Patent Publication Number: US-10762278-B2

Title: Web page display apparatus and web page display method

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 12/427,148, filed Apr. 21, 2009, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Japanese Patent Application JP2008-141175 filed in the Japan Patent Office on May 29, 2008, the entire contents of both of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a Web page display apparatus and a Web page display method, and is suitably applicable to, for example, a personal digital assistant (PDA). 
     Description of the Related Art 
     Web pages written in hypertext markup language (HTML) format using World Wide Web (WWW) document systems have been created for the sake of browsing a display screen of fairly large size (for example, extended graphics array (XGA) of 1024 pixels in width and 768 pixels in height) of a personal computer or the like. 
     On the other hand, PDAs have been equipped with a quarter video graphics array (QVGA) display of 320 pixels in width and 240 pixels in height, for example, and can display Web pages on the display. 
     For example, a PDA reduces a Web page W 1  of 1024 pixels in width such as shown in  FIG. 1A  to generate a reduced Web page W 2  of 320 pixels in width such as shown in  FIG. 1B . 
     The PDA then sets the upper 240-pixel part of the reduced Web page W 2  as a display area WA 1 , and displays a display screen DG 1  corresponding to the display area WA 1  on the display as shown in  FIG. 1C  (refer to, e.g., Jpn. Pat. Appln. Laid-Open Publication No. 2007-004524). 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Since the foregoing PDA reduces the entire Web page W 1  into the reduced Web page W 2  according to the display size of the display, it is not possible to display the Web page W 1  on the display in an optimum size intended for user&#39;s visual observation. There has thus been a problem of impaired viewability to the user. 
     The present invention has been made in view of the foregoing circumstances, and is to provide a Web page display apparatus and a Web page display method capable of displaying a Web page in an easily viewable fashion. 
     To solve the foregoing problem, a Web page display apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention includes: an acquisition unit for acquiring a Web page; a generation unit for generating a reduced Web page by reducing the Web page so that the particular element has a width smaller than that of the display size when a user-specified particular element in a plurality of elements constituting the Web page has a width greater than that of display size of a display unit; and a display control unit for controlling the display unit to display a particular reduced element of the reduced Web page corresponding to the particular element when the particular element has a width greater than that of the display size. 
     Consequently, when the particular element selected by the user is greater than the display size, the Web page is reduced and displayed so that the particular element is smaller than the display size. This makes it possible to display the particular element in an appropriate size on the display unit. 
     A Web page display method according to another aspect of the present invention includes: an acquisition step of acquiring a Web page by means of an acquisition unit; a generation step of generating a reduced Web page by reducing the Web page so that the particular element has a width smaller than that of the display size by means of a generation unit when a user-specified particular element in a plurality of elements constituting the Web page has a width greater than that of display size of a display unit; and a display control step of controlling the display unit to display a particular reduced element of the reduced Web page corresponding to the particular element by means of a display control unit when the particular element has a width greater than that of the display size. 
     Consequently, when the particular element selected by the user is greater than the display size, the Web page is reduced and displayed so that the particular element is smaller than the display size. This makes it possible to display the particular element in an appropriate size on the display unit. 
     According to the present invention, when the particular element selected by the user is greater than the display size, the Web page is reduced and displayed so that the particular element is smaller than the display size. The particular element can thus be displayed in an appropriate size on the display unit. This makes it possible to achieve a Web page display apparatus and a Web page display method that can display a Web page in an easily viewable fashion. 
     The nature, principle and utility of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like parts are designated by like reference numerals or characters. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the accompanying drawings: 
         FIGS. 1A to 1C  are schematic diagrams showing how conventional reduced display is carried out; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of a Web page acquisition and display system; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram showing the circuit configuration of a PDA; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram showing the circuit configuration of a Web server and a snapshot server; 
         FIGS. 5A and 5B  are schematic diagrams showing the configuration of Web page data; 
         FIGS. 6A to 6C  are schematic diagrams showing the configuration of image data; 
         FIGS. 7A and 7B  are schematic diagrams showing the configuration of a snapshot display screen and how to detect the coordinate position; 
         FIGS. 8A and 8B  are schematic diagrams showing how a Web page is displayed when an element selected is smaller than or equal to the display size; 
         FIGS. 9A to 9C  are schematic diagrams showing how the Web page is displayed when the element selected is greater than the display size; 
         FIG. 10  is a flowchart for explaining the procedure (1) of optimum layout display processing; 
         FIG. 11  is a flowchart for explaining the procedure (2) of the optimum layout display processing; 
         FIGS. 12A to 12C  are schematic diagrams showing conventional enlarged display of a Web page; 
         FIG. 13  is a schematic diagram showing conventional display of a Web page with a broken layout; and 
         FIG. 14  is a schematic diagram showing a display screen according to another embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 
     (1) Configuration of Web Page Acquisition and Display System 
     (1-1) Overall Configuration of Web Page Acquisition and Display System 
       FIG. 2  shows a Web page acquisition and display system  1  which is an embodiment of the present invention. The Web page acquisition and display system  1  includes a PDA  2 , a Web server  3 , and a snapshot server  4 , which are connected over the Internet, for example. 
     The PDA  2  has a QVGA display  5  on its front side  2 A, and an operation button group  6  including an up button  6   a , a down button  6   b , an enter button  6   c , and a back button  6   d  on its left side  2 B. The display  5  and the operation button group  6  function as a user interface. 
     According to a predetermined operation by a user, the PDA  2  transmits a request message for acquiring data on a predetermined Web page (hereinafter, referred to as Web page data) to the Web server  3 . 
     The Web server  3  contains a large number of pieces of Web page data. The Web server  3  transmits Web page data WD corresponding to the request message received from the PDA  2  to the PDA  2 . 
     In the meantime, the Web server  3  transmits to the snapshot server  4  the Web page data WD that is transmitted to the PDA  2  and log data (not shown) that indicates the transmission of the Web page data WD to the PDA  2 . 
     The snapshot server  4  generates image data (to be described later) ID based on the Web page data WD received from the Web server  3 , and transmits the image data ID to the PDA  2  based on the log data. 
     (1-2) Circuit Configuration of PDA 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the PDA  2  exercises centralized control on the entire apparatus through a bus  14  according to a basic program that is read from a read only memory (ROM)  12  and run on a random access memory (RAM)  13  by a central processing unit (CPU)  11 . 
     The PDA  2  can also perform various types of processing, such as optimum layout display processing to be described later, according to various application programs that are read from the ROM  12  and run on the RAM  13  by the CPU  11 . 
     The PDA  2  has a wireless communication unit  16  such as an Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 wireless communication module. The PDA  2  establishes a wireless connection with the Web server  3  and the snapshot server  4  through the wireless communication unit  16 . 
     According to a user operation on a touch panel  15  which is arranged on the surface of the display  5 , the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  receives, for example, the Web page data WD from the Web server  3  through the wireless communication unit  16 . The CPU  11  then stores the Web page data WD into a nonvolatile memory  17 . 
     (1-3) Circuit Configuration of Web Server 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the Web server  3  exercises centralized control on the entire apparatus through a bus  36  according to a basic program that is read from a ROM  32  and run on a RAM  33  by a CPU  31 . The Web server  3  can also perform various types of processing according to various application programs. 
     The CPU  31  of the Web server  3  stores a large number of pieces of Web page data in a hard disk drive  34 . For example, when the CPU  31  of the Web server  3  receives a request message from the PDA  2  through a communication unit  35 , the CPU  31  transmits Web page data WD corresponding to the request message to the PDA  2  through the communication unit  35 . 
     When transmitting the Web page data WD to the PDA  2 , the CPU  31  of the Web server  3  also transmits the Web page data WD and log data to the snapshot server  4  through the communication unit  35 . 
     (1-4) Circuit Configuration of Snapshot Server 
     The snapshot server  4  ( FIG. 4 ) has the same basic configuration as that of the Web server  3 . The snapshot server  4  exercises centralized control on the entire apparatus through a bus  46  according to a basic program that is read from a ROM  42  and run on a RAM  43  by a CPU  41 . The snapshot server  4  can also perform various types of processing according to various application programs. 
     When the CPU  41  of the snapshot server  4  receives Web page data WD and log data from the Web server  3  through a communication unit  45 , the CPU  41  stores the Web page data WD into a hard disk drive  44 . 
     The CPU  41  of the snapshot server  4  generates image data ID based on the Web page data WD received from the Web server  3 , and transmits the image data ID to the PDA  2  through the communication unit  45  based on the log data. 
     (2) Optimum Layout Display Processing 
     Next, description will be given of the optimum layout display processing which is intended to display a Web page corresponding to user-desired Web page data WD onto the display  5  of the PDA  2  so as to be easily viewable to the user. 
     For example, when a predetermined uniform resource locator (URL) is entered by user&#39;s touch operations on the touch panel  15  which is arranged on the surface of the display  5 , the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  transmits a request message to the Web server  3  through the wireless communication unit  16  in order to acquire Web page data WD corresponding to the URL. 
     When the CPU  31  of the Web server  3  receives the request message from the PDA  2  through the communication unit  35 , the CPU  31  reads the Web page data WD corresponding to the request message from the hard disk drive  34 , and transmits the Web page data WD to the PDA  2  through the communication unit  35 . 
     When transmitting the Web page data WD to the PDA  2 , the CPU  31  of the Web server  3  also transmits the Web page data WD and log data, which indicates the transmission of the Web page data WD to the PDA  2 , to the snapshot server  4  through the communication unit  35 . 
     Here, the Web page data WD is composed of HTML data HD which is written in HTML format as shown in  FIG. 5A , cascading style sheets (CSS) data CD which describes the layout of the Web page as shown in  FIG. 5B , and image data (not shown) with a filename “dome.jpg”. 
     The HTML data HD declares that the portions sandwiched between an &lt;html&gt; tag and a &lt;/html&gt; tag is written in HTML format. The title of the Web page and information pertaining to the Web page are described in the portion sandwiched between a &lt;head&gt; tag and a &lt;/head&gt; tag. The HTML data HD describes the main body of the Web page in the portion sandwiched between a &lt;body&gt; tag and a &lt;/body&gt; tag. 
     The HTML data HD also includes ‘&lt;link rel=“stylesheet” href=“dome.css”&gt;’, which describes that the contents of the CSS data CD having the filename “dome.css” can be consulted as a style sheet. 
     When the CPU  41  of the snapshot server  4  receives the Web page data WD from the Web server  3  through the communication unit  45 , the CPU  41  stores the Web page data WD into the hard disk drive  44  and generates a Web page W 11  based on the Web page data WD as shown in  FIG. 6A . 
     Specifically, the CPU  41  of the snapshot server  4  sets the width of the Web page W 11  at 1024 pixels based on the portion sandwiched between the &lt;div class=“container”&gt; tag and the &lt;/div&gt; tag immediately before the &lt;/body&gt; tag in the HTML data HD, and the description “.container{width: 1024 px;}” in the CSS data CD. 
     Note that the CPU  41  of the snapshot server  4  sets the width of the Web page W 11  at 1024 pixels by default if the CSS data CD of the Web page data WD does not contain a description of the width of the Web page W 11  such as “.container{width: 1024 px;}”. 
     The CPU  41  of the snapshot server  4  also sets the height of the Web page W 11 , for example, at 1024 pixels by default if the height of the Web page W 11  is not defined in the HTML data HD or the CSS data CD. 
     The CPU  41  of the snapshot server  4  places an element f 1  that is defined by the description ‘&lt;div class=“header”&gt;Toto Dome Town&lt;/div&gt;’ in the HTML data HD and ‘.header{width: 1024 px; height: 150;}’ in the CSS data CD (hereinafter, this element will be referred to as a header element) to the top of the Web page W 11 . Here, the CPU  41  of the snapshot server  4  sets the width and height of the header element f 1  at 1024 pixels and 150 pixels, respectively. 
     The CPU  41  of the snapshot server  4  places an element f 2  that is defined by the description ‘&lt;div class=“sidebar”&gt; . . . Toto Dome Hotel&lt;BR&gt;&lt;/div&gt;’ in the HTML data HD and ‘.sidebar{float: left; width: 224 px;}’ in the CSS data CD (hereinafter, this element will be referred to as a sidebar element) on the lower left of the header element f 1 . Here, the CPU  41  of the snapshot server  4  sets the width of the sidebar element f 2  at 224 pixels. 
     The CPU  41  of the snapshot server  4  places an element f 3  that is defined by the description ‘&lt;div class=“contents”&gt; . . . S 5-2 N&lt;BR&gt;&lt;/div&gt;’ in the HTML data HD and ‘.contents{float: left; width: 800 px;}’ in the CSS data CD (hereinafter, this element will be referred to as a content element) on the right of the sidebar element f 2 . Here, the CPU  41  of the snapshot server  4  sets the width of the content element f 3  at 800 pixels. 
     The CPU  41  of the snapshot server  4  places an element f 4  that is defined by the description ‘&lt;div class=“footer”&gt; . . . Toto Dome Co., Ltd.&lt;BR&gt;&lt;/div&gt;’ in the HTML data HD and ‘.footer{clear: both; width: 1024 px; height: 150;}’ in the CSS data CD (hereinafter, this element will be referred to as a footer element) under the sidebar element f 2  and the content element f 3 . Here, the CPU  41  of the snapshot server  4  sets the width and height of the footer element f 4  at 1024 pixels and 150 pixels, respectively. 
     In consequence, the CPU  41  of the snapshot server  4  sets the height of the sidebar element f 2  and the content element f 3  at 724 pixels, which is determined by subtracting the heights of the header element f 1  and footer element f 4 , or 150 pixels each, from the height of the entire Web page W 11 , or 1024 pixels. 
     The CPU  41  of the snapshot server  4  thus generates the Web page W 11  before generating a snapshot SS. The snapshot SS refers to an image into which the Web page W 11  is reduced so as to have a width of 240 pixels as shown in  FIG. 6B . 
     The snapshot SS includes a reduced header element sf 1 , a reduced sidebar element sf 2 , a reduced content element sf 3 , and a reduced footer element sf 4  which correspond to the header element f 1 , the sidebar element f 2 , the content element f 3 , and the footer element f 4  of the Web page W 11 , respectively. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6C , the CPU  41  of the snapshot server  4  establishes coordinate axes including an X-axis extending to the right and an Y-axis to the bottom with the vertex at the top left of the snapshot SS as (0, 0). The CPU  41  of the snapshot server  4  then calculates to determine to which each of the pixels of the snapshot SS pertains in the reduced header element sf 1 , the reduced sidebar element sf 2 , the reduced content element sf 3 , and the reduced footer element sf 4 , and generates element position data fp that shows the calculations. 
     More specifically, the element position data fp shows that the range of coordinates (0 to 240, 0 to 35) of the snapshot SS corresponds to the reduced header element sf 1 . Similarly, the element position data fp shows that the range of coordinates (0 to 53, 36 to 205) of the snapshot SS corresponds to the reduced sidebar element sf 2 , the range of coordinates (54 to 240, 36 to 205) corresponds to the reduced content element sf 3 , and the range of coordinates (0 to 240, 206 to 240) corresponds to the reduced footer element sf 4 . 
     The CPU  41  of the snapshot server  4  then transmits image data ID including the snapshot SS ( FIG. 6B ) and the element position data fp ( FIG. 6C ) to the PDA  2  through the communication unit  45 . 
     When the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  receives the Web page data WD from the Web server  3  and the image data ID from the snapshot server  4  through the wireless communication unit  16 , the CPU  11  stores the Web page data WD and the image data ID into the nonvolatile memory  17 . 
     The CPU  11  of the PDA  2  then displays a snapshot display screen SG, in the center of which appears the snapshot SS of the image data ID stored in the nonvolatile memory  17 , on the display  5  as shown in  FIG. 7A . 
     By displaying the snapshot SS on the display  5  via the snapshot display screen SG, the PDA  2  can thus make the user visually observe the overall configuration of the Web page W 11  corresponding to the Web page data WD acquired from the Web server  3 . 
     Subsequently, when the touch panel  15  arranged on the surface of the display  5  is touched by the user with the snapshot display screen SG on the display  5 , the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  calculates the coordinate values (20, 100) of the touched point P 1  as shown in  FIG. 7B . 
     The CPU  11  of the PDA  2  then reads the element point data fp ( FIG. 6C ) of the image data ID from the nonvolatile memory  17 , and compares the coordinate values (20, 100) of the point P 1  touched by the user and the element point data fp to determine that the reduced sidebar element sf 2  of the snapshot SS is touched by the user. 
     That is, the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  can determine that the sidebar element f 2  of the Web page W 11  corresponding to the reduced sidebar element sf 2  of the snapshot SS is touched by the user. 
     Here, the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  reads the Web page data WD ( FIG. 2 ) from the nonvolatile memory  17 , and generates the Web page W 11  as shown in  FIG. 8A  based on the HTML data HD and the CSS data CD of the Web page data WD. 
     The CPU  11  of the PDA  2  then determines whether or not the width of the sidebar element f 2  selected by the user, 224 pixels, is greater than the width of the display size of the display  5 , 320 pixels. 
     If the width of the sidebar element f 2  is determined to be smaller than or equal to the width of the display size, the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  displays the sidebar element f 2  on the display  5  in original size without reducing the Web page W 11 . 
     Specifically, the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  sets a display area WA 2  so that the sidebar element f 2  of the Web page W 11  ( FIG. 8A ) comes to the horizontal center and the upper 230 pixels of the sidebar element f 2  can be displayed. 
     As shown in  FIG. 8B , the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  then generates a display screen DG 2  corresponding to the display area WA 2 , and displays the display screen DG 2  on the display  5 . 
     The CPU  11  of the PDA  2  can thus display the upper 230-pixel part of the sidebar element f 2  selected by the user, and display the lower 10-pixel part of the header element f 1  which is arranged above the sidebar element f 2  and the upper left part of the content element f 3  which is arranged on the right of the sidebar element f 2  as well. 
     In consequence, the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  makes it possible to visually observe the sidebar element f 2  selected by the user in its original size. The CPU  11  can also display part of the header element f 1  and the content element f 3  aside from the sidebar element f 2 , so that the positional relationship of the sidebar element f 2  can be easily recognized. 
     It should be appreciated that when the down button  6   b  ( FIG. 2 ) is depressed by the user with the display screen DG 2  on the display  5 , the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  displays a lower part of the sidebar element f 2 . 
     Now, if the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  recognizes through the foregoing process of recognition that a touch operation is made on the content element f 3  with the snapshot display screen SG ( FIG. 7A ) displayed, the CPU  11  reads the Web page data WD from the nonvolatile memory  17  and generates the Web page W 11  ( FIG. 9A ). 
     The CPU  11  of the PDA  2  then determines whether or not the width of the content element f 3  touched by the user, 800 pixels, is greater than the width of the display size of the display  5 , 320 pixels. 
     If the width of the content element f 3  is determined to be greater than the width of the display size, the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  reduces the Web page W 11  by ⅜ times so that the content element f 3  having a width of 800 pixels shrinks to a width of 300 pixels. The CPU  11  thereby generates a reduced Web page W 12  having a width of 384 pixels as shown in  FIG. 9B . 
     The reduced Web page W 12  includes a reduced header element sf 11 , a reduced sidebar element sf 12 , a reduced content element sf 13 , and a reduced footer element sf 14  which correspond to the header element f 1 , the sidebar element f 2 , the content element f 3 , and the footer element f 4  of the Web page W 11 , respectively. 
     When reducing the Web page W 11  by ⅜ times, the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  also reduces a dome image IM ( FIG. 9A ) that is located inside the content element f 3  of the Web page W 11  by ⅜ times. 
     In the meantime, the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  does not reduce the character strings located in the content element f 3  of the Web page W 11  such as “Today&#39;s Game” and “Shinjin vs. Nainichi” by ⅜ times, but reduces the character strings by a predetermined magnification for facilitating user&#39;s visual observation or does not reduce them at all. 
     Similarly, the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  reduces the character strings located in the header element f 1 , sidebar element f 2 , and footer element f 4  of the Web page W 11  such as “Toto Dome Town”, “Toto Dome”, and “Aaa . . . Bbb, Ccc-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo” by a predetermined magnification for facilitating user&#39;s visual observation, or does not reduce the character strings at all. 
     Having generated the reduced Web page W 12 , the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  sets a display area WA 3  so that the reduced content element sf 13  of the reduced Web page W 12  comes to the horizontal center and the upper 230 pixels of the reduced content element sf 13  is displayed. 
     As shown in  FIG. 9C , the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  then generates a display screen DG 3  corresponding to the display area WA 3 , and displays the display screen DG 3  on the display  5 . 
     The CPU  11  of the PDA  2  can thus display the upper 230-pixel part of the reduced content element sf 13 , and display the lower 10-pixel part of the reduced header element sf 1  which is arranged above the reduced content element sf 3  and the upper right part of the reduced sidebar element sf 12  which is arranged on the left of the reduced content element sf 13  as well. 
     In consequence, the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  makes it possible to visually observe the reduced content element sf 13  corresponding to the content element f 3  horizontally all across. The CPU  11  can also display the reduced header element sf 11  and the reduced sidebar element sf 12  in part, so that the positional relationship of the reduced content element sf 13  can be easily recognized. 
     (3) Procedure of Optimum Layout Display Processing 
     As shown in  FIG. 10  and subsequent  FIG. 11 , the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  transmits a request message to the Web server  3  through the wireless communication unit  16  at step SP 1  in order to acquire Web page data WD corresponding to the Web page W 11  that is specified by a user operation. The CPU  11  then proceeds to the next step SP 2 . 
     At step SP 2 , the CPU  31  of the Web server  3  receives the request message from the PDA  2  through the communication unit  35 . The CPU  31  reads the Web page data WD from the hard disk drive  34  according to the request message, transmits the Web page data WD to the PDA  2  through the communication unit  35 , and proceeds to the next step SP 3 . 
     At step SP 3 , the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  receives the Web page data WD from the Web server  3  through the wireless communication unit  16 , and stores the Web page data WD into the nonvolatile memory  17 . The CPU  11  then proceeds to the next step SP 4 . 
     At step SP 4 , the CPU  31  of the Web server  3  transmits the Web page data WD that is transmitted to the PDA  2  at step SP 2  and log data that indicates the transmission of the Web page data WD to the PDA  2  to the snapshot server  4  through the communication unit  35 . The CPU  31  then proceeds to the next step SP 5  to end the processing. 
     Meanwhile, at step SP 6 , the CPU  41  of the snapshot server  4  receives the Web page data WD and the log data from the Web server  3  through the communication unit  45 , and stores the Web page data WD into the hard disk drive  44 . The CPU  41  then proceeds to the next step SP 7 . 
     At step SP 7 , the CPU  41  of the snapshot server  4  generates a snapshot SS ( FIG. 6B ) and element position data fp ( FIG. 6C ) based on the Web page data WD, and proceeds to the next step SP 8 . 
     At step SP 8 , the CPU  41  of the snapshot server  4  transmits image data ID including the snapshot SS and the element position data fp to the PDA  2  through the communication unit  45  based on the log data. The CPU  41  then proceeds to the next step SP 9  to end the processing. 
     Meanwhile, at step SP 10 , the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  receives the image data ID from the snapshot server  4  through the wireless communication unit  16 , and stores the image data ID into the nonvolatile memory  17 . The CPU  11  then proceeds to the next step SP 11  ( FIG. 11 ). 
     At step SP 11 , the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  displays a snapshot display screen SG ( FIG. 7A ), in the center of which appears the snapshot SS of the image data ID, on the display  5 . The CPU  11  then proceeds to the next step SP 12 . 
     At step SP 12 , the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  determines whether or not the touch panel  15  arranged on the surface of the display  5  is touched by the user. If the result is negative, the CPU  11  waits for a touch operation on the touch panel  15 . If the result is positive, the CPU  11  proceeds to step SP 13 . 
     At step SP 13 , the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  detects the coordinate values of the point where touched by the user. The CPU  11  compares the coordinate values detected and the element position data fp of the image data ID to recognize, for example, that the reduced sidebar element sf 2  is touched by the user. The CPU  11  then proceeds to the next step SP 14 . 
     At step SP 14 , the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  reads the Web page data WD from the nonvolatile memory  17 , and generates the Web page W 11  ( FIG. 8A ) based on the HTML data HD and CSS data CD of the Web page data WD. The CPU  11  then proceeds to the next step SP 15 . 
     At step SP 15 , the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  determines whether or not the width of the sidebar element f 2  corresponding to the reduced sidebar element sf 2  touched by the user, 224 pixels, is greater than the width of the display size, 320 pixels. If the result is negative, the CPU  11  proceeds to the next step SP 16 . 
     At step SP 16 , the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  generates a display screen DG 2  ( FIG. 8B ) that is set so that the sidebar element f 2  of the Web page W 11  comes to the horizontal center and the upper 230 pixels of the sidebar element f 2  is displayed. The CPU  11  displays the display screen DG 2  on the display  5 , and proceeds to the next step SP 19 . 
     At step SP 19 , the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  determines whether or not the back button  6   d  ( FIG. 2 ) is depressed by the user. If the result is positive, the CPU  11  returns to step SP 11 . 
     At step SP 11 , the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  displays the snapshot display screen SG ( FIG. 7A ) on the display  5  again, and proceeds to the next step SP 12  to determine whether or not the touch panel  15  is touched by the user. If the result is positive, the CPU  11  proceeds to step SP 13 . 
     At step SP 13 , the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  detects the coordinate values of the point where touched by the user. The CPU  11  compares the coordinate values detected and the element position data fp of the image data ID to recognize, for example, that the reduced content element sf 3  is touched. The CPU  11  then proceeds to the next step SP 14 . 
     At step SP 14 , the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  generates the Web page W 11  ( FIG. 9A ) based on the HTML data HD and CSS data CD of the Web page data WD, and proceeds to the next step SP 15 . 
     At step SP 15 , the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  determines whether or not the width of the content element f 3  corresponding to the reduced content element sf 3  selected by the user, 800 pixels, is greater than the width of the display size, 320 pixels. If the result is positive, the CPU  11  proceeds to the next step SP 17 . 
     At step SP 17 , the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  reduces the Web page W 11  by ⅜ times so that the content element f 3  having a width of 800 pixels shrinks to a width of 300 pixels. The CPU  11  thereby generates a reduced Web page W 12  ( FIG. 9B ) having a width of 384 pixels, and proceeds to the next step SP 18 . 
     At step SP 18 , the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  generates a display screen DG 3  ( FIG. 9C ) that is set so that the reduced content element sf 13  of the reduced Web page W 12  comes to the horizontal center and the upper 230 pixels of the reduced content element sf 13  is displayed. The CPU  11  displays the display screen DG 3  on the display  5 , and proceeds to the next step SP 19 . 
     At step SP 19 , the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  determines again whether or not the back button  6   d  is depressed by the user. If the result is negative, the CPU  11  proceeds to step SP 20  to end the processing. 
     (4) Operation and Effect 
     With the foregoing configuration, the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  receives Web page data WD corresponding to a user-desired Web page W 11  from the Web server  3 . The CPU  11  also acquires image data ID from the snapshot server  4 , the image data ID including a reduced snapshot SS of the Web page W 11  and element position data fp. 
     The CPU  11  of the PDA  2  then displays the reduced snapshot SS of the Web page W 11  on the display  5  through a snapshot display screen SG, thereby allowing the user to visually observe the overall configuration of the Web page W 11 . 
     If the user touches the snapshot SS, for example, on the reduced sidebar element sf 2 , the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  determines that the sidebar element f 2  of the Web page W 11  corresponding to the reduced sidebar element sf 2  has a width smaller than or equal to that of the display size. The CPU  11  then displays the upper part of the sidebar element f 2  on the display  5  in its original size. 
     When displaying the sidebar element f 2  on the display  5 , the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  displays the upper 230-pixel part of the sidebar element f 2 , and displays the lower 10-pixel part of the header element f 1  which is arranged above the sidebar element f 2  and the upper left part of the content element f 3  which is arranged on the right of the sidebar element f 2  as well. 
     Consequently, the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  makes it possible to visually observe the user-selected sidebar element f 2  in its original size. The CPU  11  can also display the header element f 1  and the content element f 3  in part, so that the positional relationship of the sidebar element f 2  with respect to the entire Web page W 11  can be easily recognized. 
     If the user touches the snapshot SS, for example, on the reduced content element sf 3 , the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  determines that the content element f 3  of the Web page W 11  corresponding to the reduced content element sf 3  has a width greater than that of the display size. Here, the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  reduces the Web page W 11  by ⅜ times, for example, so that the content element f 3  has a width smaller than that of the display size. The CPU  11  displays the upper part of the reduced content element sf 13  of the resulting reduced Web page W 12  on the display  5 . 
     While reducing the dome image IM located in the content element f 3  of the Web page W 11  by ⅜ times, the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  reduces the character strings such as “Today&#39;s Game” by a predetermined magnification or does not reduce them at all. As a result, the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  can display the reduced content element sf 13  in a manner that facilitates user&#39;s visual observation without breaking the layout of the Web page W 11 . 
     When the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  displays the reduced content element sf 13  corresponding to the content element f 3  on the display  5 , the CPU  11  also displays the reduced header element sf 11  and the reduced sidebar element sf 12  in part, so that the positional relationship of the reduced content element sf 13  with respect to the reduced Web page W 12  can be easily recognized. 
     Now, take the case of a conventional PDA. As shown in  FIG. 12A , the conventional PDA reduces the Web page W 11  into a reduced Web page W 21 , for example, and displays a reduced display screen SDG on the display with the reduced Web page W 21  in the center. 
     If the touch panel is touched by the user through the reduced display screen SDG with the reduced display screen SDG on the display, the PDA displays an enlarged display screen KG 1  which is the reduced Web page W 21  enlarged by a predetermined ratio as shown in  FIG. 12B . 
     If the touch panel is touched by the user again with the enlarged display screen KG 1  on the display, the PDA displays an enlarged display screen KG 2  which is the reduced Web page W 21  further enlarged by a predetermined ratio on the display as shown in  FIG. 12C . The PDA can thus provide the user with a reduced content element sf 23  that is enlarged to a desired size. 
     In this case, the PDA requires the user to touch the touch panel a plurality of times before the reduced content element sf 23  of desired size is displayed on the display through the enlarged display screen KG 2 , requiring complicated operations. 
     Since the PDA enlarges the reduced Web page W 21  by predetermined ratios to display the enlarged display screens KG 1  and KG 2 , the PDA also displays in large proportions a reduced header element sf 21  and a reduced sidebar element sf 22  which are arranged around the reduced content element sf 23 . 
     Moreover, since the PDA enlarges the reduced Web page W 21  by predetermined ratios to display the enlarged display screens KG 1  and KG 2 , it is sometimes not possible to display the reduced content element sf 23  horizontally all across. It follows that the PDA is not able to display the reduced content element sf 23  in a display mode easily viewable to the user. 
     In contrast, the PDA  2  according to the embodiment of the present invention displays the snapshot display screen SG ( FIG. 7A ), and a single touch operation has only to be made on the user-desired reduced content element sf 3  to display the display screen DG 3  ( FIG. 9C ) in which the reduced content element sf 13  of the reduced Web page W 21  ( FIG. 9B ) is arranged. 
     Here, the PDA  2  displays the reduced content element sf 13  horizontally all across on the display screen DG 3 , so that the reduced content element sf 13  can be displayed in a display mode easily viewable to the user. 
     As described above, the PDA  2  makes it possible to visually observe the reduced content element sf 13  corresponding to the content element f 3  desired by the user in a display mode easily viewable to the user by means of only a single touch operation, without requiring complicated operations of the user. 
     As shown in  FIG. 13 , some conventional PDA will not consult the CSS data CD of the Web page data WD but destroys the layout to generate a Web page W 31  to the display size of 320 pixels in width. The PDA then displays the upper part of the Web page W 31  on the display. 
     It follows that the PDA displays the Web page  31  on the display with a broken layout, and there has thus been the problem that it is difficult for the user to grasp the overall configuration of the Web page W 11  in its original layout. 
     In contrast, the PDA  2  according to the embodiment of the present invention can display a user-desired element, such as the sidebar element f 2  and the content element f 3 , without breaking the layout of the Web page W 11 . This can facilitate the user grasping the overall configuration of the Web page W 11 . 
     According to the foregoing configuration, the PDA  2  displays the reduced snapshot SS of the Web page W 11  on the display  5 . If, for example, the content element f 3  specified by the user is greater than the display size, the PDA  2  reduces and displays the Web page W 11  so that the content element f 3  is smaller than the display size. Consequently, the PDA  2  can display the Web page W 11  in an easily viewable fashion without breaking the layout of the Web page W 11 . 
     (5) Other Embodiments 
     The foregoing embodiment has dealt with the case where the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  receives the Web page data WD from the Web server  3  and receives the image data ID from the snapshot server  4 . However, the present invention is not limited thereto. Upon receiving the Web page data WD from the Web server  3 , the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  may generate the Web page W 11  based on the Web page data WD and generate the reduced snapshot SS of the Web page W 11  and the element position data fp. 
     In this case, the PDA  2  can perform the foregoing optimum layout display processing without receiving the image data ID from the snapshot server  4 . 
     The foregoing embodiment has also dealt with the case where the snapshot display screen SG ( FIG. 7A ) is displayed again when the back button  6   d  ( FIG. 2 ) is depressed, for example, in the state that the display screen DG 3  ( FIG. 9C ) having part of the reduced Web page W 12  ( FIG. 9B ) arranged therein is displayed on the display  5 . However, the present invention is not limited thereto. As shown in  FIG. 14 , the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  may display a display screen DG 4 , which is the display screen DG 3  with a back icon IC superimposed thereon, on the display  5 . The CPU  11  then displays the snapshot display screen SG again if the user touches the back icon IC. 
     The foregoing embodiment has also dealt with the case where the Web server  3  transmits the Web page data WD to the PAD  2  and transmits the Web page data WD to the snapshot server  4 , and the snapshot server  4  generates the image data ID. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. The snapshot server  4  may receive the Web page data WD from the Web server  3  regularly in advance and generate the image data ID. 
     In this case, the snapshot server  4  can transmit the image data ID to the PDA  2  immediately when the log data is received from the web server  3 . 
     The foregoing embodiment has also dealt with the case where the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  determines, for example, that the reduced sidebar element sf 2  is selected, based on a touch operation on the touch panel  15  with the snapshot display screen SG ( FIG. 7A ) displayed on the display  5 . However, the present invention is not limited thereto. The CPU  11  of the PDA  2  may display a cursor as superimposed on the snapshot display screen SG and determine that the reduced sidebar element sf 2  is selected, for example, when the enter button  6   c  is depressed with the cursor on the reduced sidebar element sf 2 . 
     The foregoing embodiment has also dealt with the case where the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  determines that the reduced content element sf 3  of the snapshot display screen SG is touched, for example, and reduces the Web page data W 11  by ⅜ times. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, when the CPU  11  determines that the reduced content element sf 3  of the snapshot display screen SG is touched, the CPU  11  may reduce the Web page W 11  so that the content element f 3  of the Web page data W 11  shrinks to 320 pixels, the width of the display size. 
     The foregoing embodiment has also dealt with the case where the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  and the CPU  41  of the snapshot server  4  set the height of the Web page W 11  at 1024 pixels by default if the height of the Web page W 11  is not defined by the HTML data HD or the CSS data CD. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. The CPU  11  of the PDA  2  and the CPU  41  of the snapshot server  4  may generate a Web page to a height based on the HTML data HD and the CSS data CD. 
     In this case, the CPU  11  of the PDA  2  and the CPU  41  of the snapshot server  4  may reduce the Web page having a height according to the description of the HTML data HD and the CSS data CD into a reduced Web page so that the Web page shrinks to 240 pixels in width, for example. The CPU  11  of the PDA  2  then displays the upper 240-pixel part of the reduced Web page on the display  5 , allowing the user to visually observe the reduced Web page. 
     The foregoing embodiment has also dealt with the case where the CPU  11  of the PDA  2 , the CPU  31  of the web server  3 , and the CPU  41  of the snapshot server  4  perform the foregoing procedure of the optimum layout display processing ( FIGS. 10 and 11 ) according to the application programs that are previously stored in the ROMs  12 ,  32 , and  42 . However, the present invention is not limited thereto. The CPU  11  of the PDA  2 , the CPU  31  of the Web server  3 , and the CPU  41  of the snapshot server  4  may perform the foregoing procedure of the optimum layout display processing according to application programs that are installed from a recording medium, application programs that are downloaded over the Internet, or application programs that are installed through various other routes. 
     The foregoing embodiment has also dealt with the case where the PDA  2  as the Web page display apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention includes the wireless communication unit  16  as an acquisition unit, and the CPU  11  as a generation unit and a display control unit. The present invention is not limited thereto, however, and the Web page display apparatus may be composed of an acquisition unit, generation unit, and display control unit of various other configurations. 
     The Web page display apparatus and the Web page display method according to the embodiment of the present invention may be applied to various other types of mobile devices such as a cellular phone, a personal navigation device (PND), a notebook personal computer, and a game console. 
     It should be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications, combinations, sub-combinations and alterations may occur depending on design requirements and other factors insofar as they are within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.