Method and apparatus for mapping a site on a wide area network

Abstract

A method and system for organizing and displaying information about Internet Web pages on Web maps are disclosed. Web maps display a summary of the information that a Web page provides access to, in a format that facilitates a rapid assessment of what may be accessed through a Web site's home page, or through any Web page on the Web site. Preferably, Web maps are displayed on a Web page, or within a frame of a Web page, by an Internet browser application. A set of Web maps may be automatically generated by a search engine or directory in response to a user's search request. Alternatively, a user may request that a Web map be produced for a particular Web page of interest. The Web maps are preferably generated by a Web server, or by an application running in the background of a user's computer, so that the user may perform other tasks on the user's computer while the Web maps are being generated.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 129,471, filed Apr. 15, 1999, which application is specifically incorporated herein, in its entirety, by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to locating information on a wide area network such as the Internet; and more particularly, to a method and system for organizing and displaying information about Internet Web sites on Web site maps.[0004]2. Description of Related Art[0005]The amount and variety of information accessible on the Internet, and in particular, through the World Wide Web, is now extremely vast and continues to grow very rapidly. At the same time, as the Internet grows in popularity, locating useful and accurate information on the Internet is becoming both more important and more challenging.[0006]Various information services, such as search engines and Internet directories, have bee...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]The present invention provides a method and system for organizing and displaying information about Internet Web pages on Web maps. Web maps display a summary of the information that a Web page provides access to, in a format that facilitates a rapid assessment of what may be accessed through a Web site's home page, or through any Web page on the Web site to which the Web site links. Preferably, Web maps are displayed on a Web page, or within a frame of a Web page, by an Internet browser application. A set of Web maps may be automatically generated by a search engine or directory in response to a user's search request. Alternatively, a user may request that a Web map be produced for a particular Web page of interest. The Web maps are preferably generated by a Web server, or by an application running in the background of a user's computer, so that the user may perform other tasks on the users computer whil

Problems solved by technology

The amount and variety of information accessible on the Internet, and in particular, through the World Wide Web, is now extremely vast and continues to grow very rapidly.

At the same time, as the Internet grows in popularity, locating useful and accurate information on the Internet is becoming both more important and more challenging.

There are often delays asso

Images