Method and apparatus for transparent keyword-based hyperlink
First Claim
1. ) A method for transparently linking keywords in a document, displayed in a document viewer on a display monitor attached to an end-user computer system, to information on a web site offering keyword-based information lookup service comprises of the steps:
- a) Defining a hot key on an input device attached to the said end-user system and mapping the said hot key to a URL containing a special marker to be replaced by a user-selected keyword and used to query the said lookup service on the said web site for information relating to the said user-selected keyword b) Selecting a keyword in a document viewer on the said display by either;
i) highlighting the said keyword or ii) positioning an input device'"'"'s cursor at or on top of the said keyword or iii) positioning an input device'"'"'s cursor at or on top of a keyword displayed in a distinct display attribute c) Applying the said hot key d) Intercepting user input from the said input device for detecting the said hot key event e) Upon detecting the said hot key event from the said input device, further executing the steps;
i) Retrieving the said keyword selected in step b) by either;
(1) Retrieving highlighted text from the display buffer of the said document viewer and trimming off leading and trailing word separation characters or (2) Retrieving a single word at the cursor position or (3) Retrieving distinctly-displayed text at the cursor'"'"'s position from the display buffer of the said document viewer using the said distinct attribute as selected text boundary ii) If the keyword retrieval in step i) is successful, continuing on next step;
otherwise, ending processing iii) Retrieving the said URL associated with the said hot key and replacing the said special marker in the said URL with the said keyword retrieved in step i) iv) Invoking a web browser on the said end-user computer system, if an instance of said web browser has not yet been running, for retrieving information associated with the said user-selected keyword and handling the retrieved information in accordance to the standard receive data handling procedure of the said web browser by passing the said URL resulted in step iii) to the said web browser using one of the below methods;
(1) Passing the said URL as an argument of the command to invoke the said web browser or (2) Simulating an input of the said URL to the URL specification field of the said web browser from a keyboard followed by the key code of the Enter key or (3) Using an external API provided by the said web browser
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for transparently linking keywords displayed in a document viewer on a display monitor attached to the said computer system to information on a remote web-based information retrieval system (or web site) comprises of an access agent executing on a computer system. The said web site is coupled to the said computer system over a computer network and executes a keyword lookup server as a server-side program (CGI) for providing a keyword-based information retrieval service which is remotely accessible using standard Universal Resource Locator (URL) web access method (or HTTP). The said access agent installs one or more input device handlers for intercepting and scanning user input for one or more pre-configured hot key. Each of the said hot keys is mapped to one or more URLs which contain a special marker to be replaced by a keyword selected by the user and is used to access the said lookup service for retrieving information associated with the said user-selected keyword. The user selects the said keyword displayed in a document viewer by highlighting it or positioning an input device'"'"'s cursor on or at it and then applies a said hot key. The said hot key consequently triggers the said access agent to retrieve the said URL associated with the said hot key and the said user-selected keyword from the display buffer associated with the said document viewer window. Next, the said access agent replaces the special marker in the said URL with the said user-selected keyword and then invoke a web browser using the said URL for retrieving information associated with the said keyword and handling the retrieved information.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. ) A method for transparently linking keywords in a document, displayed in a document viewer on a display monitor attached to an end-user computer system, to information on a web site offering keyword-based information lookup service comprises of the steps:
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a) Defining a hot key on an input device attached to the said end-user system and mapping the said hot key to a URL containing a special marker to be replaced by a user-selected keyword and used to query the said lookup service on the said web site for information relating to the said user-selected keyword b) Selecting a keyword in a document viewer on the said display by either;
i) highlighting the said keyword or ii) positioning an input device'"'"'s cursor at or on top of the said keyword or iii) positioning an input device'"'"'s cursor at or on top of a keyword displayed in a distinct display attribute c) Applying the said hot key d) Intercepting user input from the said input device for detecting the said hot key event e) Upon detecting the said hot key event from the said input device, further executing the steps;
i) Retrieving the said keyword selected in step b) by either;
(1) Retrieving highlighted text from the display buffer of the said document viewer and trimming off leading and trailing word separation characters or (2) Retrieving a single word at the cursor position or (3) Retrieving distinctly-displayed text at the cursor'"'"'s position from the display buffer of the said document viewer using the said distinct attribute as selected text boundary ii) If the keyword retrieval in step i) is successful, continuing on next step;
otherwise, ending processingiii) Retrieving the said URL associated with the said hot key and replacing the said special marker in the said URL with the said keyword retrieved in step i) iv) Invoking a web browser on the said end-user computer system, if an instance of said web browser has not yet been running, for retrieving information associated with the said user-selected keyword and handling the retrieved information in accordance to the standard receive data handling procedure of the said web browser by passing the said URL resulted in step iii) to the said web browser using one of the below methods;
(1) Passing the said URL as an argument of the command to invoke the said web browser or (2) Simulating an input of the said URL to the URL specification field of the said web browser from a keyboard followed by the key code of the Enter key or (3) Using an external API provided by the said web browser - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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5. ) A method for hyperlinking a hypertext in a web page, displayed in a web browser window on a display monitor attached to an end-user computer system, to a web object on a remote web site using a keyword as the hyperlink, wherein the said web site is coupled to the said end-user computer system over a computer network and executes a keyword lookup server operating on a keyword-to-URL mapping database of which entry comprises of one or more keywords, an associated URL and a brief description of the target web object referenced by the said URL, the said keyword lookup server is stored in a designated location under the said web site'"'"'s home directory by convention, comprising of the steps:
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a) Assigning a keyword as a hyperlink to the said hypertext in a web page on the said web site b) Loading the said web page onto the said web browser window, while loading taking place, parsing the said web page for hypertexts of which hyperlink being a keyword and storing the text part of the said hypertext in association with the said keyword hyperlink in a hypertext-to-keyword mapping table c) Recording the home URL of the said web site from the URL used to load the said web page d) Selecting the hypertext in the said web page displayed in the said web browser window e) Upon receiving the said hypertext selection event and after determining that the hyperlink of the said hypertext being a said keyword hyperlink, the said web browser further executing the steps;
i) Retrieving the text of the selected hypertext in display from the display buffer of the said web browser window using the distinct display attribute of the said hypertext as the text boundary ii) Retrieving the keyword hyperlink associated with the said retrieved text from the said hypertext-to-keyword mapping table iii) Composing a query URL for querying the said keyword lookup server on the said web site by using the said recorded home URL, the pathname of keyword lookup server relative to the web site'"'"'s home directory and the keyword hyperlink iv) Retrieving a web object associated with the said keyword hyperlink from the said web site by using the said URL composed in step iii), upon receiving the said query URL, the said keyword lookup server further executes the steps;
(1) Retrieving the said keyword hyperlink from the said query URL (2) Querying the said keyword-to-URL mapping database using the said keyword hyperlink as the search key for an exact match and if the result of the said query is;
(a) A matching mapping entry of which URL referencing a local web object, retrieving the web object and responding to the said web browser with the web object data (b) A matching mapping entry of which URL referencing a remote web object, responding to the said web browser with a redirection response code along with the resulting URL (c) A matching mapping entry of which URL in the form of a query URL, with an embedded special marker to be replaced by a keyword hyperlink, referencing a keyword lookup server on a remote web site, replacing the said special marker with the keyword hyperlink in query and responding to the said web browser with a redirection message along with the resulting query URL (d) Multiple matching mapping entries, generating a web page listing the URL of said entries as hypertext and responding to the said web browser with the generated web page data (e) negative, responding to the said web browser with a “
object not found”
response codev) Handling the retrieved web object in accordance to the standard receive data handling procedure of the said web browser - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification