Location-based filtering and advertising enhancements for merged browsing of network contents

Abstract

Location-based filtering and advertising enhancements for merged browsing of network content are described herein. In various embodiments, a client device may obtain its geographic location and provide that location to a server for filtering by the server of network content fragment suggestions based at least in part on the location. The client device may then receive some or all of the filtered suggestions for utilization in merged browsing. In some embodiments, a server may further receive an indicator of content being browsed. In response, the server may determine network content fragment suggestions, and may also determine an additional suggestion or prioritize a suggestion based an advertiser's interest. The server may then provide the suggestions and/or prioritization to the client device. In various embodiments, the server may also provide the advertisement(s) for display in a user interface of the client device along with the (prioritized) suggestions.

1 . An article of manufacture comprising:
 a storage medium; and   a plurality of programming instructions stored on the storage medium and configured to program a client device to enable the client device to
 receive a geographic location of the client device, and 
 provide the geographic location to a server to enable the server to filter network content fragment suggestions to be provided to the client device to suggest to a user of the client device network content fragments for merged browsing with network content being browsed by the user, the server configured to filter the network content fragment suggestions based on the provided geographic location. 
   
     
     
         2 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the programming instructions are configured to enable the client device to receive the geographic location of the client device from one or more of a Global Positioning System-based location provider, an Internet Protocol address-based location provider, or an access point-based location provider. 
     
     
         3 . The article of  claim 2 , wherein the programming instructions are configured to enable the client device to derive a composite geographic location of the client device from a plurality of received geographic locations. 
     
     
         4 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the server is disposed on the client device, and the portion is capable of filtering network content fragment suggestions received from another portion of the server based on the geographic location, the programming instructions being further configured to implement the portion of the server disposed on the client device, and the other portion being remotely disposed from the client device. 
     
     
         5 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the programming instructions are further configured to enable the client device to provide to the server an indicator of the network content being browsed by the user. 
     
     
         6 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the programming instructions are further configured to enable the client device to suggest, to the user, the network content fragments to facilitate the user in selecting at least one of the network content fragments to be visually merged with the network content for merged browsing. 
     
     
         7 . The article of  claim 6 , wherein the programming instructions are further configured to enable the client device to receive a user selection to merge all or a subset of the suggested network content fragments with the network content being browsed. 
     
     
         8 . The article of  claim 7 , wherein the programming instructions are further configured to enable the client device to facilitate merging of the selected network content fragment(s) with the network content being browsed for merged browsing of the merged content. 
     
     
         9 . A server system comprising:
 a processor;   a disc storage device coupled to the processor and adapted to store a merged browsing service; and   the merged browsing service, to be operated by the processor to
 receive, from a client device, an indicator of network content being browsed by the client device and/or a geographic location of the client device, 
 first determine at least one network content fragment suggestion to provide to the client device based on the received indicator or geographic location, 
 second determine either an additional network content fragment suggestion or a priority of the at least one network content fragment suggestion based on an advertiser's indication of interest in the indicator or the geographic location, and 
 provide the at least one network content fragment suggestion and, if determined, the additional network content fragment suggestion, to the client device to assist a user of the client device in merged browsing. 
   
     
     
         10 . The server system of  claim 9 , wherein the merged browsing service is further to, prior to said second determine, facilitate the advertiser in indicating interest in the indicator and/or the geographic location by facilitating the advertiser in selecting the indicator and/or geographic location and by associating the indicator and/or geographic location with an advertiser-selected network content fragment suggestion, the advertiser-selected network content fragment suggestion being the additional network content fragment suggestion or the prioritized at least one network content fragment suggestion. 
     
     
         11 . The server system of  claim 10 , wherein the merged browsing service is further to facilitate the advertiser in browsing and/or searching a database of network content fragment suggestions to select the advertiser-selected network content fragment suggestion. 
     
     
         12 . The server system of  claim 10 , wherein the merged browsing service is further to facilitate the advertiser in specifying the advertiser-selected network content fragment suggestion. 
     
     
         13 . The server system of  claim 9 , further comprising a database coupled to the merged browsing service, the database storing information specifying (a) combinations of network content fragments and/or categories of network content fragments with network contents or categories of network contents, and (b) previous geographic locations at which some or all of the combinations have been made by the user or another user. 
     
     
         14 . The server system of  claim 13 , wherein the merged browsing service is further to utilize the indicator or the geographic location as a lookup index to the information stored in the database. 
     
     
         15 . The server system of  claim 9 , wherein the merged browsing service is further to perform said second determine based on the advertiser's indication of interest, and the indication of interest includes a financial transaction. 
     
     
         16 . The server system of  claim 9 , wherein the merged browsing service is further to
 receive, from the client device, an indication of the client device user's selection, for merged browsing, of a network content fragment corresponding to the additional network content fragment suggestion or the prioritized at least one network content fragment suggestion, and   notify the advertiser of the client device user's selection.   
     
     
         17 . A method comprising:
 receiving from a client device, by a server, an indicator of network content being browsed by the client device and a geographic location of the client device;   determining, by the server, an advertisement to be shown in a user interface of the client device based on the indicator and geographic location; and   providing, by the server, the advertisement with one or more network content fragment suggestions to the client device, the one or more network content fragment suggestions being provided to assist the client device in merged browsing at least one network content fragment with the network content.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the determining further includes
 facilitating, by the server, an advertiser of the advertisement in selecting the indicator and geographic location, and   associating, by the server, the indicator and geographic location with the advertisement.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the advertisement is one of a pop-up window, a banner advertisement, a video clip, an audiovisual clip, a picture, or a text display. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 receiving from the client device, by the server, an indication of a user of the client device's interaction with the determined advertisement, and   notifying an advertiser of the advertisement, by the server, of the client device user's interaction.