Instantaneous symbol lookup

• US 8,219,615 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2011
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aloft Media, LLC (Oso IP, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Boadin Technology LLC (Oso IP, LLC)
• Inventors: Arav, Gal
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, MINH CHAU
• Application Number:
  US13/099,342
• Publication Number:
  US 20110209084A1
• Time in Patent Office: 435 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/206, 709/217
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/134 Hyperlinking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A computer program assists in the completion of text input provided by a user. For example, the computer program may maintain a list of n-tuples (where n>1), each of which includes n text strings. For example, each n-tuple may include a stock ticker symbol and the name of a company having that stock ticker symbol. As the user types each character, the program determines whether the text typed by the user so far matches any of the text strings in the n-tuples. The program provides the user with an indication of whether any matches have been found, such as by displaying a list of the n-tuples having text matching the text typed by the user so far. The program then allows the user to select one of the matching n-tuples. The program uses text (such as a stock ticker symbol) from the user'"'"'s selection to complete the text input.

Claims

1. A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium, comprising:

computer code for causing display of, utilizing a website, a stock-related field;

computer code for allowing receipt of a plurality of characters of text as a user is typing the plurality of characters of text utilizing the stock-related field;

computer code for dynamically determining, after the user types each of the plurality of characters of text, whether at least a portion of characters typed so far match one or more text strings in at least one of a plurality of n-tuples including at least two text strings, each of the plurality of n-tuples including first text representing a stock ticker symbol and second text representing a company name corresponding to the stock ticker symbol;

computer code for indicating to the user that a match has been found, utilizing the website, if it is determined that the at least portion of characters typed so far match the one or more text strings in the at least one of the plurality of n-tuples;

computer code for causing display of, utilizing the website, a plurality of message summaries, wherein the plurality of message summaries comprise first information associated with a first message of a plurality of first messages and second information associated with a second message of a plurality of second messages associated with at least one online forum;

computer code for causing display of, utilizing the website, a first set of representations representing a first set of hyperlinks, where the first set of representations are each representative of a predetermined category of content;

computer code for allowing receipt of first input initiated by the user indicating a selection of one of the first set of representations;

computer code for causing display of a second set of representations representing a second set of hyperlinks, utilizing the website, in response to receiving the first input, where the second set of representations are each representative of at least one of a plurality of subcategories of content associated with the predetermined category and are displayed in a menu format;

computer code for allowing receipt of second input initiated by the user indicating a selection of one of the second set of representations; and

computer code for causing display of destination content associated with the selected one of the second set of representations, in response to receiving the second input;

wherein the computer program product is operable such that a new message is capable of being generated by the user utilizing the website for posting in association with at least one of the plurality of first messages.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer program product is configured such that:

each of the plurality of n-tuples includes only the first text representing the stock ticker symbol and the second text representing the company name corresponding to the stock ticker symbol, the indicating comprises displaying both the first text representing the stock ticker symbol and the second text representing the company name corresponding to the stock ticker symbol in the at least one of the plurality of n-tuples such that the first text precedes the second text, the indicating further comprises displaying multiple n-tuples in a vertically-oriented list directly beneath the stock-related field, the indicating further comprises visually emphasizing a subset of text in at least one of the text strings of each of the multiple n-tuples in the vertically-oriented list with the subset of text matching the at least portion of characters typed so far, and further comprising;

computer code for allowing receipt of selection input initiated by the user selecting one of the multiple n-tuples from the vertically-oriented list; and

computer code for using at least one of the text strings from the selected one of the multiple n-tuples in connection with the stock-related field.

3. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein the computer program product is configured such that the using comprises replacing the at least portion of characters typed so far with the at least one of the text strings from the selected one of the multiple n-tuples.

4. The computer program product of claim 3, wherein the computer program product is configured such that the at least portion of characters typed so far is replaced with only the first text from the selected one of the multiple n-tuples.

5. The computer program product of claim 3, wherein the computer program product is configured such that the at least portion of characters typed so far is replaced with only the second text from the selected one of the multiple n-tuples.

6. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein the computer program product is operable such that first indicia is displayed with particular web content for use in connection with at least one aspect of the posting in association with the particular web content on the website in response to a selection thereof and an interface is displayed for allowing the user to type the new message, and further wherein the computer program product is operable such that the user is capable of posting the new message to both:

the website which manages the particular web content and a different website which does not manage the particular web content.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the computer program product is operable such that the first input includes hovering a cursor and the first set of representations are associated with separate hyperlinks associated with separate web pages and are displayed in connection with an initial web page associated with the website that includes the second set of representations preloaded and initially hidden, and later displayed in response to receiving the first input initiated by the user.

8. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein the computer program product is configured such that the visually emphasizing includes highlighting.

9. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein the computer program product is configured such that the multiple n-tuples are sorted in the vertically-oriented list according to the stock ticker symbol independent of whether the at least portion of characters typed so far matches the second text and not the first text.

10. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein the computer program product is configured such that the dynamically determining comprises determining whether the at least portion of characters typed so far match leading text in the one or more text strings in the at least one of the plurality of n-tuples.

11. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein the computer program product is configured such that the match is found if the at least portion of characters typed so far match the first text in the at least one of the plurality of n-tuples, even if the at least portion of characters typed so far do not match the second text in the at least one of the plurality of n-tuples, and wherein the computer program product is configured such that the match is also found if the at least portion of characters typed so far match the second text in the at least one of the plurality of n-tuples, even if the at least portion of characters typed so far do not match the first text in the at least one of the plurality of n-tuples.

12. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer program product is operable such that first indicia is displayed with particular web content for use in connection with at least one aspect of the posting in association with the particular web content on the website in response to a selection thereof and an interface is displayed for allowing the user to type the new message, and further wherein the computer program product is operable such that second indicia is displayed with the particular web content for use in connection with at least one aspect of replying to a posted message that is posted with the particular web content on the website in response to a selection thereof, and further wherein the computer program product is operable such that the user is capable of posting the new message in association with the particular web content to both:

the website associated with the particular web content and a different website that is not a source of the particular web content.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the computer program product is operable such that first indicia is displayed with the particular web content for use in connection with at least one aspect of the posting in association with the particular web content on the website and an interface is displayed for allowing the user to type the new message, and further wherein the computer program product is operable such that second indicia is displayed with the particular web content for use in connection with at least one aspect of replying to a posted message that is posted with the particular web content on the website, and further wherein the computer program product is operable such that the user is capable of posting at least one message to a different website which does not manage the particular web content.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the computer program product is operable such that the particular web content is a portion of the at least one of the plurality of first messages.

15. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the computer program product is operable such that the user is capable of selecting to post at least one message in association with the particular web content to either:

the website associated with the particular web content or the different website that is not the source of the particular web content.

16. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the computer program product is operable such that the user is capable of selecting to post at least one message in association with the particular web content to both:

the website associated with the particular web content or the different website that is not the source of the particular web content.

17. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the computer program product is operable such that the user is capable of selecting to post at least one message in association with the particular web content from either:

the website associated with the particular web content or the different website that is not the source of the particular web content.

18. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the computer program product is operable such that the new message is capable of being sorted as a function of time associated with the posting.

19. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the computer program product is operable such that the new message is capable of being sorted as a function of a rating of popularity.

20. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the computer program product is operable such that the first indicia and the second indicia include buttons, the at least one aspect includes at least one of receiving the new message or submitting the new message, and the interface includes at least a portion of a web page, and the new message is displayed simultaneously with the particular web content.

21. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer program product is operable such that a web page of the website is configured to increase advertising revenue by more efficiently utilizing a display area.

22. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer program product is operable such that the first input includes hovering a cursor and the first set of representations are associated with separate hyperlinks associated with separate web pages and are displayed in connection with an initial web page associated with the website that includes the second set of representations pre-downloaded with the initial web page, such that the second set of representations are displayed without requiring an additional access to a server.

23. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer program product is operable such that the first input includes hovering a cursor and the first set of representations are associated with separate hyperlinks associated with separate web pages and are displayed in connection with an initial web page associated with the website that includes the second set of representations preloaded and initially hidden, and later displayed in response to receiving the first input initiated by the user.

24. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the computer program product is operable such that a list of selected message summaries is displayed utilizing the website, wherein the selected message summaries are selected based on selections of the user.