Presenting image previews in electronic messages

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.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving an electronic message;   identifying, in the electronic message, a link to a resource;   generating, using at least one processor, a image preview of at least a portion of the resource; and   providing the image preview of the resource while at least a portion of the electronic message is being displayed.   
     
     
         2 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the electronic message comprises an instant message. 
     
     
         3 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising displaying the link in the electronic message. 
     
     
         4 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 detecting a selection of the image preview; and   providing the resource in response to detecting the selection of the image preview.   
     
     
         5 . The method as recited in  claim 4 , wherein detecting the selection of the image preview comprises detecting that a cursor is hovering over the image preview. 
     
     
         6 . The method as recited in  claim 4 , wherein detecting the selection of the image preview comprises detecting a click on the image preview. 
     
     
         7 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the resource comprises a first web page. 
     
     
         8 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 detecting a selection of a second link in the image preview to a second web page; and   providing the second web page in response to detecting the selection of the second link in the image preview.   
     
     
         9 . The method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein generating the image preview of at least the portion of the resource comprises generating a scaled version of one or more features of the resource. 
     
     
         10 . The method as recited in  claim 9 , wherein an image in the resource is scaled less than one or more other features of the resource in the image preview so that the image is more prominent than the one or more other features in the image preview. 
     
     
         11 . A graphical user interface produced on a computing device having a display associated therewith, the graphical user interface comprising:
 an electronic message displayed on the display, the electronic message including a first link to a resource; and   an image preview of at least a portion of the resource displayed on the display while a cursor is hovering over the first link, the image preview of at least the portion of the resource being displayed as an overlay over at least a portion of the electronic message.   
     
     
         12 . The graphical user interface as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising displaying the first link as a textual description of content of the resource. 
     
     
         13 . The graphical user interface as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the image preview of at least the portion of the resource comprises a scaled version of one or more features of the resource. 
     
     
         14 . The graphical user interface as recited in  claim 13 , wherein an image in the resource is scaled less than one or more other features of the resource in the image preview so that the image is more prominent than the one or more other features in the image preview. 
     
     
         15 . The graphical user interface as recited in  claim 11 , wherein:
 the electronic message comprises an instant message; and   the resource comprises a web page.   
     
     
         16 . A method comprising:
 providing an electronic message having a first link to a first resource;   providing an image preview of at least a portion of the resource, the image preview having a second link to a second resource;   detecting, using at least one processor, a selection of the second link in the image preview; and   upon detecting the section of the second link in the image preview, providing the second resource.   
     
     
         17 . The method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein detecting the selection of the second link comprises detecting that a cursor is hovering over the second link. 
     
     
         18 . The method as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the first and second resources comprises web pages. 
     
     
         19 . The method as recited in  claim 16 , further comprising:
 detecting a triggering user-interaction with the first link; and   upon detecting the triggering user-interaction, providing the image preview of at least the portion of the first resource while at least a portion of the electronic message is being displayed.   
     
     
         20 . The method as recited in  claim 16 , wherein providing the image preview of at least the portion of the first resource comprises providing a scaled version of one or more features of the first resource.