System and method for providing active tags

• US 7,548,914 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2006
• Issued: 06/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Freed, Ian W., Bell, Charles H., Bezos, Jeffrey P., Holden, Jeffrey A.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEWIS, CHERYL RENEA
• Application Number:
  US11/501,443
• Publication Number:
  US 20080065995A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,042 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/104.1, 707 1- 5, 707/102, 707/103.R, 707/200, 709/203
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/117 Tagging; Marking up details of markup languages G06F40/143; Designating a block; Setting of attributes style sheets, e.g. eXtensible Stylesheet Language Transformation [XSLT], G06F40/154

Abstract

A computer-implemented data processing system includes tag logic for permitting a user to create an active tag. The active tag is associated with an object and includes configuration information that defines an action to be performed upon selection of the active tag. The configuration information is accessible by another user. The system also includes a user interface in communication with the tag logic for displaying the active tag.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for data processing, comprising:

receiving a request from a user to create an active tag;

providing a configuration information template to the user in response to the request;

receiving configuration information for the active tag, wherein the configuration information is provided by the user in the configuration information template;

causing the display of the active tag to a plurality of users; and

upon selection of the active tag, performing an action based at least upon the configuration information for the active tag;

wherein the configuration information is accessible by at least one other user, and wherein the configuration information may be modified by at least one of the plurality of users.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration information includes conditional logic.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration information includes computational logic.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration information includes a search query, and wherein the action performed is a search based at least upon the search query.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration information includes a question to be displayed, and wherein the action performed is based at least upon an answer received responsive to the question.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration information includes a uniform resource identifier for a network resource, and wherein the action performed includes displaying the network resource identified by the uniform resource identifier.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration information includes at least one macro recorded by the user, and wherein the action performed is determined based at least upon the recorded at least one macro.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration information includes computer code, and wherein the action performed is determined based on the computer code.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the computer code is authored by the user.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the computer code is authored by a third party.

11. A computer-implemented data processing system, comprising:

tag logic for permitting a user to create an active tag, wherein the active tag is associated with an object, wherein the active tag includes configuration information that defines an action to be performed upon selection of the active tag, and wherein the configuration information is accessible by another user; and

a user interface in communication with the tag logic, the user interface for displaying the active tag;

wherein the configuration information defines;

(i) a navigation action to be performed, (ii) a search action to be performed according to at least one search parameter, (iii) an action to be performed based on a macro recorded by the tag logic, or (iv) at least one question to be displayed, and wherein the action to be performed is determined based at least upon an answer received responsive to the question.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the tag logic permits another user who has accessed the configuration information for the active tag to modify the configuration information for the active tag.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the configuration information defines a search action to be performed according to at least one search parameter, and wherein the at least one search parameter is a search term included in the configuration information.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the configuration information defines a search action to be performed according to at least one search parameter, and wherein the at least one search parameter is a search term received from a user.

15. A computer-implemented data processing system, comprising:

a collection of active tags from a community of users, wherein each active tag is associated by a user with an object, and wherein each active tag causes an action to be performed; and

a user interface for accessing at least one active tag in the collection;

wherein accessing at least one active tag comprises creating, modifying, copying, voting for, or rating the at least one active tag.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the collection of active tags is displayed via the user interface.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the collection of active tags displayed via the user interface is a subset of active tags from the community of users.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the subset of active tags is selected based on at least one of tag usage, tag ratings, tag votes, tag categories, tag versions, tag similarities, user identity, user preferences, and community preferences.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the subset of active tags includes active tags associated with an object by a particular user.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the subset of active tags includes active tags associated with an object by the community of users.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein selection of an active tag in the collection causes the action of the active tag to be performed.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein selection of the active tag is made by a user.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein selection of the active tag is made automatically.

24. A computer-implemented method for data processing, comprising:

identifying a plurality of active tags from a community of users, wherein each active tag is associated by a user with an object and wherein each active tag defines an action to be performed;

providing access to at least one of the plurality of active tags to a user from the community; and

causing the display of the at least one active tag.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the at least one active tag displayed is identified based on at least one of tag usage, tag ratings, tag votes, tag categories, tag versions, tag similarities, user identity, user preferences and community preferences.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising enabling selection of at least one of the plurality of active tags, wherein selection of the at least one active tag causes the action defined by the at least one active tag to be performed.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein selection of the active tag is made by a user.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein selection of the active tag is made automatically.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein providing access to at least one of the plurality of active tags permits the user to create the at least one active tag.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein providing access to at least one of the plurality of active tags permits the user to modify the at least one active tag.

31. The method of claim 24, wherein providing access to at least one of the plurality of active tags permits the user to copy the at least one active tag such that the at least one active tag is associated with a different object.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein providing access to at least one of the plurality of active tags permits the user to provide feedback regarding the at least one active tag.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the feedback includes a rating of the at least one active tag.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the feedback includes a rating of different versions of the at least one active tag.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the feedback includes a vote for the at least one active tag.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the feedback includes a report regarding the at least one active tag.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising denying access to another user to the plurality of tags based on the report.

38. A computer-implemented system for data processing, comprising:

a collection of active tags from a community of users, wherein each active tag is associated with an object, and wherein each active tag, upon selection, causes an action to he performed; and

a user interface permitting a user in the community to provide feedback regarding at least one of the active tags in the collection;

wherein the feedback includes a rating of the at least one active tag, a rating of different versions of the at least one active tag, a vote for the at least one active tag, or a report regarding the at least one active tag.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the active tags in the collection are selectively displayed based upon the feedback provided via the user interface.

40. The system of claim 38, wherein the feedback includes a rating of the at least one active tag, and wherein the rating of the at least one active tag is displayed with the at least one active tag.

41. The system of claim 38, wherein the feedback includes a rating of different versions of the at least one active tag, and wherein the rating of different versions of the at least one active tag is displayed.

42. The system of claim 38, wherein the feedback includes a vote for the at least one active tag, and wherein the at least one active tag is displayed according to a number of votes that the at least one active tag has received.

43. A computer-implemented method for data processing, comprising:

identifying a plurality of active tags, wherein each active tag is associated with an object, and wherein each active tag, upon selection, causes an action to be performed;

enabling a user to provide feedback regarding at least one of the active tags; and

selectively causing the display of the active tags based at least upon the feedback.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the feedback includes a rating of the at least one active tag.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein selectively causing the display of the active tags includes causing the display of the rating of the at least one active tag.

46. The method of claim 43, wherein the feedback includes a rating of different versions of the at least one active tag.

47. The method of claim 46, further comprising causing the display of the rating of different versions of the at least one active tag.

48. The method of claim 43, further comprising denying access to the plurality of active tags to another user based on the feedback.

49. A computer-implemented system for data processing, comprising:

a collection of active tags from a community of users, wherein each active tag is associated with an object, and wherein each active tag, upon selection, causes an action to be performed; and

a user interface for selectively displaying the collection of active tags to the community of users;

wherein selectively displaying the collection of active tags includes displaying active tags selected based on user preferences, the identity of a particular user, or community preferences.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein selectively displaying the collection of active tags includes displaying active tags selected based at least upon tag usage.

51. The system of claim 49, wherein selectively displaying the collection of active tags includes displaying active tags selected based at least upon tag ratings.

52. The system of claim 49, wherein selectively displaying the collection of active tags includes displaying active tags selected based at least upon tag votes.

53. The system of claim 49, wherein selectively displaying the collection of active tags includes displaying active tags selected based at least upon tag categories.

54. The system of claim 49, wherein selectively displaying the collection of active tags includes displaying active tags selected based at least upon tag versions.

55. The system of claim 49, wherein selectively displaying the collection of active tags includes displaying active tags selected based at least upon tag similarities.

56. The system of claim 49, wherein selectively displaying the collection of active tags includes displaying the active tags selected based at least upon feedback provided by the community of users.

57. A computer-implemented method for data processing, comprising:

identifying a plurality of active tags, wherein each active tag is associated with an object, and wherein each active tag, upon selection, causes an action to be performed; and

selectively displaying the plurality of active tags to a plurality of users;

wherein selectively displaying the collection of active tags includes displaying active tags selected based at least upon tag usage, tag ratings, tag votes, tag categories, tag versions, or tag similarities.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein selectively displaying the collection of active tags includes displaying active tags selected based at least upon user preferences.

59. The method of claim 57, wherein selectively displaying the collection of active tags includes displaying active tags selected based at least upon the identity of a particular user.

60. The method of claim 57, wherein selectively displaying the collection of active tags includes displaying active tags selected based at least upon community preferences.

61. The method of claim 57, wherein selectively displaying the collection of active tags includes displaying the active tags selected based at least upon feedback provided by the community of users.

62. A computer-implemented method for data processing, comprising:

receiving a request from a user to create an active tag;

providing a configuration information template to the user in response to the request;

receiving configuration information for the active tag, wherein the configuration information is provided by the user in the configuration information template;

causing the display of the active tag to a plurality of users; and

upon selection of the active tag, performing an action based at least upon the configuration information for the active tag;

wherein the configuration information is accessible by at least one other user, and wherein the configuration information includes conditional logic or computational logic.

63. A computer-implemented method for data processing, comprising:

receiving a request from a user to create an active tag;

providing a configuration information template to the user in response to the request;

receiving configuration information for the active tag, wherein the configuration information is provided by the user in the configuration information template;

causing the display of the active tag to a plurality of users; and

upon selection of the active tag, performing an action based upon the configuration information for the active tag;

wherein the configuration information is accessible by at least one other user, wherein the configuration information includes a search query, and wherein the action performed is a search based at least upon the search query.

64. A computer-implemented method for data processing, comprising:

receiving a request from a user to create an active tag;

providing a configuration information template to the user in response to the request;

receiving configuration information for the active tag, wherein the configuration information is provided by the user in the configuration information template;

causing the display of the active tag to a plurality of users; and

upon selection of the active tag, performing an action based upon the configuration information for the active tag;

wherein the configuration information is accessible by at least one other user, wherein the configuration information includes a question to be displayed, and wherein the action performed is based at least upon an answer received responsive to the question.

65. A computer-implemented method for data processing, comprising:

receiving a request from a user to create an active tag;

providing a configuration information template to the user in response to the request;

receiving configuration information for the active tag, wherein the configuration information is provided by the user in the configuration information template;

causing the display of the active tag to a plurality of users; and

upon selection of the active tag, performing an action based upon the configuration information for the active tag;

wherein the configuration information is accessible by at least one other user, wherein the configuration information includes a uniform resource identifier for a network resource, and wherein the action performed includes causing the display of the network resource identified by the uniform resource identifier.

66. A computer-implemented method for data processing, comprising:

receiving a request from a user to create an active tag;

providing a configuration information template to the user in response to the request;

receiving configuration information for the active tag, wherein the configuration information is provided by the user in the configuration information template;

causing the display of the active tag to a plurality of users; and

upon selection of the active tag, performing an action based upon the configuration information for the active tag;

wherein the configuration information is accessible by at least one other user, wherein the configuration information includes at least one macro recorded by the user, and wherein the action performed is determined based at least upon the recorded at least one macro.

67. A computer-implemented method for data processing, comprising:

receiving a request from a user to create an active tag;

providing a configuration information template to the user in response to the request;

receiving configuration information for the active tag, wherein the configuration information is provided by the user in the configuration information template;

causing the display of the active tag to a plurality of users; and

upon selection of the active tag, performing an action based upon the configuration information for the active tag;

wherein the configuration information is accessible by at least one other user, wherein the configuration information includes computer code, and wherein the action performed is determined based at least upon the computer code.

68. A computer-implemented data processing system, comprising:

a collection of active tags from a community of users, wherein each active tag is associated by a user with an object, and wherein each active tag causes an action to be performed; and

a user interface for accessing at least one active tag in the collection;

wherein selection of an active tag in the collection causes the action of the active tag to be performed.