Internet Guide Link Matching System

• US 20090300476A1
• Filed: 11/08/2006
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Robert B. Vogel, Robert Yerby
• Original Assignee: Robert B. Vogel, Robert Yerby
• Inventors: Yerby, Robert, Vogel, Robert B.
• Application Number:
  US12/280,495
• Publication Number:
  US 20090300476A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/234
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A method of identifying relevant information while a user views an application user interface is provided. A keyword(s) is identified from an application user interface presented at a first computer, wherein the identification is performed transparent to a user viewing the application user interface. The identified keyword is compared with information associated with a plurality of guide links. A guide link is associated with a categorized collection of information about a topic. A relevant guide link of the plurality of guide links is identified based on the comparison. If a relevant guide link is identified, a match between the identified keyword and the identified guide link is indicated at the first computer. If a relevant guide link is identified, a user may view the identified guide link at the first computer.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a processor, the processor configured to

identify a keyword from an application user interface, wherein the identification is performed transparent to a user viewing the application user interface;

compare the identified keyword with information associated with a plurality of guide links, wherein a guide link is associated with a categorized collection of information about a topic;

identify a relevant guide link of the plurality of guide links that matches the identified keyword based on the comparison;

if a relevant guide link is identified, indicate a match between the identified keyword and the identified guide link; and

if a relevant guide link is identified, allow a user to view the identified guide link.

2. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon that, upon execution by a processor, cause the processor to identify relevant information while a user views an application user interface, the instructions comprising:

identifying a keyword from an application user interface, wherein the identification is performed transparent to a user viewing the application user interface;

comparing the identified keyword with a plurality of guide links, wherein a guide link is associated with a categorized collection of information about a topic;

identifying a relevant guide link of the plurality of guide links that matches the identified keyword based on the comparison;

if a relevant guide link is identified, indicating a match between the identified keyword and the identified guide link; and

if a relevant guide link is identified, allowing a user to view the identified guide link.

3. A method of identifying relevant information while a user views an application user interface, the method comprising:

identifying a keyword from an application user interface presented at a first computer, wherein the identification is performed transparent to a user viewing the application user interface;

comparing the identified keyword with information associated with a plurality of guide links, wherein a guide link is associated with a categorized collection of information about a topic;

identifying a relevant guide link of the plurality of guide links based on the comparison;

if a relevant guide link is identified, indicating a match between the identified keyword and the identified relevant guide link at the first computer; and

if a relevant guide link is identified, allowing a user to view the identified relevant guide link at the first computer.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the application user interface displays a web page.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the keyword is identified from a URL of the web page.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the keyword is identified from a topic identified for the application user interface.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the plurality of guide links are stored in a database.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the database includes a second data resource type.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the second data resource type is selected from the group consisting of favorite informational content, community favorite informational content, price comparison information, product purchasing information and deals links.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

comparing the identified keyword with the second data resource type;

identifying a data resource of the second data resource type that matches the identified keyword based on the comparison;

if a data resource is identified, indicating a second match between the identified keyword and the identified data resource at the first computer; and

if a data resource is identified, allowing a user to view the identified data resource at the first computer.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the match is indicated separately for the identified guide link and the identified data resource.

12. The method of claim 3, further comprising executing a search engine using the identified keyword, the search engine executing at a second computer accessible using a network.

13. The method of claim 3, wherein the match is indicated using a match indicator presented in the application user interface.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the text of the match indicator is changed to indicate a match.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the color of the match indicator is changed to indicate a match.

16. The method of claim 3, wherein the match is indicated by playing a sound at the first computer.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the match indicator is a pop-up message box.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the match indicator is a control button.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the match indicator is a sidebar.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the match indicator is a tab of a tabbed browser application.

21. The method of claim 3, further comprising receiving a database at the first computer from a second computer using a network, the database including a plurality of keywords associated with the plurality of guide links.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising storing the database at the first computer.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising receiving an update of the database at the first computer from the second computer using the network.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the comparison is performed at the first computer.

25. The method of claim 3, further comprising sending the identified keyword to a second computer using a network.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the comparison is performed at the second computer.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the relevant guide link is identified at the second computer.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the identified relevant guide link is sent to the first computer using the network.

29. A method of identifying relevant favorite informational content while a user views an application user interface, the method comprising:

identifying a keyword from an application user interface presented at a first computer, wherein the identification is performed transparent to a user viewing the application user interface;

comparing the identified keyword with information associated with favorite informational content selected by the user;

identifying relevant informational content of the favorite informational content based on the comparison;

if relevant informational content is identified, indicating a match between the identified keyword and the identified relevant informational content at the first computer; and

if relevant informational content is identified, allowing a user to view the identified relevant informational content at the first computer.

30. A method of identifying relevant product purchasing information while a user views an application user interface, the method comprising:

identifying a keyword from an application user interface presented at a first computer, wherein the identification is performed transparent to a user viewing the application user interface;

comparing the identified keyword with product purchasing information;

identifying a relevant product from the product purchasing information based on the comparison;

if a relevant product is identified, indicating a match between the identified keyword and the identified relevant product at the first computer; and

if a relevant product content is identified, allowing a user to view the identified relevant product at the first computer.