System and method for distribution and redistribution of electronic content

• US 9,159,075 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2010
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Reza Jalili
• Original Assignee: Reza Jalili
• Inventors: Jalili, Reza
• Primary Examiner(s): Baturay, Alicia
• Application Number:
  US12/830,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20100274864A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,926 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9566 URL specific, e.g. using aliases, detecting broken or misspelled links
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers

Abstract

A system and method for enabling the recordation of electronic content that has been published via a network, such as the Internet, so that the electronic content may be stored, retrieved, shared, and manipulated by individual users. Furthermore, the system and method of the present invention enable the content publisher of the electronic content to analyze activity associated with its storage and sharing.

Claims

1. A method for an electronic content storage system to enable access to electronic content via a browser mechanism connected to an electronic network, the method comprising:

receiving, from a browser mechanism, a request to access electronic content associated with a user account maintained at an electronic content storage server, the electronic content storage server maintaining a content identifier indicating a content publisher server maintained by a content publisher and the electronic content being stored at the content publisher server, the electronic content storage server having configured the electronic content to include an embedded computer code that enables the electronic content to be accessed and tracked via the electronic content storage server, whereby the electronic content includes a video, an image, or textual data that is associated with the user account for later retrieval;

communicating the content identifier to the browser mechanism, thereby enabling the browsing mechanism to;

access the content publisher server; and

access the electronic content indicated by the content identifier;

logging, at the electronic content storage server, electronic content tracking data associated with the electronic content indicated by the content identifier, wherein the electronic content tracking data includes;

a quantity of times the electronic content is stored by separate user accounts at the electronic content storage server, a time and date the electronic content is associated with the user account, data regarding a user that associated the electronic content with the user account, a quantity of times the electronic content is shared between users of the electronic content storage server, and data regarding a user that shared the electronic content;

determining, at the electronic content storage server, electronic content usage data, wherein the electronic content usage data indicates the quantity of users that have viewed and the quantity of users that have not yet viewed the electronic content via the electronic content storage server; and

communicating the electronic content tracking data and the electronic content usage data to the content publisher.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic content was associated with the user account by a user of the account.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic content was associated with the user account by a second user of the electronic content storage server.

4. A method for an electronic content storage system to enable access to electronic content via a browser mechanism connected to an electronic network, the method comprising:

receiving, from a browser mechanism, a request to access electronic content associated with a user account maintained at an electronic content storage server, the electronic content storage server maintaining a content identifier indicating a content publisher server maintained by a content publisher and the electronic content being stored at the content publisher server, the electronic content storage server having configured the electronic content to include an embedded computer code that enables the electronic content to be accessed and tracked via the electronic content storage server, whereby the electronic content includes a video, an image, or textual data that is associated with the user account for later retrieval;

retrieving from the content publisher server the electronic content indicated by the content identifier;

communicating the electronic content to the browser mechanism, thereby enabling the browser mechanism to access the electronic content;

logging, at the electronic content storage server, electronic content tracking data associated with the electronic content indicated by the content identifier, wherein the electronic content tracking data includes;

a quantity of times the electronic content is stored by separate user accounts at the electronic content storage server, a time and date the electronic content is associated with the user account, data regarding a user that associated the electronic content with the user account, a quantity of times the electronic content is shared between users of the electronic content storage server, and data regarding a user that shared the electronic content;

determining, at the electronic content storage server, electronic content usage data, wherein the electronic content usage data indicates the quantity of users that have viewed and the quantity of users that have not yet viewed the electronic content via the electronic content storage server; and

communicating the electronic content tracking data and the electronic content usage data to the content publisher.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the electronic content was associated with the user account by a user of the account.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the electronic content was associated with the user account by a second user of the electronic content storage server.

7. A method for an electronic content storage system to enable access to electronic content via a browser mechanism connected to an electronic network, the method comprising:

receiving, from a browser mechanism, a request to access electronic content associated with a user account maintained at an electronic content storage server, the electronic content storage server having previously obtained the electronic content from a content publisher server maintained by a content publisher and maintaining a content identifier indicating the electronic content, the electronic content storage server having configured the electronic content to include an embedded computer code that enables the electronic content to be accessed and tracked via the electronic content storage server, whereby the electronic content includes a video, an image, or textual data that is associated with the user account for later retrieval;

communicating the electronic content to the browser mechanism, thereby enabling the browser mechanism to access the electronic content;

logging, at the electronic content storage server, electronic content tracking data associated with the electronic content indicated by the content identifier, wherein the electronic content tracking data includes;

a quantity of times the electronic content is stored by separate user accounts at the electronic content storage server, a time and date the electronic content is associated with the user account, data regarding a user that associated the electronic content with the user account, a quantity of times the electronic content is shared between users of the electronic content storage server, and data regarding a user that shared the electronic content;

determining, at the electronic content storage server, electronic content usage data, wherein the electronic content usage data indicates the quantity of users that have viewed and the quantity of users that have not yet viewed the electronic content via the electronic content storage server; and

communicating the electronic content tracking data and the electronic content usage data to the content publisher.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the electronic content was associated with the user account by a user of the account.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the electronic content was associated with the user account by a second user of the electronic content storage server.

10. A method for an electronic content storage system to enable access to electronic content, the method comprising:

receiving, at an electronic content storage server, an instruction to associate electronic content with a user account, the electronic content distributed via a content publisher server maintained by a content publisher, the electronic storage server having configured the electronic content to include an embedded computer code that enables the electronic content to be accessed and tracked via the electronic content storage server, the instruction originating from the embedded computer code included in the electronic content;

associating, with the user account, a content identifier indicating the electronic content, wherein the content identifier is a database key for the electronic content as previously registered with the content storage system, whereby the electronic content includes a video, an image, or textual data that is associated with the user account for later retrieval;

receiving a request to access the electronic content indicated by the content identifier;

granting access to the electronic content indicated by content identifier, wherein the electronic content distributed via the content publisher server is storable by a user via the electronic content storage server by the instruction to the electronic content storage server to associate the electronic content with the user account and the electronic content is subsequently accessible by the user via the electronic content storage server;

logging, at the electronic content storage server, electronic content tracking data associated with the electronic content indicated by the content identifier, wherein the electronic content tracking data includes;

a quantity of times the electronic content is stored by separate user accounts at the electronic content storage server, a time and date the electronic content is associated with the user account, data regarding a user that associated the electronic content with the user account, a quantity of times the electronic content is shared between users of the electronic content storage server, and data regarding a user that shared the electronic content;

determining, at the electronic content storage server, electronic content usage data, wherein the electronic content usage data indicates the quantity of users that have viewed and the quantity of users that have not yet viewed the electronic content via the electronic content storage server; and

communicating the electronic content tracking data and the electronic content usage data to the content publisher.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein enabling access to the electronic content indicated by the content identifier comprises communicating the content identifier to a browser mechanism, thereby enabling the browser mechanism to:

access the content publisher server; and

access the electronic content indicated by the content identifier.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein enabling access to the electronic content indicated by the content identifier comprises the electronic content storage server:

retrieving, from the content publisher server, the electronic content indicated by the content identifier; and

communicating the electronic content indicated by the content identifier to a browser mechanism.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein enabling access to the electronic content indicated by the content identifier comprises the electronic content storage server:

accessing, at the electronic content storage server, the electronic content indicated by the content identifier, the electronic content having been previously obtained by the electronic content storage server from the content publisher server; and

communicating the electronic content indicated by the content identifier to a browser mechanism.