Method and system of facilitating on-line shopping using a downloadable toolbar

• US 20060106680A1
• Filed: 12/30/2005
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Excalibur IP, LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Inventors: Lu, Qi, Baldua, Ashish, Shafron, Thomas Joshua
• Granted Patent: US 9,324,080 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• 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 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0617 Representative agent

Abstract

A method of modifying an Internet browser interface to provide shopping assistant functionality facilitating on-line shopping at a supported merchant Internet site. A wallet created in accordance with the present invention comprises a database having various user data stored therein under certain predetermined field names. A supported merchant data file identifies a plurality of supported merchants and enables the modified browser interface to determine when a shopper has navigated to a supported merchant web site. For each supported merchant, a rules and mapping file is created that may be used in connection with the wallet to map user-provided information in the wallet to corresponding fields in the merchant'"'"'s check-out web page. When a user navigates to a supported merchant web site and desires to purchase merchandise and/or services from that merchant, the wallet automatically fills out the merchant'"'"'s check-out web page(s), thereby simplifying on-line shopping and particularly, the check-out process.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an Internet browser interface displayable by an Internet browser on a display of a computer, the Internet browser enabling a user of the computer and Internet browser to access and navigate the Internet and to receive and display on the computer display one or more web pages from one or more Internet sites, including the display of a web page from a predetermined Internet site, the Internet browser having at least one Internet browser toolbar having at least one toolbar button providing a predetermined functionality to the user of the computer and Internet browser, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing, at the predetermined Internet site, access to a program for controlling the Internet browser interface; and

(b) making available for downloading by the predetermined Internet site, a file for displaying of a user toolbar and a shopping assistant interface object as part of the Internet browser interface.

2. A method as recited by claim 1, wherein the file comprises an ActiveX control.

3. A method as recited by claim 1, wherein the file comprises a Plug-in.

4. A method as recited by claim 1, wherein the shopping assistant interface object is a toolbar button.

5. A method as recited by claim 1, wherein said file contains computer code for intercepting an Internet address for each Internet site to which the Internet browser is caused to navigate, determining if a web site to which the Internet browser is caused to navigate is a supported merchant web site, and if the web site is a supported merchant web site, automatically filling out a check-out web page of a supported merchant web site using a wallet and a supported merchant rules and mapping file.

6. A method as recited by claim 1, wherein said file contains computer code for adding a shopping assistant button and a toolbar of the Internet browser.

7. A method as recited by claim 1, wherein said file contains computer code for providing an indicator when the Internet browser is caused to navigate to a supported merchant web site.

8. A method as recited by claim 1, wherein said files contains computer code for determining if a web site to which the Internet browser is caused to navigate is a supported merchant web site by comparing a supported merchant data file with an Internet address for each Internet site to which the Internet browser is caused to navigate.

9. A system for controlling an Internet browser interface displayable by an Internet browser on a display of a computer, said system comprising:

a server, said server including a program accessible over the Internet by a user of the computer for controlling the Internet browser interface; and

a file downloadable by said server to the computer for controlling the Internet browser interface, wherein said downloadable file causes a user toolbar and a shopping assistant interface object to be added to the browser interface and to be displayed on the display of the computer as part of the Internet browser interface while the Internet browser is activated regardless of the Internet site to which the computer is connected via the Internet browser.

10. A system as recited by claim 9, wherein said shopping assistant interface object comprises an ActiveX control.

11. A system as recited by claim 9, wherein said shopping assistant interface object comprises a Plug-in.

12. A system as recited by claim 9, wherein said file contains computer code for intercepting an Internet address for each Internet site to which the Internet browser is caused to navigate, determining if a web site to which the Internet browser is caused to navigate is a supported merchant web site, and if the web site is a supported merchant web site, automatically filling out a check-out web page of a supported merchant web site using a wallet and a supported merchant rules and mapping file.

13. A system as recited by claim 9, wherein said file contains computer code for adding a shopping assistant button and a toolbar of the Internet browser.

14. A system as recited by claim 9, wherein said file contains computer code for providing an indicator when the Internet browser is caused to navigate to a supported merchant web site.

15. A system as recited by claim 9, wherein said files contains computer code for determining if a web site to which the Internet browser is caused to navigate is a supported merchant web site by comparing a supported merchant data file with an Internet address for each Internet site to which the Internet browser is caused to navigate.