Sharing, managing and communicating information over a computer network

• US 20020178164A1
• Filed: 03/18/2002
• Published: 11/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: netomat, Inc.
• Original Assignee: netomat, Inc.
• Inventors: Wisniewski, Maciej
• Granted Patent: US 7,237,200 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for commerce, e.g. marketing, shopping, billing, auctions or e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A egocentric network including an author, a document created by the author, the document for dissemination over a computer network, a recipient for receiving the document from the author, a first egocentric network monitor for presenting a visual and/or audio representation of a point of view of the author for the document and a point of involvement for the document, a second egocentric network monitor for presenting a visual and/or audio representation of a point of view of the recipient for the document and a point of involvement for the document, and a point of involvement for said document. In addition, methods and apparatuses for sharing and communicating information over a computer network are included.

Claims

1. A method of communicating information comprising:

authoring a document including informational content in a code for presenting information contained within said document in a predetermined manner on a networked device, wherein said code comprises code for communicating said document over a computer network, code for controlling who may create and/or change said informational content, code for controlling who may view said informational content and code for how said document is presented on a networked device;

disseminating said document through a computer network, either by uploading said document to a server or by making said file available through peer-to-peer networking;

forwarding said document to a distribution channel for presenting said document on said networked device, wherein upon said document arriving at said distribution channel, said code creates or invokes a first application for presenting said document in a predetermined manner.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said code also creates or invokes a second application for being presented with said document.

3. A method of communicating information comprising:

formatting a document in a code for presenting information contained within said document in a predetermined manner on a networked device;

compiling said code into a file of compiled code such that a necessary element for creating or invoking a first application for presenting said document and/or for creating or invoking a second application being presented with said document is included in said compiled code;

disseminating said file through a computer network, either by uploading said file to a server or by making said file available through peer to peer networking;

forwarding said compiled code of said file to a distribution channel for presenting said document on said networked device, wherein upon said compiled code arriving at said distribution channel, said necessary element creates or invokes said first application for presenting said document in said predetermined manner and/or creates or invokes said second application for being presented with said document.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said distribution channel includes any one or more of email, published web page, wireless device, banner advertisement and instant messaging application.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein said second application includes an authoring tool for allowing a user at said client to annotate said presentation.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein said second application comprises an Internet search engine.

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein said second application comprises an instant messaging application.

8. The method according to claim 3, wherein said information is stored on a server and wherein formatting said presentation includes using an external reference to said information.

9. The method according to claim 4, wherein changes made to said information after said compiled code is forwarded is automatically reflected upon said presentation being presented subsequent to said change.

10. The method according to claim 3, wherein said information is provided real-time to said networked device.

11. The method according to claim 3, wherein said information is image information and said first application is an image viewer.

12. The method according to claim 3, wherein said information is video information and said first application is a video viewer.

13. The method according to claim 3, wherein during said compiling, said information is uploaded to a server, and wherein said compiled code includes an external reference for presenting said information on said networked device.

14. The method according to claim 4, wherein said distribution channel is email and said second application is an authoring application for modifying said email by creating a modified email message, and wherein said modified email message is forwarded to an originator of said email message and/or a third party.

16. The document according to claim 15, wherein said code comprises:

syntax for communicating said document;

syntax for specifying who may create and/or change said informational content;

syntax for specifying how said document may be disseminated; and

syntax for specifying presentation of said document.

17. The document according to claim 15, wherein said code comprises:

vocabulary for communicating said document;

vocabulary for specifying who may create and/or change said informational content;

vocabulary for specifying how said document may be disseminated; and

vocabulary for specifying presentation of said document.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein said rules includes at least one of a number of times said information is accessed, the amount of time said information may be accessed, a number of email addresses which may access said information, and specific email addresses which may or may not access said information.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein said rules include giving full access to said file to all by creating a published work.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein upon said compiled code being viewed at said distribution channel, a reply is automatically sent to said author indicating that said document has been viewed.

23. The method according to claim 21, wherein upon publishing, said file becomes a web page available for viewing over the world-wide-web.

30. The egocentric network according to claim 29, wherein said author creates said document via an audio/visual interface on a computer in communication with a computer network.

31. The egocentric network according to claim 29, wherein said document includes meta information comprising a point of view definition.

32. The egocentric network according to claim 29, wherein dissemination said document creates said author'"'"'s point of view of said document.

33. The egocentric network according to claim 29, wherein said author'"'"'s point of view and said recipient'"'"'s point of view reflect interactions with one or more instances by one of the group consisting of:

said Recipient, said document, or other resources in said computer network.

34. The egocentric network according to claim 29, wherein an intersection of said author'"'"'s point of view and said recipient'"'"'s point of view of said document creates said point of involvement about said document.

35. The egocentric network according to claim 29, wherein said point of involvement comprises instances of interactions between said recipient and said document.

36. The egocentric network according to claim 35, wherein said point of involvement is updated for each interaction between said author and said document or between said recipient said document.

15. A document for disseminating over a computer network having informational content and computer readable code comprising code for communicating the document over said computer network, code for controlling who may create and/or change the informational content, code for controlling who may view the informational content and code for how the document is presented on a networked device.

18. An apparatus for communicating information comprising:

formatting means for formatting a document in a code for presenting information contained within said document in a predetermined manner on a networked device;

compiling means for compiling said code into a file of compiled code such that a necessary element for creating or invoking a first application for presenting said document and/or for creating or invoking a second application being presented with said document is included in said compiled code;

disseminating means for disseminating said file through a computer network, either by uploading said file to a server or by making said file available through peer to peer networking;

forwarding means for forwarding said compiled code of said file to a distribution channel for presenting said document on said networked device, wherein upon said compiled code arriving at said distribution channel, said necessary element creates or invokes said first application for presenting said document in said predetermined manner and/or creates or invokes said second application for being presented with said document.

19. A method of communicating and controlling access to information comprising:

formatting a document in a code for presenting information contained within said document in a predetermined manner in an email message upon the opening of said message, wherein said information is stored on a server and formatting said presentation includes using external references to said information;

compiling said code into a file of compiled code such that a necessary element for creating or invoking a first application for presenting said presentation and/or for creating or invoking a second application being presented with said presentation is included in said compiled code;

disseminating said file through a computer network, either by uploading said file to a server or by making said file available through peer-to-peer networking;

forwarding said compiled code to a distribution channel for viewing on a networked device, wherein

a rule for accessing said file is specified by an author of said presentation, and

upon said compiled code arriving at said distribution channel, said necessary element creates or invokes said first application for presenting said presentation in said predetermined manner and/or creates or invokes said second application for being presented with said presentation.

24. An email message comprising a compiled code of a formatted presentation, said compiled code including a necessary element for creating or invoking a first application for presenting said presentation during the opening of said email message and/or for creating or invoking a second application for being presented with said presentation.

25. A banner advertisement displayed on a networked device comprising a compiled code of a formatted presentation, said compiled code including a necessary element for creating or invoking a first application for presenting said presentation and/or for creating or invoking a second application for being presented with said presentation.

26. An instant message application displayed on a networked device comprising a compiled code of a formatted presentation, said compiled code including a necessary element for creating or invoking a first application for presenting said presentation and/or for creating or invoking a second application for being presented with said presentation.

27. A web page displayed on a networked device comprising a compiled code of a formatted presentation, said compiled code including a necessary element for creating or invoking a first application for presenting said presentation and/or for creating or invoking a second application for being presented with said presentation.

28. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method of communicating information comprising:

formatting a document in a code for presenting information contained within said document in a predetermined manner on a networked device;

compiling said code into a file of compiled code such that a necessary element for creating or invoking a first application for presenting said document and/or for creating or invoking a second application being presented with said document is included in said compiled code;

disseminating said file through a computer network, either by uploading said file to a server or by making said file available through peer to peer networking;

forwarding said compiled code of said file to a distribution channel for presenting said document on said networked device, wherein upon said compiled code arriving at said distribution channel, said necessary element creates or invokes said first application for presenting said document in said predetermined manner and/or creates or invokes said second application for being presented with said document.

29. An egocentric network comprising:

an author;

a document created by said author, said document for dissemination over a computer network;

a recipient for receiving said document from said author;

a first egocentric network monitor for presenting a visual and/or audio representation of a point of view of said author for said document and a point of involvement for said document;

a second egocentric network monitor for presenting a visual and/or audio representation of a point of view of said recipient for said document and a point of involvement for said document; and

a point of involvement for said document.