Automated annotation of a resource on a computer network using a network address of the resource

• US 9,342,494 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2013
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Callahan Cellular LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Callahan Cellular LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Manber, Udi, Leblang, Jonathan, Saunders, Colin, Amacker, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne, Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): Halim, Sahera
• Application Number:
  US13/743,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20130132815A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,216 Days
• Field of Search: 709/225, 709/228
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/959 Network

Abstract

A user provides an annotation, such as text or graphics, in relation to a resource available on a computer network. The annotation is automatically stored and/or retrieved without requiring separate action from the user to accomplish the storage or retrieval. An annotation interface may receive the annotation from the user. The annotation is then stored in association with the user and the network address of the resource. The user'"'"'s annotation may be later retrieved and displayed to the user based on the network address of the resource. In one specific embodiment, a browser toolbar receives and displays user annotations associated with Web sites or Web pages to which the user has navigated. Preferably, the annotation interface remains available to the user throughout the time in which the resource is provided. Further controls may enable the user to make an annotation publicly available to others, and to receive annotations from others.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

detecting navigation of a browser at a client to a first network address for a resource available via a resource server over a computer network;

receiving an indication of at least one annotation associated with the resource, wherein the annotation is input via an annotation interface exposed via the browser;

enabling via the annotation interface, selection of one of a plurality of profiles established for a user account to associate with the annotation;

responsive to detecting navigation of the browser to a second network address, automatically and independent of a user selection, communicating over the computer network with an annotation server to request storage of the annotation via the annotation server in association with the selected profile for the user account and the first network address without modifying the resource.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising enabling via the annotation interface, designation of the annotation as public to make the annotation available to others in conjunction with a presentation of the resource.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising causing display of a list via the annotation interface identifying at least one resource and associated annotation stored in association with the user account.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, further comprising receiving via the annotation interface an indication of a modification of an annotation in the displayed list.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, further comprising receiving via the annotation interface an indication of a request to delete an annotation from the displayed list.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising causing storage of the annotation in association with the user account and the first network address at predetermined times as the annotation is being received via the annotation interface.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising, exposing via the annotation interface, a reporting tool configured to output an annotation report based in part upon the selected one of the plurality of profiles established for the user account.

8. A computer system configured to annotate resources located in a computer network, the computer system comprising:

a database configured to store an annotation associated with a resource; and

a server in communication with the database, wherein the server is configured to;

receive, from an annotation interface of a client, a notification describing a modified annotation associated with the resource and a selected profile of a plurality of profiles associated with a user account;

store the modified annotation in the database in association with the selected profile and a network address of the resource, the server configured to store the modified annotation responsive to receiving the notification sent from the annotation interface, automatically upon detecting navigation of the client from the network address to another network address;

generate a history of modifications of the annotation associated with the resource and the selected profile; and

generate a list identifying at least one resource for which an annotation is stored in the database in association with the selected profile, wherein the list identifies a plurality of resources and one or more annotations associated respectively with one of the plurality of resources.

9. The computer system of claim 8, wherein at least one resource in the list is identified by the network address of the resource.

10. The computer system of claim 8, wherein the server is further configured to receive from the annotation interface a request to delete the resource and the annotation associated with the resource.

11. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the server is further configured to delete the resource and the annotation associated with the resource from the database.

12. A computer-implemented method implemented by an annotation server comprising:

receiving a communication over a computer network, wherein the communication includes an indication of a selected profile of a plurality of profiles associated with a user identifier and an annotation associated with a first resource available at a first network address, the communication being received by the annotation server from a client responsive to navigation of a resource application of the client to a second network address and configured to cause the annotation server to store the annotation independent of initiation by a user; and

responsive to the communication, automatically storing the annotation in association with the user identifier, the selected profile, and the first network address of the first resource without modifying the first resource.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein storing the annotation comprises communicating the first network address of the resource and the annotation to an annotation database stored remotely on the computer network.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising receiving an indication of a modification to the annotation stored in the annotation database.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising receiving an indication of a request to delete the annotation from the annotation database.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising generating a list of a plurality of resources and associated annotations stored in association with the user identifier, and communicating the generated list over the computer network to enable presentation via the resource application.

17. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media having instructions stored thereon that, responsive to being executed by a server device, cause the server device to perform operations comprising:

receiving a communication over a computer network wherein the communication includes an indication of a selected profile of a plurality of profiles associated with a user identifier and an annotation associated with a first resource available at a first network address, the communication being received by the server device from a client responsive to navigation of a resource application of the client to a second network address and configured to cause the server device to store the annotation independent of initiation by a user; and

responsive to the communication, automatically storing the annotation in association with the user identifier, the selected profile, and the first network address of the first resource without modifying the first resource.

18. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 17, wherein storing the annotation comprises communicating the first network address of the resource and the annotation to an annotation database stored remotely on the computer network.

19. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 18 having further instructions stored thereon that, responsive to being executed by the server device, cause the server device to perform operations comprising:

receiving an indication of a modification to the annotation stored in the annotation database.

20. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 19 having further instructions stored thereon that, responsive to being executed by the server device, cause the server device to perform operations comprising:

receiving an indication of a request to delete the annotation from the annotation database.

21. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 17 having further instructions stored thereon that, responsive to being executed by the server device, cause the server device to perform operations comprising:

generating a list of a plurality of resources and associated annotations stored in association with the user identifier, and communicating the generated list over the computer network to enable presentation via the resource application.