Method and apparatus for dynamic information connnection engine
First Claim
1. An information system, comprising:
- monitoring software, which monitoring software monitors at least one user action, which user action is associated with user software running on a user computer and which user action produces an information identifier;
evaluating software, which evaluating software evaluates the information identifier produced by the monitored user action to determine if the information identifier relates to supported information; and
communication software, which communication software opens a new communication session when it is determined that the evaluated information identifier relates to the supported information.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus are provided for a dynamic information connection engine. User actions are detected on at least one client system. In response, a determination is made whether the user is searching for supported information. When the user is searching for supported information, information is extracted electronically from third party web sites, direct supplier connections, and intermediate databases. Potential information suppliers are automatically selected in response to the detected user search. Queries are formulated from the user search and transferred to each selected supplier over a network coupling. The queries include a request for information. Responses are received from the suppliers, and the responses are used to generate a result list for the user. The result list includes information and query status information. Further, an electronic link may be provided to a web site of each supplier from which the information was derived.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. An information system, comprising:
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monitoring software, which monitoring software monitors at least one user action, which user action is associated with user software running on a user computer and which user action produces an information identifier;
evaluating software, which evaluating software evaluates the information identifier produced by the monitored user action to determine if the information identifier relates to supported information; and
communication software, which communication software opens a new communication session when it is determined that the evaluated information identifier relates to the supported information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 34)
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31. An information system for exchanging information between a user computer, a server of an information supplier and an information system server, comprising:
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monitoring software, which monitoring software monitors at least one user action, which user action is associated with user software running on the user computer and which user action produces an information identifier for a website page;
evaluating software, which evaluating software evaluates a URL contained within the information identifier to determine if the evaluated URL at least partially matches at least one URL in a comparison list, wherein the comparison list includes at least one string that will match at least a portion of a URL of a website page of a supplier of information;
communication software, which communication software opens a new communication session associated with the user software when it is determined that the evaluated URL at least partially matches at least one entry in the comparison list; and
generating software, which generating software generates an information request when it is determined that the evaluated URL at least partially matches at least one entry in the comparison list;
wherein the user software comprises browser software;
wherein the new communication connection comprises a sub-window of an existing window associated with the browser software; and
wherein the information request directs the new communication session to the information system server. - View Dependent Claims (35)
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32. A method for operating an information system, comprising:
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monitoring at least one user action, which user action is associated with user software running on a user computer and which user action produces an information identifier;
evaluating the information identifier to determine if the information identifier relates to supported information; and
opening a new communication session when it is determined that the evaluated information identifier relates to the supported information. - View Dependent Claims (33, 36)
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Specification