System for and method of annotation of digital content and creation of collections of annotations of digital content

• US 9,892,104 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2010
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Copia Interactive LLC
• Original Assignee: Copia Interactive LLC
• Inventors: Haynes, II, Raymond Lee, Nelson, Dave, Smigielski, Robb, Cunningham, Brian, Hilker, Tyler
• Primary Examiner(s): Baderman, Scott
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Benjamin J
• Application Number:
  US12/894,062
• Publication Number:
  US 20120036423A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,694 Days
• Field of Search: 715230-232
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/171 by use of digital ink
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0201 Market modelling; Market analysis; Collecting market data

Abstract

The present invention provides a system for and a method of collaborative annotation of digital content. In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a method of annotating digital content is provided. An annotation related to a portion of a volume of digital content is created. The annotation is stored in computer-readable memory in a manner that maintains a logical connection between the annotation and the portion of the volume of the digital content. The annotation is created by a first user. A comment is created by a second user in response to the annotation. The comment is stored in computer-readable memory in a manner that maintains a logical connection between the comment and the annotation. The portion of the volume of the digital content is displayed together with at least an identification of the annotation and at least an identification of the comment.

Claims

1. A method of annotating digital content comprising:

causing displaying of a menu including all of a first option to create an annotation such that the annotation is not associated with a volume of digital content, a second option to create the annotation such that the annotation is associated with an entire of the volume of digital content, a third option to create the annotation such that the annotation is associated with a page of the volume of digital content, and a fourth option to create the annotation such that the annotation is associated with selected text contained within the volume of digital content, the menu including a privacy setting associated with each of the first option, the second option, the third option, and the fourth option, and the second option, the third option, and the fourth option including a spoiler alert checkbox;

receiving the annotation that is to be in association with the entire, page, or selected text of the volume of digital content, the annotation being created by a first user using a device that is remotely connected to a server via a network, and the annotation being stored in a computer-readable memory at the server in a manner that maintains a logical connection between the annotation and the associated entire, page, or selected text of the volume of the digital content;

receiving an indication of a collection of annotations into which annotations are to be added, the collection of annotations being created by the first user indicating a desire to create the collection via a user interface and by providing a name for the collection via the user interface, the collection including a privacy setting associated therewith;

adding the annotation into the collection of annotations so created;

causing displaying of the entire, page, or selected text of the volume of digital content together with at least a name of the collection in which the annotation is included; and

sharing the collection of annotations between the first user and one or more other users via the server, the collection of annotations being selected from among a plurality of collections of annotations.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the collection of annotations includes annotations associated with multiple different volumes of digital content.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein a particular annotation of the collection of annotations is included in multiple collections of annotations.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the volumes of digital content are each selected from the group consisting of:

a text document;

an audio recording;

a video presentation; and

a multimedia presentation.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said sharing comprises receiving a selection from the first user of the privacy setting for the collection.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising selectively accessing annotations of a particular collection of annotations by specifying the particular collection of annotations from among a plurality of collections of annotations.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said specifying the particular collection of annotations is performed by receiving a selection of the displayed name of the particular collection selected using a cursor.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein each annotation of the particular collection is associated with at least a portion of a volume of digital content and further comprising causing displaying of annotations of the particular collection of annotations without displaying the portions of digital content associated with the displayed annotations.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving a comment in response to the annotation and storing the comment in a computer-readable memory in a manner that maintains a logical connection between the comment and the annotation, the comment being created by a second user.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising storing the comment in the server and wherein the comment is created at a device that is remotely connected to the server.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

storing a plurality of annotations by the server in association with a plurality of volumes;

filtering the annotations by specifying one or more collections; and

causing displaying of the filtered annotations.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein said filtering the annotations further comprises receiving an indication of one or more additional filtering criteria.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the volume of digital content comprises an e-book.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one collection of annotations includes an annotation that is not associated with a particular volume of digital content.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein data storage at the server is assigned to the first user.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising storing one or more selected annotations at the data storage assigned to the first user.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising receiving an edit of one or more of the stored annotations, the edited annotation having been created by a user other than the first user.

18. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving an edit of an annotation, the edited annotation having been created by a user other than the first user.

19. A method of annotating digital content comprising:

causing displaying of a menu including all of a first option to create an annotation such that the annotation is not associated with a volume of digital content, a second option to create the annotation such that the annotation is associated with an entire of the volume of digital content, a third option to create the annotation such that the annotation is associated with a page of the volume of digital content, and a fourth option to create the annotation such that the annotation is associated with selected text contained within the volume of digital content, the menu including a privacy setting associated with each of the first option, the second option, the third option, and the fourth option, and the second option, the third option, and the fourth option including a spoiler alert checkbox;

receiving the annotation that is to be in association with the entire, page, or selected text of the volume of digital content, the annotation being created by a first user using a device that is remotely connected to a server via a network, and the annotation being stored in a computer-readable memory at the server in a manner that maintains a logical connection between the annotation and the associated entire, page, or selected text of the volume of the digital content;

receiving an indication of a collection of annotations into which annotations are to be added, the collection of annotations being created by the first user indicating a desire to create the collection via a user interface and by providing a name for the collection via the user interface, the collection including a privacy setting associated therewith;

adding the annotation into the collection of annotations so created;

providing access to annotations of the collection of annotations, said providing including specifying and causing displaying of the collection of annotations; and

sharing the collection of annotations with one or more other users via the server, the collection of annotations being selected from among a plurality of collections of annotations.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the collection of annotations includes annotations associated with multiple different volumes of digital content.

21. The method according to claim 19, wherein a particular annotation of the collection of annotations is included in multiple collections of annotations.

22. The method according to claim 19, wherein said specifying the collection of annotations is performed by receiving a selection of a displayed name of the particular collection selected using a cursor.

23. The method according to claim 19, wherein annotations of the collection are each associated with at least a portion of a volume of digital content and further comprising causing displaying of annotations of the collection of annotations without displaying the portions of digital content associated with the displayed annotations.

24. The method according to claim 19, further comprising:

storing a plurality of annotations by the server in association with a plurality of volumes;

filtering the annotations by specifying one or more collections and one or more additional filtering criteria; and

causing displaying of the filtered annotations.

25. Non-transitory computer-readable media having stored thereon a software program, which when executed, causes one or more computers to perform a method of annotating digital content, the method comprising:

causing displaying a menu including all of a first option to create an annotation such that the annotation is not associated with a volume of digital content, a second option to create the annotation such that the annotation is associated with an entire of the volume of digital content, a third option to create the annotation such that the annotation is associated with a page of the volume of digital content, and a fourth option to create the annotation such that the annotation is associated with selected text contained within the volume of digital content, the menu including a privacy setting associated with each of the first option, the second option, the third option, and the fourth option, and the second option, the third option, and the fourth option including a spoiler alert checkbox;

receiving the annotation that to be in association with the entire, page, or selected text of the volume of digital content, the annotation being created by a first user using a device that is remotely connected to a server via a network, and the annotation being stored in a computer-readable memory at the server in a manner that maintains a logical connection between the annotation and the associated entire, page, or selected text of the volume of the digital content;

receiving an indication of a collection of annotations into which annotations are to be added, the collection of annotations being created by the first user indicating a desire to create the collection via a user interface and by providing a name for the collection via the user interface, the collection including a privacy setting associated therewith;

adding the annotation into the collection of annotations so created;

causing displaying of the entire, page, or selected text of the volume of digital content together with at least a name of the collection in which the annotation is included; and

sharing the collection of annotations with one or more other users via the server, the collection of annotations being selected by the first user from among a plurality of collections of annotations.

26. A system for annotating digital content comprising:

a server connected to a network, the server being configured to communicate with a user device via the network, the server including processing circuitry configured to;

cause displaying of a menu including all of a first option to create an annotation such that the annotation is not associated with a volume of digital content, a second option to create the annotation such that the annotation is associated with an entire of the volume of digital content, a third option to create the annotation such that the annotation is associated with a page of the volume of digital content, and a fourth option to create the annotation such that the annotation is associated with selected text contained within the volume of digital content, the menu including a privacy setting associated with each of the first option, the second option, the third option, and the fourth option, and the second option, the third option, and the fourth option including a spoiler alert checkbox,

receive the annotation that is associated with the entire, page, or selected text of the volume of digital content from the user device,

store the annotation in a computer-readable memory at the server in a manner that maintains a logical connection between the annotation and the associated entire, page, or selected text of the volume of the digital content,

create a collection of annotations into which annotations are to be added by receiving from the user device an indication of a desire to create a collection and a name for the collection, the collection including a privacy setting associated therewith,

add the annotation into the collection of annotations so created,

communicate with the user device so as to cause the user device to display the entire, page, or selected text of the volume of digital content together with at least a name of the collection in which the annotation is included, and

share the collection of annotations with one or more other users, the collection of annotations being selected by the first user from among a plurality of collections of annotations.