Method and system for providing a link in an electronic file being presented to a user

Abstract

A method for providing a link in an electronic file being presented to a user which includes defining a customized viewpoint for the user. The viewpoint includes a preference for the user that provides an association between a data pattern and a computer network resource. The method also includes generating a request for content, receiving an electronic file in response to the request, and evaluating the electronic file to recognize a match between at least one portion of the electronic file and the data pattern. Upon recognizing a match, the electronic file is modified to include a link to the computer network resource associated with the matching data pattern, and the modified electronic file is presented to the user. Thus, the link included in the electronic file presented to the user is customized for the user, and different users who retrieve the same content can be provided with links to different computer network resources depending on their respective viewpoints.

1 . A method comprising: 
 storing, in a memory of a user computer, a plurality of preferences, 
 wherein each preference provides an association between one or more text patterns and one URL;  
   allowing a user to select, using an input device, a preference from the plurality of preferences;    receiving a request from a user to retrieve markup language-based electronic content;    generating a request for content from a Web server;    in response to the request for content, receiving a markup language-based electronic file, in which the electronic file comprises a user-viewable text portion;    determining if a portion of the user-viewable text portion matches any of the text patterns of the plurality of preferences;    if it is determined that a portion of the user-viewable text portion matches a text pattern, 
 modifying the electronic file to include an HTML hyperlink to the URL that is associated with the matched text pattern, 
 in which the hyperlink is included substantially at the location of the matched portion of the user-viewable text portion, and  
 
 presenting the modified electronic file to the user so that the hyperlink appears in place of the matched portion of the user-viewable text portion.  
   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the matched portion of the user-viewable text portion identifies a book.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the hyperlink comprises a hyperlink to an address of an online book retailer.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 updating a database to reflect a number of times that hyperlinks generated from the preference of the matched text pattern has been used.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the number is used for billing purposes.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 providing, in a tag of the hyperlink, an identification of an originator of the hyperlink.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 when a predetermined text pattern is found in the electronic file, selecting one of the plurality of preferences; and    inserting into the electronic file a link that is defined by the selected preference.    
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hyperlink, when activated, connects to a predetermined web page of the computer network resource that is associated with the matched text pattern.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of preferences are established by one or more of 
 (i) a publisher of a Web browser,    (ii) a developer of a Web browser, and    (iii) a portal-type web site.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , in which modifying the electronic file to include the HTML hyperlink comprises: 
 modifying the electronic file to include the HTML hyperlink such that an indication of the hyperlink appears in a balloon window that emerges when the user places a pointer over the portion of the user-viewable text portion that matches the text pattern.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , in which modifying the electronic file to include the HTML hyperlink comprises: 
 modifying the electronic file to include the HTML hyperlink such that an indication of the hyperlink appears in a balloon window that emerges when the user clicks on the portion of the user-viewable text portion that matches the text pattern.    
   
   
       12 . A computer readable medium that stores a computer program, 
 in which the computer program, when executed by a processor, directs the processor to perform the method of  claim 1 .    
   
   
       13 . The computer readable medium of  claim 12 , in which the computer program comprises Web browser software.  
   
   
       14 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a personal computer that includes 
 the computer readable medium of  claim 14  that stores Web browser software,  
 whereby the Web browser software resides locally within the personal computer.