Automated annotation of a resource on a computer network using a network address of the resource
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.
1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, responsive to being executed by a client device, cause the client device to perform operations comprising:
rendering an interface for a resource application of a client device that includes a display area configured to present a resource;
presenting the resource in the display area;
exposing an annotation portion in the interface that is configured to enable input of annotations for the presented resource in accordance with a location setting of the client device associated with a user profile, the presented resource unmodified by the annotations,
wherein the user profile is one of at least two user profiles associated with a user of the client device, and
wherein each of the at least two user profiles is associated with a different location of the client device;
receiving an annotation input via the annotation portion; and
communicating with an annotation server, separate from the client device, to store the annotation for the presented resource at predetermined times in response to the receiving the annotation.
2. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the communicating comprises communicating according to a scheduled interval.
3. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the communicating comprises communicating upon modification of the annotation.
4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the communicating comprises communicating upon receiving the annotation via the annotation portion.
5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the communicating at predetermined times includes communicating upon termination of the presenting the resource by the resource application.
6. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , having further instructions stored thereon that, responsive to being executed by the client device, cause the client device to perform operations comprising:
requesting the resource from a provider using a network address;
concurrently communicating the network address and an identifier to the annotation server to retrieve annotations corresponding to the resource; and
outputting the retrieved annotations in the annotation portion in conjunction with the presenting the resource in the display area.
7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , having further instructions stored thereon that, responsive to being executed by the client device, cause the client device to perform operations comprising:
communicating an identifier to the annotation server;
obtaining an annotation stored by the annotation server, separate from the client device, in association with the identifier; and
presenting the annotation associated with the identifier via the annotation portion.
8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , having further instructions stored thereon that, responsive to being executed by the client device, cause the client device to perform operations comprising:
detecting navigation of the resource application to obtain another resource; and
in response to the detecting, independent of an affirmative user selection, further communicating with the annotation server to store the received annotation.
9. A computer implemented method comprising:
rendering an interface for a resource application of a client device that includes a display area configured to present a resource;
presenting the resource in the display area;
exposing an annotation portion in the interface that is configured to enable input of annotations for the presented resource in accordance with a location setting of the client device associated with a user profile, the presented resource unmodified by the annotations,
wherein the user profile is one of at least two user profiles associated with a user of the client device, and
wherein each of the at least two user profiles is associated with a different location of the client device;
receiving an annotation input via the annotation portion; and
communicating with an annotation server to store the annotation for the presented resource at predetermined times in response to the receiving the annotation.
10. The computer implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the communicating comprises communicating according to a scheduled interval.
11. The computer implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the communicating comprises communicating in response to at least one of: modification of the annotation and receiving the annotation via the annotation portion.
12. The computer implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the communicating at predetermined times includes communicating upon termination of the presenting the resource by the resource application.
13. The computer implemented method of claim 9 , further comprising:
requesting the resource from a provider using a network address;
concurrently communicating the network address and an identifier to the annotation server to retrieve annotations corresponding to the resource; and
outputting the retrieved annotations in the annotation portion in conjunction with the presenting the resource in the display area.
14. The computer implemented method of claim 9 , further comprising:
communicating an identifier to the annotation server;
obtaining an annotation stored by the annotation server in association with the identifier; and
presenting the annotation associated with the identifier via the annotation portion.
15. The computer implemented method of claim 9 , further comprising:
detecting navigation of the resource application to obtain another resource; and
in response to the detecting and independent of an affirmative user selection, communicating with the annotation server to store the received annotation.
16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the annotation portion in the interface comprises an area separate from the display area configured to present the resource.
17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6 , wherein the annotation portion comprises a separate window displayed over the presented resource.
18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , having further instructions stored thereon that, responsive to being executed by the client device, cause the client device to perform operations comprising:
modifying the interface to include a toolbar separate from the display area configured to present the resource, the toolbar comprising the annotation portion.
19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , having further instructions stored thereon that, responsive to being executed by the client device, cause the client device to perform operations comprising:
setting the user profile based on a location of the client device.