System and method for monitoring changes in databases and websites

Abstract

A system and method is described for constructing a differential web in which information including objects, numbers, or text in databases and web pages may be selected using pointing device movements. Once selected, objects may be designated to be monitored for changes, said changes being captured and made browsable on web-like constructs. Changes to the objects that satisfy certain user-stated criteria may result in notifications to specific users who may also setup automatic transactions on the changed objects. Recognition and control units recognize the selected objects and make them available to be executed in a Cloud Computing Environment. Objects may be selected from different web pages and hence monitoring can be effectuated across disparate databases and web pages.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for monitoring web objects, the method comprising:
 receiving a first user selection of an object on a web page, the web page being provided by a content provider;   accessing meta-information for the object, the meta-information being published by the content provider;   adding the object and respective meta-information to a cluster, the cluster comprising one or more objects and meta-information for respective objects, each of the objects in the cluster being associated with a respective web page;   monitoring changes in the meta-information for each of the objects in the cluster;   receiving a user request for the cluster;   in response to the user request, transmitting object information for each of the objects in the cluster for user display;   receiving a second user selection of the object in the cluster; and   in response to the second user selection, transmitting meta-information for the object for user display.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 in response to the first user selection, transmitting meta-information for the object for user display.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein objects are graphic objects. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein objects comprise HTML code. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein meta-information for an object includes schema information of the object. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein meta-information for an object includes attributes of the object. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein accessing meta-information for the object comprises receiving meta-information for the object from the content provider. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the content provider publishes the meta-information for the object to the user computer, and accessing meta-information for the object comprises receiving meta-information for the object from the user computer. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cluster is associated with a user-defined name. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 responsive to a second user request, removing the object from the cluster.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 if a change is detected in the meta-information for the object, transmitting a notification for user display.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein transmitting a notification for user display comprises sending a message to a user. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein transmitting a notification for user display comprises causing a pop-up window to be presented to a user. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 performing a transaction with the content provider using meta-information for the object.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cluster is a browsable object, and the user request for the cluster is received in response to a user browsing the cluster. 
     
     
         16 . A system for monitoring web objects, the system comprising:
 a processor; and   a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon, that when executed on the processor, perform the steps of:
 receiving a first user selection of an object on a web page, the web page being provided by a content provider; 
 accessing meta-information for the object, the meta-information being published by the content provider; 
 adding the object and respective meta-information to a cluster, the cluster comprising one or more objects and meta-information for respective objects, each of the objects in the cluster being associated with a respective web page; 
 monitoring changes in the meta-information for each of the objects in the cluster; 
 receiving a user request for the cluster; 
 in response to the user request, transmitting object information for each of the objects in the cluster for user display; 
 receiving a second user selection of the object in the cluster; and 
 in response to the second user selection, transmitting meta-information for the object for user display. 
   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions further perform the step of:
 in response to the first user selection, transmitting meta-information for the object for user display.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein objects are graphic objects. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein objects comprise HTML code. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein meta-information for an object includes schema information of the object. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein meta-information for an object includes attributes of the object. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein accessing meta-information for the object comprises receiving meta-information for the object from the content provider. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the content provider publishes the meta-information for the object to the user computer, and accessing meta-information for the object comprises receiving meta-information for the object from the user computer. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the cluster is associated with a user-defined name. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions further perform the step of:
 responsive to a second user request, removing the object from the cluster.   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions further perform the step of:
 if a change is detected in the meta-information for the object, transmitting a notification for user display.   
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein transmitting a notification for user display comprises sending a message to a user. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein transmitting a notification for user display comprises causing a pop-up window to be presented to a user. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions further perform the step of:
 performing a transaction with the content provider using meta-information for the object.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the cluster is a browsable object, and the user request for the cluster is received in response to a user browsing the cluster.