News feed viewer

• US 7,818,659 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2006
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Loofbourrow, Wayne Russell, Alfke, Jens, Lemay, Stephen O., Kahn, Jessica, Wilkin, Sarah Anne, Melton, Donald Dale, Forstall, Scott James, Howard, Albert Riley Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hutton; Doug
• Assistant Examiner(s): Blackwell; James H
• Application Number:
  US11/390,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20060253459A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,667 Days
• Field of Search: 715200-277, 715700-978
• US Class Current: 715/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation

Abstract

Techniques for presenting and managing syndication XML (feeds) are disclosed. In one embodiment, a user can modify how a feed is displayed, such as which content (and how much) is displayed, in what order, and how it is formatted. In another embodiment, a modification regarding how a feed is displayed is stored so that it can be used again at a later time. In yet another embodiment, a user can create a custom feed through aggregation and/or filtering of existing feeds. Aggregation includes, for example, merging the articles of multiple feeds to form a new feed. Filtering includes, for example, selecting a subset of articles of a feed based on whether they satisfy a search query. In yet another embodiment, a user can find articles by entering a search query into a search engine that searches feeds, which will identify one or more articles that satisfy the query.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving, using one or more processors, a query to search articles corresponding to one or more source feeds;

identifying articles satisfying the search query, each article having an associated identifier corresponding to a source feed, and wherein each article originates from the source feed corresponding to the associated identifier;

aggregating at least two of the source feeds, wherein each of the source feeds includes a plurality of articles satisfying the search query, and wherein the source feeds are merged to form a single new feed;

converting the single new feed into HTML, wherein the HTML is used to generate an HTML page having a URL that is unique to the single new feed; and

displaying the HTML page having the URL that is unique to the single new feed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the articles in the single new feed can be viewed without having to switch back and forth between source feeds.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the HTML page includes displaying a synopsis of each article.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the HTML page includes displaying a portion of each article.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the HTML page includes displaying each article in its entirety.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a modification corresponding to the display of a feed;

determining whether the modification is associated with the single new feed or a particular user; and

storing the modification.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein when the modification is associated with the single new feed, the single new feed is displayed according to the modification, and wherein when the modification is associated with a particular user, all feeds viewed by that user are displayed according to the modification.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the modification further comprises:

determining a theme corresponding to a format for displaying the single new feed, wherein the theme is determined from a specified set of template files and a specified set of format files, wherein template files indicate information and order of information displayed, and wherein format files indicate format of information displayed.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein aggregation is performed on the server.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein aggregation is performed on the client.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

bookmarking the URL that is unique to the single new feed.

12. A system, comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more computer-readable storage mediums containing instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to perform operations including;

receiving a query to search articles corresponding to one or more source feeds;

identifying articles satisfying the search query, each article having an associated identifier corresponding to a source feed, and wherein each article originates from the source feed corresponding to the associated identifier;

aggregating at least two of the source feeds, wherein each of the source feeds includes a plurality of articles satisfying the search query, and wherein the source feeds are merged to form a single new feed;

converting the single new feed into HTML, wherein the HTML is used to generate an HTML page having a URL that is unique to the single new feed; and

displaying the HTML page having the URL that is unique to the single new feed.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the articles in the single new feed can be viewed without having to switch back and forth between source feeds.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein displaying the HTML page includes displaying a synopsis of each article.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein displaying the HTML page includes displaying a portion of each article.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein displaying the HTML page includes displaying each article in its entirety.

17. The system of claim 12, further comprising instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:

receiving a modification corresponding to the display of a feed;

determining whether the modification is associated with the single new feed or a particular user; and

storing the modification.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein when the modification is associated with the single new feed, the single new feed is displayed according to the modification, and wherein when the modification is associated with a particular user, all feeds viewed by that user are displayed according to the modification.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein receiving the modification further comprises:

determining a theme corresponding to a format for displaying the single new feed, wherein the theme is determined from a specified set of template files and a specified set of format files, wherein template files indicate information and order of information displayed, and wherein format files indicate format of information displayed.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein aggregation is performed on the server.

21. The system of claim 12, wherein aggregation is performed on the client.

22. The system of claim 12, further comprising instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:

bookmarking the URL that is unique to the single new feed.

23. A computer-program product, tangibly embodied in a machine-readable storage medium, including instructions operable to cause a data processing apparatus to:

receive a query to search articles corresponding to one or more source feeds;

identify articles satisfying the search query, each article having an associated identifier corresponding to a source feed, and wherein each article originates from the source feed corresponding to the associated identifier;

aggregating at least two of the source feeds, wherein each of the source feeds includes a plurality of articles satisfying the search query, and wherein the source feeds are merged to form a single new feed;

convert the single new feed into HTML, wherein the HTML is used to generate an HTML page having a URL that is unique to the single new feed; and

display the HTML page having the URL that is unique to the single new feed.

24. The computer-program product of claim 23, wherein the articles in the single new feed can be viewed without having to switch back and forth between source feeds.

25. The computer-program product of claim 23, wherein displaying the HTML page includes displaying a synopsis of each article.

26. The computer-program product of claim 23, wherein displaying the HTML page includes displaying a portion of each article.

27. The computer-program product of claim 23, wherein displaying the HTML page includes displaying each article in its entirety.

28. The computer-program product of claim 23, further comprising instructions operable to cause a data processing apparatus to:

receive a modification corresponding to the display of a feed;

determine whether the modification is associated with the single new feed or a particular user; and

store the modification.

29. The computer-program product of claim 28, wherein when the modification is associated with the single new feed, the single new feed is displayed according to the modification, and wherein when the modification is associated with a particular user, all feeds viewed by that user are displayed according to the modification.

30. The computer-program product of claim 28, wherein receiving the modification further comprises:

determining a theme corresponding to a format for displaying the single new feed, wherein the theme is determined from a specified set of template files and a specified set of format files, wherein template files indicate information and order of information displayed, and wherein format files indicate format of information displayed.

31. The computer-program product of claim 23, wherein aggregation is performed on the server.

32. The computer-program product of claim 23, wherein aggregation is performed on the client.

33. The computer-program product of claim 23, further comprising instructions operable to cause a data processing apparatus to:

bookmark the URL that is unique to the single new feed.