Observation device, method, and computer program product for replacing content

• US 8,195,796 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2011
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Pictures Entertainment Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Serena, Frank David
• Primary Examiner(s): Neurauter, George C
• Application Number:
  US12/985,218
• Publication Number:
  US 20110107193A1
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 705/14.4, 705/14.56, 707/999.01
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0258 Registration

Abstract

An observation program residing within a processor receives and detects content which includes at least one term. The detected term(s) is then removed from the content, and is replaced by inserting a hyperlink relating to the term(s) while applying replacement rules to the content. The processor replaces the term(s) using an automatically generated designator string which includes a user identification associated with a recipient of the content. The observed content including the hyperlink is provided to a client device for presentation to a recipient.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing an observation program comprising executable instructions that cause a processor to:

receive content which includes at least one term;

observe the content to detect the at least one term,

remove the detected at least one term from the content, and

replace the removed at least one term by inserting a hyperlink relating to said each term, and by applying replacement rules to the content,

wherein the processor replaces the at least one term using an automatically generated designator string which includes a user identification associated with a recipient of the content; and

provide the observed content including the hyperlink to a client device for presentation to a recipient.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the automatically generated designator string also includes information unique to content of the hyperlink that is to replace the at least one term.

3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to activate the replacement rules based on content preferences associated with a user.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the processor resides within a set top device.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the content is a document.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the content is a web page.

7. A method of replacing content, the method comprising:

receiving content which includes at least one term;

observing the content to detect the at least one term;

generating a designator string in response to the detected at least one term;

removing the detected at least one term from the content;

replacing the removed at least one term by inserting the generated designator string, wherein observing, generating, removing, and replacing include applying replacement rules to the content,

wherein removing and replacing the detected at least one term by inserting the generated designator string includes determining a user identification associated with a recipient of the content;

providing the observed content including the inserted designator string; and

using the designator string to provide a hyperlink for presentation to a user.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein replacing the at least one term with the generated designator string includes using an automatically generated designator string unique to the content of the hyperlink.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein replacing the at least one term with the generated designator string includes using automatically generated designator strings unique to content of the at least one term.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving the content includes receiving a document.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving the content includes receiving a web site.

12. A non-transitory tangible storage medium storing an observation program comprising executable instructions that cause a processor to:

receive content which includes at least one term;

generate a replacement rule based on a user preference, the replacement rule comprising a term to be replaced and a hyperlink relating to said term to be replaced;

identify each instance of the term to be replaced in the at least one term of the received content; and

replace said each instance of the term to be replaced with the hyperlink according to the replacement rule,

wherein said each instance of the term is replaced using an automatically generated designator string which includes a user identification associated with a recipient of the content.

13. The non-transitory tangible storage medium of claim 12, wherein the content is a document.

14. The non-transitory tangible storage medium of claim 12, wherein the content is a web page.