System, method and apparatus for selecting, displaying, managing, tracking and transferring access to content of web pages and other sources
View Patent ↗A method, system and apparatus for selecting, displaying, managing, tracking and transferring access to content of Internet web pages and other sources along with custom text messages has programming permitting a user to create custom selections of selected image, animation, movie and text content items, and other types of content items from web pages or other sources from the same or different network sources containing multiple content items, along with user-supplied text messages, in an independent, resizable, rescalable browser window; permitting the user to transfer access to the custom selection of content items to a recipient; permitting the user or recipient to navigate quickly to a source of a content item in the custom selection; and permitting the user to define search keywords for performing searches related to content items in a custom selection; and other features. A method of tracking viewing and sharing activities of content items and custom selections of content items by users and recipients is also disclosed. A method of assisted content selection provides temporary borders around content items on mouseover. A method of Dynamic Content Display provides updating of selected content items.
1. A system for creating, storing and searching content marks for selected content items of web pages, comprising:
a user computing device having a network browser application and a user pointing device;
said browser application being operable to display a source web page having a plurality of displayed content items;
said browser application being operable to select a selected content item from among said plurality of displayed content items, said selected content item being selected exclusive of non-selected ones of said plurality of displayed content items, and said selected content item being selected in response to input from a user through said pointing device;
said browser application being operable to receive an input from said user of a keyword associated with said selected content item, said keyword being created by said user;
said browser application being operable to save a definition of said selected content item in a database of stored definitions, said definition including said keyword associated with said selected content item;
said browser application being operable to search said database of stored definitions using a search keyword and being operable to produce a search results list comprising matching definitions having associated keywords matching said search keyword; and
said search results list being displayed in a browser window and including a display of associated content items associated with each matching definition, each associated content item being displayed exclusive of non-selected content items of an original source web page of said associated content item.
2. The system as in claim 1 , wherein:
said database of stored definitions is stored on a server accessible by a plurality of users over the Internet;
said browser application is operable to receive a designation from said user of said definition as being either a public definition, accessible and searchable by any user, or as being a private definition, accessible and searchable only by said user.
3. The system as in claim 2 , wherein:
said browser application is operable to receive an input from said user of a title and a description of said definition; and
said search results list includes a title and a description of each said matching definition.
4. The system as in claim 3 , wherein:
said browser application is operable to search said database of stored definitions using any combination of said keywords, title or description.
5. The system as in claim 1 , wherein:
said search results list includes a hypertext link or displayed url adjacent each of said associated content items, said hypertext link or displayed url being a complete network location of an original source web page of an adjacent associated content item;
whereby said user can retrieve said original source web page of an associated content item by following said hypertext link or displayed url.
6. The system as in claim 5 , wherein:
said source web page is a web log and said selected content item is from a post from said web log;
said source web page includes a permalink associated with said post, said permalink leading to a discrete web page for said post;
said definition includes said permalink; and
said search results list includes a display of said permalink.
7. The system as in clam 1 , wherein:
said browser application is operable to select a second selected content item from among said plurality of displayed content items, said second selected content item is selected exclusive of said non-selected ones of said plurality of displayed content items, and said second selected content item is selected in response to input from said user through said pointing device, and said definition includes a definition of said selected content item.
8. The system as in claim 1 , wherein:
said selected content item is file-based:
said definition includes a complete network address of said selected content item; and
in said search results list, each associated content item that is file-based is loaded from an original network location thereof.
9. The system as in claim 1 , wherein:
said system is operable to search text of content items of definitions in said database of stored definitions.
10. A system for creating, storing and searching content marks for selected content items of web pages, comprising:
a user computing device having a network browser application and a user pointing device;
said browser application being operable to display a source web page having a plurality of displayed content items;
said browser application being operable to select a selected content item from among said plurality of displayed content items, said selected content item being selected exclusive of non-selected ones of said plurality of displayed content items, and said selected content item being selected in response to input from a user through said pointing device;
said browser application being operable to receive an input from said user of a keyword associated with said selected content item;
said browser application being operable to save a definition of said selected content item in a database of stored definitions, said definition including said keyword associated with said selected content item;
said browser application being operable to search said database of stored definitions using a search keyword and being operable to produce a search results list comprising matching definitions having associated keywords matching said search keyword;
said search results list being displayed in a browser window and including a display of associated content items associated with each matching definition, each associated content item being displayed exclusive of non-selected content items of an original source web page of said associated content item;
said search results list includes a hypertext link or displayed url adjacent each of said associated content items, said hypertext link or displayed url being a complete network location of an original source web page of an adjacent associated content item;
whereby said user can retrieve said original source web page of an associated content item by following said hypertext link or displayed url;
said source web page is a web log and said selected content item is from a post from said web log;
said source web page includes a permalink associated with said post, said permalink leading to a discrete web page for said post;
said definition includes said permalink; and
said search results list includes a display of said permalink.