Web search engine with graphic snapshots

Abstract

A search engine manages the indexing of web page contents and accepts user selection criteria to find and report hits that meet the search criteria. The inventive search engine has an associated crawler function wherein display images of the web pages are rendered and stored as snapshots, preferably when the pages are indexed. The search engine reports search results by composing an html page with links to the corresponding page hits and containing snapshot reduced size graphic images showing the web pages as they appeared when fetched and stored as snapshots.

1. A method for processing data files stored at distributed addresses on a data processing network, at least some of the data files having text and graphic content, the method comprising:
 analyzing at least a subset of the data files to produce a database of information characterizing aspects of the data files that tend to distinguish the data files from one another, and cross referencing said information to addresses of the data files;   generating an image of at least a portion of the subset of data files, and storing a graphic file of said image in a manner cross referenced to the addresses of the data files, whereby the graphic file represents an image of the data files at a time of generation;   receiving search queries and applying the search queries to the database for selecting a hit list from among the data files;   reporting the hit list in a search report including the addresses of each of the data files selected and the image corresponding to the data files in the hit list at the respective time of generation.   
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data files comprise hypertext markup language text and linked graphic format files, and wherein said analyzing comprises at least one of indexing the text and reviewing at least a portion of the data files for assignment of an arbitrary categorization. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the data files comprise hypertext markup language text and linked graphic format files on one of an intranet and the World Wide Web, and wherein said generating comprises rendering an image corresponding to the data files according to a predetermined display configuration defining a default choice of at least one of a pixel display size, font type, color pallet, color resolution and use of colors. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2 , wherein said analyzing and said generating are accomplished using at least two processes, one of said processes collecting the hypertext markup language text and the linked graphic format files and another of said processes rendering the graphic files as a presentation of respective said data files. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , comprising a greater number of said processes collecting the files than a number of said processes rendering the presentation. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 4 , comprising storing in a buffer each of the files collected by said processes collecting the files, queuing the process for generating the image, and deleting the files in the buffer after generating the image. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 4 , comprising operating said process rendering the presentation file using at least part of a computer's display facility to produce a bitmap, and converting the bitmap into a graphic format file. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 4 , comprising operating said process rendering the presentation file by reducing a display size of the bitmap and converting the bitmap into a graphic format file. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 2 , wherein said reporting of the hit list comprises composing a hypertext report page containing selectable links for addressing corresponding said data files, and transmitting the hypertext report page to a user submitting a query, and wherein the report page additionally includes an image link addressing the graphic file for at least a portion of the hits. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising stripping at least one variable aspect of the data files, said aspect comprising at least one of a time changing display feature, a user interactive feature and a nonvisual media feature. 
     
     
       11. A network search engine for managing user selection of information contained on data files stored at distributed network addresses on a global information processing network wherein distributed users have control over associated data files accessible by other users, each of said data files having at least some associated text and each of the data files having at least one mode of graphic presentation, comprising:
 a crawler having at least one processor operable to address and load successive data files comprising at least a subset of said data files stored at said distributed network addresses, the crawler being operable to produce and store a database of information characterizing aspects of the data files that tend to distinguish the data files from one another, cross referenced to addresses of the data files; and,   wherein the crawler is further operable to produce graphic image files representing at least some of the data files, the graphic image files each corresponding to content of corresponding said data files at a point in time, and wherein the crawler is operable to store the graphic image file so as to cross reference the graphic image file to the data files in the database.   
     
     
       12. The network search engine of  claim 11 , further comprising programmed processes operable to receive search queries from network users, to apply the search queries to the database for selecting a hit list from among the data files and to report the hit list in a search report including the addresses of each of the data files selected and the image corresponding to the data files in the hit list at the respective time of generation. 
     
     
       13. The network search engine of  claim 11 , wherein the data files comprise hypertext markup language text and linked graphic format files, and wherein said analyzing comprises at least one of: indexing the text for storing a text index cross referenced to network addresses of the data files; and reviewing at least a portion of the data files for assignment of an arbitrary categorization and for storing a categorization cross referenced to the network addresses of the data files. 
     
     
       14. The network search engine of  claim 11 , wherein the crawler operates at least two discrete processes for collecting the data files and files linked thereto, and for producing the graphic image files. 
     
     
       15. The network search engine of  claim 14 , wherein the discrete processes operate together on at least one processor, and wherein the processes for collecting are more numerous than at least one said process for producing the graphic image files. 
     
     
       16. The network search engine of  claim 15 , wherein the process for producing the graphic image file renders an image of the data files from downloaded copies of the hypertext markup language text and linked graphic format files, and converts a resulting display image file into the graphic format file. 
     
     
       17. The network search engine of  claim 16 , wherein the process for producing the graphic image file renders the image of the data files according to a configuration selected as a default configuration with respect to at least one of use of changing visual features, presentation of user interactive features, presentation of non-visual media, display pixel resolution, color pallette, color resolution, and use of colors. 
     
     
       18. The network search engine of  claim 17 , further comprising a programmed process for producing the graphic image file, which co-opts a display bitmap from a processor programmed to present the data files, and converts the bitmap to a compressed graphic format file stored on the search engine. 
     
     
       19. An improved Internet search engine for managing user search and selection of web pages stored at distributed systems coupled at network addresses to the Internet, the search engine having an associated web crawler operable to address and load successive web pages, and to index text data associated with said successive web pages so as to obtain parameter information that distinguishes at least groups of the web pages from one another, the crawler storing the parameter information and associated addresses of the web pages, and the search engine being operable responsive to user submitted search criteria to search the parameter information and to report at least the associated addresses of web pages that met the search criteria when indexed, wherein the improvement comprises:
 said crawler being operable in conjunction with obtaining the parameter information for at least a subset of said successive web pages to generate a graphic image file containing a visual image that is substantially identical to an appearance of said web pages, for display in a size proportionally smaller than said web pages; and   wherein the search engine is operable when reporting the associated addresses of web pages that met the search criteria to include a representation of the graphic image file in said proportionally smaller size.   
     
     
       20. The improved Internet search engine of  claim 19 , wherein the crawler generates the graphic image file with an appearance of the web pages according to a predetermined default display configuration of a browser. 
     
     
       21. The improved Internet search engine of  claim 20  wherein the predetermined default display configuration defines a selection of at least one of relative font size and type, colors and pixel aspect ratio. 
     
     
       22. The improved Internet search engine of  claim 21 , wherein the search engine reports to the user the associated addresses of the web pages that met the search criteria, in a form of hypertext source data containing URL links to said web pages, and wherein the graphic image file is displayed in association with a URL link to the web page represented by the graphic image file. 
     
     
       23. The improved Internet search engine of  claim 21 , wherein the graphic image file comprises a compressed pixel image of a bitmap corresponding to said web pages. 
     
     
       24. The improved Internet search engine of  claim 22 , wherein the graphic image file is transmitted as an image link in the hypertext source data to a file compressed by at least one of MIME, Binhex and Base64. 
     
     
       25. A computer-implemented method for providing search results with associated snapshot images of web page displays, comprising:
 generating reduced size graphic image files, wherein each of the reduced size graphic image files corresponds to an appearance of a respective web page, comprising:
 rendering display images of the respective web page, wherein each display image represents a snapshot of the respective web page at a fixed time, and 
 processing the rendered display images to obtain the reduced size graphic image files such that each reduced size graphic image file corresponds to a reduced size static visual representation of the respective web page; 
   receiving an electronic search query; and   electronically transmitting a report page listing web pages associated with results of the electronic search query, wherein the report page includes at least one reduced size graphic image file and a link to the respective web page.   
     
     
       26. The method of claim 25, wherein the electronic search query comprises user search criteria including a text string. 
     
     
       27. The method of claim 25, wherein said processing includes compressing the rendered display images. 
     
     
       28. The method of claim 25, wherein the rendered display images comprise bitmap data files, and said compressing compresses the bitmap data files to at least one compressed graphics file format. 
     
     
       29. The method of claim 25, wherein said processing includes re-sizing the rendered display images. 
     
     
       30. The method of claim 25 comprising: storing the generated reduced size graphic image files. 
     
     
       31. The method of claim 30, wherein storing includes caching at least some of the generated reduced size graphic image files. 
     
     
       32. The method of claim 25, wherein electronically transmitting the report page comprises outputting the report page to a browser for display, whereby the browser displays the report page including a display of the reduced size graphic image file. 
     
     
       33. The method of claim 32, further comprising automatically accessing and delivering to the browser the reduced size graphic image file identified in the report page. 
     
     
       34. The method of claim 32, further comprising:
 enabling a user to select or deselect a snapshot rendering capability, and automatically accessing and delivering to the browser the at least one reduced size graphic image file identified in the report page only when the snapshot rendering capability has been enabled.   
     
     
       35. The method of claim 25, wherein providing the report page further comprises identifying in the report page the presence of a dynamic feature in a web page associated with the found parameter information. 
     
     
       36. The method of claim 35, wherein identifying in the report page the presence of the dynamic features comprises adding data in the report page to enable a browser to display an icon or marker associated with the dynamic feature. 
     
     
       37. The method of claim 25, further comprising loading web page information from a variety of web pages accessible at different addresses. 
     
     
       38. A search engine for providing search results with images of web page displays, comprising:
 a processor;   means for generating reduced graphic image files, wherein each reduced size graphic image file corresponds to an appearance of a respective web page, comprising:
 means for rendering display images of the respective web page, wherein each display image represents a snapshot of the respective web page at a fixed time, and 
 means for processing the rendered display images to obtain the reduced size graphic image files such that each reduced size graphic image file corresponds to a reduced size static visual representation of the respective web page; 
   means for receiving an electronic search query; and   means for electronically transmitting a report page listing web pages associated with results of the electronic search query, wherein the report page includes at least one reduced size graphic image file and a link to the respective web page.   
     
     
       39. A memory store having control logic stored therein, the control logic, when executed, enabling at least one computer to provide search results with associated snapshot images of web page displays, the control logic comprising:
 first logic that enables the at least one computer to generate reduced graphic image files, wherein each of the reduced size graphic image files corresponds to an appearance of a respective web page, comprising:
 logic for rendering display images of the web pages, wherein each display image represents a snapshot of a respective web page at a fixed time, and 
 logic for processing the rendered display images to obtain the reduced size graphic image files such that each reduced size graphic image file corresponds to a reduced size static visual representation of the respective web page; 
   second logic that enables the at least one computer to receive an electronic search query; and   third logic that enables the at least one computer to electronically transmit a report page listing web pages associated with results of the electronic search query, wherein the report page includes at least one reduced graphic image file and a link to the respective web page.   
     
     
       40. A search engine comprising:
 a processor;   a memory store;   software, stored in the memory store and executable on the processor to perform program functions, wherein the program functions comprise:
 generating reduced graphic image files, comprising: rendering display images of one or more web pages, wherein each display image represents a snapshot of a respective web page at a fixed time, and processing the rendered display images to obtain the reduced size graphic image files such that each reduced size graphic image file corresponds to a reduced size static visual representation of the respective web page; 
 receiving an electronic search query; and 
 transmitting a report page listing web pages associated with results of the electronic search query, wherein the report page includes at least one reduced size graphic image file and a link to the respective web page.