Method and system for augmenting web content

A method of augmenting data from a source data file with data from a reference database, the method comprising:

• augmenting the source data file at a first instance, comprising:
• retrieving the source data file including a structured datum from a first address,
• identifying the structured datum,
• locating a reference datum from the reference database according to the identified structured datum,
• generating an association of the reference datum to the structured datum,
• augmenting the source data file with the generated association to create an augmented data file, and
• storing the augmented data file at a second address for subsequent display of the augmented data file in response to a request for the source data file;
• transmitting the augmented data file to a computing device;
• receiving an identifier at a second instance from the computing device corresponding to a pointer being positioned over the structured datum in the computing device;
• responsive to receiving the identifier, transmitting to the computing device additional information from the reference database according to the generated association, the additional information being displayable as an overlay in an area proximate to the structured datum simultaneous to the pointer being positioned over the structured datum;
• and
• responsive to receiving the identifier, updating the reference database to track the number of times a pointer is positioned over the structured datum.

A method of augmenting structured data stored in a source data file with unstructured data stored in a reference database, comprising:

• augmenting the source data file at a first instance, comprising:
• reading a structured datum from the source data file,
• locating a reference datum in the reference database corresponding to the structured datum,
• generating an association of the reference datum to the structured datum, and
• augmenting the source data file with the generated association to create an augmented data file;
• transmitting the augmented data file to a computing device;
• receiving an identifier at a second instance from the computing device corresponding to a pointer being positioned over the structured datum in the computing device;
• responsive to receiving the identifier, transmitting to the computing device additional information from the reference database according to the generated association, the additional information being displayable in an area proximate to the structured datum simultaneous to the pointer being positioned over the structured datum;
• and
• responsive to receiving the identifier, updating the reference database to track the number of times a pointer is positioned over the structured datum.

A system for associating data in a reference database with structured data in a source data file, comprising:

• means for augmenting the source data file at a first instance, comprising:
• means for reading a structured datum from the source data file,
• means for locating a reference datum in the reference database corresponding to the structured datum,
• means for generating an association of the reference datum to the structured datum, and
• means for augmenting the source data file with the generated association to create an augmented data file;
• means for transmitting the augmented data file to a computing device;
• means for receiving an identifier at a second instance from the computing device corresponding to a pointer being positioned over the structured datum in the computing device;
• means for transmitting to the computing device additional information from the reference database according to the generated association responsive to receiving the identifier, the additional information being displayable in an area proximate to the structured datum simultaneous to the pointer being positioned over the structured datum;
• and
• means for updating the reference database to track the number of times a pointer is positioned over the structured datum responsive to receiving the identifier.

A computer software program stored on a computer-readable medium, the computer software program comprising:

• means for augmenting a source data file at a first instance, comprising:
• means for reading a structured datum from the source data file,
• means for locating a reference datum in a reference database corresponding to the structured datum,
• means for generating an association of the reference datum to the structured datum, and
• means for augmenting the source data file with the generated association to create an augmented data file;
• means for transmitting the augmented data file to a computing device;
• means for receiving an identifier at a second instance from the computing device corresponding to a pointer being positioned over the structured datum in the computing device;
• means for transmitting to the computing device additional information from the reference database according to the generated association responsive to receiving the identifier, the additional information being displayable in an area proximate to the structured datum simultaneous to the pointer being positioned over the structured datum;
• and
• means for updating the reference database to track the number of times a pointer is positioned over the structured datum responsive to receiving the identifier.

A software program stored on a computer-readable medium for augmenting data from a source data file with data from a reference database to generate an augmented data file, comprising:

• a reference database component configured to include a reference datum;
• a handler component configured to retrieve the source data file, the source data file including a structured datum;
• a locator component configured to locate the structured datum in the source data file;
• an analyzer component configured to associate the structured datum to the reference datum to create an association according to an analyzing strategy;
• and
• a generating component configured to embed the association of the structured datum to the reference datum in the source data file to generate the augmented data file at a first instance;
• and
• a communication component configured to transmit additional information, wherein:
• the communication component transmits the augmented data file to a computing device,
• receives an identifier at a second instance from the computing device corresponding to a pointer being positioned over the structured datum in the computing device,
• responsive to receiving the identifier, transmits to the computing device additional information from the reference database component according to the association, the additional information being displayable as an overlay in an area proximate to the structured datum simultaneous to the pointer being positioned over the structured datum, and
• responsive to receiving the identifier, updates the reference database to track the number of times a pointer is positioned over the structured datum.