Thread-based web browsing history

• US 20090240686A1
• Filed: 11/13/2008
• Published: 09/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Chigurupati Murali
• Original Assignee: Chigurupati Murali
• Inventors: Murali, Chigurupati
• Granted Patent: US 8,510,282 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]

Abstract

A method and system for cataloguing browsing activity into separate browsing threads. Each browsing thread is an archived set of links that were considered during a specific time-period. The user is also provided with the ability to add metadata to a browsing history. The invention permits the user to reload an archived thread and resume any browsing from the point at which the thread was paused or suspended. In addition, the method and system provides cataloguing of the user browsing activity into separate threads with the ability to add metadata to threads or the individual entries within a thread. The threads may also be archived by date and time and indexed by keyword such that saved threads may be located, resumed, reviewed, and amended at a later point in time, including by other users, if desired.

Claims

1. A method for cataloguing browsing activity, comprising:

opening a browsing thread;

generating requests to review web pages over the Internet while in the browsing thread;

receiving the requested web pages for viewing via a web browser;

recording a list of one or more of the received web pages;

generating the list of recorded web pages for display in a viewer window, the list including at least a name associated with each recorded web page;

displaying the list of web pages; and

updating the list based on additional web pages requested and received while in the browsing thread.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

checking to determine whether automatic logging has been activated for the browsing thread; and

updating the list to include the name of all web pages subsequently viewed during the browsing thread if automatic logging has been activated.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising at least one of:

updating the list by at least one of auto logging, adding a web page manually if the auto logging is deactivated, or removing a web page.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of opening a browsing thread comprises starting a new thread.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of opening a browsing thread comprises opening a previously saved thread.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding metadata to the browsing thread.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein metadata is added to one or more entries in the list of recorded web pages.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising generating a dialog to permit addition of metadata.

9. The method claim 7, wherein the metadata comprises at least one of text input for the current site or selected sites and information from an auto topic mode.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the displayed list of web pages is provided in a window having a plurality of controls.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein each browsing thread is identified by a unique identifier.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

saving a browsing thread in a thread archive database.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the browsing thread is indexed and catalogued in the thread archive database when saved.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the thread is indexed using user-assigned keywords.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein indexing comprises searching for a predefined set of keywords in available fields in the list of web pages.

16. A method for cataloguing browsing activity, comprising:

opening a browsing thread;

generating requests to review web pages over the Internet while in the browsing thread;

receiving the requested web pages for viewing via a web browser;

recording a list of one or more web pages viewed via the web browser;

generating the list of recorded web pages for display in a viewer window, the list including at least a name associated with each web page in the recorded list;

displaying the list of the viewed web pages associated with the browsing thread;

updating the list based on additional web pages requested and received while in the browsing thread;

adding metadata to the browsing thread; and

saving the browsing thread in a thread archive database.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

exporting the browsing thread, and all associated metadata, for external use.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

opening a second browsing thread stored in the thread archive database and copying one or more thread list entries and corresponding metadata between the browsing thread and the second browsing thread.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

initiating a new browsing thread while in an existing browsing thread.

20. A method for cataloguing browsing activity, comprising:

accessing a stored browsing thread containing a list of web pages previously viewed with a web browser, and metadata associated with viewed pages; and

modifying the accessed browsing thread.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the accessed browsing thread is modified by adding or deleting entries from the list of viewed web pages or modifying web page metadata.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the accessed browsing thread is modified through a collaborative effort by multiple persons having access to the accessed browsing thread.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the accessed browsing thread is modified by merging it with other browsing threads created at different points in time to form a single browsing thread.

24. A method for locating catalogued browsing activity, comprising:

storing a plurality of browsing threads, each thread comprising a list of web pages viewed via a web browser during a browsing period selected by a user, and metadata associated with the thread or thread entries;

searching said plurality of browsing threads to locate a browsing thread of interest; and

selecting the browsing thread of interest for loading into the browser.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of searching comprises displaying the plurality of browsing threads as a set of loadable threads.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein when a loadable thread is selected, a configuration associated with the list of viewed web pages that is saved in the selected browsing thread is reloaded and restored.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of searching includes displaying the plurality of browsing threads in a calendar format to provide a chronological depiction of thread activity.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein selection of a date in the displayed calendar causes the display of browsing threads that corresponds to a date stamp of a specific browsing thread.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the date stamp of a specific browsing thread is assigned using a most recent visit time of at least one of a web site that is included in the browsing thread, the date that the browsing thread was first created and a set date.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein said step of searching comprises inputting into an entry field a keyword or phrase to locate a match of the input keyword or phrase in at least one of the browsing threads, or list of web sites contained therein, to retrieve browsing threads by keyword or phrase.

31. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

displaying an index containing an alphabetized list of assigned web site topics in the plurality of browsing threads.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said list of assigned web site topics permits direct retrieval of matching web sites.