Method and apparatus for providing enhanced functionality to product webpages

• US 20050022119A1
• Filed: 08/10/2004
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zarbana Digital Fund LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Fritch Alibates LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Kraemer, Keith M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,775,274 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/234
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing enhanced functionality to product webpages is described. This method and apparatus may be used to provide a unified toolbar across product webpages of multiple, independent retailers. This toolbar may be used to create a gift registry across multiple retailers, to create an inter-retailer shopping cart and automate purchases, to create an inter-retailer advertising network, and to create a virtual network of retailers with a multitude of services spanning them.

Claims

1-60. -60. (CANCELLED)

61. A method of adding enhanced functionality to preexisting product web pages via an intercept server, the method comprising:

collecting information specific to a first user;

storing the information specific to the first user;

receiving a request for a first product web page at the intercept server from the first user, the first product web page being associated with a first product and a first independent vendor server;

retrieving the first product web page from the first independent vendor server to the intercept server, the first product web page including a first order form;

automatically filling out the first order form at the intercept server to facilitate a purchase of the first product;

collecting information specific to a second user;

storing the information specific to the second user;

receiving a request for a second product web page at the intercept server from the second user, the second product web page being associated with a second product and a second independent vendor server;

retrieving the second product web page from the second independent vendor server to the intercept server, the second product web page including a second order form; and

automatically filling out the second order form at the intercept server to facilitate a purchase of the second product.

62. A method as defined in claim 61, wherein the information specific to the first user comprises a name associated with the first user.

63. A method as defined in claim 61, wherein the information specific to the first user comprises an address associated with the first user.

64. A method as defined in claim 61, wherein the information specific to the first user comprises a phone number associated with the first user.

65. A method as defined in claim 61, wherein the information specific to the first user comprises credit card information associated with the first user.

66. A method as defined in claim 61, further comprising modifying the first product web page at the at the intercept server.

67. A method as defined in claim 61, further comprising parsing the first product web page according to HTML tags in order to facilitate the filling out of the first order form.

68. A method as defined in claim 61, further comprising comparing the first product web page to a database to identify the first product web page.

69. A method as defined in claim 61, further comprising selecting an advertisement specifically targeted to the first user.

70. A method as defined in claim 61, further comprising sending a purchase command to the first independent vendor server.

71. An intercept server programmed to:

collect information specific to a first user;

store the information specific to the first user;

receive a request for a first product web page at the intercept server from the first user, the first product web page being associated with a first product and a first independent vendor server;

retrieve the first product web page from the first independent vendor server to the intercept server, the first product web page including a first order form;

automatically fill out the first order form at the intercept server to facilitate a purchase of the first product;

collect information specific to a second user;

store the information specific to the second user;

receive a request for a second product web page at the intercept server from the second user, the second product web page being associated with a second product and a second independent vendor server;

retrieve the second product web page from the second independent vendor server to the intercept server, the second product web page including a second order form; and

automatically fill out the second order form at the intercept server to facilitate a purchase of the second product.

72. An intercept server as defined n claim 71, wherein the information specific to the first user comprises credit card information associated with the first user.

73. An intercept server as defined n claim 71, wherein the intercept server is programmed to modify the first product web page at the at the intercept server.

74. An intercept server as defined n claim 71, wherein the intercept server is programmed to compare the first product web page to a database to identify the first product web page.

75. An intercept server as defined n claim 71, wherein the intercept server is programmed to select an advertisement specifically targeted to the first user.

76. A computer readable medium storing instructions to cause a computing device to:

collect information specific to a first user;

store the information specific to the first user;

receive a request for a first product web page from the first user, the first product web page being associated with a first product and a first independent vendor server;

retrieve the first product web page from the first independent vendor server, the first product web page including a first order form;

automatically fill out the first order form to facilitate a purchase of the first product;

collect information specific to a second user;

store the information specific to the second user;

receive a request for a second product web page from the second user, the second product web page being associated with a second product and a second independent vendor server;

retrieve the second product web page from the second independent vendor server, the second product web page including a second order form; and

automatically fill out the second order form to facilitate a purchase of the second product.

77. An intercept server as defined n claim 76, wherein the information specific to the first user comprises credit card information associated with the first user.

78. An intercept server as defined n claim 76, wherein the intercept server is programmed to modify the first product web page at the at the intercept server.

79. An intercept server as defined n claim 76, wherein the intercept server is programmed to compare the first product web page to a database to identify the first product web page.

80. An intercept server as defined n claim 76, wherein the intercept server is programmed to select an advertisement specifically targeted to the first user.