Method and apparatus for dynamic information connection engine

• US 20060080297A1
• Filed: 08/10/2005
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kayak Software Corporation (Booking Holdings, Inc., fka Priceline Group Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Kayak Software Corporation (Booking Holdings, Inc., fka Priceline Group Inc.)
• Inventors: Barth, Brian E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,627,606 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0625 Directed, with specific intent or strategy
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0627 using item specifications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99937 Sorting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99938 Concurrency, e.g. lock management in shared database
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 : Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

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.

Claims

1-62. -62. (canceled)

63. A computer implemented method for presenting an offer to a user, comprising:

monitoring a first communication session between software running on a user computer and an information supplier;

evaluating the monitored communication session to determine the presence of a first offer from the information supplier; and

presenting a second offer to the user after the evaluation of the monitored communication session determines the presence of the first offer;

wherein the second offer is based at least in part on the first offer.

64. The method of claim 63, wherein a price associated with the second offer is based at least in part on a price associated with the first offer.

65. The method of claim 63, wherein a preference associated with the second offer is based at least in part on a preference associated with the first offer.

66. The method of claim 63, wherein the second offer is presented after the user has selected the first offer from an initial choice of offers.

67. The method of claim 63, further comprising:

opening a second communication session between the software running on the user computer and a server; and

using the second communication session to present the second offer to the user.

68. The method of claim 63, wherein the first and second offers relate to a purchase.

69. The method of claim 68, wherein the first and second offers are for at least one travel-related item.

70. The method of claim 69, wherein the travel-related item associated with the first and second offers is selected from the group including:

(a) airline reservations, (b) lodging reservations, and (c) ground transportation reservations.

71. The method of claim 63, wherein the software running on the user computer comprises browser software.

72. The method of claim 71, wherein the monitoring is carried out by monitoring software operatively communicating with the browser software.

73. The method of claim 72, wherein the monitoring software comprises a browser helper object.

74. The method of claim 63, wherein the evaluation of the monitored communication session includes evaluating an information identifier, wherein the information identifier comprises information selected from the group including:

(a) an HTTP header;

(b) an HTTP POST; and

(c) a URL.

75. The method of claim 63, wherein at least one of the monitoring, the evaluating and the presenting is performed in real time.

76. The method of claim 63, wherein the steps are carried out in the order recited.

77. The method of claim 63, wherein the information supplier comprises at least one website.

78. The method of claim 63, wherein the first communication session is delayed after the presence of the first offer is determined.

79. The method of claim 78, wherein the second offer is presented after the first communication session is delayed.

80. The method of claim 63, further comprising presenting the second offer to the user after the evaluation of the monitored communication session determines the presence of the first offer and after the user has chosen to make a purchase based on the first offer.

81. The method of claim 80, further comprising presenting the second offer to the user after the evaluation of the monitored communication session determines the presence of the first offer and after the user has chosen to make a purchase based on the first offer by initiating an irrevocable transaction associated with the first offer.

82. A computer implemented method for presenting an offer to a user, comprising:

monitoring a first communication session between browser software running on a user computer and a website, wherein the website is associated with a supplier of a travel-related item;

evaluating the monitored communication session to determine the presence of a first purchase offer from the website;

opening a second communication session between the browser software running on the user computer and a server; and

using the second communication session to present a second purchase offer to the user after the evaluation of the monitored communication session determines the presence of the first purchase offer;

wherein the second purchase offer is based at least in part on the first purchase offer; and

wherein the second purchase offer is presented after the user has selected the first purchase offer from an initial choice of purchase offers.

83. The method of claim 82, wherein a price associated with the second purchase offer is based at least in part on a price associated with the first purchase offer.

84. The method of claim 82, wherein a preference associated with the second purchase offer is based at least in part on a preference associated with the first purchase offer.

85. The method of claim 82, wherein the travel-related item associated with the first and second purchase offers is selected from the group including:

(a) airline reservations, (b) lodging reservations, and (c) ground transportation reservations.

86. The method of claim 82, wherein the monitoring is carried out by monitoring software operatively communicating with the browser software.

87. The method of claim 86, wherein the monitoring software comprises a browser helper object.

88. The method of claim 82, wherein the evaluation of the monitored communication session includes evaluating an information identifier, wherein the information identifier comprises information selected from the group including:

(a) an HTTP header;

(b) an HTTP POST; and

(c) a URL.

89. The method of claim 82, wherein at least one of the monitoring, the evaluating, the opening and the using is performed in real time.

90. The method of claim 82, wherein the steps are carried out in the order recited.

91. The method of claim 82, wherein the first communication session is delayed after the presence of the first purchase offer is determined.

92. The method of claim 91, wherein the second purchase offer is presented after the first communication session is delayed.

93. The method of claim 82, further comprising presenting the second purchase offer to the user after the evaluation of the monitored communication session determines the presence of the first purchase offer and after the user has chosen to make a purchase based on the first purchase offer.

94. The method of claim 93, further comprising presenting the second purchase offer to the user after the evaluation of the monitored communication session determines the presence of the first purchase offer and after the user has chosen to make a purchase based on the first purchase offer by initiating an irrevocable transaction associated with the first purchase offer.