Browser Plugin for Selecting Web Content

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for accessing and sharing content from web pages are inefficient, as they require launching multiple browser instances, consume excessive resources, and rely on invasive tracking methods like cookies and web bugs, while lacking the ability to selectively view and share specific content across multiple sites.

Innovation Solution

A system that allows users to select and display specific content from web pages in independent, resizable windows, using a browser plugin that enables content selection, resizing, and sharing without launching multiple browsers, and employs a non-invasive tracking method based on content items themselves.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple browser instances are launched to view content from different web pages, then users can simultaneously view content from multiple sources, but memory resources are excessively consumed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to simultaneously view content from multiple web pagesVSAvoidmemory resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple browser instances into a single browser window by extracting selected content items from different web pages and displaying them together in one unified window. This combining approach allows users to view content from multiple sources simultaneously while using only one browser instance, thereby reducing memory resource consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts only the specific content items that users want to view from complete web pages, rather than loading entire pages. This extraction method allows users to view selected content from multiple web pages in a single browser window without downloading unnecessary content, reducing both memory usage and bandwidth consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple browser instances are launched to view content from different web pages, then users can simultaneously view content from multiple sources, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to simultaneously view content from multiple web pagesVSAvoidnumber of browser instances to manage

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Measurement precision

If cookies and web bugs are used to track user content viewing behavior, then tracking capability is provided, but user privacy is invaded and tracking accuracy is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetracking accuracy of user content viewing behaviorVSAvoiduser privacy invasion

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and uses only the necessary identifying information from content items for tracking purposes, rather than using invasive cookies or web bugs. This extraction method enables accurate tracking of which specific content items users view while minimizing privacy invasion by collecting only essential data.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses content item identifiers as an intermediary mechanism for tracking, rather than directly using cookies or web bugs embedded in web pages. This intermediary approach allows the system to track content viewing behavior accurately while avoiding the privacy invasion associated with traditional tracking methods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Adaptability or versatility

If multiple browser instances are launched to view content from different web pages, then users can simultaneously view content from multiple sources, but bandwidth usage increases due to downloading complete pages

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to simultaneously view content from multiple web pagesVSAvoidbandwidth consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS7360166B1System, method and apparatus for selecting, displaying, managing, tracking and transferring access to content of web pages and other sources

Publication Date: 2008.04.15 SALESFORCE INC

AI summary

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.