the alternate version of the second web page is carried out at the direction of computer program instructions embedded within the first web page, and where the computer program instructions are subject to security restrictions imposed by the client computer.