Automated on-line information service and directory, particularly for the World Wide Web

• US 20050108214A1
• Filed: 03/31/2004
• Published: 05/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1995
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Christopher D. Coley, Ralph E. Wesinger Jr
• Original Assignee: Christopher D. Coley, Ralph E. Wesinger Jr
• Inventors: Coley, Christopher D., Wesinger, Ralph E. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US10/816,224
• Publication Number:
  US 20050108214A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/913 Multimedia
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for facilitating a web site user ID verification. Preferred embodiments include a web site configured to receive a request from a user for a user ID, query the user for an email address, associate a user ID with the user based on the received email address, and send an email to the user containing a user ID.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating a web site user ID verification comprising:

receiving a request from a user for a user ID;

querying said user for an email address;

associating a user ID with said user responsive to a received email address; and

sending to said email address said user ID.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said act of querying said user comprises presenting to the user a page containing an area for entering at least one email address and an icon for invoking a user ID be sent to the associated email address.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said verification is initiated by clicking on said icon by the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said email contains customer information corresponding to said user ID.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said email is logged in a database file.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said received request is logged in a database file.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said email contains a link to said website.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein clicking said link takes the user to said website.

9. An apparatus for facilitating a web site user ID verification comprising:

a web site configured for;

receiving a request from a user for a user ID;

querying said user for an email address;

associating a user ID with said user responsive to a received email address; and

sending to said email address said user ID.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said act of querying said user comprises presenting to the user a page containing an area for entering at least one email address and an icon for invoking a user ID be sent to the associated email address.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said verification is initiated by clicking on said icon by the user.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said email contains customer information corresponding to said user ID.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said email is logged in a database file.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said received request is logged in a database file.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said email contains a link to said website.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein clicking said link takes the user to said website.

17. An apparatus for facilitating a web site user ID verification comprising:

web site means for providing network connectivity with a user;

means for receiving a request from a user for a user ID;

means for querying said user for an email address;

means for associating a user ID with said user responsive to a received email address; and

means for sending to said email address said user ID.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said means for querying said user comprises presenting to the user a page containing an area for entering at least one email address and an icon for invoking a user ID be sent to the associated email address.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein said verification is initiated by clicking on said icon by the user.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said email contains customer information corresponding to said user ID.

21. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said email is logged in a database file.

22. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said received request is logged in a database file.

23. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said email contains a link to said website.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein clicking said link takes the user to said website.