Thumbnail Image Previews

Abstract

An instant message is received from an instant message sender and a determination is made that the instant message includes a link to a web page that was selected by the instant message sender. In response to determining that the instant message includes the link to the web page, an image corresponding to the web page is fetched and stored, and a thumbnail image preview of the fetched image is generated. In addition, the thumbnail image preview of the fetched portion of the web page is displayed while at least a portion of the instant message is displayed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 receiving an instant message from an instant message sender;   determining that the instant message includes a link to a web page that was selected by the instant message sender;   fetching an image corresponding to the web page in response to a determination that the instant message includes the link to the web page;   storing the fetched image corresponding to the web page;   generating a thumbnail image preview of the fetched image;   displaying at least a portion of the instant message; and   displaying the thumbnail image preview of the fetched portion of the web page while displaying the portion of the instant message.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein fetching an image corresponding to the web page comprises fetching a surrogate image that is representative of the web page. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 fetching an image corresponding to the web page comprises fetching at least a portion of the web page; and 
 generating a thumbnail image preview of the fetched image comprises generating a thumbnail image preview that corresponds to the fetched portion of the second web page and that includes one or more features having a scale that is reduced relative to one or more corresponding features of the fetched portion of the web page. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein displaying at least a portion of the instant message includes displaying the link to the web page. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising determining that a cursor associated with a pointing device is hovering over the displayed link to the web page, wherein displaying the thumbnail image preview while displaying the portion of the instant message comprises displaying the thumbnail image preview in response to a determination that the cursor associated with the pointing device is hovering over the displayed link to the web page. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4  wherein displaying the thumbnail image preview while displaying the portion of the instant message comprises initiating display of the thumbnail image preview substantially concurrently with initiating display of the portion of the instant message. 
     
     
         7 . A computer program product tangibly embodied in a computer-readable medium, the computer program product including instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to:
 receive an instant message from an instant message sender;   determine that the instant message includes a link to a web page that was selected by the instant message sender;   fetch an image corresponding to the web page in response to a determination that the instant message includes the link to the web page;   store the fetched image corresponding to the web page;   generate a thumbnail image preview of the fetched image;   display at least a portion of the instant message; and   display the thumbnail image preview of the fetched portion of the web page while displaying the portion of the instant message.   
     
     
         8 . The computer program product of  claim 7  wherein the instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to fetch an image corresponding to the web page include instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to fetch a surrogate image that is representative of the web page. 
     
     
         9 . The computer program product of  claim 7  wherein:
 the instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to fetch an image corresponding to the web page including instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to fetch at least a portion of the web page; and 
 the instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to generate a thumbnail image preview of the fetched image include instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to generate a thumbnail image preview that corresponds to the fetched portion of the second web page and that includes one or more features having a scale that is reduced relative to one or more corresponding features of the fetched portion of the web page. 
 
     
     
         10 . The computer program product of  claim 9  wherein the instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to display at least a portion of the instant message include instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to display the link to the web page. 
     
     
         11 . The computer program product of  claim 10  further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to determine that a cursor associated with a pointing device is hovering over the displayed link to the web page, wherein the instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to display the thumbnail image preview while displaying the portion of the instant message include instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to display the thumbnail image preview in response to a determination that the cursor associated with the pointing device is hovering over the displayed link to the web page. 
     
     
         12 . The computer program product of  claim 10  wherein the instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to display the thumbnail image preview while displaying the portion of the instant message include instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to initiate display of the thumbnail image preview substantially concurrently with initiating display of the portion of the instant message. 
     
     
         13 . A client computer configured to:
 receive an instant message from an instant message sender;   determine that the instant message includes a link to a web page that was selected by the instant message sender;   fetch an image corresponding to the web page in response to a determination that the instant message includes the link to the web page;   store the fetched image corresponding to the web page;   generate a thumbnail image preview of the fetched image;   display at least a portion of the instant message; and   display the thumbnail image preview of the fetched portion of the web page while displaying the portion of the instant message.   
     
     
         14 . The client computer of  claim 13  wherein the client computer is configured to fetch an image corresponding to the web page by fetching a surrogate image that is representative of the web page. 
     
     
         15 . The client computer of  claim 13  wherein:
 the client computer is configured to fetch an image corresponding to the web page by fetching at least a portion of the web page; and 
 the client computer is configured to generate a thumbnail image preview of the fetched image by generating a thumbnail image preview that corresponds to the fetched portion of the second web page and that includes one or more features having a scale that is reduced relative to one or more corresponding features of the fetched portion of the web page. 
 
     
     
         16 . The client computer of  claim 15  wherein the client computer is configured to display at least a portion of the instant message by displaying the link to the web page. 
     
     
         17 . The client computer of  claim 16  wherein the client computer is further configured to determine that a cursor associated with a pointing device is hovering over the displayed link to the web page, wherein the client computer is configured to display the thumbnail image preview while displaying the portion of the instant message by displaying the thumbnail image preview in response to a determination that the cursor associated with the pointing device is hovering over the displayed link to the web page. 
     
     
         18 . The client computer of  claim 16  wherein the client computer is configured to display the thumbnail image preview while displaying the portion of the instant message by initiating display of the thumbnail image preview substantially concurrently with initiating display of the portion of the instant message. 
     
     
         19 . A method comprising:
 receiving an instant message for an intended recipient from an instant message sender;   determining that the instant message includes a link to a web page that was selected by the instant message sender;   fetching an image corresponding to the web page in response to a determination that the instant message includes the link to the web page;   generating a thumbnail image preview of the fetched image;   including the thumbnail image preview in the instant message; and   sending the instant message, including the thumbnail image preview, to the intended recipient.