Systems and methods for generating and providing previews of electronic files such as Web files

Abstract

A system for previewing contents of Web files is provided. The system includes 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 a Web file; and (b) generating a preview of the contents of said Web file, said preview presenting at least a portion of the content of said Web file.

1 . A system for previewing contents of Web pages, the system comprising a computing platform for executing an application being designed and configured for: 
 (a) retrieving at least a portion of the contents and/or source code of a Web page; and    (b) generating an image preview of the contents of said Web page, said preview presenting at least a portion of the contents and including active links to Web pages linkable from said Web page.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said application is further designed and configured for converting said at least a portion of the contents and/or source code of the Web page from a first file type to a second file type prior to, during or following step (b).  
   
   
       3 . A method of previewing contents of a Web page comprising: 
 (a) retrieving at least a portion of the contents and/or source code of the Web page; and    (b) generating an image preview of the contents of the Web page, said image preview presenting at least a portion of the contents and including active links to Web pages linkable from the Web page.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising the step of converting said at least a portion of the contents and/or source code of the Web page from a first file type to a second file type prior to, during or following step (b).  
   
   
       5 . A method of previewing results of a Web search query comprising: 
 (a) retrieving at least a portion of the contents and/or source code of at least one Web page resulting from the Web search query; and    (b) generating an image preview of the contents of said at least one Web page, said image preview presenting at least a portion of the contents of said at least one Web page.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said image preview includes active links to Web pages linkable from said at least one Web page.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising the step of converting said at least a portion of the contents and/or source code of said at least one Web page from a first file type to a second file type prior to, during or following step (b).  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said image preview is linkable to a Web address of said at least one web page.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising generating a textual summary of the contents of said at least one Web page.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said textual summary is associated with said image preview in results presented as a response to the Web search query.  
   
   
       11 . A system for previewing results of a Web search query, the system comprising a computing platform for executing an application being designed and configured for: 
 (a) retrieving at least a portion of the contents and/or source code of at least one Web page resulting from the Web search query; and    (b) generating an image preview of the contents of said at least one Web page, said image preview presenting at least a portion of the contents of said at least one Web page.    
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said image preview includes active links to Web pages linkable from said at least one Web page.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said application is further designed and configured for converting said at least a portion of the contents and/or source code of said at least one Web page from a first file type to a second file type prior to, during or following step (b).  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein said application is further designed and configured for generating a textual summary of the contents of said at least one Web page.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein said textual summary is associated with said image preview in results presented as a response to the Web search query.