SYSTEM FOR DISPLAYING USER GENERATED CONTENT IN A WEB BROWSER

• US 20080005125A1
• Filed: 11/03/2006
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dewey Gaedeke
• Original Assignee: Dewey Gaedeke
• Inventors: Gaedeke, Dewey
• Application Number:
  US11/556,614
• Publication Number:
  US 20080005125A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided for use with a web browser for managing and automating the use of social networks and other web sites. For example, users can associate user generated content with third party web pages and to customize the visibility of this content based on multiple modes of authentication. Users may also manage personal profiles and contact lists over multiple social networks. Users can even monetize their popularity by hosting advertisements and being paid based on their respective level of viewer ship. Various other features are also available for use by users that will enhance their social networking experience and provide the users with increased control of their personal profiles.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an application server;

a database coupled to the application server for storing information relating to a plurality of profile owners, wherein for each of the plurality of profile owners, the database stores content generated by the respective profile owner, and wherein the stored content is intended to be displayable in conjunction with one or more web pages or profiles; and

wherein the application server is configured to receive requests from internet clients whether web pages identified by the web clients correspond to any web pages identified in the database, such that a web page can be displayed by a respective internet client with content added from the database.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the content added from the database is content generated by the respective profile owner of the content displayed on the web page.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the application server is configured to determine whether each internet client is authorized to access profile owner content from the database.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the application server determines whether an internet client is authorized to access profile owner content from the database by requiring a password.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the database stores a contact list for each of the plurality of profile owners, and wherein the application server is configured allow access to profile owner content only when a requester is listed in a respective profile owner'"'"'s contact list.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the application server determines whether an internet client is authorized to access profile owner content from the database based on one or more profile attributes from the database.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the application server is configured to determine whether a web page identified in a request received from an internet client corresponds to profile owner generated content stored in the database.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the application server determines whether the web page identified in the request corresponds to profile owner generated content stored in the database based on a profile owner identifier.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the application server determines whether the web page identified in the request corresponds to profile owner generated content stored in the database based on one or more profile attributes from the web page.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a computer;

software installed on the computer, wherein the software is configured to send a request to an application server, the request information relating to whether a web page requested by a user is identified by the application server as a web page containing profile owner generated content; and

wherein the software is configured to cause a web browser to display the requested web page with the owner generated content added, when the application server determines that owner generated content exists.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the query sent to the application server contains a profile page identifier for use by the application server in determining whether owner generated content exists for the web page.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the query sent to the application server contains one or more profile attributes for use by the application server in determining whether owner generated content exists for the web page.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the software is configured to allow a profile owner to submit content to the application server.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the software is configured to allow the profile owner to specify how the submitted content will be displayed in the requested web page.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the software is configured to allow the profile owner to specify that the submitted content be displayed in a floating window.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the software is configured to allow the profile owner to specify that the submitted content be displayed at an anchor point on the requested web page.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein a location of the anchor point is determined based on a script on the application server, wherein the script is based on the host of the requested web page.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein a location of the anchor point is determined based on an xpath on the application server, wherein the xpath is based on the host of the requested web page.

19. A system for displaying content at an internet client comprising:

an application server;

a database coupled to the application server for storing information relating to a plurality of profile owners, wherein for each of the plurality of profile owners, the database stores content generated by the respective profile owner, and wherein the stored content is associated with one or more web pages;

a plurality of network clients, each network client having software configured to display web pages requested by a user of a network client, wherein the software is configured to query to the application server regarding whether a requested web page includes associated profile owner content; and

wherein, when the requested web page includes associated profile owner content, the respective internet client receives the associated profile owner content from the application server and displays the associated profile owner content with the requested web page.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the application server is configured to determine whether user of each internet client are authorized to access profile owner content from the database.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the application server determines whether an internet client is authorized to access profile owner content from the database by requiring a password.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the database stores a contact list for each of the plurality of profile owners, and wherein the application server is configured allow access to profile owner content only when a requester is listed in a respective profile owner'"'"'s contact list.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the application server determines whether an internet client is authorized to access profile owner content from the database based on one or more profile attributes stored with the account of the user of the respective internet client.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the application server is configured to determine whether at least a portion of a web page identified in a request received from an internet client corresponds to profile owner generated content stored in the database.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the application server determines whether the web page identified in the request corresponds to profile owner generated content stored in the database based on a profile owner identifier.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the application server determines whether the web page identified in the request corresponds to profile owner generated content stored in the database based on one or more profile attributes from the web page.