Systems and methods for semantic overlay for a searchable space
The embodiments of the present invention provide a novel way of searching and interacting with content available via a network, such as the Internet, and the World Wide Web. In some embodiments, systems and methods provide a semantically-oriented structure for organizing and accessing content items. The semantic organization can be derived by leveraging user interactions with the content items. The systems and methods leverage the semantics of the content items and to help the user find content items that are consistent with the purpose of the user's search. In addition, the embodiments provide a novel navigation paradigm of search results and content items so that the user can more intuitively and more efficiently get information form an information space.
1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving, via a network at a first client computer, a plurality of content items from one or more content sources, wherein each of the plurality of content items is a copy of a content item or a reference to a content item;
presenting the plurality of content items in an organizational tool at the first client computer;
receiving a first user's interactions with the plurality of content items via the organizational tool, wherein the first user's interactions comprise steps to organize the plurality of content items within a first local hierarchy of folders maintained by the organizational tool; and
transmitting the first user's interactions, via the network, from the first client computer to a server computer, wherein a policy engine at the server computer determines whether to update a global hierarchy of folders comprising the plurality of content items based on the first user's interactions and interactions of at least one other user.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the interactions of at least one other user comprise steps taken by a second user to organize a second plurality of content items within a second local hierarchy of folders maintained by a second organizational tool at a second client computer.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
transmitting the interactions of the second user, via the network, from the second client computer to the server computer.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user's interactions include providing a score for at least one of the plurality of content items within the first local hierarchy of folders.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user's interactions include deleting at least one of the plurality of content items within the first local hierarchy of folders.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user's interactions include moving at least one of the plurality of content items from one folder to another folder within the first local hierarchy of folders.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user's interactions include inputting a new folder name in the first local hierarchy of folders for at least one of the plurality of content items.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user's interactions include inputting a folder name in the global hierarchy of folders as a proposed location for at least one of the plurality of content items.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more content sources includes an Internet search engine.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the plurality of content items from one or more content sources further comprises receiving the plurality of content items in an organized format based on the organization of the global hierarchy of folders.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a request from the first user to organize the first local hierarchy of folders and automatically reorganizing the first local hierarchy of folders based on the global hierarchy of folders.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein automatically reorganizing the first local hierarchy of folders comprises:
transmitting the request to the server computer;
receiving, from the server computer, a proposed reorganization of the first local hierarchy of folders based on the global hierarchy of folders;
receiving an approval from the first user; and
automatically reorganizing one or more of the content items within the first local hierarchy of folders based on the global hierarchy of folders.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user's interactions and the interactions of at least one other user include respective votes concerning the placement of at least one of the plurality of content items in the global hierarchy of folders.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the policy engine determines a score based on the votes and updates the placement of the at least one of the plurality of content items in the global hierarchy of folders based on the score.
15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
filtering the at least one of the plurality of content items from the presentation of the plurality of content items in the organizational tool at the first client computer.
16. A system comprising:
an organizational tool at a first client computer, wherein the organizational tool is configured to:
present a plurality of content items, wherein the plurality of content items are received from one or more sources, via a network, at the first client computer, and wherein each of the plurality of content items is a copy of a content item or a reference to a content item;
receive a first user's interactions with the plurality of content items, wherein the first user's interactions comprise steps to organize the plurality of content items within a first local hierarchy of folders maintained by the organizational tool; and
transmit the first user's interactions, via the network, to a server computer; and
a policy engine at the server computer, wherein the policy engine is configured to determine whether to update a global hierarchy of folders comprising the plurality of content items based on the first user's interactions and interactions of at least one other user.
17. The system of claim 16 , further comprising:
a second organizational tool at a second client computer, wherein the second organizational tool is configured to receive the interactions of a second user, wherein the interactions of the second user comprise steps to organize a second plurality of content items within a second local hierarchy of folders maintained by the second organizational tool.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the second organizational tool is further configured to transmit the interactions of the second user, via the network, from the second client computer to the server computer.
19. The system of claim 16 , wherein the first user's interactions include providing a score for at least one of the plurality of content items within the first local hierarchy of folders.
20. The system of claim 16 , wherein the first user's interactions include deleting at least one of the plurality of content items within the first local hierarchy of folders.
21. The system of claim 16 , wherein the first user's interactions include moving at least one of the plurality of content items from one folder to another folder within the first local hierarchy of folders.
22. The system of claim 16 , wherein the first user's interactions include inputting a new folder name in the first local hierarchy of folders for at least one of the plurality of content items.
23. The system of claim 16 , wherein the first user's interactions include inputting a folder name in the global hierarchy of folders as a proposed location for at least one of the plurality of content items.
24. The system of claim 16 , wherein the one or more content sources includes an Internet search engine.
25. The system of claim 16 , wherein the organizational tool is further configured to receive the plurality of content items in an organized format based on the organization of the global hierarchy of folders.
26. The system of claim 16 , wherein the organizational tool is further configured to:
receive a request from the first user to organize the first local hierarchy of folders; and
automatically reorganize the first local hierarchy of folders based on the global hierarchy of folders.
27. The system of claim 26 , wherein the organizational tool is further configured to:
transmit the request to the server computer;
receive, from the server computer, a proposed reorganization of the first local hierarchy of folders based on the global hierarchy of folders;
receive an approval from the first user; and
automatically reorganize one or more of the content items within the first local hierarchy of folders based on the global hierarchy of folders.
28. The system of claim 16 , wherein the first user's interactions and the interactions of at least one other user include respective votes concerning the placement of at least one of the plurality of content items in the global hierarchy of folders.
29. The system of claim 28 , wherein the policy engine is further configured to:
determine a score based on the votes; and
update the placement of the at least one of the plurality of content items in the global hierarchy of folders based on the score.
30. The system of claim 29 , wherein the organizational tool is further configured to filter the at least one of the plurality of content items from the presentation of the plurality of content items.