Method and system for annotating information resources in connection with browsing, in both connected and disconnected states

• US 6,697,838 B1
• Filed: 05/03/2000
• Issued: 02/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CDN Innovations, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Software Leader, LLC
• Inventors: Jakobson, Gabriel
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Dustin
• Application Number:
  US09/564,076
• Time in Patent Office: 1,392 Days
• Field of Search: 707/501, 709/203, 709/706, 709/223, 709/245
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9562 Bookmark management

Abstract

A method and system for creating and using notes while browsing information resources (e.g., Web pages) available on a data network (e.g., the Internet) with a client device (e.g., a personal computer, a personal digital assistant, a cellular telephone, and the like) are disclosed. In accordance with the disclosed method and system, when the client device is used to access an information resource, a user of the client device may enter data comprising a note associated with the information resource being accessed. The note is stored in a file for later retrieval. As the user accesses various information resources, they may create separate notes associated with each information resource accessed. When the user subsequently returns to an information resource associated with a previously created and stored note, such note may be automatically displayed to the user.

Claims

1. A method for associating annotations with a plurality of information resources on a client device, used in connection with browsing of information resources accessible to the client device through a data network, said method comprising:

(a) monitoring a browser on the client device to determine the current uniform resource locator address pointed to by said browser; and

(b) determining whether there is a stored note file corresponding with the address determined in said monitoring step; and

(c) outputting at least some data from the stored note file corresponding with determined uniform resource locator, determined in said monitoring step, wherein execution of said outputting step is based on a determination made in said determining step that there is a stored note file corresponding with the uniform resource locator address determined in said monitoring step,

wherein no modification or alteration is made to the information resource being displayed by the browser, thereby maintaining the physical and visual integrity of the information resource; and

wherein the efficiency of the transfer of the information resource over the data network is unaffected, and persistent connection to a data network is not required; and

wherein successful execution of said method is not contingent upon the integrity of the information resource being annotated or the outcome or quality of the transfer of the information resource over the data network.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the stored note file corresponding with the accessed information resource is stored on a data storage device of the client device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein in said step of outputting, at least some data from the stored note file corresponding with the accessed information resource is output on a display screen accessible to the client device.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein in said step of outputting, at least some data from the stored note file corresponding with the accessed information resource is output audio speaker accessible to the client device.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein in said step of outputting, at least some data from the stored note file corresponding with the accessed information resource is output on a printer accessible to the client device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein in said step of determining, accessed information resource comprises a Web page accessible to the client device through the internet.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

Receiving data inputable by a user of the client device for inclusion in a new note file corresponding to the uniform resource locator of the accessed information resource, wherein said receiving step is executed based on a determination made in said determining step that there is no stored note file corresponding with the accessed information resource.

8. The method in claim 1 wherein accessed information resource resides wholly or partially on the client device.

9. The method in claim 1 wherein the client device is disconnected from any data network.

10. The method in claim 1 wherein multiple browsers are executed on the client device simultaneously, wherein a single note is displayed which corresponds with 1the uniform resource locator address of the browser which is considered to be “

in focus”

by the operating system on the client device.

11. The method in claim 10 wherein the user of the client device can toggle among multiple browsers and be presented with the proper note corresponding to the uniform resource locator pointed to by the individual browser which is determined to be “

in focus”

by the operating system at that time.

12. The method in claim 1 wherein the note content is saved in format allowing the note to contain graphics and sound information objects, including but not limited to the user'"'"'s ability to drag, drop and otherwise embed these objects from the documents being annotated, in the note.

13. The method in claim 1 wherein said steps determining whether there is a note corresponding to the uniform resource locator pointed to by the browser, and displaying at least a portion of the note, are triggered automatically when the uniform resource locator pointed to by the browser changes.

14. The method in claim 1 wherein said step of monitoring the browser is accomplished by periodically determining the uniform resource locator of the browser by using at least one system timer and application programming interface.

15. The method in claim 1 wherein the notes are stored in rich text format, incorporating all multimedia objects therein, in a file structure and are correlated to the uniform resource locator with which they each correspond.

16. The method in claim 1 wherein a note can be transported from a source client device to one or more target devices, and integrate with the note system in each target client device so as to exhibit the behavior of the note on the source client device on the target devices.

17. The method in claim 1 wherein the transportation of a note from a client device to a target device is accomplished via email.

18. The method in claim 1 further comprising a password/profile-based security system wherein all notes are stored and displayed on the client device in the context of an individual user on that device, wherein a different user on the client device is unable to see the notes associated with a specific uniform resource locator saved by another user on that client device.

19. A system for creating and using electronic annotations relating to information resources, said system comprising:

at least one processor enabled for accessing information resources through a browser;

at least one storage device accessible by said at least one processor;

at least one output device accessible by said at least one processor;

at least one input device accessible by said at least one processor;

an operating system which allows for the use of a timer functionality and an application programming interface;

at least one browser application program executable by said at least one processor;

an application program executable by said at least one processor, wherein said application program enables said at least one processor to;

utilize said timer and said application programming interface functionality to make high frequency determination of which of the individual browser applications, executing on said at least one processor and displayed on said output device, is in-focus;

utilize said timer and said application programming interface functionality to make high frequency determinations of the uniform resource locator address pointed to by said in-focus browser;

determine whether a previously created note file corresponding with the determined uniform resource locator address, is stored on the client device;

output, based on determination made in said determining step that there is a note file corresponding with the uniform resource locator address on the client device, at least some data from the previously created note file on an output device of the client device; and

receive, based on a determination made in said determining step that there is no note file corresponding with the uniform resource locator address stored on the client device, data inputable by a user of the client device for inclusion in a new note file corresponding to the uniform resource locator address.