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  Method and apparatus for tagging dataUSPTO Application #: 20070124208Title: Method and apparatus for tagging data Abstract: A system is provided that permits the use of classification information that can be interpreted by a computer system. To this end, a system and method may be provided for creating classification information that may be interpreted by a computer system. Such classification information may be associated with content, and permit a computer system to process the content based on the classification information. In one example, classification information may be associated by a user, system, or process with a portion of content, and a computer system processes the content based on the classification information. For instance, the classification information may cause content to be processed in a particular way, presented to a user by a particular application program, cause the content to be forwarded to a particular user, or otherwise influence how the content is handled. (end of abstract) Agent: Lowrie, Lando & Anastasi - Cambridge, MA, US Inventors: Joshua Schachter, Albert Wenger USPTO Applicaton #: 20070124208 - Class: 705014000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Data Processing: Financial, Business Practice, Management, Or Cost/price Determination, Automated Electrical Financial Or Business Practice Or Management Arrangement, Distribution Or Redemption Of Coupon, Or Incentive Or Promotion Program The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070124208. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application entitled "SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SELECTING ADVERTISING" by J. Schachter, et al. filed Sep. 20, 2005, Ser. No. 11/231,337, and is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application entitled "SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SELECTING ADVERTISING IN A SOCIAL BOOKMARKING SYSTEM" by J. Schachter, et al. filed Nov. 14, 2005, Ser. No. 11/273,580, both of which applications are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The field of the invention relates generally to Internet technologies, and more specifically, to web-based classification of data. [0004] 2. Discussion of the Related Art [0005] There are a number of systems that permit a user to associate content with classification data. One form of classifying information includes what is referred to the art as a "tag." Tagging content is useful for many reasons. For instance, a user may construct their own organizational structures (e.g., tags, directories, folders, etc.) for organizing information. Such information may be, for example, file information in a file system, application data accessible in an application, or any other information that is suitable to be organized or classified. By organizing data, such data may more quickly located by users. [0006] Recently, systems have become commonplace for permitting users to share classification information. One such system includes what is referred to as a social bookmarking system. In such a system, multiple users associate classifications (e.g., "tag" information) with resources available in a distributed computing network. The classification information may be, for example, in the form of one or more "tags" associated with content such as that available through the Internet. These tags each may include a single-word keyword defined by a user to describe referenced content. [0007] Social bookmarking systems are typically used to organize references to content (e.g. URLs), and associate classification information with such references. Examples of such systems include the del.icio.us bookmarking system and Internet service, available at http://del.icio.us, the Spurl.net bookmarking system and service available at http://www.spurl.net, among others. In such systems, a user associates words or other classification information that have specific meaning to the user so that the user may more easily organize and retrieve such information in the future. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] It is appreciated that in conventional social bookmarking systems, classification information such as tags only has meaning for the user. According to one aspect of the present invention, it may be desirable to permit the use of classification information that can be interpreted by a computer system. To this end, a system and method may be provided for creating classification information that may be interpreted by a computer system. Such classification information may be associated with content, and permit a computer system to process the content based on the classification information. [0009] In one example, classification information may be associated by a user, system, or process with a portion of content, and a computer system processes the content based on the classification information. For instance, the classification information may cause content to be processed in a particular way, presented to a user by a particular application program, cause the content to be forwarded to a particular user, or otherwise influence how the content is handled. [0010] The classification information may be machine-generated or user generated. For instance, the classification information may be generated by an analysis of the content by a process executing on a computer system. In one specific example, a file may be analyzed to determine its data type, and in response, classification information may be generated and associated with the file. In the case where a user generates classification information, the user may associate classification information in a conventional way (e.g., within a social bookmarking application), however, the classification information may have a predetermined format that permits the classification information to be understood by a computer system. [0011] According to one embodiment of the invention, the classification information may be stored as part of the content in a memory of the computer system. In another embodiment, the classification information may be stored by a social bookmarking system. For instance, classification may be stored in one or more server-based systems and/or be distributed among one or more computers. [0012] According to one aspect of the present invention, the classification information may be used alone or in addition to any other classification information associated with the content. In one specific example, a computer process may generate classification information automatically, and associate such information with the content. The classification information may be machine-generated or user generated, or any combination thereof. [0013] As discussed, classification information may be in the form of one or more "tags." According to one aspect of the present invention, these tags may have a structured format to permit a computer system to interpret them. In one implementation, such tags may have more than one part. For instance, a multipart tag may be defined that includes information that specifies a parameter that may be interpreted by a computer, along with one or more values of that parameter. In one example, the parameter may indicate a location of the content (e.g., parameter equal to "location") and a value associated with that location (e.g., an address, longitude/latitude value, etc.). Further, such parameter type (e.g., a "location" type) may have one or more subtypes (e.g., a "latitude" subtype, a "longitude" subtype, etc.). Multipart tags contrast to conventional tags which generally include a single descriptive term (e.g., a keyword) used to describe or classify the referenced content. [0014] Such a tag format may be useful for permitting an application to perform functions based on the classification information. For instance, a tag that specifies a location of the content may be used by an application to determine how close the content (e.g., a restaurant listing or website) may be to a client computer's location. A web browser program or other application program type may be configured to inspect a value associated with the tag, and perform one or more actions based on the value. [0015] Further, such a tag format may be useful for encoding application-specific information. For instance, tag information may be used to drive a user interface for an application program. In one example implementation, tag information associated with a file may be used to determine how the file will be displayed to a user. In one example, the file may be a media file, and the tag may specify a media type of the file. The method by which the media type may be displayed in the interface may be determined based on the value of the tag. In this way, different media types may be analyzed and handled based on their tag data. [0016] According to one aspect of the present invention, it is appreciated that classification methods discussed herein may be used to permit data to be shared beyond application program boundaries. For instance, in the case of content tagged with date and/or time information. A collection of items tagged with date and time tags could be displayed by an application program in a calendar-like format in a user interface. Similarly, a program may provided a calendar to another program (e.g., via an Application Program Interface (API), RSS, or other interface in a calendar format (e.g., iCal format)). Thus, classification information may be used to standardize content format, allowing data to be shared across platforms, systems, and applications. [0017] According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for processing content in a distributed computer system is provided. The method comprises acts of collecting classification data in the distributed computer system, wherein at least one portion of the classification data includes a classification of content, and processing the content based on the classification of content. According to one embodiment of the invention, the method further comprises an act of generating, by a computer system, the classification of content. According to another embodiment, the method further comprises an act of generating, by a user, the classification of content. According to another embodiment, the act of processing further comprises an act of processing, by a computer system, the content based on the classification of content. According to another embodiment, the method further comprises an act of inspecting the classification of content and performing an action based on the classification. [0018] According to one embodiment of the invention, the action is performed responsive to a user entering the classification data into a social bookmarking system. According to another embodiment, the act of collecting classification data further comprises an act of collecting one or more tags. According to another embodiment, the act of collecting the classification data further comprising an act of determining a classification performed through a user action. According to another embodiment, the act of determining includes determining whether the user associated the content with a particular classification. According to another embodiment, one or more tags include one or more keywords that describe the content. [0019] According to one embodiment of the invention, the act of collecting the one or more tags further comprises an act of collecting the one or more tags by a collaborative computer system operated by the plurality of users. According to another embodiment, the act of collecting classification data is performed by a plurality of computer systems. According to another embodiment, the classification data is shared among a plurality of computer systems. According to another embodiment, the content is referenced by reference data, and wherein the act of collecting includes an act of associating the classification data with the reference data. According to another embodiment, the reference data includes a Uniform Resource Locator (URL). [0020] According to one embodiment of the invention, the classification data is shared among a plurality of application programs. According to another embodiment, the classification data is shared among a plurality of users. According to another embodiment, the classification data is shared among a plurality of computer systems. According to another embodiment, the method further comprises an act of storing the classification data in the distributed computer system. According to another embodiment, the classification data is shared among at least one of a plurality of computer systems, a plurality of users, and a plurality of programs. [0021] According to one embodiment of the invention, at least one of the one or more tags comprises a plurality of parameters. According to another embodiment, at least one parameter of the at least one tag indicates a tag type. According to another embodiment, at least one other parameter of the at least one tag indicates a tag subtype associated with the tag type. According to another embodiment, at least one other parameter of the at least one tag indicates a value associated with the tag type. According to another embodiment, the method further comprises an act of performing an action associated with the content based on the tag type. Continue reading... Full patent description for Method and apparatus for tagging data Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Method and apparatus for tagging data patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. 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