System and method for indicating interest of online content

• US 7,966,395 B1
• Filed: 09/28/2005
• Issued: 06/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Marshall, Brad E., Pope, Elmore Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): DONAGHUE, LARRY D
• Application Number:
  US11/238,079
• Time in Patent Office: 2,092 Days
• Field of Search: 709/228, 709/224
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results

Abstract

Systems and methods for displaying interest levels of online content. In one embodiment, a system may include a web browser. A badge code module may execute within an execution environment provided by the web browser and may display an indication of content interest associated with a content source, where the indication is dependent upon a time rate of change of content request traffic directed to the content source. In another embodiment, a system may include a web browser configured to generate a web browser window. A plugin module may be integrated with the web browser for execution, may generate a display interface integrated within the browser window, and may display an indication of content interest associated with a content source via the display interface, where the indication is dependent upon a time rate of change of content request traffic directed to the content source.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

one or more processors and a memory configured to store instructions, wherein the instructions are executable by the one or more processors to implement;

a web browser; and

a badge code module configured to execute within an execution environment provided by said web browser;

wherein said badge code module is further configured to display an indication of content interest associated with a content source, wherein said indication is dependent upon a time rate of change of content request traffic directed to said content source, wherein said time rate of change of said content request traffic is indicative of a change in said content request traffic per unit of time, such that display of said indication of content interest by said badge code module varies according to variations in said time rate of change of said content request traffic.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said web browser is configured to download said badge code module from said content source for execution.

3. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein said content source includes a web page, wherein said web browser is configured to retrieve said web page from a host, and wherein a reference to said badge code module is embedded within said web page such that said web browser is configured to download said badge code module in response to retrieving said web page from said host.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said badge code module is further configured to:

identify a referrer of content request traffic to said content source; and

in response to identifying said referrer, instruct an administrator of a host of said referrer regarding how to configure said host of said referrer to include an instance of said badge code module.

5. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein to identify said referrer, said badge code module is further configured to identify a domain included in a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) corresponding to said referrer.

6. The system as recited in claim 5, wherein to instruct said administrator of said host of said referrer, said badge code module is further configured to cause an email to be sent to an administrative account at said domain.

7. The system as recited in claim 6, wherein said administrative account is selected from a default list of common administrative account identifiers.

8. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said badge code module is further configured to report content request traffic directed to said content source to a traffic analysis engine, wherein said traffic analysis engine is configured to generate said indication of content interest.

9. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said badge code module is implemented in a version of JavaScript.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said badge code module is configured for execution within a plurality of execution environments provided by a respective plurality of different web browsers.

11. A non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium comprising instructions, wherein the instructions are executable to implement:

a web browser; and

a badge code module configured to execute within an execution environment provided by said web browser;

wherein said badge code module is further configured to display an indication of content interest associated with a content source, wherein said indication is dependent upon a time rate of change of content request traffic directed to said content source, wherein said time rate of change of said content request traffic is indicative of a change in said content request traffic per unit of time, such that display of said indication of content interest by said badge code module varies according to variations in said time rate of change of said content request traffic.

12. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 11, wherein said web browser is configured to download said badge code module from said content source for execution.

13. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 12, wherein said content source includes a web page, wherein said web browser is configured to retrieve said web page from a host, and wherein a reference to said badge code module is embedded within said web page such that said web browser is configured to download said badge code module in response to retrieving said web page from said host.

14. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 11, wherein said badge code module is further configured to:

identify a referrer of content request traffic to said content source; and

in response to identifying said referrer, instruct an administrator of a host of said referrer regarding how to configure said host of said referrer to include an instance of said badge code module.

15. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 14, wherein identifying said referrer includes identifying a domain included in a Uniform Resource Locator (URL) corresponding to said referrer.

16. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 15, wherein instructing said administrator of said host of said referrer includes causing an email to be sent to an administrative account at said domain.

17. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 16, wherein said administrative account is selected from a default list of common administrative account identifiers.

18. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 11, wherein said badge code module is further configured to report content request traffic directed to said content source to a traffic analysis engine, wherein said traffic analysis engine is configured to generate said indication of content interest.

19. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 11, wherein said badge code module is implemented in a version of JavaScript.

20. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 11, wherein said badge code module is configured for execution within a plurality of execution environments provided by a respective plurality of different web browsers.

21. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

one or more computer systems executing instructions to implement;

a badge code module executing within an execution environment provided by a web browser; and

said badge code module displaying an indication of content interest associated with a content source, wherein said indication is dependent upon a time rate of change of content request traffic directed to said content source, wherein said time rate of change of said content request traffic is indicative of a change in said content request traffic per unit of time, such that displaying of said indication of content interest by said badge code module varies according to variations in said time rate of change of said content request traffic.

22. A system, comprising:

one or more processors and a memory configured to store instructions, wherein the instructions are executable by the one or more processors to implement;

a web browser configured to generate a web browser window; and

a plugin module configured to integrate with said web browser for execution and to generate a display interface integrated within said browser window;

wherein said plugin module is further configured to display an indication of content interest associated with a content source via said display interface, wherein said indication is dependent upon a time rate of change of content request traffic directed to said content source, wherein said time rate of change of said content request traffic is indicative of a change in said content request traffic per unit of time, and wherein said plugin module is configured such that display of said indication of content interest by said plugin module varies according to variations in said time rate of change of said content request traffic.

23. The system as recited in claim 22, wherein said display interface includes a toolbar.

24. The system as recited in claim 22, wherein said plugin module is further configured to display said indication of content interest in near-real time with respect to said content request traffic directed to said content source.

25. The system as recited in claim 22, wherein to display said indication, said plugin module is further configured to visibly vary a display attribute of said indication in response to a value of said indication.

26. The system as recited in claim 25, wherein said display attribute corresponds to a font size of a textual display of said indication.

27. The system as recited in claim 25, wherein said display attribute corresponds to a color used to display said indication.

28. The system as recited in claim 22, wherein said plugin module is configured to display a set of historical values of said indication of content interest.

29. The system as recited in claim 28, wherein said set of historical values of said indication of content interest includes a set of samples of said indication taken at a specified interval over a specified period of time.

30. The system as recited in claim 22, wherein said plugin module is further configured to:

determine whether said indication of content interest satisfies a threshold notification criterion associated with said content source; and

in response to determining that said indication satisfies said threshold notification criterion, notify a user.

31. The system as recited in claim 30, wherein said threshold notification criterion is specified by said user.

32. The system as recited in claim 30, wherein notifying said user includes causing an email to be sent to said user.

33. The system as recited in claim 30, wherein notifying said user includes causing an instant message to be sent to said user.

34. The system as recited in claim 30, wherein notifying said user includes generating an event via a publish-subscribe protocol.

35. The system as recited in claim 34, wherein said publish-subscribe protocol is compliant with a version of RSS (Really Simple Syndication) protocol.

36. A non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium comprising program instructions, wherein the instructions are executable to implement:

a web browser configured to generate a web browser window; and

a plugin module configured to integrate with said web browser for execution and to generate a display interface integrated within said browser window;

wherein said plugin module is further configured to display an indication of content interest associated with a content source via said display interface, wherein said indication is dependent upon a time rate of change of content request traffic directed to said content source, wherein said time rate of change of said content request traffic is indicative of a change in said content request traffic per unit of time, and wherein said plugin module is configured such that display of said indication of content interest by said plugin module varies according to variations in said time rate of change of said content request traffic.

37. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 36, wherein said display interface includes a toolbar.

38. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 36, wherein said plugin module is further configured to display said indication of content interest in near-real time with respect to said content request traffic directed to said content source.

39. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 36, wherein to display displaying said indication, said plugin module is further configured to visibly vary a display attribute of said indication in response to a value of said indication.

40. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 39, wherein said display attribute corresponds to a font size of a textual display of said indication.

41. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 39, wherein said display attribute corresponds to a color used to display said indication.

42. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 36, wherein said plugin module is configured to display a set of historical values of said indication of content interest.

43. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 42, wherein said set of historical values of said indication of content interest includes a set of samples of said indication taken at a specified interval over a specified period of time.

44. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 36, wherein said plugin module is further configured to:

determine whether said indication of content interest satisfies a threshold notification criterion associated with said content source; and

in response to determining that said indication satisfies said threshold notification criterion, notify a user.

45. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 44, wherein said threshold notification criterion is specified by said user.

46. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 44, wherein notifying said user includes causing an email to be sent to said user.

47. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 44, wherein notifying said user includes causing an instant message to be sent to said user.

48. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 44, wherein notifying said user includes generating an event via a publish-subscribe protocol.

49. The non-transitory computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 48, wherein said publish-subscribe protocol is compliant with a version of RSS (Really Simple Syndication) protocol.

50. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

one or more computer systems executing instructions to implement;

a web browser generating a web browser window;

a plugin module generating a display interface integrated within said browser window, wherein said plugin module is integrated with said web browser for execution; and

said plugin module displaying an indication of content interest associated with a content source via said display interface, wherein said indication is dependent upon a time rate of change of content request traffic directed to said content source, wherein said time rate of change of said content request traffic is indicative of a change in said content request traffic per unit of time, such that displaying of said indication of content interest by said plugin module varies according to variations in said time rate of change of said content request traffic.