System and method for accessing a hub

• US 10,430,804 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2012
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Andrew Hamilton Malcolm, Matthew Campbell Patterson
• Original Assignee: Andrew Hamilton Malcolm, Matthew Campbell Patterson
• Inventors: Patterson, Matthew Campbell, Malcolm, Andrew Hamilton
• Primary Examiner(s): Munson, Patricia H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baggot, Breffni
• Application Number:
  US13/565,357
• Publication Number:
  US 20130035995A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,616 Days
• Field of Search: 705 141- 1472, 705 1473, 709217, 709227, 715234, 715764, 715760, 707732, 707E17141, 707733, 707734, 707737, 707999004
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements

Abstract

A system and computer implemented method for acting on search results in a webpage. The invention displays selectable items in the form of search results determined by a web search engine in response to a search query received from a user. A first type of selection of one of the search results by the user causes a link to an online resource associated with the selected search result to be followed. A second type of selection by the user causes at least one control option to be displayed to the user, the control options including at least one of: saving details of the search result to a remote storage location, or accessing the details of at least one previously saved search results.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for user specific management of search results accessed from a storage hub, the method comprising the steps of:

sending of a search query, by a user, from a user device to a web search engine operated by at least one server device;

receiving, at the user device, a web page comprising an authentication element and the search results based on the search query as individual embedded objects defined as individually selectable items within the web page by a script embedded into the web page as a self-contained block by said at least one server device of the search engine provider;

determining, using the authentication element, whether the user device has a cookie stored locally on the user device, wherein the web page identifies and verifies the user based on the cookie;

displaying on a display of the user device, upon verification of the user, the web page of search results using a web browser executed by the user device and enabling the user to input a first type of selection of one of the search results, a second type of selection of one of the search results or a selection of an element displayed within the webpage other than one of the search results;

determining if the user input the first type of selection of one of the search results, the second type of selection of one of the search results, or the selection of an element displayed within the webpage other than one of the search results;

causing, upon determining that the user input the first type of selection of one of the search results, the web browser to follow a link to an online resource associated with the selected one of the search results, wherein the first type of selection comprises one of;

a left-click of a mouse, a touch gesture equivalent of a left-click of a mouse on a touch screen or a voice command equivalent of a left click of a mouse,

causing, upon determining that the user input the second type of selection of one of the search results, wherein the second type of selection comprises one of;

a right-click of a mouse, a touch gesture equivalent of a right-click of a mouse on a touch screen or a voice command equivalent of a right click of a mouse;

accessing user specific information from the storage hub based on the cookie;

execution of script, embedded within the web page of the search results, by the web browser defining the selected search result as a selectable item to display a user interface unique to the web pages of search results; and

display of the unique user interface, based on the user specific information, within the web page of the search results on the user device overlaying the previously displayed search results, wherein the unique user interface comprises a menu displaying selectable control options associated exclusively with the search engine provider for user specific management of the selectable search results displayed in the web page, the control options comprising at least;

at least one function standard to the web browser;

a save search result control function, selection of which causes saving, by the at least one server device, of details of the search result selected by the user together with the cookie to the storage hub remote from the user device and provided by the search engine provider,

an email function that enables a user to open an email interface and enter an email address or find an email be selecting a contacts button;

an invite function that displays a contact list associated with the user and enables the user to select and invite at least one contact from the contact list to access the web page, wherein the at least one contact selected from the contact list is able to accept, decline or ignore the invite;

a recommend function that displays the details of the search result on the user'"'"'s social network page;

a post function that enables the user to enter a comment to be posted on their social network page;

a comment function that displays a comments interface that shows comments from other users related to the content of the search result;

a chat function that enables the user to select contacts to communicate with;

a reminder function that enables the user to set a reminder associated with a search result saved by the user;

a wallet function that displays the user'"'"'s account balance;

a buy now function that enables a user to go to a checkout page of an advertisement associated with the search result;

a saved advertisements function that displays at least one advertisement saved by the user; and

a saved search result access function, selection of which causes;

accessing, by the at least one server device in bidirectional communication with the storage hub provided by the search engine provider, user specific information including the cookie;

accessing, by the at least one server device, of details of at least one search result previously saved by the user to the storage hub with the cookie, and

transmitting the details of the at least one previously saved search result to the user device for display to the user within a secondary interface overlaying the previously displayed search results within the web page of search results on the user device; and

causing, upon determining that the user input the selection of an element displayed within the webpage other than of one of the search results, the display of a context menu standard to the web browser.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising determining the details of the at least one of the user'"'"'s previously saved search results to be delivered to the user device based at least in part on the user specific information used in bidirectional communication with the storage hub provided by the search engine provider.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the secondary interface is a scripted construct embedded by the search engine provider within the web page of search results, the content of which is dynamically set by the script in communication with the remote storage hub.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the secondary interface is one of:

an IFRAME element, and a DIV element.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cookie is stored on the user device associated with the display on which the webpage of search results is displayed.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the cookie is secured by attaching a key related to a domain of the hub.

7. A system comprising:

at least one server device provided by a search engine provider; and

a user device comprising at least one processor, and at least one non-transitory machine readable storage medium storing logic, which when executed by the at least one processor is operable to;

receive a web page comprising an authentication element and search results returned from submission of a search query, by a user from a user device, to a web search engine operated by said at least one server device provided by the search engine provider, wherein the search results are individual embedded objects defined as individually selectable items within the web page by a script embedded into the web page as a self-contained block by said server device of the search engine provider;

determine, using the authentication element, whether the user device has a cookie stored locally on the user device, wherein the web page identifies and verifies the user based on the cookie;

display, on a display of the user device upon verification of the user, the web page of search results using a web browser executed by the user device and enable the user to input a first type of selection of one of the search results, a second type of selection of one of the search results or a selection of an element displayed within the webpage other than one of the search results;

receive, from a user input device of the user device, a signal indicating either the first type of selection of one of the search results, the second type of selection of one of the search results or the selection of an element of the web page other than one of the search results, by the user, and determine which type of selection has been received,

wherein the first type of selection comprises one of;

a left-click of a mouse, a touch gesture equivalent of a left-click of a mouse on a touch screen, or a voice command equivalent of a left-click of a mouse, and

upon determining that the user input the second type of selection of one of the search results from the user input device, wherein the second type of selection comprises one of;

a right-click of a mouse, a touch gesture equivalent of a right-click of a mouse on a touch screen, or a voice command equivalent of a right-click of a mouse cause;

execution of script, embedded within the web page of the search results, by the web browser defining the selected search result as a selectable item and display a user interface unique to the web pages of search results, wherein the unique user interface is displayed within the web page of search results on the user device overlaying the previously displayed search results, and wherein the unique user interface comprises a menu displaying selectable control options associated with the search engine provider for user specific management of the selected search results displayed on the web page, the control options comprising at least;

at least one function standard to the web browser;

a save search result control function, selection of which causes saving, by the at least one server device, of details of the search result selected by the user together with the cookie to a storage hub remote from the user device and provided by the search engine provider,

an email function that enables a user to open an email interface and enter an email address or find an email be selecting a contacts button;

an invite function that displays a contact list associated with the user and enables the user to select and invite at least one contact from the contact list to access the web page, wherein the at least one contact selected from the contact list is able to accept, decline or ignore the invite;

a recommend function that displays the details of the search result on the user'"'"'s social network page;

a post function that enables the user to enter a comment to be posted on their social network page;

a comment function that displays a comments interface that shows comments from other users related to the content of the search result;

a chat function that enables the user to select contacts to communicate with;

a reminder function that enables the user to set a reminder associated with a search result saved by the user;

a wallet function that displays the user'"'"'s account balance;

a buy now function that enables a user to go to a checkout page of an advertisement associated with the search result;

a saved advertisements function that displays at least one advertisement saved by the user; and

a saved search result access function, selection of which causes;

accessing, by the at least one server device in bidirectional communication with the storage hub provided by the search engine provider, user specific information including the cookie;

accessing, by the at least one server device, of details of at least one search result previously saved by the user to the storage hub with the cookie, and

transmitting the details of the at least one previously saved search result to the user device for display to the user within a secondary interface overlaying the previously displayed search results within the web page of search results on the user device; and

causing, upon determining that the user input the selection of an element displayed within the webpage other than of one of the search results, the display of a context menu standard to the web browser.