System and method for creating a dynamic data file from collected and filtered web pages

• US 6,449,636 B1
• Filed: 09/08/1999
• Issued: 09/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Mitchell, Andrew J., Kredo, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coulter, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US09/392,367
• Time in Patent Office: 1,098 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 707/10
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9562 Bookmark management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

The invention marks a reference point at a chosen Internet site such a page on the World Wide Web. It stores the address of the page and a reference location on the page that is proximate to desired data. The program generates and stores a label corresponding to the desired data. When the program is later activated, it automatically searches the Web for the stored pages, accesses the site with the stored site address and marked reference point and retrieves the targeted data at the site corresponding to the stored label.

Claims

1. A computer program product for generating a filter script to locate and retrieve variable data from one or more Internet sites, the computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having computer readable program code means embodied in the medium, the computer readable program code means comprising:

means for marking a reference point at a chosen site proximate to desired data;

means for storing commands to locate the site, the marked reference point at the site and the data proximate the reference point;

means for generating and storing a label corresponding to the desired data; and

means responsive to an update request for automatically accessing the site with the stored site address and marked reference point and retrieving data at the site corresponding to the stored label.

2. The computer program product of claim 1 wherein the marked reference site corresponds to a fixed artifact and the desired data may be variable.

3. The computer program product of claim 1 further comprising means for generating a template including the desired data.

4. The computer program product of claim 3 further comprising means for inserting the desired data into the template.

5. A browser for operating a computer to navigate to one or more sites on the Internet, said browser comprising an editor computer program product for generating a filter script to locate and retrieve variable data from one or more Internet sites, the editor computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having computer readable program code means embodied in the medium, the editor computer readable program code means comprising:

means for marking a reference point at a chosen site proximate to desired data;

means for storing commands to locate the site, the marked reference point at the site and the data proximate the reference point;

means for generating and storing a label corresponding to the desired data; and

means responsive to an update request for automatically accessing the site with the stored site address and marked reference point and retrieving data at the site corresponding to the stored label.

6. The browser of claim 5 wherein the browser is selected from the group consisting of visual browsers, audio browsers and braille browsers.

7. The browser of claim 5 wherein the marked reference site corresponds to a fixed artifact and the desired data may be variable.

8. The browser of claim 5 further comprising means for generating a template including the desired data.

9. The browser of claim 8 further comprising means for inserting the desired data into the template.

10. A method for generating a filter script to locate and retrieve variable data from a plurality of Internet sites, the method comprising:

at a chosen site, marking a reference point proximate to desired data;

storing commands to locate the site, the marked reference point at the site and the data proximate the reference point;

generating and storing a label corresponding to the desired data; and

in response to an update request, automatically accessing the site with the stored site address and marked reference point and retrieving data at the site corresponding to the stored label.

11. The method claim 10 wherein the marked reference site corresponds to a fixed artifact and the desired data may be variable.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising generating a template including the desired data.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising inserting the desired data into the template.

14. A computer programmed to generate a filter script to locate and retrieve variable data from one or more Internet sites, the computer comprising:

a storage medium having computer readable program code means embodied in the medium;

a central processing unit for executing programs stored in the storage medium and for reading and writing data to one or more locations in the storage medium;

means for marking a reference point at a chosen Internet site proximate to desired data;

means for storing commands in the storage medium to relocate the site, the marked reference point at the site and the data proximate the reference point;

means for generating and storing in the storage medium a label corresponding to the desired data;

means responsive to an update request for automatically accessing the site with the stored site address and marked reference point and retrieving data at the site corresponding to the stored label; and

means for writing the retrieved data to one or more storage locations in the storage medium.

15. The computer of claim 14 wherein the marked reference site corresponds to a fixed artifact and the desired data may be variable.

16. The computer of claim 14 further comprising means for generating a template including the desired data.

17. The computer of claim 16 further comprising means for inserting the desired data into the template.