Apparatus and method for controlling content access based on shared annotations for annotated users in a folksonomy scheme

Abstract

A method for sharing content with a user includes receiving from a user a first set of keywords for annotating an annotated user; receiving from the user a second set of keywords that designate whether annotated content annotated by at least one keyword included in the second set of keywords may be shared with the annotated user; storing in a data store a first association of the first set of keywords with the annotated user, and a second association of the second set of keywords with the annotated user; receiving a keyword selection for a select keyword and an identifier for the annotated user; and displaying on the client system content annotated by the select keyword if the annotated user is annotated by at least one keyword in the first set of keywords, and if the select keyword is included in the second set of keywords.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an information retrieval and communication network according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a block diagram of an information retrieval and communication network according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2B is a block diagram of an information retrieval and communication network according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2C is an illustration of a network graph for a trust network according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3A is a schematic representation of an annotation record according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3B is a schematic representation of an annotation record according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4A is an illustration of an annotation navigation page according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4B is an illustration of another annotation navigation page according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4C is a schematic representation of a folder record for organizing annotations according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an example of a user interface page for viewing and organizing annotations according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6A is an example of a search result page according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6B is an example of a trust network interface page according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7A is an example of a search toolbar for a Web browser according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7B is an example of a user interface for generating and/or editing an annotation of an annotated user.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of a process for creating an annotation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an example of a user interface page for creating an annotation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an example of a search result page according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is an example of a search toolbar for a Web browser according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is an example of another search results page according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is an example of a page overlay displaying an annotation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a flow diagram of a process for executing a search according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is an example of a search interface page for searching a library of annotations according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for sharing annotated content with an annotated user, comprising: receiving from a user a first set of keywords for annotating an annotated user;receiving from the user a second set of keywords that designate whether annotated content annotated by at least one keyword included in the second set of keywords may be shared with the annotated user;storing in a data store a first association of the first set of keywords with the annotated user, and a second association of the second set of keywords with the annotated user;receiving via a client system, which is associated with the annotated user, a keyword selection for a select keyword and an identifier for the annotated user;retrieving the first and second associations from the data store;determining from the first association and the identifier whether the annotated user is annotated by at least one keyword in the first set of keywords;determining from the second association whether the select keyword is included in the second set of keywords; anddisplaying on the client system content annotated by the select keyword if the annotated user is annotated by at least one keyword in the first set of keywords, and if the select keyword is included in the second set of keywords.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving from the user a third set of keywords that designate that annotated content annotated by at least one keyword included in the second set of keywords may be shared with the annotated user via selection of a keyword in the second set of keywords.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the step of receiving via a client system the keyword selection for the select keyword includes receiving a request to subscribe to content annotated by the select keyword.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising subscribing a user page associated with the annotated user to the content annotated by the select keyword.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the third set of keywords is a subset of the second set of keywords.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving from the user a third set of keywords that designate that annotated content annotated by at least one keyword included in the second set of keywords may not be shared with the annotated user via selection of a keyword in the second set of keywords.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the third set of keywords is a subset of the second set of keywords.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the user is a human.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the user is a computer.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising: determining whether one or more keywords in the second set of keywords are the same as or substantially similar to keywords used by other users to annotate content; andsuggesting at least one of the other users to the user for annotating with one or more keywords if one or more keywords in the second set of keywords are the same as and/or substantially similar to the keywords used by the other users to annotate content.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising: receiving a request from the user to annotate the at least one of the other users; andannotating the at least one of the other users.

12. A method for transmitting a communication to a set of annotated users, comprising: displaying a first keyword that annotates a first set of annotated users;displaying a second keyword that annotates a second set of annotated users, wherein the first set and the second set include a union of annotated user annotated by the first keyword and the second keyword;receiving a request to transmit a communication to the first set of annotated users via selection of a first keyword;receiving a request not to transmit the communication to the union of annotated users via selection of the second keyword; andtransmitting the communication to the first set of annotated users exclusive of the union of annotated users.

13. The method according to claim 12, further comprising receiving a selection for a communication type for the communication from a set of communication types,

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the set of communication types includes e-mail, text messaging, and/or telephonic messaging.

15. A method for subscribing a page to annotated content, comprising: receiving from a first user a first set of keywords for annotating a second user;receiving from the first user a second set of keywords that designate whether annotated content annotated by at least one keyword included in the second set of keywords may be shared with the second user;receiving via a client system, which is associated with the second user, a keyword selection for a select keyword that annotates a select piece of content;receiving via the client system a request to subscribe to annotated content annotated by the select keyword; andsubscribing a page associated with the second user to the select piece of content annotated by the select keyword if the second user is annotated by at least one keyword in the first set of keywords and if the select keyword is in the second set of keywords.

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising determining whether the second user is annotated by at least one keyword in the first set of keywords, and whether the select keyword is in the second set of keywords.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the select piece of content that is annotated by the select keyword includes syndicated content.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the syndicated content is associated with an RSS feed.

19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising displaying a syndication feed for the select piece of content on the page if the second user visits the page.