Method and system for integrating transaction mechanisms over multiple internet sites

• US 7,660,744 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2005
• Issued: 02/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon.com, Inc.
• Inventors: Mathur, Rakesh, Rajaraman, Anand, Philippe, Yan
• Primary Examiner(s): DUNHAM, JASON B
• Application Number:
  US11/069,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20050210022A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,806 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27
• US Class Current: 705/26.35
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/12 Use of codes for handling textual entities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/123 Storage facilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/174 Form filling; Merging
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0625 Directed, with specific intent or strategy
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces

Abstract

A method is provided for effecting transactions across multiple vendors in an integrated environment, wherein the user may purchase each of a plurality of items the user finds independent of the vendors. The user'"'"'s selections are received from the user and mapped to a selected set of vendors. When the user is finished, she invokes a check-out application to fill in one or many order entry forms for each of the relevant vendors whose goods the user selected during the course of shopping. The check-out application uses common information, such as name, address and credit card number, previously provided by the user in order to fill in the order entry forms for each vendor without requiring the user to fill in these forms. Finally, the check-out application tracks confirmation numbers in a common information store.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of facilitating transactions on web sites, the method comprising:

one or more computer systems configured to execute instructions comprising;

receiving, and storing in a data repository, user information supplied by a user, including information suitable for conducting transactions via web sites;

programmatically obtaining, from a web site, information about an item that can be ordered via the web site;

presenting the obtained information to the user separately from the web site, in conjunction with functionality for the user to select the item for placement of an order; and

in response to a request from the user to order the item, automatically filling in a sequence of two or more web forms of the web site with user information obtained from the data repository, and automatically submitting the web forms, to at least partially automate a process of placing an order for the item, wherein the web forms are filled in and submitted using automated form filling technology that fills in the sequence of two or more web forms in a correct order without the web forms being presented to the user and without obtaining additional user information directly from the user when filling out the web forms.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtained information is presenting to the user on a web page that is separate from the web site, said web page providing said functionality for the user to select the hem for placement of an order.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sequence of two or more web forms is filled in by a proxy server that intercepts incoming web pages.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed without the user accessing the web site.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises intercepting incoming web pages of the web site and preventing such incoming web pages from being presented to the user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises inhibiting the sequence of two or more web forms from being presented to the user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises, in response to the request from the user to order the item, automatically placing an order for the item on behalf of the user.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising programmatically receiving, and storing in a data repository, order confirmation information provided by the web site in response to placement of the order.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically filling in the sequence of two or more web forms comprises programmatically converting a portion of the user information into a format that complies with the web forms.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein programmatically converting the portion of the user information comprises applying a transformation function to the portion of user information.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the automated form filling technology comprises using pattern matching to match portions of the user information to corresponding fields of the sequence of two or more web forms.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the automated form filing technology comprises a transaction wrapper associated with the web site and the sequence of two or more web forms is filled via execution of the transaction wrapper.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the information about the item is obtained from the web site by execution of an information-gathering wrapper that is separate from the transaction wrapper.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the request from the user to order the item is a request to order a plurality of items represented in an electronic shopping cart.

15. A computer-implemented method of facilitating transactions on web sites, the method comprising:

one or more computer systems configured to execute instructions comprising;

receiving, and storing in a data repository, user information supplied by a user, said user information including information suitable for conducting transactions via web sites;

maintaining, in an electronic shopping cart associated with the user, a record of a plurality of items selected by the user to order, including at least a first item offered by a first entity on a first web site, and a second item offered by a second entity on a second web site, and

in response to a request from the user to order the items recorded in the electronic shopping cart, automatically initiating at least a first transaction to order the first item from the first entity, and a second transaction to order the second item from the second entity, wherein the first and second transactions are initiated, at least in part, by automatically filling in a first sequence of two or more web forms of the first web site with at least some of the user information obtained from the data repository using automated form filling technology that fills in the first sequence of two or more web forms in a correct order without obtaining additional user information directly from the user when filling out the first sequence of web forms, by automatically filling a second sequence of two or more web forms of the second web site with at least some of the user information obtained from the data repository using automated form filling technology that fills in the second sequence of two or more web forms without obtaining additional user information directly from the user when filling out the second sequence of web forms, and by automatically submitting the first and second sequences of web forms on behalf of the user.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the method is performed such that the user is not exposed to the first and second sequences of web forms.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the method is performed without the user accessing either the first web site or the second web site.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the method comprises intercepting incoming web pages of the first and second web sites and preventing such web pages from being presented to the user.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the first and second sequences of web forms are filled in by a proxy server that intercepts incoming web pages.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein automatically filling in the first sequence of web forms comprises converting a portion of the user information into a format that complies with the first sequence of web forms.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the automated form filling technology comprises using pattern matching to match portions of the user information to corresponding fields of the first sequence of web forms.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the automated form filling technology comprises a first wrapper program associated with the first web site and a second wrapper program associated with the second web site, and wherein the first sequence of web forms is filled via execution of the first wrapper program associated with the first web site and the second sequence of web forms is filled via execution of a second wrapper program associated with the second web site.

23. The method of claim 15, wherein the method comprises completing the first and second transactions automatically on behalf of the user without user intervention.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises prompting the user to confirm the first and second transactions.

25. The method of claim 15, further comprising extracting item sales listings from at least the first and second web sites, and aggregating the item sales listings within a single web page that provides functionality for the user to select a listed item to add to the electronic shopping cart.

26. A system for facilitating transactions on web sites, the system comprising:

a data store that stores user information supplied by a user, including information suitable for conducting transactions via web sites; and

a computing device in communication with the data store and that is operative to;

programmatically obtain, from a web site, information about an item that can be ordered via the web site;

present the obtained information to the user separately from the web site, in conjunction with functionality for the user to select the item for placement of an order; and

in response to a request from the user to order the item, automatically fill in a sequence of two or more web forms of the web site with user information obtained from the data store, and automatically submit the web forms, to at least partially automate a process of placing an order for the item, wherein the web forms are filled in and submitted using automated form filling technology that fills in the sequence of two or more web forms without the web forms being presented to the user and without obtaining additional user information directly from the user when filling out the web forms.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the obtained information is presenting to the user on a web page that is separate from the web site, said web page providing said functionality for the user to select the item for placement of an order.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the sequence of two or more web forms is filled in by a proxy server that intercepts incoming web pages.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the sequence of two or more web forms is automatically filled in and submitted without the user accessing the web site.

30. The system of claim 26, wherein the computing device is further operative to intercept incoming web pages of the web site and prevent such incoming web pages from being presented to the user.

31. The system of claim 26, wherein the computing device is further operative to inhibit the sequence of two or more web forms from being presented to the user.

32. The system of claim 26, wherein the computing device is further operative to, in response to the request from the user to order the item, automatically place an order for the item on behalf of the user.

33. The system of claim 26, wherein automatically filling in the sequence of two or more web forms comprises programmatically converting a portion of the user information into a format that complies with the web forms.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein programmatically converting the portion of the user information comprises applying a transformation function to the portion of user information.

35. The system of claim 26, wherein the automated form filing technology comprises using pattern matching to match portions of the user information to corresponding fields of the web forms.

36. The system of claim 26, wherein the automated form filling technology comprises a transaction wrapper associated with the web site and the sequence of two or more web forms is filled via execution of the transaction wrapper.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein the information about the item is obtained from the web site by execution of an information-gathering wrapper that is separate from the transaction wrapper.

38. The system of claim 26, wherein the request from the user to order the item is a request to order a plurality of items represented in an electronic shopping cart.

39. A tangible computer-readable storage medium which stores a computer program comprising:

a data storage component that receives, and stores in a data repository, user information supplied by a user, including information suitable for conducting transactions via web sites; and

an automated form filling component in communication with the data storage component, the automated form filling component operative to;

programmatically obtain, from a web site, information about an item that can be ordered via the web site;

present the obtained information to the user separately from the web site, in conjunction with functionality for the user to select the item for placement of an order; and

in response to a request from the user to order the item, automatically fill in a sequence of two or more web forms of the web site with user information obtained from the data repository, and automatically submit the web forms, to at least partially automate a process of placing an order for the item, wherein the web forms are filled in and submitted using automated form filling technology that fills in the sequence of two or more web forms in a correct order without the web forms being presented to the user and without obtaining additional user information directly from the user when filling out the web forms.