Personalized searchable library with highlighting capabilities

• US 8,380,728 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2009
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Manber, Udi, Siegel, Hilliard B., Gordon, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): BURKE, JEFF A
• Application Number:
  US12/353,921
• Publication Number:
  US 20090171918A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,497 Days
• Field of Search: 707/705, 707/758, 707/899
• US Class Current: 707/758
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A system and method for electronically searching a personalized library of content includes, in at least one embodiment, receiving one or more search terms and electronically searching a text searchable database to produce search results. After receiving a search result selection, a page image in a page image database corresponding to the search result selection is identified. A substitute image of the identified page image is prepared, wherein a portion of the content in the identified page image is suppressed in the substitute image. The substitute image is then provided for computer display, wherein the one or more search terms in the substitute image are highlighted when the substitute image is displayed. The substitute image appears substantially the same as the identified page image except for the portion that is suppressed. Information identifying the location of the search terms in the substitute image may be provided for highlighting.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for electronically searching a personalized library of content, comprising:

receiving, by a computing device, one or more search terms for searching an electronically searchable personalized library of content, wherein the personalized library of content includes a text searchable database and a page image database;

electronically searching the text searchable database to produce search results that match the one or more search terms;

receiving, by a computing device, a search result selection;

identifying a page image in the page image database that corresponds to the search result selection;

preparing a substitute image of the identified page image, wherein a portion of content in the identified page image is suppressed in the substitute image, wherein preparing the substitute image comprises;

copying pixel information to the substitute image from a location in the identified page image that is not suppressed, wherein pixel information is not copied to the substitute image for pixels that correspond to a location in the identified page image that is suppressed; and

providing the substitute image for computer display, wherein the one or more search terms in the substitute image are highlighted when the substitute image is displayed.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to receiving the one or more search terms with the computing device, establishing an electronically searchable library of content that includes the page image database and the text searchable database, wherein the electronically searchable library of content is personalized to consist of content selected by a user.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, in which the electronically searchable library of content is automatically personalized based on user purchase of the content.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to preparing the substitute image, retrieving the identified page image from the page image database.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, in which the personalized library is defined after electronically searching a general library of content using the one or more search terms, wherein the personalized library is fully comprised within the general library of content and defines the scope of search results provided to the user device.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing to a computing device location information that identifies one or more locations of the one or more search terms in the substitute image; and

instructing the computing device to highlight the one or more search results in the substitute image in accordance with the location information.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, in which instructing the computing device to highlight the one or more search terms in the substitute image comprises providing an instruction to apply a layer of color on or near the search terms.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, in which instructing the computing device to highlight the one or more search terms in the substitute image comprises providing an instruction to place a visual indicator next to the one or more search terms.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising using one or more access rules to determine the portion of the page image that is suppressed in the substitute image.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, in which different portions of the content in the identified page image are suppressed in the substitute image depending on a location where the substitute image is displayed.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, in which different portions of the content in the identified page image are suppressed in the substitute image depending on when the substitute image is provided for computer display.

12. A computer-implemented method for providing content from a personalized library of content, comprising:

preparing a page image database comprised of images of pages of content;

preparing a text searchable database comprised of text corresponding to the images of pages of content;

receiving a selection of content from a general library to form a personalized library of content that can be electronically searched using the text searchable database; and

identifying an image of a page of content in the page image database based on a search of the text searchable database;

preparing a substitute image of the identified image, wherein the substitute image appears substantially the same as the identified image except for a portion of content of the identified image that is automatically suppressed in the substitute image in accordance with one or more access rules that limit the amount of content in the substitute image,. wherein preparing the substitute image comprises;

copying pixel information to the substitute image from a location in the identified image that is not suppressed, wherein pixel information is not copied to the substitute image for pixels that correspond to a location in the identified image that is suppressed; and

providing the substitute image for display, in which a portion of the content in the substitute image is highlighted based on the search of the text searchable database.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, in which the substitute image appears the same as the identified image except for the portion of content that is automatically suppressed.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, in which the personalized library of content is comprised of content selected by a group of persons constituting a user, the method further comprising enabling persons in the group to conduct searches of the personalized library of content.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, in which the selection of content from the general library is automatically received based on a purchase of the content.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising enabling a user to store and retrieve multiple personalized libraries.

17. A computer system that provides electronic searching of a personalized library of content, comprising a computer in communication with an electronic database stored in a memory, wherein the electronic database is configured with a general library of content that is accessible to multiple users, the general library including a page image database containing images of pages of content, an access rights database containing access rules that define the scope of content to be displayed to a user, and a text searchable database containing text and identifying information indicating the page images in the page image database that contain the text, wherein the computer is configured with a search engine comprised of computer-implemented instructions that enable the computer to:

receive one or more search terms from a user having a personalized library of content that comprises a subset of the content in the general library of content;

search the text of the text searchable database in the user'"'"'s personalized library to identify pages of content in the page image database that match the one or more search terms;

provide the results of the search to the user for a search result selection;

prepare a substitute image of a page image in the page image database corresponding to the search result selection, wherein a portion of the content in the page image is suppressed in the substitute image, and wherein preparing the substitute image includes;

generating a blank image; and

for at least a portion of the blank image, copying pixel information to the blank image from a corresponding location in the page image that is not suppressed, wherein pixel information is not copied to the blank image for pixels in the blank image that correspond to a location in the page image that is suppressed;

provide location information that identifies one or more locations of the one or more search terms in the substitute image; and

provide the substitute image for computer display with an electronic instruction causing the one or more search terms in the substitute image to be highlighted in accordance with the location information when the substitute image is displayed.

18. The computer system of claim 17, in which the computer is configured to apply one or more access rules when preparing the substitute image, wherein the one or more access rules define an aggregate amount of unsuppressed content that can be provided to the user over a time frame.

19. The computer system of claim 17, in which the computer is configured to apply one or more access rules when preparing the substitute image, wherein the one or more access rules define a percentage of unsuppressed content that can be provided for computer display over a time frame.

20. The computer system of claim 17, in which the computer is configured to apply one or more access rules when preparing the substitute image, wherein the one or more access rules define an amount of unsuppressed content that can be provided for computer display based on content-specific information.

21. The computer system of claim 17, in which the computer is configured to apply one or more access rules when preparing the substitute image, wherein the one or more access rules define an amount of unsuppressed content that can be provided to the user based on an identification of the user.

22. The computer system of claim 17, in which the computer is configured to apply one or more access rules when preparing the substitute image, wherein the one or more access rules define an amount of unsuppressed content that can be provided for computer display based on user ownership of the content.

23. The computer system of claim 22, in which the computer-implemented instructions further include instructions that enable the computer to validate user ownership of the content by reviewing purchase records pertaining to the user.

24. The computer system of claim 17, in which a different portion of the content in the page image is suppressed in the substitute image based on a location of the user.

25. The computer system of claim 17, in which a different portion of the content in the page image is suppressed in the substitute image based on when the substitute image is provided to the user.

26. The computer system of claim 17, in which the computer-implemented instructions further enable the computer to provide location information that identifies one or more locations of the one or more search terms in the substitute image and instruct an electronic application of highlight to the substitute image in accordance with the location information to highlight the search terms in the substitute image.

27. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the instruction to highlight the search terms in the substitute image comprises an instruction to apply a layer of color on or near the search terms.

28. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the instruction to highlight the search terms in the substitute image comprises an instruction to place a visual indicator next to the search terms.

29. A computer-readable memory medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, that, in response to execution, cause a computer to:

receive one or more search terms for searching an electronically searchable personalized library of content, wherein the personalized library of content includes a text searchable database and a page image database;

electronically search the text searchable database to produce search results that match the one or more search terms;

receive a selection of a search result;

prepare a substitute image of a page image in the page image database that corresponds to the search result selection, by;

identifying a portion of content in the page image to be suppressed in the substitute image; and

copying pixel information to the substitute image from a location in the page image that is not suppressed, wherein pixel information is not copied to the substitute image for the portion of content in the page image to be suppressed; and

responsive to the search result selection, provide the substitute image for display, wherein the one or more search terms in the substitute image are highlighted when the substitute image is displayed.

30. The computer-readable memory medium of claim 29, wherein the computer-executable instructions stored thereon further include instructions that, when executed, cause the computer to:

provide location information that identifies one or more locations of the one or more search terms in the substitute image; and

cause the one or more search results in the substitute image to be highlighted in accordance with the location information when the substitute image is displayed.