Method for providing a clip for viewing at a remote device

• US 20060085731A1
• Filed: 09/28/2004
• Published: 04/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhou, Min, Jiang, Zhaowei, Cui, Yingqing L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,112,548 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/201
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/08 specially adapted for terminal emulation, e.g. Telnet
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561

Abstract

A method and apparatus is directed to provide a clip of content to a remote device, such as a mobile device. The invention enables an end-user to determine content from a networked device, such as a personal computer. The determined content may include content from a webpage, graphic image, audio file, file, and the like. The determined content may be selected using a clip mechanism within a browser, or other application. The clip mechanism may provide a pop-up window, field entry, or the like, that enables entry of an identifier associated with the remote device. The clipped content may then be formatted based on a configuration of the remote device. The formatted clipped content may be transmitted to the remote device using a variety of messaging mechanisms, such as a SMS message, which includes a Universal Resource Locator (URL) to the clipped content.

Claims

1. A server for communicating content over a network, comprising:

a transceiver for receiving and sending content over the network; and

a clip manager that is configured to perform actions, including;

enabling a clipping of selected content on a first computing device;

receiving an identifier associated with a second computing device, wherein the first computing device and second computing device are currently uncoupled;

determining a format for the clipped content that is compatible with an application on the second computing device, wherein the format is determined using the identifier associated with the second computing device;

formatting the clipped content to the determined format; and

enabling access to the clipped content by the second computing device.

2. The server of claim 1, wherein the second computing device is a mobile device.

3. The server of claim 1, wherein enabling access to the clipped content further comprises employing at least one of a Short Message Service (SMS), Multimedia Message Service (MMS), instant messaging (IM), internet relay chat (IRC), mIRC, Jabber, and HTTP protocol.

4. The server of claim 1, wherein formatting the clipped content further comprises formatting the clipped content using at least one of a Standard Generalized Markup Language (SMGL), Handheld Device Markup Language (HDML), Wireless Markup Language (WML) Script, Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), and JavaScript.

5. The server of claim 1, wherein enabling access to the clipped content further comprises employing a message hook comprising at least one of a Uniform Resource Locator (URL), a script, and an executable program.

7. The server of claim 1, wherein enabling access to the clipped content further comprises sending an SMS message to the second computing device.

8. The server of claim 1, wherein the content is clipped from a webpage.

9. The server of claim 1, wherein enabling access to the clipped content further comprises employing an asynchronous messaging protocol.

10. The server of claim 1, wherein enabling clipping further comprises providing at least one of a toolbar button, an icon, script, link, a drop-down menu, a pop-up menu, and an application for use in selecting and clipping the content.

6. The server of claim 6, wherein the message hook further comprises a storage location address associated with the clipped content.

11. A method of communicating content over a network, comprising:

providing content to a first computing device;

clipping a selection of the content at the first computing device;

providing an identifier associated with a second computing device, wherein the first computing device and the second computing device are currently uncoupled;

determining a format for the clipped content that is compatible with the second computing device, wherein the format is determined, in part, by using the identifier;

formatting the clipped content to the determined format; and

enabling access to the clipped content by the second computing device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the content further comprises at least one of an audio file, a graphics file, a binary file, and a text file.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein enabling access to the clipped content further comprises employing at least one of a Short Message Service (SMS), Multimedia Message Service (MMS), instant messaging (IM), internet relay chat (IRC), mIRC, Jabber, and HTTP protocol.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein enabling access to the clipped content further comprises employing a message hook including at least one of a Uniform Resource Locator (URL), a script, and an executable program.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein enabling access to the clipped content further comprises sending an SMS message to the second computing device.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein providing content further comprises providing content using a browser application.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein clipping a selection further comprises providing at least one of a toolbar button, an icon, script, link, a drop-down menu, a pop-up menu, and an application for use in clipping the content.

18. A modulated data signal for communicating content over a network, the modulated data signal comprising:

enabling a clipping of a selection of the content at a first computing device;

providing an identifier associated with a second computing device, wherein the first computing device and the second computing device are currently uncoupled;

enabling a formatting of the clipped content to be readable by the second computing device; and

enabling access to the formatted clipped content by the second computing device.

19. The modulated data signal of claim 18, wherein enabling a formatting of the clipped content further comprises sending a message to the second computing device to ascertain a format capability.

20. The modulated data signal of claim 18, wherein the second computing device further comprises a mobile device.

21. The modulated data signal of claim 18, wherein enabling access to the formatted clipped content further comprises sending the formatted clipped content in an SMS message.

22. An apparatus for communicating content over a network, comprising:

a means for enabling a clipping of content at a first computing device;

a means for determining a second computing device, wherein the first computing device and the second computing device are currently uncoupled;

a means for formatting of the clipped content to be readable by the second computing device; and

a means of providing access to the formatted clipped content by the second computing device.