DISTRIBUTED COMMERCE APPLICATION-WIDGET

• US 20080255962A1
• Filed: 12/31/2007
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Chang, Stephen, Chatwani, Robert, Burkhart, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 8,260,687 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0627 using item specifications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0629 for generating comparisons
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

In some example embodiments, a system and method are illustrated as including generating an item page that includes widget code and details related to an item for sale. Some example embodiments may include making the widget code available for retrieval from the item page.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

generating an item page that includes widget code and item details related to an item for sale; and

making the widget code available for retrieval from the item page.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising automatically inserting the widget code into a web page.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 2, wherein the web page is a social networking web page with widget code.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising counting widget activity, and crediting a user account based upon the widget activity.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the widget activity includes at least one of the following:

a page view of the item page, a mouse over of the widget code, a click through of the widget code, a sales transaction using the widget code or the creation of an affiliate using the widget code.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a purchase request generated by the widget code, the purchase request being related to the item for sale;

receiving authentication of an identification value, the identification value being associated with the purchase request; and

transmitting a purchase confirmation based upon the authentication of the identification value.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 6, wherein the identification value includes at least one of:

a buyer ID, an item ID, seller ID or a widget ID.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting an item update relating to the item for sale, the item update including at least one of:

changes in item sales status, price change information or time of sale change information.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising broadcasting the widget code to at least one server.

10. A computer system comprising:

a widget engine to generate an item page that includes widget code and details related to an item for sale; and

a posting engine to make the widget code available for retrieval from the item page.

11. The computer system of claim 10, further comprising an insertion engine to automatically insert the widget code into a web page.

12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the web page is a social networking web page with widget code.

13. The computer system of claim 10, further comprising a counter to count widget activity and to credit a user account based upon the widget activity.

14. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the widget activity includes at least one of the following:

a page view of the item page, a mouse over of the widget code, a click through of the widget code, a sales transaction using the widget code or the creation of an affiliate using the widget code.

15. The computer system of claim 10, further comprising:

a first receiver to receive a purchase request generated by the widget code, the purchase request related to the item for sale;

a second receiver to receive authentication of an identification value associated with the purchase request; and

a first transmitter to transmit a purchase confirmation based upon the authentication of the identification value.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the identification value includes at least one of:

a buyer ID, an item ID, seller ID or a widget ID.

17. The computer system of claim 10, further comprising a second transmitter to transmit an item update relating to the item for sale, the item update including at least one of changes in item sales status, price change information or time of sale change information.

18. The computer system of claim 10, further comprising a broadcast engine to broadcast the widget code to at least one server.

19. An apparatus comprising:

means for generating an item page that includes widget code and details related to an item for sale; and

means for making the widget code available for retrieval from the item page.

20. A machine-readable medium comprising instructions, which when implemented by one or more machines cause the one or more machines to perform the following operations:

generate an item page that includes widget code and details related to an item for sale; and

make the widget code available for retrieval from the item page.