System and method for creating and maintaining a web site

• US 20050246627A1
• Filed: 02/16/2005
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Knapp Investment Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Omar Farooq Sayed
• Inventors: Sayed, Omar Farooq
• Granted Patent: US 7,610,219 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/234
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/186 Templates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0605 Supply or demand aggregation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A system and method for a web-based services architecture providing integrated modular building blocks for creating and maintaining a web site and related transaction processing to support electronic commerce and the sales of products and services using the web site. The transaction processing may include the handling of transactions and communications related to product and service sales and fulfillment involving customers, merchants and the web site owner. The services architecture may combine software front-end, back-end, and marketing tools to assist business owners to create or expand an Internet-based business. The services architecture also may provide a warehouse of predefined products that may be integrated into a merchant'"'"'s existing online inventory.

Claims

1. A method for creating a web site comprising:

selecting a web site template;

storing one or more files corresponding to the template on a server;

customizing the template by selecting from a plurality of customization options;

defining one or more web pages for the web site;

selecting online commerce features for incorporation into one or more of the web pages; and

publishing the web site using the one or more files corresponding to the template.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

selecting the web site template comprises selection by a user of a local computer in communication with the server; and

the one or more files are created at the server.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the one or more files are not sent to the local computer.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising running a browser program on the local computer and wherein selecting the web site template further comprises selection of one or more options presented to the user by the browser program.

5. A method for development of a web site, comprising:

providing a database of building blocks suitable for use in the assembly of a web site, wherein the database is accessible by a server;

communicating with the server over a communication network using a user program running on a local computer;

selecting one or more of the building blocks for use in the web site by user selection through operation of the user program; and

generating one or more web site files using the one or more of the selected building blocks.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the communicating with the server comprises activating a user account using an activation code.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising storing the one or more web site files on the server.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the one or more web site files are generated substantially only using information accessed over a network by the server.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the network is a local area network.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the one or more web site files are generated substantially only using information stored on the server.

11. The method of claim 5 further comprising uploading one or more user files to the server for incorporation into the web site.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the uploading comprises transferring files using the http protocol.

13. The method of claim 5 further comprising publishing the web site.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the selecting of one or more of the building blocks and the publishing of the web site occur in the same user session between the user program and the server.

15. A method of managing transaction processing for a web site for use in electronic commerce, comprising:

providing a database of predefined product building blocks suitable for use in the assembly of a web site, wherein the database is accessible by a server and the product building blocks correspond to products or services to be provided by a predefined merchant;

communicating with the server over a communication network using a user program running on a local computer;

selecting one or more of the predefined product building blocks for use in the web site by user selection through operation of the user program; and

generating one or more web site files using the one or more of the selected predefined building blocks.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the database of predefined product building blocks is a first database and further comprising:

providing a second database of product information using the user program, wherein the second database corresponds to products or services to be provided by an entity other than the predefined merchant; and

incorporating information selected from the second database using the user program into the one or more web site files so that visitors to the web site may purchase products or services from or through either the predefined merchant or the entity.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

providing a set of transaction models suitable for incorporation into the web site; and

selecting one or more of the transaction models for use in providing the products or services using the web site.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising associating each one of the products or services with one of the selected transaction models for use in fulfilling an order for the one product or service placed by a visitor to the web site.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the set of transaction models comprises one or more of the following:

an auction model, a customer-to-merchant model with product delivery by the predefined merchant, a customer-to-merchant model with product delivery by an entity controlling the web site, a customer-to-predefined merchant model with product/service ordering placed through the web site; and

an affiliate model wherein the affiliate refers a customer to a merchant'"'"'s web site for placing of a product/service order by the customer.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising using the user program to modify the selection of transaction models, wherein the web site is suitable for commerce using different transaction models for different products or services.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising providing transaction processing logic associated with the web site suitable for handling modifications to the selection of transaction models.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the transaction processing logic comprises a store building module.