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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for adding hyperlink functionality to a stored electronic file based on user activation of a toolbar button, comprising:
 storing, by a processing device and in a memory of a server computer, a plurality of associations between one or more text patterns and a first URL;   identifying, by the processing device, a request from a user to retrieve electronic content stored in an electronic file available at a second URL wherein the request from the user includes an indication of the second URL that is an indication of a location of the electronic file;   identifying, by the processing device and based on a stored preference of the user, at least one of the plurality of associations to apply to the content;   receiving, by the processing device and in response to a request for the content from a server, the request for the content from the server including an indication of the second URL, the electronic file, in which the electronic file comprises a user-viewable text portion;   providing, by the processing device, the electronic file to the user;   receiving, after the providing of the electronic file and by the processing device, an indication that the user has activated a button on a toolbar, the button being assigned to an activation of an application of the at least one of the plurality of associations to the electronic file;   identifying, in response to the receiving and by the processing device, that a portion of the user-viewable text portion matches a text pattern of the identified at least one of the plurality of associations;   modifying, in response to the identifying of the match of the portion of the user-viewable text portion with the text pattern of the identified at least one of the plurality of associations, and by the processing device, the electronic file to include an HTML hyperlink to the first URL that is associated with the matched text pattern; and   providing, by the processing device, the modified electronic file to the user.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the modifying, comprises:
 inserting, by the processing device, the HTML hyperlink substantially at the location of the matched portion of the user-viewable text portion.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the modifying, comprises:
 replacing, by the processing device, the matched portion of the user-viewable text portion with the HTML hyperlink.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first URL identifies a network location of an online merchant pre-selected by the user.