Web-based information retrieval

• US 6,519,631 B1
• Filed: 08/23/1999
• Issued: 02/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Answers Corporation (Answers.com Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Atomica Corporation (Answers.com Corporation)
• Inventors: Reich, Gil, Bamberger, Naama, Bernstein, Uri, Rosen, Tamar, Rosenschein, Bob, Szmulewicz, Asher, Brief, Daniel, Schneiderman, Jeff
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky, Moustafa M.
• Application Number:
  US09/378,835
• Time in Patent Office: 1,268 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709/201, 709/203, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/332 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0253 During e-commerce, i.e. online transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

A method for retrieving information, including designating at least one word appearing in a display of a body of text generated by a first computer. Responsive to the designation, the at least one designated word is automatically transmitted via a network to a second computer. Data relating to the at least one designated word are received from the second computer.

Claims

1. A method for retrieving information, comprising:

designating at least one word appearing in a display of a body of text generated by a first computer,

drawing at least one context-indicator from the body of text;

responsive to the designation, automatically transmitting the at least one designated word via a network to a second computer; and

receiving data relating to the meaning of the at least one designated word from the second computer, wherein the meaning of the at least one designated word is determined at least partly by evaluating the context-indicator.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the body of text is not stored by the second computer.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one designated word does not have a hyperlink directly associated therewith.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the data comprises receiving data generated automatically by the second computer responsive to the transmission of the at least one designated word.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data comprise electronic commerce data, selected responsive to the at least one designated word.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data comprise an advertisement selected responsive to the at least one designated word.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data comprise a hyperlink, selected responsive to the at least one designated word.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the network comprises the Internet.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the network comprises an intranet.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the display comprises a display of a computer.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein the display comprises a display of the first computer.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the display shows a television program, and wherein the body of text is generated responsive to content of the program.

13. A method according to claim 1, and comprising displaying a first portion of the data having a first quality in a first region of the display, and displaying a second portion of the data having a second quality in a second region of the display.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data comprise video data.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data comprise audio data.

16. A method according to claim 1, wherein designating comprises receiving a designation made by a user, and wherein receiving the data comprises the user receiving a request for a hyperlink to a site preferred by the user.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein designating comprises receiving a designation made by a first user, and wherein receiving the data comprises receiving an offer to enable communications between the first user and a second user responsive to the at least one designated word.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the communications comprise a chat group.

19. A method according to claim 1, and comprising transmitting a context-indicating word, drawn from the body of text, wherein receiving data comprises receiving data responsive to the context-indicating word.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the context-indicating word comprises a plurality of context-indicating words.

21. A method according to claim 19, wherein the context-indicating word is selected responsive to a grammatical analysis of a sentence including the at least one designated word.

22. A method according to claim 19, wherein the context-indicating word is drawn from a position in the body of text non-adjacent to the at least one designated word.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein the context-indicating word is drawn from a document title associated with the body of text.

24. A method according to claim 22, wherein the context-indicating word is drawn from a different sentence in the body of text from a sentence including the at least one designated word.

25. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data comprise dynamic data, drawn from a dynamically-changing database responsive to the at least one designated word.

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein the dynamic data comprise financial data.

27. A method according to claim 25, wherein the dynamic data comprise sports data.

28. A method according to claim 25, wherein the dynamic data comprise weather data.

29. A method according to claim 25, wherein the dynamic data comprise a news report.

30. A method according to claim 1, wherein the data comprise reference information responsive to the at least one designated word.

31. A method according to claim 30, wherein the reference information comprises a thesaurus entry responsive to the at least one designated word.

32. A method according to claim 30, wherein the reference information comprises an encyclopedia entry responsive to the at least one designated word.

33. A method according to claim 30, wherein the reference information comprises a dictionary entry responsive to the at least one designated word.

34. A method according to claim 30, wherein the reference information comprises a translation responsive to the at least one designated word.

35. A method according to claim 1, wherein designating comprises designating with a pointing device.

36. A method according to claim 35, wherein designating comprises causing execution of a text-grabbing algorithm to identify the at least one word.

37. A method according to claim 35, wherein designating comprises causing execution of an optical character recognition algorithm to identify the at least one word.

38. A method according to claim 35, wherein a World Wide Web page displayed by a browser program includes the body of text, and wherein designating comprises causing execution of an algorithm which accesses instructions executed by the browser program in order to identify the at least one word.

39. A method according to claim 1 wherein said designating comprises designating, with a pointing device, at least one word by causing execution of an optical character recognition algorithm to identify the at least one word.

40. A method according to claim 39 wherein said network comprises at least one corporate intranet.

41. A method according to claim 39 wherein said second computer comprises a corporate intranet server communicating with at least one external server.

42. A method according to claim 1 wherein said designating comprises designating, with a pointing device, at least one word by causing execution of a text-grabbing algorithm to identify the at least one word.

43. A method according to claim 42 wherein said network comprises at least one corporate intranet.

44. A method according to claim 42 wherein said second computer comprises a corporate intranet server communicating with at least one external server.

45. A method according to claim 1 wherein a World Wide Web page displayed by a browser program includes the body of text, and wherein designating comprises causing execution of an algorithm which accesses instructions executed by the browser program in order to identify the at least one word.

46. A method according to claim 45 wherein said network comprises at least one corporate intranet.

47. A method according to claim 45 wherein said second computer comprises a corporate intranet server communicating with at least one external server.

48. A method according to claim 1 wherein said network comprises at least one corporate intranet.

49. A method according to claim 1 wherein said second computer comprises a corporate intranet server communicating with at least one external server.

50. A method for providing information comprising:

providing a program routine to a host computer, which transmits to a server via a network at least one word designated in a body of text shown on a display of the host computer, the transmission being executed automatically responsive to the designation wherein the body of text is not generated by the server;

drawing at least one context-indicator from the body of text;

receiving the at least one transmitted word at the server; and

transmitting from the server to the host computer data relating to the meaning of the at least one transmitted word, wherein the meaning of the at least one designated word is determined at least partly by evaluating the context-indicator.

51. A method according to claim 50, wherein the at least one designated word does not have a hyperlink directly associated therewith.

52. A method according to claim 50, wherein transmitting the data from the server comprises transmitting data generated automatically by the server responsive to receiving the at least one transmitted word.

53. A method according to claim 50, wherein the display shows a television program, and wherein the body of text is generated responsive to content of the program.

54. A method according to claim 50, wherein the data comprise video data.

55. A method according to claim 50, wherein transmitting data from the server comprises transmitting a request for a hyperlink to a preferred site.

56. A method according to claim 50, wherein the at least one word is designated by a first user, and wherein transmitting data from the server comprises transmitting an offer to enable communications between the first user and a second user responsive to the at least one designated word.

57. A method according to claim 50, and comprising receiving from the host computer a context-indicating word, drawn from the body of text, wherein transmitting data from the server comprises transmitting data responsive to the context-indicating word.

58. A method according to claim 57, wherein the context-indicating word is drawn from a position in the body of text non-adjacent to the at least one designated word.

59. A method according to claim 57, wherein the context-indicating word is drawn from a different sentence in the body of text from a sentence including the at least one designated word.

60. A method according to claim 50, wherein the data comprise dynamic data, drawn from a dynamically-changing database responsive to the at least one designated word.

61. A method according to claim 50, wherein the data comprise reference information responsive to the at least one designated word.

62. A method according to claim 50, wherein the at least one word is designated with a pointing device.

63. A method according to claim 62, wherein providing the program routine comprises causing the host computer to execute a text-grabbing algorithm to identify the at least one word.

64. A method according to claim 62, wherein providing the program routine comprises causing the host computer to execute an optical character recognition algorithm to identify the at least one word.

65. A method according to claim 62, wherein a World Wide Web page displayed by a browser program running on the host computer includes the body of text, and wherein providing the program routine comprises causing the host computer to execute an algorithm which accesses instructions executed by the browser program in order to identify the at least one word.

66. A method according to claim 50 wherein the host computer transmits at least one word designated with a pointing device by causing execution of an optical character recognition algorithm to identify the at least one word.

67. A method according to claim 66 wherein said network comprises at least one corporate intranet.

68. A method according to claim 66 wherein said server comprises a corporate intranet server communicating with at least one external server.

69. A method according to claim 50 wherein the at least one word designated with a pointing device by causing execution of a text-grabbing algorithm to identify the at least one word.

70. A method according to claim 69 wherein said network comprises at least one corporate intranet.

71. A method according to claim 69 wherein said server comprises a corporate intranet server communicating with at least one external server.

72. A method according to claim 50 wherein the host computer transmits at least one word designated, with a pointing device, wherein a World Wide Web page displayed by a browser program includes the body of text, and wherein designating comprises causing execution of an algorithm which accesses instructions executed by the browser program in order to identify the at least one word.

73. A method according to claim 72 wherein said network comprises at least one corporate intranet.

74. A method according to claim 72 wherein said server comprises a corporate intranet server communicating with at least one external server.

75. A method according to claim 50 wherein said network comprises at least one corporate intranet.

76. A method according to claim 50 wherein said server comprises a corporate intranet server communicating with at least one external server.

77. A computer program product for retrieving information, the program having computer-readable program instructions embodied therein, which instructions are read by a host computer, causing the computer to automatically transmit via a network to a second computer at least one word that is designated on a display of the host computer in a body of text generated by a source other than the second computer, and to receive and display data relating to the meaning of the at least one designated word from the second computer,

wherein the meaning of the at least one designated word is determined at least partly by evaluating a context indicator drawn from the body of text.

78. A product according to claim 77, wherein the body of text is not stored by the second computer.

79. A product according to claim 77, wherein the at least one designated word does not have a hyperlink directly associated therewith.

80. A product according to claim 77, wherein receiving the data comprises receiving data generated automatically by the second computer responsive to the transmission of the at least one designated word.

81. A product according to claim 77, wherein designating comprises receiving a designation made by a user, and wherein receiving the data comprises the user receiving a request for a hyperlink to a site preferred by the user.

82. A product according to claim 77, wherein at least one word is designated by a first user, and wherein receiving the data comprises receiving an offer to enable communications between the first user and a second user responsive to the at least one designated word.

83. A product according to claim 77, wherein the data comprise dynamic data, drawn from a dynamically-changing database responsive to the at least one designated word.

84. A product according to claim 77, wherein the host computer transmits to the second computer a context-indicating word, drawn from the body of text, and wherein receiving data comprises receiving data responsive to the context-indicating word.

85. A product according to claim 84, wherein the context-indicating word is drawn from a position in the body of text non-adjacent to the at least one designated word.

86. A product according to claim 84, wherein the context-indicating word is drawn from a different sentence in the body of text from a sentence including the at least one designated word.

87. A product according to claim 77, wherein the at least one word is designated by a pointing device.

88. A product according to claim 87, wherein the host computer executes a text-grabbing algorithm to identify the at least one word responsive to use of the pointing device.

89. A product according to claim 87, wherein the host computer executes an optical character recognition algorithm to identify the at least one word responsive to use of the pointing device.

90. A product according to claim 87, wherein a World Wide Web page displayed on the display by a browser program includes the body of text, and wherein the host computer executes an algorithm which accesses instructions executed by the browser program in order to identify the at least one word.

91. A computer program product according to claim 77 which causes the computer to automatically transmit, via a network to the second computer, at least one word that is designated with a pointing device, by causing execution of an optical character recognition algorithm to identify the at least one word.

92. A computer program product according to claim 91 wherein said network comprises at least one corporate intranet.

93. A computer program product according to claim 91 wherein said second computer comprises a corporate intranet server communicating with at least one external server.

94. A computer program product according to claim 77 which causes the computer to automatically transmit, via a network to the second computer, at least one word that is designated with a pointing device, by causing execution of a text-grabbing algorithm to identify the at least one word.

95. A computer program product according to claim 94 wherein said network comprises at least one corporate intranet.

96. A computer program product according to claim 94 wherein said second computer comprises a corporate intranet server communicating with at least one external server.

97. A computer program product according to claim 77 which causes the computer to automatically transmit, via the network to the second computer, at least one word that is designated, with a pointing device, wherein a World Wide Web page displayed by a browser program includes the body of text, and wherein designating comprises causing execution of an algorithm which accesses instructions executed by the browser program in order to identify the at least one word.

98. A computer program product according to claim 97 wherein said network comprises at least one corporate intranet.

99. A computer program product according to claim 97 wherein said second computer comprises a corporate intranet server communicating with at least one external server.

100. A computer program product according to claim 77 wherein said network comprises at least one corporate intranet.

101. A computer program product according to claim 77 wherein said second computer comprises a corporate intranet server communicating with at least one external server.

102. A system for providing information to a host, the system comprising:

a network; and

a server, which receives via the network at least one word that is designated in a body of text shown on a display of the host, the at least one designated word being transmitted from the host to the server automatically responsive to the designation, and transmits to the host data relating to the meaning of the at least one transmitted word, wherein the body of text is not generated by the server,

wherein the meaning of the at least one designated word is determined at least partly by evaluating a context indicator drawn from the body of text.

103. A system according to claim 102, wherein the at least one designated word does not have a hyperlink directly associated therewith.

104. A system according to claim 102, wherein the display shows a television program, and wherein the body of text is generated responsive to content of the program.

105. A system according to claim 102, wherein the server receives from the host a context-indicating word, drawn from the body of text, and wherein the server transmits the data responsive to the context-indicating word.

106. A system according to claim 102, wherein the data comprise dynamic data, drawn from a dynamically-changing database responsive to the at least one designated word.

107. A system according to claim 102, wherein the data comprise reference information responsive to the at least one designated word.

108. A system according to claim 102 wherein the server receives via the network at least one word that is designated with a pointing device by causing execution of an optical character recognition algorithm to identify the at least one word.

109. A system according to claim 108 wherein said network comprises at least one corporate intranet.

110. A system according to claim 108 wherein said server comprises a corporate intranet server communicating with at least one external server.

111. A system according to claim 102 wherein the server receives via the network at least one word that is designated, with a pointing device,

wherein a World Wide Web page displayed by a browser program includes the body of text, and wherein designating comprises causing execution of an algorithm which accesses instructions executed by the browser program in order to identify the at least one word.

112. A system according to claim 111 wherein said network comprises at least one corporate intranet.

113. A system according to claim 111 wherein said server comprises a corporate intranet server communicating with at least one external server.

114. A system according to claim 102 wherein the server receives via the network at least one word that is designated, with a pointing device, by causing execution of a text-grabbing algorithm to identify the at least one word.

115. A method according to claim 114 wherein said network comprises at least one corporate intranet.

116. A system according to claim 114 wherein said server comprises a corporate intranet server communicating with at least one external server.

117. A system according to claim 102 wherein said network comprises at least one corporate intranet.

118. A system according to claim 102 wherein said server comprises a corporate intranet server communicating with at least one external server.

119. A method for simplifying retrieval of information from a database, comprising:

designating a word in a body of text shown on a display; and

automatically retrieving the information from the database, responsive to the designation and responsive to a context-indicating word in the body of text.

120. A method according to claim 119, wherein the context-indicating word comprises a plurality of context-indicating words.

121. A method according to claim 119, wherein the context-indicating word is selected responsive to a grammatical analysis of a sentence including the at least one designated word.

122. A method according to claim 119, wherein the context-indicating word is drawn from a position in the body of text non-adjacent to the at least one designated word.

123. A method according to claim 119, wherein the context-indicating word is drawn from a document title associated with the body of text.

124. A method according to claim 119, wherein the context-indicating word is drawn from a different sentence in the body of text from a sentence including the at least one designated word.

125. A method according to claim 119, wherein designating comprises designating with a pointing device.

126. A method according to claim 125, wherein designating comprises causing execution of a text-grabbing algorithm to identify the at least one word.

127. A method according to claim 125, wherein designating comprises causing execution of an optical character recognition algorithm to identify the at least one word.

128. A method according to claim 125, wherein a World Wide Web page displayed by a browser program includes the body of text, and wherein designating comprises causing execution of an algorithm which accesses instructions executed by the browser program in order to identify the at least one word.

129. A method according to claim 119 wherein said network comprises at least one corporate intranet.

130. A method according to claim 119 wherein said database comprises a database of corporate information.

131. A method for simplifying retrieval of information from a database, comprising:

designating, with a pointing device, a word by causing execution of a text-grabbing algorithm to identify the at least one word in a body of text shown on a display, and

automatically retrieving the information from the database, responsive to the designation and responsive to a context-indicating word in the body of text.

132. A method according to claim 131 and also comprising:

designating a word by causing execution of an optical character recognition algorithm to identify at least one word in the body of text shown on the display.

133. A method according to claim 132 wherein said database comprises a database of corporate information.

134. A method according to claim 131 comprising:

designating a word in the body of text shown on the display, wherein a World Wide Web page displayed by a browser program includes the body of text, and wherein designating comprises causing execution of an algorithm which accesses instructions executed by the browser program in order to identify the at least one word.

135. A method according to claim 134 wherein said database comprises a database of corporate information.

136. A method according to claim 131 wherein said database comprises a database of corporate information.