System and method for obtaining and storing information for deferred browsing

• US 20010039546A1
• Filed: 05/04/2001
• Published: 11/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Global Streams, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Global Streams, Inc.
• Inventors: Moore, Michael R., Welton, Aaron J., Tjeerdsma, Peter A., Kaye, Daniel A.
• Application Number:
  US09/849,376
• Publication Number:
  US 20010039546A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9562 Bookmark management

Abstract

A system and method are disclosed which allow a user to capture and manage information for later review without interrupting the user'"'"'s current activity, such as browsing the web, viewing streaming media, or operating a mobile computing device while traveling. The system includes a user interface, a local database application, and: a web browser and web browser plug-in, a streaming media server and streaming media player application, or a GPS unit. The method for capturing information while using a web browser or a streaming media player application includes the steps of selecting an object, obtaining local origination data, and storing the object and local origination data. The method for capturing information while using a mobile computing device having GPS capability includes activating a GPS capture function, obtaining local origination data, storing GPS objects and local origination data, and generating an index to geographically relevant objects.

Claims

1. A system for capturing information while using a web browser, comprising:

a user interface;

a web browser plug-in;

a web browser; and

a local database application, wherein the local database application uses the web browser plug-in to modify the behavior of the web browser to obtain and store information without interrupting a user'"'"'s web browsing activity.

2. The system of

claim 1

, wherein said local database application provides a mode of capture.

3. The system of

claim 2

, wherein the user is provided with the opportunity to choose said mode of capture.

4. The system of

claim 2

, wherein said mode of capture comprises automatically capturing every URL link the user accesses in said web browser.

5. The system of

claim 2

, wherein said mode of capture permits the user to manually select the information to be captured.

6. The system of

claim 1

, further comprising a central database for storing metadata and other information shared between multiple users.

7. The system of

claim 1

, wherein said obtained and stored information includes objects and metadata, and further, wherein said metadata is used to optimize the retrieval of said objects.

8. A system for capturing information while using a streaming media player application, comprising:

a user interface;

a streaming media server;

a streaming media player application; and

a local database application, wherein the local database application modifies the behavior of the streaming media player application to obtain and store information without interrupting a user'"'"'s viewing of a media stream.

9. The system of

claim 8

, wherein said local database application provides a mode of capture.

10. The system of

claim 9

, wherein the user is provided with the opportunity to choose said mode of capture.

11. The system of

claim 9

, wherein said mode of capture comprises automatically capturing all information received by said streaming media player application.

12. The system of

claim 9

, wherein said mode of capture permits the user to manually select the information to be captured.

13. The system of

claim 8

, further comprising a central database for storing metadata and other information shared between multiple users.

14. The system of

claim 8

, wherein said obtained and stored information includes objects and metadata, and further, wherein said metadata is used to optimize the retrieval of said objects.

15. A system for capturing information while using a mobile computing device having GPS capability, comprising:

a user interface;

a GPS unit; and

a local database application, wherein the local database application modifies the behavior of the GPS unit to capture a GPS object without interrupting a user'"'"'s current activity.

16. The system of

claim 15

, wherein said GPS object is used to obtain and store geographically relevant objects.

17. The system of

claim 16

, wherein said GPS object includes GPS coordinates and vector.

18. The system of

claim 16

, wherein said GPS object includes a path of travel.

19. The system of

claim 15

, further comprising a central database for storing metadata and other information shared between multiple users.

20. A computerized method for capturing information while using a web browser, comprising:

selecting an object;

obtaining local origination data; and

storing said object and said local origination data.

21. The method of

claim 20

, wherein said selecting an object comprises utilizing a mode of capture.

22. The method of

claim 21

, further comprising:

providing a user the opportunity to choose the mode of capture.

23. The method of

claim 20

, further comprising:

obtaining object description data; and

storing said object description data.

24. The method of

claim 23

, wherein:

said obtaining object description data comprises querying a central database with reference to the object'"'"'s URL.

25. The method of

claim 23

, wherein:

said obtaining object description data comprises receiving data embedded in the selected object.

26. The method of

claim 20

, further comprising:

saving a local copy of the selected object; and

storing the file path location of said local copy.

27. The system of

claim 20

, further comprising:

for each additional object selected, repeating said obtaining and storing of objects and local origination data.

28. A computerized method for capturing information while using a streaming media player application, comprising:

selecting an object;

obtaining local origination data; and

storing said object and said local origination data.

29. The method of

claim 28

, wherein said selecting an object comprises utilizing a mode of capture.

30. The method of

claim 29

, further comprising:

providing a user the opportunity to choose the mode of capture.

31. The method of

claim 28

, further comprising:

obtaining object description data; and

storing said object description data.

32. The method of

claim 31

, wherein:

said obtaining object description data comprises querying a central database.

33. The method of

claim 31

, wherein:

said obtaining object description data comprises receiving data embedded in the selected object.

34. The method of

claim 31

, wherein:

said obtaining object description data comprises receiving data from a streaming media player application.

35. The system of

claim 28

, further comprising:

for each additional object selected, repeating said obtaining and storing of objects and local origination data.

36. A computerized method for capturing information while using a mobile computing device having GPS capability, comprising:

activating a GPS capture function;

obtaining local origination data;

storing a GPS object and local origination data; and

generating an index to geographically relevant objects to relate said geographically relevant objects to said stored GPS object.

37. The method of

claim 36

, further comprising:

determining that geographically relevant objects are not available locally; and

querying a central database for said geographically relevant objects.

38. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method for capturing information while using a web browser, comprising:

selecting an object;

obtaining local origination data; and

storing said object and said local origination data.

39. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method for capturing information while using a streaming media player application, comprising:

selecting an object;

obtaining local origination data; and

storing said object and said local origination data.

40. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method for capturing information while using a mobile computing device having GPS capability, comprising:

activating a GPS capture function;

obtaining local origination data;

storing a GPS object and local origination data; and

generating an index to geographically relevant objects to relate said geographically relevant objects to said stored GPS object.