Communicating Information Relating to a Network Resource
First Claim
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2. A storage medium having computer program instructions stored on it, where the computer program instructions are executable on a computer operated by a user and connected to a network, and where the computer program instructions cause the computer to be capable of carrying out the operations of:
- (a) monitoring input from the user operating the computer;
(b) retrieving a plurality of web pages over the network at the direction of the user operating the computer, where the operation of retrieving the plurality of web pages over the network is carried out by a web browser application that is executing on the computer and is controlled by the user, and where the plurality of web pages are displayed by the web browser application in a web browser window on a display screen associated with the computer as the user browses each of the plurality of web pages;
(c) monitoring activity of the web browser application associated with the plurality of web pages, where the operation of monitoring activity of the web browser application associated with the plurality of web pages is carried out by a browsing activity monitoring program that automatically monitors activity of the web browser application that is executing on the computer and is controlled by the user, where the browsing activity monitoring program executes on the computer and interfaces with the web browser application in a manner that causes a menu item to be added to the web browser application that can be used to configure an aspect of the browsing activity monitoring program, and where the operation of monitoring activity of the web browser application associated with the plurality of web pages is carried out so that browsing activity associated with the plurality of web pages can be observed without requiring assistance from publishers of the plurality of web pages;
(d) retrieving a first web page over the network at the direction of the user operating the computer, where the first web page is accessible from a web server connected to the network and is published by a first online merchant that performs sales transactions over the network, and where the operation of retrieving the first web page over the network at the direction of the user is carried out by the web browser application after the operation of retrieving the plurality of web pages over the network at the direction of the user;
(e) displaying the first web page in the web browser window on the display screen associated with the computer, where the first web page includes information about a first item offered for sale by the first online merchant at a first price, and where the operation of displaying the first web page in the web browser window is carried out by the web browser application executing on the computer;
(f) monitoring activity of the web browser application associated with the first web page, where the operation of monitoring activity of the web browser application associated with the first web page is carried out automatically by the browsing activity monitoring program, where the operation of monitoring activity of the web browser application includes determining that the user may be shopping for the first item, and where the browsing activity monitoring program is able to determine that the user may be shopping for the first item without requiring authorization from the first online merchant that publishes the first web page;
(g) displaying a price alert that informs the user that competitive prices may be available for the first item offered for sale by the first online merchant, where the price alert is displayed for the user on the display screen associated with the computer while the first web page is in the web browser window, where the price alert is independent of the first web page, meaning that it is not part of the first web page, and is not embedded within or referred to by the first web page, where the price alert is automatically displayed without requiring further input from the user, and is based on the operation of determining that the user may be shopping for the first item, and where the price alert includes a competitive price for the first item, where the competitive price is the price of the first item as offered by a second online merchant;
(h) monitoring the user'"'"'s selection of the price alert displayed on the display screen associated with the computer;
(i) detecting that the user has selected the price alert; and
(j) upon detecting that the user has selected the price alert, enabling the user to purchase the first item from the second online merchant.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In an information retrieval system, a system and method for presentation of information and/or resources that are pertinent to an individual'"'"'s interests or task. Guiding individuals to places of interest on a network where information is stored. Displaying or otherwise presenting useful information to the user.
137 Citations
21 Claims
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2. A storage medium having computer program instructions stored on it, where the computer program instructions are executable on a computer operated by a user and connected to a network, and where the computer program instructions cause the computer to be capable of carrying out the operations of:
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(a) monitoring input from the user operating the computer;
(b) retrieving a plurality of web pages over the network at the direction of the user operating the computer, where the operation of retrieving the plurality of web pages over the network is carried out by a web browser application that is executing on the computer and is controlled by the user, and where the plurality of web pages are displayed by the web browser application in a web browser window on a display screen associated with the computer as the user browses each of the plurality of web pages;
(c) monitoring activity of the web browser application associated with the plurality of web pages, where the operation of monitoring activity of the web browser application associated with the plurality of web pages is carried out by a browsing activity monitoring program that automatically monitors activity of the web browser application that is executing on the computer and is controlled by the user, where the browsing activity monitoring program executes on the computer and interfaces with the web browser application in a manner that causes a menu item to be added to the web browser application that can be used to configure an aspect of the browsing activity monitoring program, and where the operation of monitoring activity of the web browser application associated with the plurality of web pages is carried out so that browsing activity associated with the plurality of web pages can be observed without requiring assistance from publishers of the plurality of web pages;
(d) retrieving a first web page over the network at the direction of the user operating the computer, where the first web page is accessible from a web server connected to the network and is published by a first online merchant that performs sales transactions over the network, and where the operation of retrieving the first web page over the network at the direction of the user is carried out by the web browser application after the operation of retrieving the plurality of web pages over the network at the direction of the user;
(e) displaying the first web page in the web browser window on the display screen associated with the computer, where the first web page includes information about a first item offered for sale by the first online merchant at a first price, and where the operation of displaying the first web page in the web browser window is carried out by the web browser application executing on the computer;
(f) monitoring activity of the web browser application associated with the first web page, where the operation of monitoring activity of the web browser application associated with the first web page is carried out automatically by the browsing activity monitoring program, where the operation of monitoring activity of the web browser application includes determining that the user may be shopping for the first item, and where the browsing activity monitoring program is able to determine that the user may be shopping for the first item without requiring authorization from the first online merchant that publishes the first web page;
(g) displaying a price alert that informs the user that competitive prices may be available for the first item offered for sale by the first online merchant, where the price alert is displayed for the user on the display screen associated with the computer while the first web page is in the web browser window, where the price alert is independent of the first web page, meaning that it is not part of the first web page, and is not embedded within or referred to by the first web page, where the price alert is automatically displayed without requiring further input from the user, and is based on the operation of determining that the user may be shopping for the first item, and where the price alert includes a competitive price for the first item, where the competitive price is the price of the first item as offered by a second online merchant;
(h) monitoring the user'"'"'s selection of the price alert displayed on the display screen associated with the computer;
(i) detecting that the user has selected the price alert; and
(j) upon detecting that the user has selected the price alert, enabling the user to purchase the first item from the second online merchant. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of configuring a computer that is operated by a user and connected to a network, where the method comprises the acts of:
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(1) making a browsing activity monitoring program available to be downloaded over the network;
(2) transferring the browsing activity monitoring program over the network to the computer; and
(3) enabling the installation of the browsing activity monitoring program at the computer using a persistent storage mechanism, where the operation of enabling the installation of the browsing activity monitoring program causes the computer to be capable of carrying out the operations of;
(a) monitoring input from the user operating the computer;
(b) retrieving a plurality of web pages over the network at the direction of the user operating the computer, where the operation of retrieving the plurality of web pages over the network is carried out by a web browser application that is executing on the computer and is controlled by the user, and where the plurality of web pages are displayed by the web browser application in a web browser window on a display screen associated with the computer as the user browses each of the plurality of web pages;
(c) monitoring activity of the web browser application associated with the plurality of web pages, where the operation of monitoring activity of the web browser application associated with the plurality of web pages is carried out by the browsing activity monitoring program that executes on the computer, where the browsing activity monitoring program automatically monitors activity of the web browser application that is executing on the computer and is controlled by the user, and where the operation of monitoring activity of the web browser application associated with the plurality of web pages is carried out so that browsing activity associated with the plurality of web pages can be observed without requiring assistance or authorization from publishers of the plurality of web pages;
(d) retrieving a first web page over the network at the direction of the user operating the computer, where the first web page is accessible from a web server connected to the network and is published by a first online merchant that sells items through transactions made over the network, and where the operation of retrieving the first web page over the network at the direction of the user is carried out by the web browser application after the operation of retrieving the plurality of web pages over the network at the direction of the user;
(e) displaying the first web page in the web browser window on the display screen associated with the computer, where the first web page includes information about a first item offered for sale by the first online merchant, and where the operation of displaying the first web page in the web browser window is carried out by the web browser application executing on the computer;
(f) monitoring activity of the web browser application associated with the first web page, where the operation of monitoring activity of the web browser application associated with the first web page is carried out automatically by the browsing activity monitoring program, where the operation of monitoring activity of the web browser application includes determining that the user may be shopping for the first item, and where the browsing activity monitoring program is able to determine that the user may be shopping for the first item without requiring authorization from the first online merchant that publishes the first web page;
(g) presenting a competitive offering notice that informs the user that competitive information may be available that is relevant to the first item offered for sale by the first online merchant, where the competitive offering notice is displayed for the user on the display screen associated with the computer while the first web page is in the web browser window, where the competitive offering notice is independent of the first web page, meaning that it is not part of the first web page, and is not embedded within or referred to by the first web page, and where the competitive offering notice is automatically presented to the user based on the operation of determining that the user may be shopping for the first item;
(h) monitoring the user'"'"'s selection of the competitive offering notice displayed on the display screen associated with the computer;
(i) detecting that the user has selected the competitive offering notice;
(j) upon detecting that the user has selected the competitive offering notice, displaying for the user competitive item information relevant to the first item, where the competitive item information relevant to the first item includes a plurality of links to information about competitive items offered by a plurality of competing online merchants, and where the competitive item information further includes pricing information relating to the competitive items offered by the plurality of competing online merchants; and
(k) enabling the user to purchase one of the competitive items offered by one of the plurality of competing online merchants. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of configuring a computer that is operated by a user and connected to a network, where the method comprises the acts of:
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(1) making a user activity monitoring program available to be downloaded over the network;
(2) transferring the user activity monitoring program over the network to the computer; and
(3) enabling the installation of the user activity monitoring program at the computer using a persistent storage mechanism, where the operation of enabling the installation of the user activity monitoring program causes the computer to be capable of carrying out the operations of;
(a) monitoring input from the user operating the computer;
(b) retrieving a plurality of web pages over the network at the direction of the user operating the computer, where the operation of retrieving the plurality of web pages over the network is carried out by a web browser application that is executing on the computer and is controlled by the user, and where the plurality of web pages are displayed by the web browser application in a web browser window on a display screen associated with the computer as the user browses each of the plurality of web pages;
(c) monitoring activity of the web browser application associated with the plurality of web pages, where the operation of monitoring activity of the web browser application associated with the plurality of web pages is carried out by the user activity monitoring program that executes on the computer;
where the user activity monitoring program automatically monitors activity of the web browser application that is executing on the computer and is controlled by the user, where the user activity monitoring program is in a separate code module that executes on the computer and that provides functionality in addition to that provided by the web browser application, and where the operation of monitoring activity of the web browser application associated with the plurality of web pages is carried out at a variety of web sites without requiring authorization or assistance from any publisher of the plurality of web pages;
(d) retrieving a first web page over the network at the direction of the user operating the computer, where the first web page is accessible from a web server connected to the network and is published by a first entity, and where the operation of retrieving the first web page over the network at the direction of the user is carried out by the web browser application after the operation of retrieving the plurality of web pages over the network at the direction of the user;
(e) displaying the first web page in the web browser window on the display screen associated with the computer, where the operation of displaying the first web page in the web browser window is carried out by the web browser application executing on the computer;
(f) monitoring activity of the web browser application associated with the first web page, where the operation of monitoring activity of the web browser application associated with the first web page is carried out automatically by the user activity monitoring program, where the user activity monitoring program obtains user activity data associated with the first web page identifying the user as having an interest in information published by the first entity, and where the user activity monitoring program obtains the user activity data associated with the first web page without requiring involvement or assistance from the first entity that publishes the first web page;
(g) determining whether a commercial message should be communicated to the user by using data stored locally at the computer, where the data is stored locally at the computer in anticipation of determining whether a commercial message should be communicated to the user, and prior to the operation of retrieving the first web page;
(h) presenting to the user a commercial message relevant to the first web page, where the commercial message is independent of the first web page and is not part of the first web page, and is not embedded within or referred to by the first web page, where the commercial message is automatically selected to be presented to the user based on the user activity data associated with the first web page identifying the user as having an interest in information published by the first entity so that the commercial message tends to appeal to the user'"'"'s interest in information published by the first entity, where the commercial message identifies a commercial entity responsible for the commercial message and includes a promotional message from the commercial entity responsible for the commercial message, and where the commercial message is presented to the user by automatically displaying the commercial message in an area on the display screen that appears after monitoring activity of the web browser application associated with the first web page browsed to by the user using the web browser application;
(i) retrieving a second web page over the network at the direction of the user operating the computer, where the operation of retrieving the second web page over the network at the direction of the user is carried out by the web browser application after the operation of presenting to the user the commercial message relevant to the first web page; and
(i) displaying the second web page in the web browser window on the display screen associated with the computer by replacing the first web page displayed in the web browser window with the second web page, but where the commercial message relevant to the first web page remains in the area on the display screen. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification