Method and system for providing electronic commerce actions based on semantically labeled strings
First Claim
1. For an electronic system for creating and editing an electronic document, a computer-implemented method for providing electronic commerce actions, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving, in a recognizer plug-in, a string of text of the electronic document;
annotating the string of text to determine whether the string includes any of a plurality of predetermined strings in the recognizer plug-in;
if so, then labeling the string of text in the electronic document with a label; and
providing a list of actions that may be performed to purchase a product associated with the string of text.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods for recognizing strings, labeling the strings with a semantic category and providing e-commerce actions based on the category is disclosed. The semantic category may include a type label and other metadata. Recognizer plug-ins perform the recognition of particular strings in an electronic document. The recognizer plug-ins may be packaged with an application program module or they may be written by third parties to recognize particular strings that are of interest. Action plug-ins provide possible actions to be presented to the user based upon the type label associated with the string. Tradenames, trademarks, formal names or types of consumer products may be labeled and actions to buy the products may be presented. The metadata may be used to implement coupon and affiliate programs to reward frequent shoppers or frequent recommenders. Numerous other e-commerce opportunities are presented via the semantic category and the metadata.
233 Citations
31 Claims
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1. For an electronic system for creating and editing an electronic document, a computer-implemented method for providing electronic commerce actions, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving, in a recognizer plug-in, a string of text of the electronic document;
annotating the string of text to determine whether the string includes any of a plurality of predetermined strings in the recognizer plug-in;
if so, then labeling the string of text in the electronic document with a label; and
providing a list of actions that may be performed to purchase a product associated with the string of text. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for providing an electronic coupon to a user of an electronic document, the method comprising the steps of:
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using a recognizer module to determine a number of strings in a database that match at least one string in the electronic document;
labeling the matched strings in the electronic document and providing a plurality of actions in association with the recognized strings;
determining whether the number of recognized strings exceeds a predetermined minimum; and
if so, then providing a coupon as one of the plurality of actions. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A method for providing an affiliate program for electronic commerce, wherein a user is rewarded for referring business to a website, the method comprising the steps of:
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using a recognizer module to determine in an electronic document strings that match at least one string in a database; and
applying a semantic category to each of the matched strings in the electronic document, wherein the semantic category comprises a type label identifying the type of the matched string and an affiliate number identification, wherein the affiliate number identification is associated with the user of the electronic document. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A computer-implemented method for purchasing a plurality of items from an e-commerce retailer comprising the steps of:
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identifying the plurality of items in an electronic document, wherein the plurality of items are identified as matching at least one term in a product database;
providing, in association with at least one of the identified plurality of items, an action to buy all of the identified plurality of items;
receiving an indication that the action has been selected;
sending a list of the identified plurality of items to a website associated with the e-commerce retailer; and
sending an indication to buy all of the identified plurality of items to a website associated with the e-commerce retailer. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A computer-implemented method for using a recommendation e-mail from an e-commerce retailer to a computer, comprising the steps of:
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receiving an e-mail from the retailer, wherein the e-mail comprises a product name of a product for sale by the retailer;
cross-referencing the product name with a type label database to determine whether the product name matches at least one entry in the type label database;
if so, then labeling the product name with a type label;
cross-referencing the type label with a plurality of actions to determine which actions match the type label;
listing the matching actions in association with the product name to provide a user of the computer with a number of different actions. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A computer-implemented method for using a recommendation e-mail from an e-commerce retailer to a computer, comprising the steps of:
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receiving an e-mail from the retailer, wherein the e-mail comprises a product name of a product for sale by the retailer and a type label associated with the product name;
cross-referencing the type label with a plurality of actions to determine which actions match the type label;
listing the matching actions in association with the product name to provide a user of the computer with a number of different actions.
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23. For an electronic system for creating and editing an electronic document, a computer-implemented method for providing electronic commerce actions, the method comprising the steps of:
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receiving, in a recognizer plug-in, a string of text of the electronic document;
annotating the string of text to determine whether the string includes any of a plurality of predetermined strings in the recognizer plug-in, wherein the predetermined strings are a plurality of strings associated with shopping;
if so, then labeling the string of text in the electronic document with a label; and
providing a list of actions that may be performed to navigate to a retailer'"'"'s website associated with the string of text. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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26. A computer-implemented method for providing a recommendation to a user regarding a product to buy from a retailer, comprising the steps of:
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tracking, in a recognizer module on a user'"'"'s computer, all of the strings in a user'"'"'s electronic document that match strings in a recognizer database;
transmitting, via a web browser, the list of matching strings to the retailer; and
in response to transmitting the list of matching strings, receiving a list of recommendations that are related to the list of matching strings.
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27. A client-side computer-implemented method for comparing prices of a product, the method comprising the steps of:
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recognizing a product string in an electronic document by comparing the product string to a list of product strings in a recognizer database;
providing a list of actions in association with the recognized product string;
in response to receiving an action to compare prices of the product string, polling a plurality of web sites that sell the product identified in the product string for a price; and
receiving a plurality of prices from the web sites and displaying the prices.
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28. A computer-implemented method for recognizing a product string in an electronic document, the method comprising the steps of:
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in a recognizer program module, determining whether a product string in the electronic document matches at least one string in a recognizer database;
if so, then labeling the product string with a semantic category, wherein the semantic category comprises a type label and a globally unique product identifier (GUID). - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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Specification