Electronic commerce session management

• US 20060294203A1
• Filed: 08/29/2006
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walgreen Co. (Walgreens Boots Alliance Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Drugstore.com Incorporated (Walgreens Boots Alliance Incorporated)
• Inventors: Nolan, Sean
• Granted Patent: US 7,328,252 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for electronic session management are disclosed. In one embodiment, a user is connected to a server when initiating a session. Until a predetermined period of time passes without any activity from the user, the user is connected to the same server even if the initial connection with the server is broken. During that time, information related to the user is stored in volatile memory of the server. In one embodiment, a one or more searches are performed and the results of the searches are stored on the servers. When a user performs one of the searches the results are retrieved without repeating the searches. Thus, commonly performed searches can be provided in a more efficient manner as compared to performing the searches multiple times.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

storing data on a server coupled to receive requests from client devices;

generating a set of one or more predetermined search requests corresponding to searches of the data;

performing the set of predetermined search requests;

storing results of the set of predetermined search requests on the server; and

providing a selected search result in response to a corresponding search request being received from one of the client devices.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the data is stored on one of a plurality of servers, and further wherein and all requests from a particular user during a session are directed to the server.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein a session comprises all requests that occur between a first request of the session and a predetermined period of time during which no requests are received by the server.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the data and information related to the session are maintained in volatile memory of the server.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined set of searches comprises one or more commonly performed search.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined set of searches comprises one or more searches for a category of information.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the data stores product information for use with an electronic commerce World Wide Web sites.

8. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause one or more electronic devices to:

store a data on a server coupled to receive requests from client devices;

generate a set of one or more predetermined search requests corresponding to searches of the data;

perform the set of predetermined search requests;

store results of the set of predetermined search requests on the server; and

provide a selected search result in response to a corresponding search request being received from one of the client devices.

9. The machine-readable medium of claim 8 wherein the data is stored on one of a plurality of servers, and further wherein and all requests from a particular user during a session are directed to the server.

10. The machine-readable medium of claim 9 wherein a session comprises all requests that occur between a first request of the session and a predetermined period of time during which no requests are received by the server.

11. The machine-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the data and information related to the session are maintained in volatile memory of the server.

12. The machine-readable medium of claim 8 wherein the predetermined set of searches comprises one or more commonly performed search.

13. The machine-readable medium of claim 8 wherein the predetermined set of searches comprises one or more searches for a category of information.

14. The machine-readable medium of claim 8 wherein the data stores product information for use with an electronic commerce World Wide Web sites.

15. A method comprising:

receiving a request from a client device;

directing the request to a server from a group of one or more;

storing information related to the client access in a volatile memory of the server; and

maintaining the information related to the client access in the volatile memory until a predetermined period of inactivity passes.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising directing all requests from the client device to the server until a predetermined period of inactivity passes.

17. The method of claim 16 directing requests from the client device during multiple sessions to the server, if the multiple sessions start before the predetermined period of inactivity passes.

18. A machine-readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause one or more electronic systems to:

receive a request from a client device;

direct the request to a server from a group of one or more;

store information related to the client access in a volatile memory of the server; and

maintain the information related to the client access in the volatile memory until a predetermined period of inactivity passes.

19. The machine-readable medium of claim 18 further comprising sequences of instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more electronic systems to direct all requests from the client device to the server until a predetermined period of inactivity passes.

20. The machine-readable medium of claim 19 further comprising sequences of instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more electronic systems to direct requests from the client device during multiple sessions to the server, if the multiple sessions start before the predetermined period of inactivity passes.