System for annotation overlay proxy configured to retrieve associated overlays associated with a document request from annotation directory created from list of overlay groups
First Claim
1. In a computer network incorporating a plurality of servers used to store documents, each said document having a unique document identifier, and a client computer having a browser configured to request and receive said documents over said network, a system for providing annotation overlays for a requested document, said system comprising:
- at least one stored overlay group associated with one of said servers, said overlay group encapsulating annotation overlays regarding at least one of said documents, each said stored overlay group having a unique source identifier;
an annotation overlay proxy configured to form a merged document by merging said requested document from a first server with associated annotation overlays regarding said requested document from specified overlay groups and to relay said merged document to a receiver selected from another proxy or said browser; and
an annotation directory associated with said annotation overlay proxy, wherein said annotation directory stores said annotation overlays from said specified overlay groups, and wherein said annotation overlay proxy is configured, in response to a document request issued by said browser, to retrieve a set of associated annotation overlays related to said requested document from said annotation directory prior to merging said set of associated annotations and said requested document;
wherein said annotation directory is created by said annotation overlay proxy, which, upon receiving a list of said specified overlay groups identified by their unique source identifiers, is configured to retrieve all of said annotation overlays from said specified overlay groups and store said retrieved annotation overlays in an electronic memory coupled to said annotation overlay proxy, said stored annotation overlays forming said annotation directory.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for providing annotation overlays from diverse sources of commentary for World-Wide Web documents is disclosed. Sources of commentary contribute annotation overlays regarding particular documents on the World-Wide Web. The annotation overlays from a particular source are stored on one or more overlay servers, which are connected to the Web. A user of a Web browser opens an annotation proxy server between the Web browser and the Web servers that intercepts all documents retrieved by the Web browser and merges with the retrieved documents commentary from sources designated by the user of the Web browser that refer to the requested documents. Multiple annotation overlay proxies can be serially connected. The annotation proxy can perform the merge operation by first creating a local annotation directory of annotation overlays from sources designated by the user then, when the user requests a document, merging with the requested document information only from the annotation directory. Alternatively, the annotation proxy can perform the merge operation on the fly by pulling the annotation overlays directly from the Web servers without the use of a local annotation directory.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. In a computer network incorporating a plurality of servers used to store documents, each said document having a unique document identifier, and a client computer having a browser configured to request and receive said documents over said network, a system for providing annotation overlays for a requested document, said system comprising:
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at least one stored overlay group associated with one of said servers, said overlay group encapsulating annotation overlays regarding at least one of said documents, each said stored overlay group having a unique source identifier; an annotation overlay proxy configured to form a merged document by merging said requested document from a first server with associated annotation overlays regarding said requested document from specified overlay groups and to relay said merged document to a receiver selected from another proxy or said browser; and an annotation directory associated with said annotation overlay proxy, wherein said annotation directory stores said annotation overlays from said specified overlay groups, and wherein said annotation overlay proxy is configured, in response to a document request issued by said browser, to retrieve a set of associated annotation overlays related to said requested document from said annotation directory prior to merging said set of associated annotations and said requested document; wherein said annotation directory is created by said annotation overlay proxy, which, upon receiving a list of said specified overlay groups identified by their unique source identifiers, is configured to retrieve all of said annotation overlays from said specified overlay groups and store said retrieved annotation overlays in an electronic memory coupled to said annotation overlay proxy, said stored annotation overlays forming said annotation directory. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. In a computer network incorporating a plurality of servers used to store documents, each said document having a unique document identifier, and a client computer having a browser configured to request and receive said documents over said network, a method for providing annotation overlays for a requested document, said method comprising the steps of:
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associating at least one stored overlay group with one of said servers, said overlay group encapsulating annotation overlays regarding at least one of said documents, each said stored overlay group having a unique source identifier; forming a merged document by merging said requested document from a first server with associated annotation overlays regarding said requested document from specified overlay groups; and relaying said merged document to a receiver selected from a proxy or said browser, wherein all said requested documents are routed through an annotation overlay proxy, said annotation overlay proxy performing said merging and said relaying steps, and, before said merging step, forming an annotation directory, wherein said annotation directory stores said annotation overlays from said specified overlay groups; said annotation overlay proxy forming said annotation directory by; receiving a list of said specified overlay groups identified by their unique source identifiers; retrieving all of said annotation overlays from said specified overlay groups; and storing said retrieved annotation overlays in an electronic memory coupled to said annotation overlay proxy. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A computer-readable memory that can be used to direct a computer to merge stored annotation overlays with documents stored on a computer network to which said computer is coupled, said computer-readable memory comprising:
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(1) an annotation overlay including; (a) a document id specifying a set of documents to which said annotation overlay is applicable; (b) a pattern in said set of documents; (c) an action code specifying an action to be taken by said computer with regard to said pattern in said set of documents when creating said merged document; and (d) an argument supplying additional information to assist proxy procedures in executing said action with regard to said pattern; (2) said proxy procedures for forming a merged document by merging said annotation overlay with a requested document within said set of documents, said merging including performing said action specified by said action code; and (3) an annotation directory associated with said proxy procedures, wherein said annotation directory stores said annotation overlays from specified overlay groups, and wherein said proxy procedures are configured, in response to a document request issued by said computer, to retrieve a set of associated annotation overlays related to said requested document from said annotation directory prior to merging said set of associated annotations and said requested document; wherein said annotation directory is created by said proxy procedures, which, upon receiving a list of said specified overlay groups identified by their unique source identifiers, are configured to retrieve all of said annotation overlays from said specified overlay groups and store said retrieved annotation overlays in an electronic memory coupled to said proxy procedures, said stored annotation overlays forming said annotation directory. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification