Method and system for co-browsing in electronic commerce

• US 7,219,072 B1
• Filed: 06/01/1999
• Issued: 05/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Sundaresan, Neelakantan
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CUONG H
• Application Number:
  US09/323,605
• Time in Patent Office: 2,905 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 709/204, 709/227, 709/205
• US Class Current: 705/26.42
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6254 by anonymising data, e.g. decorrelating personal data from the owner's identification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0615 Anonymizing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for providing co-browsing by users shopping over a computer network, such as an internet. The method comprises: providing a network site offering items for sale; providing to a first user of the network site capability to inform the network site of interest in co-browsing with a second user; providing to the second user of the network site capability to inform the network site of interest in co-browsing with the first user; and providing a capability for communication between the interested first and second users while they continue to shop. Users are provided with a window for interfacing with the network site, wherein the window comprises a first pane that displays items for sale and a second pane that displays content of the communication between the first and second user. A proxy server protects identity of the users. The browsing pattern of at least one of the first or second users can be monitored, and users of a common browsing pattern can be identified and informed of the common browsing pattern. The first user can be provided with capability to inform the network site of subject matter of interest to the user. The second user can then be selected based on characteristics the second user shares with the first user, and notified of the characteristics shared with the first user. The capability to inform the network site of interest in co-browsing comprises capability to inform the network site of conditions required for co-browsing.

Claims

1. A method for providing co-browsing by users shopping over a computer network, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a network site offering items for sale;

(b) monitoring the browsing patterns of a first user of the network site and of a second user of the network site;

(c) identifying a common browsing pattern of the first and second users;

(d) informing the users of the common browsing pattern;

(e) providing to the first user of the network site capability to inform the network site of interest in co-browsing with the second user;

(f) providing to the second user of the network site capability to inform the network site of interest in co-browsing with the first user; and

(g) providing a capability for communication between the interested first and second users while they continue to shop on the network site.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the users with a window for interfacing with the network site, wherein the window comprises a first pane that displays information relating to items for sale and a second pane that displays content of the communication between the first and second user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the capability for communication comprises a proxy server that protects identity of the users.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the first user with capability to inform the network site of subject matter of interest to the user.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second user is selected based on characteristics the second user shares with the first user.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising notifying the second user of the characteristics shared with the first user.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the characterstics include the subject matter of interest to the user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the capability to inform the network site of interest in co-browsing comprises capability to inform the network site of conditions required for co-browsing.

4. An article of manufacture comprising a computer program carrier readable by a computer and embodying one or more instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for:

(a) providing a network site offering items for sale;

(b) monitoring the browsing patterns of a first user of the network site and of a second user of the network site;

(c) identifying a common browsing pattern of the first and second users;

(d) informing the users of the common browsing pattern;

(e) providing to the first user of the network site capability to inform the network site of interest in co-browsing with the second user;

(f) providing to the second user of the network site capability to inform the network site of interest in co-browsing with the first user; and

(g) providing a capability for communication between the interested first and second users while they continue to shop on the network site.

5. The article of manufacture of claim 4, wherein the method further comprises providing the users with a window for interfacing with the network site, wherein the window comprises a first pane that displays information relating to items for sale and a second pane that displays content of the communication between the first and second user.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 4, wherein the capability for communication comprises a proxy server that protects identity of the users.

15. The article of manufacture of claim 4, wherein the capability to inform the network site of interest in co-browsing comprises capability to inform the network site of conditions required for co-browsing.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 4, wherein the method further comprises providing the first user with capability to inform the network site of subject matter of interest to the user.

22. The article of manufacture of claim 21, wherein the second user is selected based on characteristics the second user shares with the first user.

23. The article of manufacture of claim 22, wherein the method further comprises notifying the second user of the characteristics shared with the first user.

24. The article of manufacture of claim 22, wherein the characteristics include the subject matter of interest to the user.

11. An apparatus for providing co-browsing by users shopping over a network, comprising:

(a) an electronic commerce server connected to the network for offering items for sale; and

(b) a co-browsing facility, provided by the electronic commerce server, that allows a first user that is browsing the items for sale to conditionally know whether a second user is also browsing the items for sale and then provides a communication medium for a conversation between the first and second users via the electronic commerce server while the first and second users both continue to browse the items for sale on the network site, wherein the electronic commerce server is capable of monitoring the browsing pattern of at least one of the first or second users, and wherein the electronic commerce server is further capable of identifying at least two users of a common browsing pattern and informing the at least two users of the common browsing pattern.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the co-browsing facility comprises a window for interfacing with the network site, wherein the window comprises a first pane that displays information relating to items for sale and a second pane that displays content of the communication between the first and second user.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the communication medium comprises a proxy server that protects identity of the users.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the electronic commerce server provides the first user with capability to inform the server of subject matter of interest to the user.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the second user is selected based on characteristics the second user shares with the first user.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the server notifies the second user of the characteristics shared with the first user.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the characteristics include the subject matter of interest to the user.

20. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the co-browsing facility comprises capability to inform the network site of conditions required for co-browsing.