DYNAMIC MAPPER

• US 20110078015A1
• Filed: 08/05/2010
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: National Electronics Warranty Corporation (NEW Asurion Corporation)
• Original Assignee: National Electronics Warranty Corporation (NEW Asurion Corporation)
• Inventors: COOMES, Graham, GIBBONS, Richard, SIROTKIN, Sergey, NIELSEN, Aaron David, BICKLE, Eric
• Application Number:
  US12/851,451
• Publication Number:
  US 20110078015A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.42
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0243 Comparative campaigns
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0246 Traffic
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement

Abstract

A web crawler for downloading and analyzing the contents of a merchant'"'"'s website. The web crawler may analyze the products advertised and determine whether a service plans is properly associated. The crawler may also analyze the placement of the service plan on the website, and store the information in a database. A dynamic mapper is also provided which can determine what service plan should be associated with a particular product. The dynamic mapper may also suggest what type of control to use for a particular customer. A webserver containing software for updating a webpage is also disclosed. A process for updating a webpage is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A dynamic mapper stored on computer readable media for causing a microprocessor of a server to perform the steps of:

a. adding a control to a product webpage;

b. receiving a request to view a product from a customer;

c. sending a request to the server to lookup which service plan should be associated with said product;

d. receiving electronic information from the server; and

e. instructing the control to display a sales pitch, service plan options, or an advertisement to the customer.

2. The dynamic mapper of claim 1 wherein the control and the webpage have a uniform appearance.

3. The dynamic mapper of claim 1 wherein the webpage is a search page or a shopping cart.

4. The dynamic mapper of claim 1 comprising the step of instructing the server to store the electronic information so that the server can provide the control with the information to display without sending a request to the server.

5. The dynamic mapper of claim 4 comprising the step of using the control to send a request for updated information from the server after a predetermined amount of time.

6. The dynamic mapper of claim 4 comprising the step of using the control to send a request for updated information from the server after the webpage has been modified.

7. The dynamic mapper of claim 1 comprising the steps of providing the customer with an option to purchase the service plan, wherein selecting the option to purchase causes the control to send an instruction to the server to update a total price on the webpage.

8. The dynamic mapper of claim 1 comprising the step of tracking customer behavior and sales outcome to determine a success rate of different embodiments of the control.

9. The dynamic mapper of claim 8 comprising the step of storing a customer'"'"'s decision whether or not to purchase a service plan advertised through the control.

10. The dynamic mapper of claim 8 comprising the step of providing which service plan was selected, which embodiment of the control was used, and a price of the product to an analysis engine.

11. The dynamic mapper of claim 10 comprising the step of providing the analysis engine with information relating to the customer'"'"'s location, the webpage'"'"'s domain name, and a purchase date.

12. The dynamic mapper of claim 10 comprising the step of providing the analysis engine with gender information, income information, and age information about the customer.

13. The dynamic mapper of claim 10 comprising the step of determining which particular embodiment of a control will be likely most effective for a particular customer.

14. The dynamic mapper of claim 10 comprising the step of directing a webserver to select an optimum embodiment of the control to persuade the customer to purchase the service plan.

15. The dynamic mapper of claim 1, comprising the step of using the server to delay displaying the control until the webpage has been fully downloaded by the customer.

16. The dynamic mapper of claim 1, wherein the webpage is insulated from the control to prevent the server from modifying the webpage'"'"'s contents or integrity.

17. A method of automatically mapping service plans to a product webpage, search page, or shopping cart;

said method comprising the steps of;

a. adding a control to a product webpage, search page, or shopping cart;

b. receiving a request to view a product from a customer;

c. sending a request to a server to look up which service plan should be associated with said product;

d. receiving electronic information from the server; and

e. instructing the control to display a sales pitch, service plan options, or an advertisement to the customer.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the control and the webpage have a uniform appearance.

19. The method of claim 17 comprising the step of instructing the server to store the electronic information so that the server can provide the control with information to display without sending a request to the server.

20. The method of claim 17 comprising the step of using the control to send a request for updated information from the server after a predetermined amount of time.

21. The method of claim 20 comprising the step of using the control to send a request for updated information from the server after the webpage has been modified.

22. The method of claim 17 comprising the step of providing the customer with an option to purchase the service plan, wherein selecting the option to purchase causes the control to send an instruction to the server to update a total price on the webpage.

23. The method of claim 17 comprising the step of tracking customer behavior and sales outcome to determine a success rate of different embodiments of the control.

24. The method of claim 23 comprising the step of storing a customer'"'"'s decision whether or not to purchase a service plan advertised through the control.

25. The method of claim 23 comprising the step of providing which service plan was selected, which embodiment of the control was used, and a price of the product to an analysis engine.

26. The method of claim 25 comprising the step of providing the analysis engine with information relating to the customer'"'"'s location, the webpage'"'"'s domain name, and a purchase date.

27. The method of claim 25 comprising the step of providing the analysis engine with gender information, income information, and age information about the customer.

28. The method of claim 25 comprising the step of determining which particular embodiment of a control will be likely most effective for a particular customer.

29. The method of claim 25 comprising the step of directing a webserver to select an optimum embodiment of the control to persuade the customer to purchase the service plan.

30. The method of claim 17, comprising the step of using the server to delay displaying the control until the webpage has been fully downloaded by the customer.

31. The method of claim 17, wherein the webpage is insulated from the control to prevent the server from modifying the webpage'"'"'s contents or integrity.