Method and apparatus for facilitating use of hypertext links on the World Wide Web

• US 20040068527A1
• Filed: 10/07/2003
• Published: 04/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fintegraph, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Julius O. Smith III
• Inventors: Smith, Julius O. III
• Granted Patent: US 7,233,950 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/748 Hypervideo linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object in the context of video distribution systems H04N21/858
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9558 Details of hyperlinks; Management of linked annotations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/986 Document structures and storage, e.g. HTML extensions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/956 Hierarchical
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A database server contains pointers to useful information, such as on the World Wide Web. Users of the server may have hypertext links added automatically into documents they submit. Users may additionally contribute to the link database, thereby extending it, and may add additional qualifying information pertaining to the links.

Claims

1. A system for installing hypertext links in a document, comprising

a) hierarchical database means containing hypertext links, wherein each of said hypertext links is associated with a set of key phrases;

b) link selection means for selecting a subset of said hypertext links, thereby forming a selected subset of hypertext links;

c) document submission means for submitting said document for hypertext link installation;

d) string matching means for finding occurrences in said submitted document of key phrases associated with said selected subset of hypertext links;

e) link installation means for inserting into said submitted document hypertext links associated with said occurrences; and

f) output means for returning a document corresponding to said submitted document including inserted hypertext links.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said hierarchical database means comprises nodes corresponding to contexts.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein a node corresponding to context contains a subnode corresponding to a key phrase associated with a hypertext link.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said link selection means selects hypertext links on the basis of associated context.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said link selection means further comprises means for specifying the ordering of contexts within said selected subset, and wherein said string matching means searches for said phrases in the specified context order.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said hierarchical database means comprises nodes associated with said set of key phrases.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein a plurality of key phrases may correspond to the same set of associated links, thereby forming a synonym group.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said link installation means further comprises means for installing hypertext links in a predermined subset of said occurrences.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said predermined subset is chosen according to the number of said occurrences within a specified portion of said document.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein said predermined subset is chosen according to the emphasis of said occurrences within said document.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said database is searched in a predetermined order.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein said link selection means includes a browsing means for selecting links while browsing said hierarchical database.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein said link selection means further comprises means for specifying the ordering of key phrases within said selected subset, and wherein said string matching means searches for said key phrases in the specified order.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein said string matching means further comprises means for matching said occurrences in either plural or singular form.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said string matching means further comprises means for inhibiting string matches corresponding to prior said occurrences while searching for said key phrases in said specified order.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein said hierarchical database means further comprises means for associating a plurality of hypertext links with each key phrase in said set of one or more key phrases.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said link installation means further comprises means for installing a hypertext link corresponding to said plurality of hypertext links.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein said link installation means further comprises choosing means for choosing one of said plurality of hypertext links, thereby producing a chosen hypertext link.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said choosing means further comprises means for choosing one of said plurality of hypertext links on the basis of their ratings.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein said link installation means further comprises means for installing a direct hypertext link corresponding to said chosen hypertext link.

21. The system of claim 18 wherein said link installation means further comprises means for installing an indirect hypertext link corresponding to said chosen hypertext link.

22. The system of claim 1 wherein said link selection means further comprises means for selection based on a range of educational levels.

23. The system of claim 1 wherein said link selection means further comprises means for selection based on a link property.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein said link property corresponds to a context.

25. The system of claim 23 wherein said link property corresponds to a rating.

26. The system of claim 23 wherein said link property corresponds to link ownership.

27. The system of claim 23 wherein said link property corresponds to resource type.

28. The system of claim 23 wherein said link property corresponds to viewer suitability.

29. The system of claim 23 wherein said link property corresponds to educational level.

30. The system of claim 29 further comprising a level submission means for submitting a manually assigned educational level as said link property.

31. The system of claim 29 wherein said educational level is automatically computed based on link references.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein a means is provided for marking forward references in documents so that said automatic computation of said educational level is not affected.

33. The system of claim 31 further comprising a level submission means for submitting a manually assigned educational level as said link property.

34. The system of claims 33 wherein a means is provided for normalizing said automatic computation of said educational level corresponding to said manually assigned levels.

35. The system of claim 1 wherein said document may be submitted in html format.

36. The system of claim 1 wherein said document may be returned in html format.

37. The system of claim 1 wherein said document may be submitted in latex format.

38. The system of claim 1 wherein said document may be returned in latex format.

39. The system of claim 1 wherein said document submission means further comprises information transmission means using the internet.

40. The system of claim 1 further comprising

a) link submission means for providing submitted hypertext links;

b) link combining means for combining said submitted hypertext links with said hierarchical database.

41. The system of claim 40 further comprising means for combining said submitted hypertext links with said hierarchical database according to a context property specified for each submitted hypertext link, whereby said submitted hypertext links are located within said hierarchical database.

42. The system of claim 40 further comprising a restricted hierarchy means for creating a restricted hierarchical database from said submitted hypertext links.

43. The system of claim 40 further comprising a private hierarchy means for creating a private hierarchical database from said submitted hypertext links.

44. A system for installing hypertext links in a document, the system comprising

a) database means containing stored hypertext links;

b) educational level assignment means for assigning educational levels to said stored hypertext links;

c) link selection means for selecting a subset of said stored hypertext links, thereby forming a selected subset, wherein said selection may be made in accordance with said educational level assignment;

d) document submission means for submitting said document for hypertext link installation;

e) string matching means for finding occurrences in said submitted document of phrases corresponding to key phrases in said selected subset of hypertext links;

f) link installation means for inserting into said document hypertext links associated with said occurrences; and

g) output means for returning a document corresponding to said submitted document including hypertext links.

45. A method for installing hypertext links in a document, the method comprising the steps of

a) submitting a set of submitted hypertext links to a link server;

b) selecting a set of selected hypertext links on said link server;

c) submitting a document to said link server;

d) searching said document for occurrences of key phrases in a predetermined order;

e) installing links in said document corresponding to said occurrences; and

f) returning the document containing installed hypertext links as output.

46. The method of claim 45 wherein said submitted hypertext links are tested by the server before accepting them.

47. The method of claim 45 wherein said predetermined order corresponds to the order of said submitted hypertext links.

48. The method of claim 45 wherein said selected hypertext links are chosen from said submitted hypertext links.

49. The method of claim 45 further comprising modifying said submitted hypertext links on the link server.

50. The method of claim 45 wherein said submitted hypertext links on said link server are organized hierarchically according to a plurality of assigned contexts for said submitted hypertext links, and wherein said step of selecting a set of selected hypertext links further comprises selecting the set of selected hypertext links based on said assigned contexts.

51. The method of claim 45 wherein at least one of said submitted hypertext links is associated with at least one link property.

52. The method of claim 51 wherein said step of selecting hypertext links is made according to at least one link property.

53. The method of claim 50 wherein said step of selecting a set of selected hypertext links based on said assigned contexts further comprises combining context dictionaries into an aggregate dictionary, and wherein said step of installing links in said document comprises using said aggregate dictionary.

54. The method of claim 53 wherein said combining context dictionaries further comprises automatically combining context dictionaries corresponding to lower-level assigned contexts in said hierarchical organization with a context dictionary corresponding to at least one assigned context specified in said step of selecting a set of selected hypertext links based on said assigned contexts.

55. The method of claim 53 wherein said step of combining context dictionaries further comprises automatically combining context dictionaries corresponding to a higher-level assigned context in said hierarchical organization with a context dictionary corresponding to at least one assigned context specified in said step of selecting a set of selected hypertext links based on said assigned contexts.

56. A hypertext link installation system comprising

a) directory website means for browsing a hierarchical link database;

and

b) link installation means for installing links associated with web pages of said directory website into a submitted document.

57. A system for retrieving hypertext links, comprising

a) hierarchical database means containing hypertext links, wherein each of said hypertext links is associated with a set of one or more key phrases;

b) link selection means for selecting a subset of said hypertext links, thereby forming a selected subset of hypertext links;

c) text submission means;

d) string matching means for finding an occurrence in said submitted text of a key phrase associated with said selected subset of hypertext links;

e) immediate navigation means for navigating to a URL associated with said selected subset of hypertext links.

58. The system of claim 57, wherein said link selection means further comprises means for selecting links based on link ratings.

59. The system of claim 58, wherein said link selection means further comprises means for combining context dictionaries corresponding to a plurality of said contexts in said hierarchical database means.