GB2433335A

GB2433335A - Identification unit for identifying content of interest to a user

Info

Publication number: GB2433335A
Application number: GB0525783A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Carl Dean; Keith Edward Jones
Original assignee: SILKMOTH Ltd
Current assignee: SILKMOTH Ltd
Priority date: 2005-12-19
Filing date: 2005-12-19
Publication date: 2007-06-20
Also published as: GB0525783D0

Abstract

An identification unit (8) identifies pre-determined content on a first page, particularly a web page, on a display device 2 by a display unit 7. An address link of a second page is inserted adjacent to identified predetermined content. There is also a display unit including the identification unit, the display unit also including routing means to route he display unit to the location of the second page via a further location to display it. The identification unit is preferably incorporated into a toolbar. The second page is preferably located at the site of a merchant and the further location associated with a manager of a merchant scheme which may include a system whereby whereby publishers and/or managers are credited when purchases are made or links displayed.

Description

An Identification Unit The invention relates to an identification unit

for identifying content on a page and a display unit comprising an identification unit, the display unit for displaying pages of information on a display device.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an identification unit comprising identification means for identifying pre-determined content on a first page at a first location displayed on a display device by a display unit; and insertion means for inserting, adjacent to the identified pre-determined content, an address link of a second page on a second location related to the identified pre-determined content.

In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a display unit for displaying pages of information on a display device, the display unit comprising an identification unit comprising identification means for identifying pre-determined content on a first page at a first location displayed by the display unit and insertion means for inserting adjacent to the identified pre-determined content an address link of a second page on a second location related to the identified pre-determined content; selection means for selecting the inserted address link; and routing means for routing the display unit to the second location, when the inserted address link is selected, to cause the display unit to display the second page; whereby the inserted address link causes the routing means to route the display unit to the second location via a third location.

Typically, the identification unit could comprise part of a toolbar unit which integrates with the display unit. The toolbar unit may further comprise a search unit, a history unit to store inserted address links selected by the selection means and/or an address link to a fourth location.

In one example of the invention, the identification means identifies pre-determined content in existing address links and/or text associated with existing address links on the first page.

The display unit can display pages of information that are stored on a user's computer on which the display unit is installed or can display pages of information on another computer coupled to the computer on which the display unit is installed by a network such as the Internet.

Typically, the first, second and third locations are on first, second and third computers respectively connected by a network to the user's computer on which the display unit is installed. The network may be a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) or the Internet. It is possible that one or more of the first, second or third locations could be on different networks provided that the networks can communicate with each other. It is also possible that two or more of the first, second or third locations could be on the same computer.

In one example of the invention, the second location may correspond to a merchant and the third location may be associated with a manager of a merchant scheme.

Typically, a merchant scheme is managed by the manager and comprises a number of merchants linked to a number of publishers by the manager. The publishers each publish information about one or more of the merchants and provide address links to the respective second locations associated with the merchants. Preferably, the second location is a website associated with a merchant.

Preferably, routing of the routing means via the third location by selection of the inserted address link causes the manager to credit a publisher if a sale is subsequently made by the merchant as a result of the selection of the inserted address link.

Where the identification unit is incorporated into a toolbar unit and the toolbar unit includes a publisher address link to a fourth location, the fourth location may be associated with the publisher.

Typically, installation of the identification unit on a user's computer generates a unique installation identification code which is sent by the identification unit to the fourth location when the publisher address link is selected, and which is sent to the third location when an inserted address link is selected. This feature has the advantage of enabling a publisher to credit a user if the user makes a purchase from the merchant as a result of selecting an inserted address link.

Preferably, the fourth location may include an account unit which permits a user to review credits that they have received for purchases. In one example of the invention the credits may comprise credits to a third party, such as charity, as a result of purchases made by the user as a result of selection of an inserted address link.

An example of an identification unit in accordance with the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of a computer network incorporating the invention; Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram of a display unit incorporating an identification unit; and Figure 3 shows an example of a display generated by a display unit.

Figure 1 shows a schematic block diagram of a computer network incorporating the invention. The computer network includes a personal computer I which is coupled to a display device 2. The personal computer I is also connected to a network in the form of the Internet 3. The personal computer includes a display unit 7 which incorporates an identification unit 8.

The display unit 7 and identification unit 8 are shown in more detail in Figure 2.

Figure 2 shows a schematic block diagram of the display unit 7. The display unit 7 includes a toolbar unit 15 a selection means 16 and a routing means 17.

Incorporated into the toolbar unit 15 is the identification unit 8 which includes identification means 18 and insertion means 19. The toolbar unit 15 also includes a history unit 20, a search unit 21, a publisher address link unit 22 and a highlight unit 23.

The display unit 7 enables the personal computer I to display pages of information on the display device 2. The pages of information that are displayed can be located on the personal computer I or can be located on another computer coupled to the personal computer I by the Internet 3.

Also connected to the Internet 3 is a computer server 4 for managing a merchant scheme, a number of computer servers Si, 5 of merchants, merchant(1),..., merchant (n), affiliated with the merchant scheme. Typically each merchant server 5,. 5, includes a respective merchant website 101,..., ion. A computer server 6 associated with a publisher affiliated with the merchant scheme is also connected to the Internet 3. The publisher computer server 6 can include a publisher's website ii and an account unit 12.

In order to install the identification unit 8 on a display unit 7 on the personal computer I of a user, the user may install the identification unit 8 from a suitable memory source, such as a CD ROM or download it from the publisher's website Ii to the personal computer I and then install the identification unit 8 by running installation software to install the identification unit 8 on the display unit 7.

In the example described, the identification unit 8 is incorporated into the toolbar unit 15. However, it is possible that the identification unit 8 could be a stand alone feature that is not necessarily incorporated into the toolbar unit 15 or could be incorporated into another unit that can be installed in the display unit 7.

When the toolbar unit 15 is installed, the installation causes a unique identification code to be generated and associated with the identification unit 8.

After the toolbar unit 15 is installed in the display unit 7, a user of the personal computer I can then direct the display unit 7 to access a website that they wish to view on the display 2. For example, the website could be a search engine 14 on a computer server 13. A user may wish to search using the search engine 14, for example, for compact disks that are in charts of music.

Accordingly, a user of the personal computer I could enter the text "chart cds" into the search engine 14 and could receive the results of the search displayed on the display 2 by the display unit 7, as shown in Figure 3. Figure 3 also shows a toolbar 30 generated by the toolbar unit 15 and displayed by the display unit 7.

When the results page is loaded by the display unit 7 from the search engine 14 via the Internet 3, the identification means 18 in the identification unit 8 searches the page for content relating to any of the merchants, merchant(1) to merchant(n), of the merchant scheme. Where the identification means 18 identifies content, which may be either text or address links, relating to one of the merchants, merchant(1) to merchant(n), this causes the insertion means 19 to insert an address link 31 adjacent to the identified content. The inserted address link 31 can include an icon 38.

A user of the personal computer I then has the option of using the selection means 16 to select either an existing address link 32 or the corresponding inserted address link 31 to view the relevant merchant's website. If the user selects the inserted address link 31, this causes the routing means 17 to direct the display unit 7 to the same merchant website, for example merchant website 101, as if the user had clicked on the existing address link 32.

However, if the inserted address link 31 is selected the routing means routes the display unit to the merchant website 101 via the manager computer server 4 and the manager unit 9. If the user subsequently makes a purchase from the merchant website I O as a result of using the inserted address link 31, the merchant(1) credits the manager using a conventional known system. After the manager receives the credit from the merchant(1), the publisher is allocated a credit by the manager unit 9. Typically, the credit received by the publisher is less than the credit received by the manager. The publisher's credit is sent via the Internet 3 to the accounts unit 12 on the publisher's computer server 6.

Each of the inserted address links 31 include the unique installation identification code associated with the toolbar unit 15 installed in the display unit 7 of the personal computer I and also a publisher's identification code associated with the publisher's computer server 6. The publisher's identification code enables the manager to determine which publisher to credit and the installation identification code is also passed by the manager unit 9 to the accounts unit 12 with the credit and this enables the accounts unit 12 to apply an appropriate credit to an account associated with that installation identification code. The credit applied to the account associated with the installation identification code is typically less than the credit made by the manager unit 9 to the account unit 12 and the credit may be split into a credit that can be used by the user of the personal computer 1 and a credit that is applied to a third party, such as a charity. The credit that is applied to the user may be aggregated over a time interval and reimbursed to the user, for example, by cheque or by any other suitable money transfer means, such as by a credit to a bank account or credit card, or by issuing coupons which give discounts off further purchases. Typically, the credits for the third party are also aggregated over a time interval and given to the third party by cheque or any other suitable money transfer means.

As shown in Figure 3, the toolbar 30 generated for display on the display 2 by the display unit 7 includes a search box 33 and a search button 34 generated by the search unit 21, an account button 35 generated by the publisher address link unit which causes the routing means 17 to route the display unit 7 to the account associated with the installation identification code on the account unit 12. The toolbar 30 also displays a "My High Street" button which is generated by the history unit 20 and displays a list of the inserted address links that have been selected by the selection means 16. There is also an auto-highlight button 37 generated by the highlight unit 23. Switching the auto-highlight button off clears the inserted address links 31 from the displayed page. In addition, the toolbar 30 can display the credit in the account associated with the installation identification code which has been raised for the third party (or charity).

An advantage of the invention is that it enables a user of the personal computer I to be credited as a result of purchases made using the Internet 3 on merchants websites 10,. ,lO, and also enables a user of the personal computer I to raise money for charities as well by making purchases on merchants websites 101, ,10.

Claims

Claims 1. An identification unit comprising identification means for

identifying pre-determined content on a first page at a first location displayed on a display device by a display unit; and insertion means for inserting, adjacent to the identified pre-determined content, an address link of a second page on a second location related to the identified pre-determined content.

2. An identification unit according to claim I wherein the identification means identifies pre-determined content in existing address links and/or text associated with existing address links on the first page.

3. An identification unit according to claim I or claim 2 wherein the first and second locations are on first and second computers respectively connected by a network to a user's computer on which the identification unit is installed.

4. A display unit for displaying pages of information on a display device, the display unit comprising an identification unit according to any one of claims I to 3; selection means for selecting the inserted address link; * ** and routing means for routing the display unit to the second location, when the inserted address link is selected, to cause the S...

display unit to display the second page; whereby the inserted address link causes the routing means to route the display unit to the second location via a third location.

5. A display unit according to claim 4 wherein the identification unit comprises * part of a toolbar unit which integrates with the display unit.

6. A display unit according to claim 5 wherein the toolbar unit comprises a search unit, a history unit to store inserted address links selected by the selection means and/or an address link to a fourth location.

7. A display unit according to any one of claims 4 to 6 in which the identification means identifies pre-determined content in existing address links and/or text associated with existing address links on the first page.

8. A display unit according to any one of claims 4 to 7 wherein the display unit displays pages of information that are stored on a user's computer on which the display unit is installed.

9. A display unit according to any one of claims 4 to 7 wherein the display unit displays pages of information on another computer coupled to the computer on which the display unit is installed by a communications network.

10. A display unit according to any one of claims 4 to 9 wherein, the first, second and third locations are on first, second and third computers respectively connected by a communications network to a user's computer on which the display unit is installed.

11. A display unit according to claim 10 wherein the second location corresponds to a merchant and the third location is associated with a manager of a merchant scheme.

* ,* 12. A display unit according to any one of claims 4 to 11 wherein the identification unit is incorporated into a toolbar unit and the toolbar unit S...

includes a publisher address link to a fourth location. S. S * . S S *.

13. A display unit according to any one of claims 4 to 12 wherein installation of the identification unit on a user's computer generates a unique installation identification code which is sent by the identification unit to the fourth location when the publisher address link is selected, and which is sent to the third location when an inserted address link is selected.