WO2001003036A1 - Procede et systeme pour comparer, classer et choisir des element de donnees comprenant des pages web - Google Patents

Procede et systeme pour comparer, classer et choisir des element de donnees comprenant des pages web Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2001003036A1
WO2001003036A1 PCT/US2000/018116 US0018116W WO0103036A1 WO 2001003036 A1 WO2001003036 A1 WO 2001003036A1 US 0018116 W US0018116 W US 0018116W WO 0103036 A1 WO0103036 A1 WO 0103036A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
user
web
computer
rating
page
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2000/018116
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Robert C. Mcarthur
Edmund C. Payne
Original Assignee
Quickdog, Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Quickdog, Inc. filed Critical Quickdog, Inc.
Priority to AU59046/00A priority Critical patent/AU5904600A/en
Publication of WO2001003036A1 publication Critical patent/WO2001003036A1/fr

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L51/00—User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
    • H04L51/04—Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F16/00—Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
    • G06F16/90—Details of database functions independent of the retrieved data types
    • G06F16/95—Retrieval from the web
    • G06F16/955—Retrieval from the web using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
    • G06F16/9562—Bookmark management

Definitions

  • This invention pertains to the rating, categorization and selection of data items such as databases, web pages, and data structures.
  • Navigating the WWW requires a specialized software tool called a browser.
  • the browser can retrieve web pages from remote computers connected to the Internet and then present them in their intended graphic form to a computer user.
  • the act of viewing web pages their graphic form, especially in succession, has come to be known as browsing.
  • the search for information would be trivial if only a limited set of web pages contained the required content.
  • the problem is that many of the web pages available on the WWW provide analogous content. These web pages, even though the may contain the required information, may not have the most accurate rendition of the information. And even if the information is accurate, not all of these web pages may present the information in a comprehensible fashion. This means that a computer user may need to browse, in many cases, dozens or more web pages before finding useful and meaningful information.
  • web pages that offer particular products are normally presented by a smaller set of on-line merchants. Every electronic merchant, then, will publish a plurality of web pages.
  • the suite of web pages that one merchant publishes over the Internet is referred to as a site.
  • the web site can be viewed as an electronic store.
  • the electronic store can then offer a wide variety of products. Tracking the quality of web pages is somewhat dependant on the quality of the web site they belong to.
  • the tradional search engine does not event categorize web page by product, let alone correlate what web pages pertain to a given web site.
  • the consumer will first need to identify which web pages are offering to sell hiking boots. To do this, the consumer will then need to browse all of the web pages that the search engine identified. The consumer will then need to track the various web pages that are actually offering to sell hiking boots and then make notations regarding such attributes as the brand of the hiking boots and at what price the web page is offering to sell the boots. After browsing several, if not dozens of web pages, the consumer will need to return to the web page that offers the best hiking boot at the best price before actually buying the product.
  • the web pages that are of interest are those that are offering to sell hiking boots.
  • the process of ranking web pages is rather cumbersome, relying on a paper and pencil method to record the addresses of web pages and then note significant attributes.
  • significant attributes may include the brand and the price of the hiking boots.
  • the computer user After evaluating the web pages, the computer user will establish an overall relative rank for each web page based on the significant attributes. The consumer will then return to the web page that is perceived as being "#1" in the relative scale.
  • tracking the quality of the web pages that are offering hiking boots does not give any indication as to the quality and reputation of the on-line merchants presenting the pages.
  • the e-commerce merchant's reputation can be correlated to the web site the web page is connected to. More important than just the merchant's general reputation is the merchant's specific reputation as a hiking boot supplier.
  • the ranking method relies on a piece of paper with handwritten notes.
  • the computer user could actually use some of the features inherent in the web browser used to view web pages.
  • the computer user could record web page addresses using the browser's book-marking facility.
  • the book-marking capability alone does nothing to help the computer user record significant attributes for a web page or to record subjective ranking of the web pages.
  • the computer user would need to manually track the actual content of these web pages so that an intelligent selection can be made and the product ultimately purchased.
  • a final drawback to this method is that, after the computer user has finished with his e-commerce activity, the bookmarks remain in the browser. Most, if not all of these bookmarks are no longer of any interest to the computer user. They must be manually deleted in order to preclude the accumulation of stale bookmarks.
  • Electronic commerce is also handicapped by the fact that the computer user seeking to purchase products or services is normally found isolated from other potential consumers.
  • shoppers browse the aisles and compare the quality of similar products that the merchant is offering. As shoppers browse the aisles, they might actually chat with other shopper's in the store. This interaction can help the consumer evaluate the quality of the products available in the store.
  • Fellow shopper's can directly exchange their subjective opinions regarding these products, and can discuss the finer attributes of each product as it may relate to their particular needs or previous experiences. This concept has long been the norm in traditional shopping venues.
  • the Internet provides shoppers with the ability to virtually browse through a whole gamut of department stores and immediately compare the prices that those stores are offering to sell similar or identical products.
  • By adding an intelligent search and tracking mechanism consumers could quickly identify the quality of web pages.
  • By organizing web page references according to web site consumers could easily locate the electronic commerce merchants that are offering the same or similar products on the Intemet. All of these web pages can then be sorted by price, by merchant, or by other non-price factors.
  • the methods and apparatus described herein implement a novel and unique facility that provides for cross- web-site shopping and for the tracking of the quality and accuracy of products, web pages and web sites.
  • the present invention is a method and an apparatus that provides for tracking web pages and establishing relative rankings of those web pages. Pages are organized according to a product category and according to a web site affiliated with a merchant. This capability is augmented with an intelligent book-marking facility that enables computer users to book-mark web pages together with rating and categorization information.
  • the present invention provides facilities for communicating between on-line shoppers that have similar personal attributes and preferences.
  • the present invention creates user profiles that can be used to correlate various users that may desire to communicate regarding web sites. This invention includes a facility to communicate these user profiles to an on-line merchant so web pages can be tailored to meet the specific individual preferences of a plurality of users.
  • Fig. 1 is a block diagram that depicts a new shopping paradigm as it applies to one embodiment of the present invention
  • Fig. 2 is a block diagram that shows how the client and server components h the present invention are interconnected using a computer network;
  • Fig. 3 is a data flow diagram that illustrates the various data flows and processes that operate cooperatively to enable cross-site shopping
  • Fig. 4 is a pictorial diagram that illustrates the sequence of events that are undertaken to help a computer user create a shopping list according to the new shopping paradigm
  • Fig. 5 is a pictorial representation of the graphical user interface that is presented to the computer user by the list module;
  • Fig. 6 is a pictorial representation of the graphical user interface that is presented to the computer user by the list module after the computer user has selected a plurality of example product categories
  • Fig. 7 is a pictorial representation of the graphical user interface that is presented to the computer user by the list module when the computer user wants to view products available by web site;
  • Fig. 8 is a pictorial representation of the graphical user interface that is presented to the computer user by the list module when the computer user wants to view products available by product category;
  • Fig. 9 is a pictorial depiction of an alternative use of the comparison window under the SHOPPING CART tab
  • Fig. 10 is a pictorial diagram that illustrates the interaction between the browser companion and the browser necessary to recall web pages hosted on a merchant's server;
  • Fig. 11 is a pictorial view of the shopping cart GUI after a collection of products have been added to the shopping cart;
  • Fig. 12 is a pictorial view of a web page GUI that is customized by the merchant server in response to a composite web address;
  • Fig. 13 is a pictorial representation of the process of filling out an order form supplied as a web page by a merchant server;
  • Fig. 14 is a pictorial view of an exemplary order entry form returned by a merchant server
  • Fig. 15A is a pictorial view that depicts the configuration of the rating GUI used in cross-site rating
  • Fig. 15B is a pictorial representation of the intelligent book-marking GUI
  • Fig. 16 is a pictorial representation of the bookmark navigator GUI
  • Fig. 17 is a block diagram that pictorially depicts the establishment of instant messaging based communication amongst collaborative computer users
  • Fig. 18 is a pictorial representation of the collaborative shopping GUI; and Fig. 19 is a table that represents the structure of the product/brand rating database.
  • the cross-site comparative rating facility enables a computer user to search an established data base of items based on a user specified search criteria.
  • the computer user enters a search string into a data entry field.
  • the system will respond to the search by providing the computer user with a list of items that satisfy the search.
  • the user can enter a search string that describes a particular product or product category.
  • the system will then return a list of web pages that are offering that product for sale.
  • a typical search engine will return a list of references to any and all web pages that match a given search criteria.
  • the present invention returns references to only those web pages that are actually offering to sell a particular product. Where the prior art simply presented a list of web pages, the present invention augments the list of references with comparative ratings for the web pages.
  • the prior art did not organized web pages in any particular manner.
  • the present invention organizes the results of a search according to product category and/or by web sites where a web site is itself an organized collection of web pages. Intelligent Book-Marking
  • the intelligent book-marking facility provides a function similar to the cross- site comparative rating. Intelligent book-marking allows the computer user to rate individual single web pages during a normal browsing session. Distinguishing this facility from the prior art, the intelligent book-marking facility captures not only the web address of a web page, but it also stores a rating and a category for the web page. When the computer user needs to recall the book-marked web page, the bookmarks are organized by category and presented to the user with the previously stored rating value.
  • the present invention appends user profile information to the end of a URL address for a given web page.
  • This facility enables merchants to tailor a web page to meet specific preferences as defined in the profile that describes the computer user.
  • the system will forward information about the computer user to the server that is hosting the requested web page.
  • the collaborative shopping facility enables concurrent users of the system to communicate regarding the items selected.
  • the collaborative shopping facility relies on user profiles in order to match users that have similar profiles.
  • the collaborative shopping facility will automatically seek out all known users that correlate with the demographics of a given user.
  • the matching facility will identify those users that have similar shopping histories, purchasing histories, income levels, gender and the like. This list of user attributes is by no means exhaustive and includes other attributes that are not described here.
  • the first user can either engage in real-time chat or send a communique to other like users via e-mail.
  • the users can also track each others browsing session.
  • An electronic merchant can maintain a sales person on-line so that the merchant can participate in the collaborative shopping session as an advisor.
  • the basic foundation that supports customization of web pages and collaborative shopping is the creation and maintenance of user profiles.
  • User profiles include information that can identify the computer user and more generic demographic information.
  • the present invention maintains sensitive information about the computer user on the computer users own personal computer. This information is used only for shopper-merchant transactional purposes.
  • the demographic data about a computer user is developed from the more sensitive, personally identifiable data stored on the user's computer. The demographic data, though, is developed in a fashion that precludes identification of the user.
  • the demographic data is used to customize web pages and is also shared through a global database used to correlate computer users engaging in collaborative shopping.
  • the current embodiment of the system has a United States Trademark name "QuickDog".
  • the QuickDog system defines a paradigm for electronic commerce that provides for cross-site shopping coupled with multi-user communications.
  • the other facilities described herein are also embodied in the QuickDog system.
  • Fig. 1 depicts the shopping paradigm as it applies to the QuickDog embodiment of the present invention.
  • the first element of the shopping paradigm involves making a shopping list 10. While involved in this element of the paradigm, the user is defining search criteria essential to subsequent elements of the paradigm.
  • the QuickDog, or cross-site comparison server 20 is consulted for a listing of web pages that comply with the search criteria.
  • the cross-site comparison server 20 provides a list of web pages that are offering to sell a particular product specified by the computer user. Note that the database integral to the cross-site comparison server includes only web sites and their subordinate web pages that are actually offering to sell a particular product or service.
  • the computer user can enter either one or both of two other paradigm elements. These elements are: the chat function 25; and the browse function 30.
  • the shopping paradigm's chat function relies on the QuickDog user profile database 35.
  • the user profile database 35 provides a means to correlate interest factors among all of the users. This process results in a list of other users that are most like the first user based on their profiles. If users choose to do so, they can enter into the browsing function 30 of the shopping paradigm. In the browsing function, the user is provided with the ability to view the web pages that are of most interest.
  • the user can then rate the web page and the product it is offering.
  • This is referred to as the rating element 40 of the shopping paradigm.
  • Aggregate ratings for products reflecting an average opinion of all system users can be obtained from a product database integral to the cross- site comparison server 20.
  • Advice from other users, solicited in the chat element of the paradigm can be used in conjunction with the aggregate ratings to form a personal rating.
  • the personal rating for a product is stored on the computer user's personal computer and is also incorporated into the aggregate rating maintained by the cross-site comparison server 20.
  • the shopping paradigm concludes with an opportunity to actually buy a particular product. This is called the buy element 45 of the shopping paradigm.
  • the system embodied here is comprised of computer hardware and software components interacting in a client-server architecture.
  • the hardware elements necessary at the client side are typically comprised of a computer with a facility to interface to a computer network.
  • the computer at the client side is normally a personal computer with a display screen and some means to connect to the Internet.
  • the server is nominally comprised of a suite of highspeed computers with sufficient disk storage capacity to store both a product/brand database and a user profile database.
  • Fig. 2 is a diagram that shows how the client and server components in the system are interconnected using a computer network.
  • the cross-site comparison server 65 is normally located remotely from any and all given users of the system.
  • the client elements of the system are a web browser 60 and a browser companion 55.
  • the browser companion can be replaced with a plug-in utility for the browser.
  • Both the browser companion 55 and the alternative plug-in perform analogous functions differing only in the communication mechanism employed to communicate with the browser 60.
  • Fig. 2 shows that the cross-site comparison server 65 is interfaced to a computer network 50. This can be any generic network, but in the electronic commerce context this network is the Internet.
  • the browser companion 55 establishes a communication channel with the browser 60. Both the browser
  • the browser 60 and the browser companion 55 establish independent communication channels with the cross-site comparison server 65 and with each other. Once a computer user is ready to purchase merchandise over the Intemet, the browser 60 is used to interact with the appropriate merchant server 250. The browser 60 is used to view web pages describing products or services and then to actually place the order.
  • Fig. 3 presents the various data flows and processes that operate cooperatively to enable cross-site shopping.
  • the browser companion 55 is the point of entry for cross-site shopping.
  • the user When the computer user desires to use the cross-site shopping services offered by the present invention, the user must call up the browser companion 55 while the browser 60 is active.
  • Fig. 4 demonstrates the sequence of events that are undertaken to help a computer user create a shopping list according to the new shopping paradigm.
  • the browser companion 55 invokes a software module called "list" 70.
  • the list module 70 interacts with the computer user 75 so as to facilitate the creation of a list of products that the computer user may want to buy.
  • the physical user screen 80 that the computer user 75 actually sees has two separate windows; the normal browser 60 and the browser companion 55.
  • the browser companion 55 sends the shopping list, augmented with user profile data, (Ref. No. 62) to the cross-site comparison server 65.
  • the cross- site comparison server 65 responds to the browser companion 55 with a list of web page references 64 that are called uniform resource locator (URLs).
  • Fig. 3 illustrates the detailed mechanics of this process.
  • the browser companion 55 starts the list module 70.
  • the list module 70 forms a query that is based on the computer user's shopping list and
  • the list module 70 then consults a local product database 330 for web page references conforming to the user's query.
  • the list module returns the web addresses to the buy module 320.
  • the list module 70 then creates a cross-site session 200 on the cross-site comparison server 65.
  • the list module 70 interacts with the cross-site session 70 over the Internet.
  • the cross-site session then obtains additional web address from the global products/brands database 210 and returns it to the list module 70.
  • the selection of web addresses from the global products/brands database 210 is made based on the computer user's demographics and the product query.
  • the list module 70 will then return these additional web addresses to the buy module and will also save the web address in the local product/brand database 330 as a local cache.
  • the browser companion 55 creates a query to retrieve the computer user 75 profile data. This query is submitted to a rating module 310.
  • the rating module is a software element that will be described later. For the purposes of the immediate discussion, it is sufficient to indicate that the rating module 310 manages the local user profile database 300.
  • the rating module 310 retrieves the user profile information from the local user profile database 300 and returns it to the browser companion 55.
  • Fig. 5 depicts the graphical user interlace (GUI) that is presented to the computer user by the list module 70.
  • This GUI is called the list maker GUI 82 and includes a shopping list window 80.
  • the shopping list window 80 provides an essentially real-time enumeration of the types of products that the computer user 75 may want to purchase in a comparative browsing session.
  • the computer user 75 can add items to the shopping list displayed in shopping list window 80 by selecting a category from the category window 95 and then using the ADD command button 90.
  • the computer user 75 can extend the viewable area for both the shopping list window 80 and the product category window 95 by using the scroll buttons 100 and slider integral to each of these windows.
  • the computer user 75 can search for a particular product name, perhaps b y brand or function, by typing a search string into the product-name data entry field 120 of the graphical interface. If the computer user 75 wants to directly add a product category to the shopping list window 80, then the computer user 75 can enter a search string into the Category QuickFind data entry field 125 of the graphical interface. Both of these methods will return a list of standard product categories that the cross-site comparison server 65 has on file and allows the computer user 75 to select one of the standard product categories and add it to the list using the ADD command button 90.
  • Fig. 6 shows the list maker GUI 82 after the computer user 75 has selected a few product categories that the computer user wants to comparison-shop.
  • the computer user 75 has so far indicated that sunglasses, shorts, shirts and tops, climbing equipment, VCRs and Stereos are on the shopping list.
  • the computer user 75 can delete items from this list by using the EDIT LIST command button 85.
  • the list of product categories presented in the figure is only illustrative of possible choices.
  • the product database in the current system has over four million products organized into a plurality categories.
  • the computer user 75 can add additional items to the shopping list shown in the shopping list window 80.
  • the product category window of this graphical interface provides a hierarchical categorization of product types.
  • the user can select a broad category indicated by a right arrow block 105 ( _ ).
  • the list module 70 expands the broad category by first changing the right arrow block to a down arrow block 110 ( _ ) and then presenting subordinate categories with an indentation 1 15. Note that subordinate product categories can in fact have other expandable categories nested within them.
  • Fig. 6 also shows that the list maker GUI 82 has three subordinate screens that are accessible using a tab mechanism. The user can select one of three tabs. The first is the EDIT SHOPPING LIST tab 120. The second tab is the COMPARE/BUY tab 125. The third and final tab is the SHOPPING CART tab 130.
  • the computer user 75 selects the EDIT SHOPPING LIST tab 120 to prepare a shopping list of items that will be purchased. After the computer user 75 has finished creating the shopping list, the COMPARE/BUY tab 125 is selected. When the COMPARE/BUY tab 125 is selected by the computer user 75, then the browser companion 55 sends a query to the cross-site comparison server 65. This query request web page addresses and ratings organized by site and product category.
  • Fig. 4 further shows the purpose of the query initiated by the browser companion 55.
  • the browser companion 55 sends a list of the products in the shopping list together with profile demographic data that describes the computer user 75.
  • the cross-site comparison server 65 uses the product categories and the profile data that describes the computer user 75 to select a plurality of web sites available on the WWW that actually are offering products for sale that are commensurate with the selected product categories.
  • Fig. 3 provides additional detail as to how the cross-site comparison server 65 retrieves data in response to queries from the browser companion 55.
  • the browser companion 55 initiates the list maker module 70.
  • This transaction begins a user session 200.
  • the user session 200 consults a product/brand database 210.
  • the product brand database is keyed on the various product categories that the computer user 75 can select from. This is quite analogous to shopping in a brick-n-mortar department store. In the traditional retail store, a shopper can hone in on product categories by aisle.
  • the product/brand database 210 contains a plurality of entries for different discrete products under each category. Each entry in the product/brand database 210 includes a web site address and other attributes such as price and ratings for the site and for the product.
  • Fig. 7 shows the GUI that is subordinate to the make list GUI 82 and that is presented to the computer user 75 after the COMPARE/BUY tab 125 is selected. An enumeration of either web sites that are offering to sell a particular type of item or a list of items is presented in a comparison window
  • the comparison window 135 has scroll bars 140 and scroll buttons 145 that allow the computer user to expand the field of view for that window.
  • the browser companion 55 uses the selection of the item/sites radio control 150 of this GUI to determine if the computer user 75 wants to explore b y item or by web site. If the computer user wants to explore by items, then the computer user 75 must select the ITEMS radio button in the ITEMS/SITES radio control 150. If the computer user wants to explore b y web sites, then the computer user 75 must select the SITES radio button in the ITEMS/SITES radio control 150.
  • the item/site drop-down list 130 of this GUI is a selection list of items or web sites, depending on the state of the ITEMS/SITES radio control 150.
  • the drop down list is populated with the items found in the shopping list formed by the computer user 75 when the EDIT SHOPPING LIST tab 120 is selected.
  • the drop down list is populated with a list of web sites that are offering the types of items identified in the shopping list formed by the computer user 75.
  • This GUI presents the computer user 75 with either an enumeration of items that can be purchased or the web sites that are offering items for sale.
  • the computer user 75 can also select what type of attribute data is presented the comparison window 135.
  • the user can select one of three attributes; the price of the product; the computer user's personal rating; or an aggregate rating for the item which is a statistical representation of a plurality of computer users that have previously rated the item.
  • this selection is made by means of selecting one of three radio buttons in an ATTRIBUTE radio button control 160.
  • Fig. 7 presents an example of a list of web sites that offer a particular item.
  • the computer user 75 has selected the SITES radio button in the ITEMS/SITES radio control 150.
  • the comparison window presents an enumeration of all web sites that, as in this example, are offering video cassette recorders (VCRs).
  • VCRs video cassette recorders
  • the cross-site comparison server 65 has returned a list of a plurality of web sites that are offering VCRs. Each site is listed together with a specific VCR type by brand and model.
  • the computer user has also opted to view the price of each product offered b y the various web sites by selecting the PRICE radio button from the ATTRIBUTE radio button control 160.
  • the price column in the comparison window 135 would have been replaced with either the computer users' personal rating or a statistical representative sample of all computer users that have previously rated the item or web site, respectively.
  • Fig. 8 presents an example of a list of items offered by a particular web site.
  • the computer user 75 has selected the SITES radio control h the ITEMS/SITES radio control 150.
  • the contents of the comparison window 135 presents all of the products in the product categories selected by the computer user 75 that are offered by the crutchfield web site. Note that the crutchfield web site has been selected by the computer user 75 using the item/site list element 130 of the make list GUI 82.
  • the computer user can view all of the products available for purchase on the WWW.
  • the computer user can instruct the system to present the product by category (item type) or b y web sites that are offering products of that type.
  • the computer user can then review the ratings for each product.
  • the rating field either the computer users' personal rating or the aggregate rating, represents the rating for the web site.
  • the rating field either the computer users' personal rating or the aggregate rating, represents the rating for the product.
  • Fig. 8 shows that the make list GUI 82 includes an ADD-TO-CART command button.
  • This is a cross-site cart in which the computer user can place products from multiple sites.
  • the computer user 75 decides on what product to purchase, as illustrated by selection of a Sony (reference no. 220)
  • the computer user can add that product to a cross-site shopping cart b y actuating the ADD-TO-CART command button.152.
  • additional details regarding the product including perhaps additional descriptions, warranty provisions and special pricing, are presented to the computer user in the detail window154.
  • the detail window 154 is immediately adjacent to the comparison window on the COMPARE/BUY GUI subordinate to the make list GUI 82.
  • comparison window 135 depicts the alternative use of the comparison window 135 when the computer user selects the SHOPPING CART tab 130.
  • the comparison windows 135 presents an enumeration of the products that the computer user 75 has added to a shopping cart. The contents of the shopping cart can then be purchased from the merchant by either actuating the GO-TO-PAGE command button 230 or the FILL-FORM command button 240.
  • the system will interact with the browser 60 to call up the web page from a merchant server accessible over the Internet.
  • the computer user 75 actuates the FILL-FORM command button 240, the system automatically calls up the order form web page that is hosted on the merchants server and passes the computer users identification data to the server.
  • Fig. 10 is a pictorial diagram that illustrates the interaction between the browser companion 55, the browser 60 and the merchant server that occurs when the computer user 75 wants to view the web page that presents a particular product and is hosted on the merchants server.
  • the browser companion 55 would be in a state where the computer user 75 is being presented the list maker GUI 82.
  • This GUI has three tabs that can be used by the computer user 75 to call up one of three subordinate GUIs.
  • the GUIs subordinate to the list maker GUI 82 include a GO-TO-PAGE command button 230 (Fig. 9).
  • Fig. 8 illustrates the scenario where the computer user selects a particular product that has been added to the shopping cart.
  • the products presented are for illustration purposes only and that the current embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of products in the product/brand database 210.
  • the computer user 75 has selected a product called a long-sleeve plaid heavyweight oxford shirt.
  • the browser companion 55 will use the web address for the product web page that has been selected by the computer user 75 as the basis of a composite web address.
  • the selected product is highlighted in some fashion, such as inverse text (Fig. 11 , Ref.
  • the browser companion 55 will retrieve profile data for the computer user from the user profile database 300.
  • the profile information is descriptive of the computer users 75 preferences, buying history and the like.
  • the browser companion 55 concatenates the primitive web address and the user profile information to create a composite web address.
  • the composite web address 340 is comprised of the primitive web (URL) address of the page appended with a profile tag.
  • the browser companion 55 forwards the composite web address 340 to the browser 60.
  • the browser 60 in turn, will forward the composite web address 340 to the merchant server 250.
  • Fig. 10 illustrates how one aspect of the present invention is distinguished over the prior art scheme of responding to web page requests.
  • the merchant server 250 would only have the primitive web (URL) address for a product web page.
  • some merchant servers would store information about the actions a computer user may have taken while connected to the server.
  • the data element that the merchant server would write on the user's computer is called a cookie.
  • the previous art could then modify web pages on past user history, but that history was limited to the one web site.
  • the cross-site comparison server 65 accumulates user behavior such as, but not limited to shopping history and user preferences that are of global scope. The user profile transcends any one site and provides information about all of the user's interactions with all web sites.
  • the user profile data is communicated to the merchant server 250 in the form of a composite web address 340.
  • the merchant server will then use the computer user profile tag as a basis for tailoring a web page in deference to the user's preferences. This means that the merchant server can provide customized content for each electronic commerce shopper 350 regardless of weather the merchant knows of that shopper.
  • the substance of the user profile data composite web address can be tailored to meet specific requirements for each product web page. For instance, a particular product web page may not need for a shirt may only want to respond to a preference of color or size.
  • Fig. 12 depicts only one type of customization that can be achieved by the merchant server 250 in response to a composite web address 340.
  • the user profile information that was submitted to the merchant server 250 indicated that the computer user 75 wears a regular size shirt and likes neutral colors.
  • the merchant server can then prepare a custom web page that includes pre-selected size 360 and pre-selected color 370 attributes. This gives the web page a personal touch that the computer user will certainly appreciate and will give the merchant the ability to provide greater customer service.
  • Fig. 13 is a pictorial representation of the process of filling out an order form supplied as a web page by a merchant server.
  • the browser companion identifies a form to fill, or the computer user actuates the FILL-
  • FORM command button 240 as shown in Fig. 9, the system will automatically fill out a form on a web page, for example the order form supplied by a merchant server for a given product.
  • Fig. 13 illustrates the how a specialized object, called a wallet 380, is used to assist the computer user 75 in making a purchase.
  • the wallet module 380 is instantiated by the browser companion 55 in response to the computer users 75 actuation of the FILL-FORM command button 240.
  • Fig. 3 depicts a process that the wallet module 380 uses to access information about order entry pages supplied by merchant servers.
  • the wallet module 380 creates a query that is forwarded to the buy module 320.
  • the purpose of this query is to retrieve a template that reflects the structure of a given order entry page.
  • the query also requires the retrieval of the web address for a given order entry form.
  • the buy module 320 forwards the request to the list module 70.
  • the list module 70 then consults a local product/brand database 330. If the information for the order entry page for the selected product page is found in the local product database 330, then the list module returns an order entry form template to the buy module 320. In the event that the order entry form template and web page address can not be found in the local product/brand database 330, then the list module 70 creates a cross-site session 200 on the cross-site comparison server. The list module 70 interacts with the cross-site session 70 over the Internet. A collection of templates, along with associated web page addresses is stored in the global product/brand database 210.
  • the cross-site session then obtains the appropriate template from the global products/brands database 210 and returns it to the list module 70.
  • the list module will then return the template to the buy module 320 and will also save the template in the local product/brand database 330 as a local cache.
  • the buy module 320 will then return the template for the order entry form and the web page address for that form to the wallet module 380.
  • the wallet module 380 Given that the wallet module 380 has obtained the template for a web page address for a given product, the wallet module will forward the template to the browser companion 55. The web browser 60 will then retrieve the web page from a merchant server 250 that comprises the order entry form for a product. The wallet module then uses the built-in facilities of the browser, typically including a secure socket layer, to communicate with the merchant server for purposes of completing the transaction. In the event that a template is not found, heuristics in the browser companion 55 or cross-site comparison server 65 are applied to the form to automatically fill it it using information from the user's personal profile.
  • Fig. 14 presents an example of an order entry form returned by the merchant server 250.
  • the wallet module 380 will detect the complete loading of the order entry page by the browser 60. Upon the complete loading, the wallet module 380 will use the order entry template as a guide for filling in various data entry fields on the order entry form.
  • the wallet module is privy to private information for the computer user 75.
  • This type of information includes the computer user's 75 full legal name, address, phone number, e-mail address, and credit-card number.
  • Fig. 13 further illustrates that the wallet module 380 provides a record of the purchase transaction back to the browser companion 55.
  • the browser companion stores the transaction record into the personal profile database
  • Cross-Site Rating System A distinguishing feature of the rating system embodied in the present invention is the capability to rate products not only according to the product, but also by the web site that is offering the product and by product category.
  • a web site is comprised of a collection of web pages that are somehow affiliated.
  • a web site would be taken to mean the collection of web pages published by one merchant. This is analogous to a brick-n-mortar store that has many products on their shelves.
  • a product category such as VCRs or men's shirts as an example, would be much like a department in a department store.
  • the rating system enables all users of the system to score not only the product, but the quality of the web site offering the product and the quality of the product category. This provides a computer user with insight as far as how certain merchants have performed in the past. One merchant may not be able to ship VCRs in a timely manner, while the same merchant may be a great place to buy men's shirts.
  • the rating system utilized in the present invention is actually two distinct rating mechanisms.
  • the first rating mechanism is a personal rating system.
  • the personal rating system provide a computer user with the ability to rate specific products based on the web page and/or web site that is presenting the product.
  • the personal ratings that a computer user makes are stored on the computer user's personal computer.
  • the second rating mechanism collects personal ratings for products according to the web site and web page from all of the users that are registered with the cross-site comparison server.
  • the cross-site comparison server uses all of the ratings collected from the personal computers belonging to individual users and creates an aggregate rating.
  • Fig. 1 1 depicts a collection of products that have been added to the computer user's shopping cart. The products are organized according to product category and then by web site.
  • the browser companion 55 presents a rating GUI to the computer user.
  • Fig. 15A depicts the configuration of the rating GUI 545.
  • the rating GUI 545 includes a plurality of rating grades.
  • the grade levels are No Stars (510), one star (515), two stars (520), three stars, (525), four stars (530) and five stars (535).
  • the computer user can actuate any one of these command buttons. By doing so, the rating GUI 545 is closed and the rating level corresponding to the command button that was actuated is assigned to the product for that given web site and category.
  • the resulting triplet, product; category; web-site is then stored in a local product/brand database 330 on the computer user's own personal computer. A copy of this rating is then communicated to the cross-site comparison server 65 where it is stored in the global product/brand database 210.
  • the computer user 75 can select the comment entry command button 530.
  • text commentary can be typed into the comment field 531 of the rating GUI 545.
  • These comments are only stored locally in the computer user's product/brand database 330.
  • the computer user can add the product to the shopping cart by actuating the shopping cart control button 535.
  • Yet another unique feature of the present rating system is the capability to parse web pages during the rating process and extract product attributes therefrom.
  • One specific attribute that is extracted from web pages during this parsing process is the brand name and model of the product. This information is then included in the rating tables integral to the product/brand databases, both local and global.
  • the parsing process relies on a simple lexical analyzer and token table. B y searching for specific tokens, including, among others, "$" for price syntax and "Model” for model number, these attributes are readily extracted. Brand names are recognized by brand specific tokens stored in the token table.
  • the product rating for that web site and product category can be automatically set to a top rating. In the current embodiment; five stars.
  • the present invention provides a facility that allows a computer user to create bookmarks for web pages even though that user is not engaged in cross-site comparative shopping. Whenever the computer user is browsing web pages, the computer user can hit a hot-key on the computer keyboard. By striking the hot-key, the browser companion 55 will present a web-page rating window 540.
  • Fig. 15B depicts the web-page rating window 540 presented to the computer user 75.
  • Intelligent book-marking as embodied in the present invention, organizes all bookmarks according to a category.
  • the purpose of the web-page rating window 540 is to accept a categorization from the computer user 75.
  • the web-page rating window 540 includes an enumeration of product categories. These product categories are comprised of either standard categories defined in a product/brand database 210 on the cross-site comparison server 65 or they can be custom categories that are defined in the computer user's 75 local product/brand data base 330. Note that custom categories are not confined to products, but can include other forms of genera like "National Treasures" or "Eateries" for example.
  • the browser companion 55 presents the rating window 545 to the computer user 75.
  • the computer user 75 then can enter comments about the web page in the comment field 531 by first actuating the comment command button 530.
  • the shopping cart command button 535 is deactivated, i.e. grayed out.
  • the user can finally select a subjective rating for the web page using one of the rating-level command buttons (reference nos. 510, 515, 520, 525, 530, and 535).
  • the bookmark comprising the web address of the web page, the user indicated category and the user indicated rating level, is then stored in the computer user's personal products/brands database 330.
  • the computer user 75 strikes a different hot-key on the computer keyboard.
  • the bookmark retrieval hot-key causes the browser companion 55 to present a bookmark navigator GUI.
  • Fig. 16 presents the configuration of the bookmark navigator GUI.
  • This GUI presents all bookmarks entered by the computer user 75 on previous occasions and stored in the computer user's personal products/brands database 330.
  • the bookmarks comprise hyperlinks to the web pages referenced by the bookmarks.
  • the bookmarks themselves, are enumerated according to category and then presented according to rating level. That is, the bookmarks with the highest rating level appear first in the list.
  • One key feature of the shopping experience provided by the present invention is the ability for several computer users to shop in a collaborative fashion. In order to ensure that this feature is beneficial, some selection means must be provided to ensure that the computer users that engage h collaborative shopping are of like character. To enable this feature, the present invention relies on user profiles databases.
  • certain information about the user is collected the first time the system is used. This type of information will include the computer user's name, age, sex, phone number, address, and credit-card number. These personal attributes are collected b y the browser companion 55 and stored in the local user profile database 300 (Fig. 3).
  • the wallet module 380 will record purchase transactions in the local user profile database 300.
  • One aspect of the present invention that enables the selection of like users from a common pool is the capability to maintain detailed demographics for each computer user on their own respective computers and then provide only demographically significant profile data to central server. This means that certain information about the computer user is never communicated to the cross-site comparison server 65.
  • the information that is not conveyed to the cross-site comparison server 65 consists of primarily of personally identifying details. These details include, but are not limited to computer user's name, phone number, address, and credit-card number.
  • the browser companion 55 will retrieve the demographically significant aspects for the computer user from the local user profile database 300 (Fig. 3). After having retrieved the demographic data, which may include the computer user's gender, income level, residence zip code, shopping histories, purchasing histories, and the like, the browser companion 55 will calculate a demographic score for the computer user.
  • This demographic score is comprised of a plurality of eigenvectors representative of various aspects of the demographic profile. For instance, one eigenvector may represent that computer users propensity to purchase large durable goods over the Internet, while another eigenvector may indicate if the computer user has an affinity for motor sports. All of these various eigenvectors are then communicated to the cross-site comparison server 65. Fig.
  • the primary process in the cross-site comparison server 65 is the session 200. Every instantiation of the session process 200 receives eigenvectors from a user computer via the Intemet. When the session process 200 receives a suite of eigenvectors from a users computer, that suite of eigenvectors is stored in a database of user demographic profiles
  • the shopper finder module 360 manages the demographic profile database.
  • the demographic profiles for a plurality of users stored in the database 350 as eigenvectors are the key enablers of collaborative shopping.
  • Collaborative shopping is a means that enables computer users around the globe to browse web sites together. Most exciting about this facility is the fact that when a computer user requests a collaborative browsing session, only those users with consistent eigenvector profiles are selected to participate in the collaboration.
  • Fig. 5 shows that the list maker GUI 82 has a command button called E-MAIL FRIEND 370.
  • This command button is available in every one of list maker GUI 82 subordinate GUIs.
  • the list maker GUI 82 expands to include a shopping companion window.
  • the browser companion 55 spawns off a communication process that opens a channel to the cross-site comparison server 65.
  • Fig. 17 depicts the initiation of the communication process by the browser companion 55 when the computer user 75 actuates the E-MAIL FRIEND 370 command button.
  • the browser companion 55 sends a request for chat 380 to the cross-site comparison server 65.
  • the cross-site comparison server 65 responds by identifying a plurality of users whose eigenvector values are substantially similar. The resultant list of users is then communicated to an instant messaging server 390.
  • the instant messaging server 390 attempts to contact other computer users that are connected to the Intemet.
  • the other users need not be using the cross-site shopping services of the present invention.
  • These other users are prompted with an instant message that describes to purpose of the communication request.
  • the other users can decline to participate in the communication session.
  • the first computer user is informed that no real-time shopping advice can be provided.
  • the computer user is presented with an opportunity to send e-mail messages to one or more of the computer users that had been identified by the eigenvector comparison.
  • the first computer user can then opt to send an e-mail, or may simply dispense with the communication request entirely.
  • Fig. 3 presents the actual mechanics of how the communication request results in an instant messaging initiated communication between two or more computer users.
  • the request for communication services transmitted by the browser companion 55 is received by the session process 200 in the cross- site comparison server 65.
  • the session process 200 after recognizing the communication request, forwards the request to the shopper finder module 360.
  • the shopper finder module 360 uses a user identification tag that is inherent in the communication request as the basis of an eigenvector comparison against all other users registered in the global user profile database 350.
  • Fig. 18 depicts the appearance of the collaborative shopping GUI 450.
  • the collaborative shopping GUI 450 is comprised of a product list window 455, a rating window 460, a summary window 465, a participant window 470 and a chat window 475.
  • the browser companion 55 Once the browser companion 55 has received notification of one or more online shoppers that are currently connected to the computer network and are willing to participate in a collaborative shopping session, the browser companion 55 presents the collaborative shopping GUI 450 to the computer user.
  • the product list window 455 When the collaborative shopping GUI 450 is presented to the computer user, the product list window 455 will present an enumeration of the items that were identified by the computer user 75 as product categories.
  • the computer user is also presented with an enumeration of the other on-line computer users, or shoppers, that have joined in the collaborative shopping session. This list is presented in the participant window 470.
  • the computer user can now engage in live chat using the chat window 475. Anything that the computer user 75 types into the chat window will be echoed to the other participating computer users along with the source name of the participant that entered chat text.
  • the collaborative shopping GUI 450 controlled by the browsing companion
  • the browser companion 55 allows a computer user to select a product category from the product list window 455. Once a computer user, either the first user that initiated the collaborative browsing session or any other collaborator, selects a product category, the browser companion 55 will present a list of sites that are offering products of that category for sale. By selecting one of the products offered by one of the sites, summary details about the product, including rating, product description, and price, are presented in the page summary window 465. This summary information, because it is seen by all of the collaborators, can stimulate the on-going chat discussion.
  • the merchant's web page is recalled from the merchant server. In this event, the merchant's web page can only be tailored to one of the collaborators.
  • the demographics of the initiating computer user 75 are used for the basis of the composite web address described herein.
  • the composite web address is augmented with a collaboration flag. This flag indicates that, even though the composite web address contains demographic data, any tailored web page will be presented to a plurality of users. This gives the merchant's server an opportunity to present a more generic form of the web page in this circumstance if the merchant so intends.
  • All of the windows integral to the collaborative shopping GUI 450 have scroll bars comprising scroll buttons 485 and sliders 480. Scroll bars are automatically added to the windows whenever the content of the window exceeds the physical size of the window as presented to the computer user 75. Both vertical and horizontal scroll bars are provided as dynamically required.
  • the collaborative shopping mechanism described herein establishes generic communication channels amongst all of the on-line shoppers that want to collaborate together.
  • the generic communication channel can be used for transmitting real-time audio and video as well as text.
  • One additional capability supported by this feature is the web-page tracking mechanism. Web-page tracking uses the communication channel to convey the addresses of web pages that are loaded by one user to the web browsers of other users. This means that when one user selects a web page, all other users will also see the same web page.
  • the browser companion could be replaced by a set of browser plug-ins, or integrated browser enhancements, that allow all GUI elements of the browser companion to reside inside the browser rather than in a separate window.
  • An enhanced browser companion that includes the ability to display web pages; in this case, the browser "companion" would effectively replace the user's existing browser software.
  • the user profiling system disclosed herein relies on vector based descriptors, specifically eigenvectors.
  • the spirit of this invention found in the user anonymity that these vector based descriptors provide. Any altemative means that would allow the user's profile to be ascertained or reconstituted, but would preclude identification of the user, would be a suitable variant of this invention.

Abstract

L'invention concerne un système qui conserve des sites web et leurs pages web associées proposant des produits et des services à vendre. Le système comprend une fonction de recherche qui permet d'interroger la base de données par produits spécifiques, par catégories de produits et par sites web. Le système présente des fonctions utilitaires comprenant un moyen pour coter les produits en fonction du site web et de la catégorie d'un produit. Le système rassemble des informations sur ses utilisateurs afin de créer des profils utilisateurs pour plusieurs utilisateurs. Les profils utilisateurs sont utilisés pour relier entre eux différents utilisateurs au cours des forums d'échange qui se déroulent en temps réel, afin de faciliter les échanges commerciaux et la nivagation sur le web. Une fonction de signet permet aux utilisateurs d'explorer des pages web et de les référencer. Ces références ou signets incluent des informations de catégorisation et de cotation subjective entrées par l'utilisateur.
PCT/US2000/018116 1999-07-02 2000-06-30 Procede et systeme pour comparer, classer et choisir des element de donnees comprenant des pages web WO2001003036A1 (fr)

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US8166173B2 (en) 2000-10-17 2012-04-24 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Inviting assistant entity into a network communication session
WO2002075614A1 (fr) * 2001-03-19 2002-09-26 Eknowhow Limited Gestion de sites de reseau
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US8117072B2 (en) 2001-11-13 2012-02-14 International Business Machines Corporation Promoting strategic documents by bias ranking of search results on a web browser
WO2006107956A1 (fr) * 2005-04-05 2006-10-12 Search Rate Technologies Llc Procede de classement de sites web et de recherche de sites web classes
EP1816574A1 (fr) * 2006-02-04 2007-08-08 Iloggo Sp. z.o.o. Rapporter des résultats de recherche
US8560630B2 (en) 2007-02-28 2013-10-15 Microsoft Corporation Sharing data over trusted networks
WO2008141431A1 (fr) * 2007-05-17 2008-11-27 Fat Free Mobile Inc. Procédé et système pour marquer le bureau d'une page web
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US20100042615A1 (en) * 2008-08-12 2010-02-18 Peter Rinearson Systems and methods for aggregating content on a user-content driven website
RU2473120C1 (ru) * 2009-05-25 2013-01-20 Ракутен, Инк. Устройство обработки информации, способ обработки информации и программа обработки информации
US8990700B2 (en) 2011-10-31 2015-03-24 Google Inc. Rating and review interface

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