Method and apparatus for facilitating computer network transactions
First Claim
1. A method for facilitating transactions on a computer network, the computer network having a plurality of interconnected nodes including a host node and at least one user node, the host node located on the computer network at a host network address and each user node located at a user network address different than the host network address, the host node having access to a database including a plurality of records having predetermined contents, each record being addressable with address information incorporated into unique identification indicia, each user node including a display for displaying an icon and a user-actuatable input device for selecting the icon, comprising the steps of:
- contacting the host node using the host network address in a URL associated with the icon displayed on the display of one user node after selection of the icon by actuation of the respective input device by a user said activation resulting in a TCP/IP request to the host network address;
retrieving the record associated with the selected icon from the database accessible to the host node using at least a portion of the same URL associated with the icon to retrieve one associated record in the database;
dynamically generating an input form including at least one input field requesting data from the user, wherein at least a portion of the input form depends upon the contents of the retrieved record;
presenting the input form on the display of the one user node in a separate transaction session while maintaining the hosting (icon) window;
after the requested data has been entered, communicating at least a minimum set of the requested data from the one user node to the host node over the network and;
recording an order on the host system based on the requested data.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for facilitating computer network transactions are disclosed herein. The computer network connects a host node and at least one user node. The host node has access to a database including records having predetermined contents, each record associated with a unique identification indicia. Each user node includes a display for displaying an icon and an input device for selecting the icon. The icon is typically an advertising banner having graphics related to an advertised product or service. The icon has embedded therein the network address of the host node, and the indicia for a record associated with the advertised product or service. The icon displayed on one user node is selected by actuating the respective input device (e.g., a mouse). The host network address embedded in the selected icon is used to contact the host node. Then, the record associated with the selected icon is retrieved by searching the database using the indicia embedded in the selected icon as a pointer. An input form is dynamically generated which includes at least one input field requesting data from the user, a portion of the input form depending on the contents of the retrieved record. The input form is presented on the display of the one user node. After entry, at least a minimum set of the requested data is communicated to the host node over the network. The requested data may be validated, with the user requested to provide any needed corrections. Once the data is valid, a confirmation form is generated based on the requested data and is displayed to the user. If the user acknowledges the confirmation form, an acknowledgment form is generated and displayed. The acknowledgment form may include a second cascaded icon.
450 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method for facilitating transactions on a computer network, the computer network having a plurality of interconnected nodes including a host node and at least one user node, the host node located on the computer network at a host network address and each user node located at a user network address different than the host network address, the host node having access to a database including a plurality of records having predetermined contents, each record being addressable with address information incorporated into unique identification indicia, each user node including a display for displaying an icon and a user-actuatable input device for selecting the icon, comprising the steps of:
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contacting the host node using the host network address in a URL associated with the icon displayed on the display of one user node after selection of the icon by actuation of the respective input device by a user said activation resulting in a TCP/IP request to the host network address;
retrieving the record associated with the selected icon from the database accessible to the host node using at least a portion of the same URL associated with the icon to retrieve one associated record in the database;
dynamically generating an input form including at least one input field requesting data from the user, wherein at least a portion of the input form depends upon the contents of the retrieved record;
presenting the input form on the display of the one user node in a separate transaction session while maintaining the hosting (icon) window;
after the requested data has been entered, communicating at least a minimum set of the requested data from the one user node to the host node over the network and;
recording an order on the host system based on the requested data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for facilitating transactions on a computer network, the computer network having a plurality of interconnected nodes including a host node and at least one user node, the host node located on the computer network at a host network address and each user node located at a user network address different than the host network address, the host node having access to a database including a plurality of records having predetermined contents, each record having a unique identification indicia associated therewith, each user node including a display for displaying an icon and a user-actuatable input device for selecting the icon, the icon having embedded therein the host network address and the unique identification indicia of one associated record in the database, comprising the steps of:
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contacting the host node based upon the host network address embedded in the icon displayed on the display of one user node in response to selection of the icon by actuation of the respective input device by a user;
retrieving the record associated with the selected icon by searching the database accessible to the host node using the unique identification indicia embedded in the selected icon as a pointer;
generating an input form including at least one input field requesting data from the user, wherein at least a portion of the input form depends upon the contents of the retrieved record;
presenting the input form on the display of the one user node; and
after the requested data has been entered, communicating at least a minimum set of the requested data from the one user node to the host node over the network.
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20. A method for facilitating cascaded transactions on a computer network, the computer network having a plurality of interconnected nodes including a host node and at least one user node, the host node located on the computer network at a host network address and each user node located at a user network address different than the host network address, the host node having access to a database including a plurality of records having predetermined contents, each record having a unique identification indicia associated therewith, each user node including a display for displaying an icon and a user-actuatable input device for selecting the icon, the icon having embedded therein the host network address and the unique identification indicia of one associated record in the database, comprising the steps of:
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(a) contacting the host node based upon the host network address embedded in the icon displayed on the display of one user node in response to selection of the icon by actuation of the respective input device by a user;
(b) retrieving the record associated with the selected icon by searching the database accessible to the host node using the unique identification indicia embedded in the selected icon as a pointer;
(c) dynamically generating an input form including at least one input field requesting data from the user, wherein at least a portion of the input form depends upon the contents of the retrieved record;
(d) presenting the input form on the display of the one user node;
(e) after the requested data has been entered, communicating at least a minimum set of the requested data from the one user node to the host node over the network; and
(f) in response to occurrence of step (e), displaying a second icon on the display of the one user node, the second icon having embedded therein the host network address and the unique identification indicia of a second associated record in the database, and repeating steps (a) through (e).
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21. An apparatus for facilitating transactions on a computer network, the computer network having a plurality of user nodes located at a plurality of user network addresses, each user node including a display for displaying an icon and a user-actuatable input device for selecting the icon, each icon having embedded therein a host network address and a unique identification indicia, comprising:
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a host server located on the computer network at the host network address such that the host server is contacted by the computer network when the icon displayed on the display of one user node is selected in response to actuation of the respective input device by a user;
the host server including a memory circuit configured to store a database including a plurality of records having predetermined contents, each record having a unique identification indicia associated therewith, wherein the unique identification indicia of one of the records matches the indicia embedded in the icon displayed on the display of the one user node;
the host server further including a processing circuit configured to receive the unique identification indicia embedded in the icon displayed on the display of the one user node when that icon is selected, to search the database using the received unique identification indicia as a pointer, to retrieve the record pointed to by the pointer, to dynamically generate an input form including at least one input field requesting data from the user, at least a portion of the input form depending upon the contents of the retrieved record, to transmit the input form to the one user node to be displayed and, after the requested data has been entered by the user, to receive at least a minimum set of the requested data from the one user node over the network. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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24. A method of performing a transaction on a computer network, the computer network having a plurality of interconnected nodes including a host node and at least one user node, the host node located on the computer network at a host network address and each user node located at a user network address different than the host network address, the host node having access to a database including a plurality of records having predetermined contents, each record having a unique identification indicia associated therewith, each user node including a display for displaying an icon and a user-actuatable input device for selecting the icon, the icon having embedded therein the host network address and the unique identification indicia of one associated record in the database, comprising the steps of:
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selecting the icon displayed on the display of one user node by actuating the respective input device, the selection of the icon causing the host node addressed by the host network address embedded in the icon to be contacted and to respond by retrieving the record associated with the selected icon by searching the database accessible to the host node using the unique identification indicia embedded in the selected icon as a pointer, by generating an input form including at least one input field requesting data from the user, at least a portion of the input form depending upon the contents of the retrieved record, and by presenting the input form on the display of the one user node; and
entering the requested data into the input form, causing at least a minimum set of the requested data to be communicated from the one user node to the host node over the network.
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33. A system for facilitating transactions on the Internet, comprising:
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a host computer connected to the Internet at a predetermined URL and having access to a product/service information database including a plurality of records, each record storing information for a product or service and having a unique banner identifier associated therewith;
a plurality of customer computers connected to the Internet at URLs different from the URL of the host computer, each customer computer including a display for displaying a banner associated with one of the records, the banner having embedded therein the URL of the host computer and the unique banner identifier of the associated record in the product/service information database, each customer computer further including an input device for selecting the banner;
means for contacting the host computer based upon its predetermined URL embedded in the banner displayed on the display of one customer computer in response to selection of the banner by actuation of the respective input device by a customer;
means for searching the product/service information database accessible to the host computer using the unique banner identifier embedded in the selected advertising banner as a pointer;
means for retrieving the record pointed to by the pointer;
means for presenting an input form on the display, at least a portion of the input form dynamically generated based upon the contents of the retrieved record, the input form including at least one field requesting data from the customer; and
after the requested data is entered by the customer, means for communicating at least a minimum set of the requested data to the host computer.
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Specification