Digital Content Enhancement Platform

Abstract

A computer-based system provides a user interface for displaying hyperlinked content (such as web content) and for enabling users to navigate the hyperlinks contained within such content. One benefit of various embodiments of the present invention is that they enable primary hyperlinked content to be rendered, and for associated content (i.e., content located at the destinations of hyperlinks within the primary content) to be rendered without replacing, overwriting, or otherwise obscuring the rendering of the primary content. As a result, the rendering of the primary content remains fully visible after the associated content is rendered and while the rendering of the associated content is visible. For example, the associated content may be rendered in an existing display area that does not overlap with the display area containing the rendering of the primary content.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for use with primary content, wherein the primary content includes a first term, wherein the first term is associated with a first plurality of associated contents, wherein the first plurality of associated contents includes first associated content and second associated content, the method comprising:
 (1) rendering at least part of the primary content to create a rendering of the at least part of the primary content, including rendering the first term to create a rendering of the first term;   (2) rendering the first associated content to create a rendering of the first associated content in a first existing display area wherein the rendering of the at least part of the primary content remains fully visible after the first associated content is rendered; and   (3) rendering the second associated content to create a rendering of the second associated content in a second existing display area, wherein the rendering of the at least part of the primary content remains fully visible after the first associated content is rendered.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first existing display area is distinct from the second existing display area. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first existing display area and the second existing display area comprise a single existing display area, and wherein rendering the second associated content comprises rendering the second associated content to replace the rendering of the first associated content in the single existing display area. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the rendering of the first associated content does not obstruct the rendering of the at least part of the primary content, and wherein the rendering of the second associated content does not obstruct the rendering of the at least part of the primary content. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, before (1):
 (4) extracting the content from a document;   (5) identifying the first term within the content;   (6) associating the first term with the first associated content; and   (7) associating the first term with the second associated content.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the document comprises a web page, and wherein the content is stored in a standardized presentation format that is transmissible over the Internet. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the content is stored in a standardized presentation format that is transmissible over the Internet. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first associated content comprises content associated with a first facet, and wherein the second associated content comprises content of a second facet that differs from the first facet. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein each of the first and second facets comprises one of a definition facet, an advertisement facet, and a map facet. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 (4) before (2), receiving first user input selecting a first one of the first facet and the second facet;   (5) before (2), receiving second user input selecting the first term; and   wherein (2) comprises rendering the first associated content in response to receiving the second user input.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the content further includes a second term, wherein the second term is associated with a second plurality of associated contents, wherein the second plurality of associated contents includes third associated content and fourth associated content;
 wherein the rendering of the at least part of the content includes a rendering of the second term; and   wherein the method further comprises:   (4) rendering the third associated content to create a rendering of the third associated content that does not obscure the rendering of the at least part of the content; and   (5) rendering the second associated content to create a rendering of the second associated content that does not obscure the rendering of the at least part of the content.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first plurality of associated contents consists of a first number of associated contents, wherein the second plurality of associated contents consists of a second number of associated contents, and wherein the first number differs from the second number. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the first plurality of associated contents includes at least one content associated with a particular facet, and wherein the second plurality of associated contents does not include any content associated with the particular facet. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (4) before (2), receiving user input selecting the first associated content without obscuring the rendering of the at least part of the content.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 (5) before (2), receiving user input selecting the second associated content without obscuring the rendering of the at least part of the content.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein (2) comprises rendering the first associated content without opening a new window, and wherein (3) comprises rendering the second associated content without opening a new window. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein (2) comprises rendering the first associated content without opening a new tab, and wherein (3) comprises rendering the second associated content without opening a new tab. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein (2) comprises rendering the first associated content without re-rendering the at least part of the content, and wherein (3) comprises rendering the second associated content without re-rendering the at least part of the content. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 :
 wherein (1) comprises rendering the at least part of the content to create the rendering of the at least part of the content in a first display area;   wherein (2) comprises rendering the first associated content to create the rendering of the first associated content in a second display area that does not overlap with the first display area.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 :
 wherein (3) comprises rendering the second associated content to create the rendering of the second associated content in the second display area, whereby the rendering of the second associated content replaces the rendering of the first associated content.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 :
 wherein (3) comprises rendering the second associated content to create the rendering of the second associated content in a third display area that does not overlap with the first display area or the second display area.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 (4) before (2), receiving user input selecting the first term; and   wherein (2) comprises rendering the first associated content in response to receiving the user input selecting the first term.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein (4) comprises receiving user input representing a click on the rendering of the first term. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein (4) comprises receiving user input representing a hover over the rendering of the first term. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein (1) comprises rendering a first subset of the content, wherein the first subset comprises less than all of the content;
 wherein the method further comprises:   (4) receiving user input selecting a second subset of the content that differs from the first subset of the content, and wherein the second subset comprises less than all of the content;   (5) rendering the second subset of the content to create a rendering of the second subset of the content without vertically scrolling through the content.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein (5) comprises replacing the rendering of the first subset of the content with the second subset of the content. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein (5) comprises horizontally scrolling from the rendering of the first subset of the content to the rendering of the second subset of the content. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein (1) comprises rendering the at least part of the primary content in a content display area, wherein the content display area is a subset of an application display area of an application executing on a computing device. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein (1) comprises rendering the at least part of the primary content in a content display area, wherein the content display area is coextensive with an application display area of an application executing on a computing device. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein (1) comprises rendering the at least part of the primary content in a subset of a physical display area of a computing device. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein (1) comprises rendering the at least part of the primary content in a physical display area of a computing device. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein (2) comprises:
 (2)(a) creating a new frame within the first existing display area; and   (2)(b) rendering the first associated content within the new frame.   
     
     
         33 . A computer-readable medium comprising computer-program instructions tangibly stored on the computer-readable medium, wherein the computer program instructions are executable by at least one computer processor to perform a method for use with primary content, wherein the primary content includes a first term, wherein the first term is associated with a first plurality of associated contents, wherein the first plurality of associated contents includes first associated content and second associated content, the method comprising:
 (1) rendering at least part of the primary content to create a rendering of the at least part of the primary content, including rendering the first term to create a rendering of the first term;   (2) rendering the first associated content to create a rendering of the first associated content in a first existing display area wherein the rendering of the at least part of the primary content remains fully visible after the first associated content is rendered; and   (3) rendering the second associated content to create a rendering of the second associated content in a second existing display area, wherein the rendering of the at least part of the primary content remains fully visible after the first associated content is rendered.   
     
     
         34 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 33 , wherein the first existing display area is distinct from the second existing display area. 
     
     
         35 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 33 , wherein the first existing display area and the second existing display area comprise a single existing display area, and wherein rendering the second associated content comprises rendering the second associated content to replace the rendering of the first associated content in the single existing display area. 
     
     
         36 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 33 , wherein the rendering of the first associated content does not obstruct the rendering of the at least part of the primary content, and wherein the rendering of the second associated content does not obstruct the rendering of the at least part of the primary content. 
     
     
         37 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 33 , wherein the method further comprises, before (1):
 (4) extracting the content from a document;   (5) identifying the first term within the content;   (6) associating the first term with the first associated content; and   (7) associating the first term with the second associated content.   
     
     
         38 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 37 , wherein the document comprises a web page, and wherein the content is stored in a standardized presentation format that is transmissible over the Internet. 
     
     
         39 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 33 , wherein the content is stored in a standardized presentation format that is transmissible over the Internet. 
     
     
         40 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 33 , wherein the first associated content comprises content associated with a first facet, and wherein the second associated content comprises content of a second facet that differs from the first facet. 
     
     
         41 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 40 , wherein each of the first and second facets comprises one of a definition facet, an advertisement facet, and a map facet. 
     
     
         42 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 40 , wherein the method further comprises:
 (4) before (2), receiving first user input selecting a first one of the first facet and the second facet;   (5) before (2), receiving second user input selecting the first term; and   wherein (2) comprises rendering the first associated content in response to receiving the second user input.   
     
     
         43 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 33 , wherein the content further includes a second term, wherein the second term is associated with a second plurality of associated contents, wherein the second plurality of associated contents includes third associated content and fourth associated content;
 wherein the rendering of the at least part of the content includes a rendering of the second term; and   wherein the method further comprises:   (4) rendering the third associated content to create a rendering of the third associated content that does not obscure the rendering of the at least part of the content; and   (5) rendering the second associated content to create a rendering of the second associated content that does not obscure the rendering of the at least part of the content.   
     
     
         44 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 43 , wherein the first plurality of associated contents consists of a first number of associated contents, wherein the second plurality of associated contents consists of a second number of associated contents, and wherein the first number differs from the second number. 
     
     
         45 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 43 , wherein the first plurality of associated contents includes at least one content associated with a particular facet, and wherein the second plurality of associated contents does not include any content associated with the particular facet. 
     
     
         46 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 33 , wherein the method further comprises:
 (4) before (2), receiving user input selecting the first associated content without obscuring the rendering of the at least part of the content.   
     
     
         47 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 46 , wherein the method further comprises:
 (5) before (2), receiving user input selecting the second associated content without obscuring the rendering of the at least part of the content.   
     
     
         48 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 33 , wherein (2) comprises rendering the first associated content without opening a new window, and wherein (3) comprises rendering the second associated content without opening a new window. 
     
     
         49 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 33 , wherein (2) comprises rendering the first associated content without opening a new tab, and wherein (3) comprises rendering the second associated content without opening a new tab. 
     
     
         50 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 33 , wherein (2) comprises rendering the first associated content without re-rendering the at least part of the content, and wherein (3) comprises rendering the second associated content without re-rendering the at least part of the content. 
     
     
         51 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 33 :
 wherein (1) comprises rendering the at least part of the content to create the rendering of the at least part of the content in a first display area;   wherein (2) comprises rendering the first associated content to create the rendering of the first associated content in a second display area that does not overlap with the first display area.   
     
     
         52 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 50 :
 wherein (3) comprises rendering the second associated content to create the rendering of the second associated content in the second display area, whereby the rendering of the second associated content replaces the rendering of the first associated content.   
     
     
         53 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 50 :
 wherein (3) comprises rendering the second associated content to create the rendering of the second associated content in a third display area that does not overlap with the first display area or the second display area.   
     
     
         54 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 33 , wherein the method further comprises:
 (4) before (2), receiving user input selecting the first term; and   wherein (2) comprises rendering the first associated content in response to receiving the user input selecting the first term.   
     
     
         55 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 53 , wherein (4) comprises receiving user input representing a click on the rendering of the first term. 
     
     
         56 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 53 , wherein (4) comprises receiving user input representing a hover over the rendering of the first term. 
     
     
         57 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 33 , wherein (1) comprises rendering a first subset of the content, wherein the first subset comprises less than all of the content;
 wherein the method further comprises:   (4) receiving user input selecting a second subset of the content that differs from the first subset of the content, and wherein the second subset comprises less than all of the content;   (5) rendering the second subset of the content to create a rendering of the second subset of the content without vertically scrolling through the content.   
     
     
         58 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 56 , wherein (5) comprises replacing the rendering of the first subset of the content with the second subset of the content. 
     
     
         59 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 56 , wherein (5) comprises horizontally scrolling from the rendering of the first subset of the content to the rendering of the second subset of the content. 
     
     
         60 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 33 , wherein (1) comprises rendering the at least part of the primary content in a content display area, wherein the content display area is a subset of an application display area of an application executing on a computing device. 
     
     
         61 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 33 , wherein (1) comprises rendering the at least part of the primary content in a content display area, wherein the content display area is coextensive with an application display area of an application executing on a computing device. 
     
     
         62 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 33 , wherein (1) comprises rendering the at least part of the primary content in a subset of a physical display area of a computing device. 
     
     
         63 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 33 , wherein (1) comprises rendering the at least part of the primary content in a physical display area of a computing device. 
     
     
         64 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 33 , wherein (2) comprises:
 (2)(a) creating a new frame within the first existing display area; and   (2)(b) rendering the first associated content within the new frame.