Web snippets capture, storage and retrieval system and method

• US 20040019611A1
• Filed: 06/11/2003
• Published: 01/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John B. Moetteli
• Original Assignee: Missiontrek Ltd., Co., Science Traveller International Pty., Ltd.
• Inventors: Pearse, Aaron, Douglass, John, Moetteli, John
• Granted Patent: US 7,315,848 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/104.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9566 URL specific, e.g. using aliases, detecting broken or misspelled links
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

An information selection, capture and storage system and method is provided enabling one or more users to (i) collect pertinent information (snippets (40, 50, 52)) from web pages and other documents quickly in a textual and/or graphic representation, (ii) organize (120) and annotate the information (40, 50, 52, 132) in representative categories and subsets for future access by multiple users, and (iii) retain a date/time record (50) and means to access original web pages from which the information was originally obtained.

Claims

1. A web snippets capture, storage, and retrieval system managing and displaying snippets, the system including software operating on a computer, the software having snippet selection means which selects the snippet, snippet processing means which processes the snippet so selected, and snippet storage means which stores the processed snippet in memory in a format which can be displayed upon demand by a user.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein snippet organization means saves the snippet in association with a category.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the organization means saves the category in association with a project or theme.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein a user prompting means prompts the user for a comment and if so provided by the user, the storage means stores the comment in displayable form in association with the snippet.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein identifying means are provided for storing identifying characteristics of the snippet.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the identifying characteristics of the snippet include one of a characteristic selected from a group of characteristics consisting of date and time of creation, size of snippet in relation to source document, source location of snippet, URL of the snippet and optionally the user who added the snippet.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein display means displays the snippet with at least one identifying characteristic.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein snippets are saved in association with a project or theme identifier.

8. A web snippets capture, storage, and retrieval software method operable on a computer, the method including the steps of selecting a snippet to be stored, processing the snippet to be stored, and storing the processed snippet in a format that can be displayed upon demand by a user.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the snippets are stored in association with a category.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein between the capturing and storing steps, the method prompts the user for a comment and if so input, the method stores the comment in displayable form in association with the snippet.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein identifying characteristics of the snippet are stored in association with the snippet.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the identifying characteristics of the snippet include one of a characteristic selected from a group of characteristics consisting of date and time of creation, size of snippet in relation to source document, source location of snippet, URL of snippet and optionally the name of the user adding the snippet.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein display means displays the snippet with at least one identifying characteristic.

15. A web snippets capture, storage, and retrieval software method operable on a computer, the method including the steps of:

a. using a selection protocol enabling a user to select a snippet selection of text and/or graphics;

b. when a selection is made, tagging the selection as a snippet and, where the system so permits, enabling the user to drag the selection to a specialized icon, and where the system does not so permit, providing a right-click menu option for the same;

c. when the dragged selection is dragged to the specialized icon, recognizing the snippet and processing the snippet;

d. optionally opening up a category menu allowing the user to select an existing category for the snippet or to create a new category;

e. if the user selects to create a new category, displaying a user interface element to allow the user to enter a name for the new category and verifying that the name is unique before creating the category;

f. optionally providing means for the user to edit categories;

g. optionally presenting a comment input window into which the user may make comments specifically associated with the snippet;

h. storing the comment and any other routine identifying information in association with the snippet in an electronically displayable format;

i. recalling the stored snippet for display at the will of the user; and

j. optionally providing email capabilities whereby the snippet may be automatically attached to the associated email for distribution.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the processing step (c) includes the substeps of:

(i) converting all relative URLs to absolute URLs by combining them with a base URL;

(ii) optionally stripping embedded content such as images and associated URLs from the content;

(iii) where content URLs are included, converting to absolute source URLS;

(iv) optionally providing means for determining the extent of copying; and

(v) adding ending tags to the end of code from which each snippet is composed to encapsulate each snippet independently when combined under the user specified category.