Method and apparatus for collaborative remote link management using sharable online bookmarks

Claim 1

A method of sharing access operations including viewing and editing of at least one bookmark node with an associated access level for each of said access operations by at least two identified web users, comprising: retrieving a first of said bookmark nodes from a network server located remotely from said identified web users; outputting a first of said bookmark nodes to a first of said identified web users; outputting said first bookmark node to a second of said identified web users; allowing performance of a first of said access operations of said first of said bookmark nodes by said first of said identified web users whenever said associated access level of said first access operation allows said first identified web user to perform said first access operation upon said first bookmark node; allowing performance of said first access operation of said first of said bookmark nodes by said second of said identified web users whenever said associated access level of said first access operation allows said second identified web user to perform said first access operation upon said first bookmark node; barring performance of said first access operation of said first bookmark node by said first identified web user whenever said associated access level of said first access operation bars said first identified web user from performing said first access operation upon said first bookmark node; barring performance of said first access operation of said first bookmark node by said second identified web user whenever said associated access level of said first access operation bars said second identified web user from performing said first access operation upon said first bookmark node; recognizing selection of a locally stored bookmark by said first identified web user, wherein the locally stored bookmark is a call to the remote network server; identifying a web page being viewed by said first identified web user upon recognizing selection of said locally stored bookmark; calling said remote network server upon recognizing selection of said locally stored bookmark; and adding a link to said identified web page to said first bookmark node stored on said remote network server; wherein said first identified web user is not required to log on to the server when adding a link to the first bookmark node.

Claim 2

A method of sharing access operations including viewing and editing of at least one bookmark node with an associated access level for each of said access operations by at least two identified web users, comprising: retrieving a first of said bookmark nodes from a network server located remotely from said identified web users; outputting a first of said bookmark nodes to a first of said identified web users; outputting said first bookmark node to a second of said identified web users; allowing performance of a first of said access operations of said first of said bookmark nodes by said first of said identified web users whenever said associated access level of said first access operation allows said first identified web user to perform said first access operation upon said first bookmark node; allowing performance of said first access operation of said first of said bookmark nodes by said second of said identified web users whenever said associated access level of said first access operation allows said second identified web user to perform said first access operation upon said first bookmark node; barring performance of said first access operation of said first bookmark node by said first identified web user whenever said associated access level of said first access operation bars said first identified web user from performing said first access operation upon said first bookmark node; barring performance of said first access operation of said first bookmark node by said second identified web user whenever said associated access level of said first access operation bars said second identified web user from performing said first access operation upon said first bookmark node; recognizing selection of a locally stored bookmark by said first identified web user, wherein the locally stored bookmark is a call to the remote network server; identifying a web page being viewed by said first identified web user upon recognizing selection of said locally stored bookmark; calling said remote network server upon recognizing selection of said locally stored bookmark; and adding a link to said identified web page to said first bookmark node stored on said remote network server; wherein said first identified web user is not required to log on to the server when adding a link to the first bookmark node.

Claim 39

A method of sharing access operations including viewing and editing of at least one bookmark node with an associated access level for each of said access operations by at least two identified web users including steps of: retrieving a first of said bookmark nodes from a network server located remotely from said identified web users; outputting said first of said bookmark nodes to a first of said identified web users; outputting said first bookmark node to a second of said identified web users; allowing performance of a first of said access operations of said first of said bookmark nodes by said first of said identified web users whenever said associated access level of said first access operation allows said first identified web user to perform said first access operation upon said first bookmark node; allowing performance of said first access operation of said first of said bookmark nodes by said second of said identified web users whenever said associated access level of said first access operation allows said second identified web user to perform said first access operation upon said first bookmark node; barring performance of said first access operation of said first bookmark node by said first identified web user whenever said associated access level of said first access operation bars said first identified web user from performing said first access operation upon said first bookmark node; barring performance of said first access operation of said first bookmark node by said second identified web user whenever said associated access level of said first access operation bars said second identified web user from performing said first access operation upon said first bookmark node; allowing performance of a second of said access operations of said first of said bookmark nodes by said first of said identified web users whenever said associated access level of said second access operation allows said first identified web user to perform said second access operation upon said first bookmark node; allowing performance of said second access operation of said first of said bookmark nodes by said second of said identified web users whenever said associated access level of said second access operation allows said second identified web user to perform said second access operation upon said first bookmark node; barring performance of said second access operation of said first bookmark node by said first identified web user whenever said associated access level of said second access operation bars said first identified web user from performing said second access operation upon said first bookmark node; barring performance of said second access operation of said first bookmark node by said second identified web user whenever said associated access level of said second access operation bars said second identified web user from performing said second access operation upon said first bookmark node; wherein at least one of said access operations is for editing the bookmark node; recognizing selection of a locally stored bookmark by said first identified web user, wherein selection of said locally stored bookmark calls said remote network server; identifying a web page being viewed by said first identified web user upon recognizing said selection of said locally stored bookmark; adding a link to said identified web page to said first bookmark node stored on said remote network server; initiating a reporting mechanism installed locally; wherein said associated access level of said viewing operation by said first identified web user upon said first bookmark node allows said viewing operation by said first identified web user upon said first bookmark node whenever said associated editing access level of said editing operation by said first identified web user upon said first bookmark node allows performance of said editing operation upon said first bookmark node by said first identified web user; wherein each of said identified web users is further identified as a public user; wherein said first bookmark node access level of said first access operation may permit said public user to perform said access operation with said first bookmark node; wherein said first bookmark node is a bookmark folder; wherein said associated access level for each of said access operations by said identified web users of a first bookmark link contained in said first bookmark node folder has by default the same access levels for each of said access operations by said identified web users as for said first bookmark node folder; wherein said identified web users further contain an identified web user group including at least one of said identified web users wherein said associated access level for a first access operation of said first bookmark node is said identified group access level; wherein the associated access level for a first identified web user included in a first said identified web user group of said first bookmark node for each of said access operations is the same as the said first identified web user group access level; wherein said access operations further include adding a bookmark node with an associated access level by at least two identified web users; initializing a user account for an owner of said identified web user with a first bookmark folder on a server wherein said owner identified web user has editing access privileges and adding access privileges of said first bookmark folder on said server; providing a reporting mechanism for said owner identified web user to add a website address link as a bookmark link in said first bookmark folder on said server; running said reporting mechanism for said owner identified web user to add said website address link as said bookmark link in said first bookmark folder on said server; wherein said owner identified web user triggers said reporting mechanism while operating a web browser by calling said server to add said website address link as said bookmark link in said first bookmark folder on said server; wherein said providing of said reporting mechanism for said owner identified web user further includes downloading of a reporting program to a computer of said owner identified web user; installing of said reporting program on said owner identified web user computer; wherein triggering said reporting mechanism by said owner identified web user includes executing said reporting program on said owner identified web user computer which calls said server to add said web site address link in said first bookmark folder on said server; wherein said providing of said reporting mechanism for said owner identified web user further includes downloading of a plug-in to a web browser on a computer of said owner identified web user; installing of said plug-in to said web browser on said computer of said owner identified web user; wherein triggering said reporting mechanism by said owner identified web user includes running said plug-in from said web browser; wherein running said plug-in includes opening a history list of said web browser; extracting said website address link from said history list of said web browser; calling said server to add said website address link as a bookmark link in said first bookmark folder on said server; wherein said installing of said plug-in to said web browser on said computer of said owner identified web user includes adding a trigger bookmark to a local bookmark list of said web browser; wherein running said plug-in whenever said owner identified web user selects said trigger bookmark; wherein said installing of said plug-in to said web browser on said computer of said owner identified web user includes adding an icon on said owner identified web user computer; and wherein running said plug-in whenever said owner identified web user selects said icon.

Claim 40

A method of sharing access operations including viewing and editing of at least one bookmark node with an associated access level for each of said access operations by at least two identified web users including steps of: retrieving a first of said bookmark nodes from a network server located remotely from said identified web users; outputting said first of said bookmark nodes to a first of said identified web users; outputting said first bookmark node to a second of said identified web users; allowing performance of a first of said access operations of said first of said bookmark nodes by said first of said identified web users whenever said associated access level of said first access operation allows said first identified web user to perform said first access operation upon said first bookmark node; allowing performance of said first access operation of said first of said bookmark nodes by said second of said identified web users whenever said associated access level of said first access operation allows said second identified web user to perform said first access operation upon said first bookmark node; barring performance of said first access operation of said first bookmark node by said first identified web user whenever said associated access level of said first access operation bars said first identified web user from performing said first access operation upon said first bookmark node; barring performance of said first access operation of said first bookmark node by said second identified web user whenever said associated access level of said first access operation bars said second identified web user from performing said first access operation upon said first bookmark node; allowing performance of a second of said access operations of said first of said bookmark nodes by said first of said identified web users whenever said associated access level of said second access operation allows said first identified web user to perform said second access operation upon said first bookmark node; allowing performance of said second access operation of said first of said bookmark nodes by said second of said identified web users whenever said associated access level of said second access operation allows said second identified web user to perform said second access operation upon said first bookmark node; barring performance of said second access operation of said first bookmark node by said first identified web user whenever said associated access level of said second access operation bars said first identified web user from performing said second access operation upon said first bookmark node; barring performance of said second access operation of said first bookmark node by said second identified web user whenever said associated access level of said second access operation bars said second identified web user from performing said second access operation upon said first bookmark node; wherein at least one of said access operations is for editing the bookmark node; recognizing selection of a locally stored bookmark by said first identified web user, wherein selection of said locally stored bookmark calls said remote network server; identifying a web page being viewed by said first identified web user upon recognizing said selection of said locally stored bookmark; adding a link to said identified web page to said first bookmark node stored on said remote network server; initiating a reporting mechanism installed locally; wherein said associated access level of said viewing operation by said first identified web user upon said first bookmark node allows said viewing operation by said first identified web user upon said first bookmark node whenever said associated editing access level of said editing operation by said first identified web user upon said first bookmark node allows performance of said editing operation upon said first bookmark node by said first identified web user; wherein each of said identified web users is further identified as a public user; wherein said first bookmark node access level of said first access operation may permit said public user to perform said access operation with said first bookmark node; wherein said first bookmark node is a bookmark folder; wherein said associated access level for each of said access operations by said identified web users of a first bookmark link contained in said first bookmark node folder has by default the same access levels for each of said access operations by said identified web users as for said first bookmark node folder; wherein said identified web users further contain an identified web user group including at least one of said identified web users wherein said associated access level for a first access operation of said first bookmark node is said identified group access level; wherein the associated access level for a first identified web user included in a first said identified web user group of said first bookmark node for each of said access operations is the same as the said first identified web user group access level; wherein said access operations further include adding a bookmark node with an associated access level by at least two identified web users; initializing a user account for an owner of said identified web user with a first bookmark folder on a server wherein said owner identified web user has editing access privileges and adding access privileges of said first bookmark folder on said server; providing a reporting mechanism for said owner identified web user to add a website address link as a bookmark link in said first bookmark folder on said server; running said reporting mechanism for said owner identified web user to add said website address link as said bookmark link in said first bookmark folder on said server; wherein said owner identified web user triggers said reporting mechanism while operating a web browser by calling said server to add said website address link as said bookmark link in said first bookmark folder on said server; wherein said providing of said reporting mechanism for said owner identified web user further includes downloading of a reporting program to a computer of said owner identified web user; installing of said reporting program on said owner identified web user computer; wherein triggering said reporting mechanism by said owner identified web user includes executing said reporting program on said owner identified web user computer which calls said server to add said web site address link in said first bookmark folder on said server; wherein said providing of said reporting mechanism for said owner identified web user further includes downloading of a plug-in to a web browser on a computer of said owner identified web user; installing of said plug-in to said web browser on said computer of said owner identified web user; wherein triggering said reporting mechanism by said owner identified web user includes running said plug-in from said web browser; wherein running said plug-in includes opening a history list of said web browser; extracting said website address link from said history list of said web browser; calling said server to add said website address link as a bookmark link in said first bookmark folder on said server; wherein said installing of said plug-in to said web browser on said computer of said owner identified web user includes adding a trigger bookmark to a local bookmark list of said web browser; wherein running said plug-in whenever said owner identified web user selects said trigger bookmark; wherein said installing of said plug-in to said web browser on said computer of said owner identified web user includes adding an icon on said owner identified web user computer; and wherein running said plug-in whenever said owner identified web user selects said icon.