System and method for modifying display components in an internet web page without changing the remainder of the web page

• US 7,693,937 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2006
• Issued: 04/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PayPal, Inc. (PayPal Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Melet, Todd B., Melet, Stone J.
• Primary Examiner(s): BAROT, BHARAT
• Application Number:
  US11/393,398
• Publication Number:
  US 20060184620A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,468 Days
• Field of Search: 709201-203, 709217-219, 709227-229, 707/10, 715740-744
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/202 Interconnection or interaction of plural electronic cash registers [ECR] or to host computer, e.g. network details, transfer of information from host to ECR or from ECR to ECR
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15

Abstract

A host Web page includes an evolving interactive dialog box wherein an Internet user may enter user data to be processed. When the user completes entering user data in a first revolution of the interactive dialog box, the first revolution is replaced with a second revolution of the evolving interactive dialog box without disturbing or affecting any other part of the host Web page being displayed. Beneficially, the first and second revolutions may be communicated to a user computer together with and at a same time as the host Web page. Also, the second revolution may include a variety of data which is selected or customized to match the user data submitted in the first revolution. Each revolution of the evolving interactive dialog box may be comprised of any combination of general textual data entry fields, category (pull-down) menus, contact information data entry fields, and opt-in/opt-out buttons. The evolving interactive dialog box may also include dynamically selectable features, such as font type, font size, font color, box shape, box dimension(s), background colors, foreground colors, etc.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a web page at a user computer, the web page including a displayable component to present information, the displayable component being a web browser readable code component including dynamically selectable characteristics, content of the displayable component being displayable concurrently with a remainder of the web page, the displayable component being useable with a plurality of different web browsers provided by a plurality of different web browser providers;

receiving an input; and

changing the content of the displayable component in response to the received input without changing the remainder of the web page, without reloading the remainder of the web page, and without redirecting a web browser away from the web page, the changed content of the displayable component being displayable concurrently with the remainder of the web page.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the displayable component is a window.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the displayable component is a dialog box.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein changing the content of the displayable component further includes replacing the content of the displayable component with different content of the displayable component to present information and request user input.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the displayable component includes a data entry field.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 wherein changing the content of the displayable component further includes changing information in the data entry field.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the web page further includes dynamic presentation features.

8. A system comprising:

a user computer;

a web browser operably installed on the user computer; and

a web page accessible to the user computer via the web browser, the web page including a displayable component to present information, the displayable component being a web browser readable code component including dynamically selectable characteristics content of the displayable component being displayable concurrently with a remainder of the web page, the displayable component being useable with a plurality of different web browsers provided by a plurality of different web browser providers, the user computer being operable to receive an input, and to change the content of the displayable component in response to the received input without changing the remainder of the web page, without reloading the remainder of the web page, and without redirecting a web browser away from the web page, the changed content of the displayable component being displayable concurrently with the remainder of the web page.

9. The system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the displayable component is a window.

10. The system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the displayable component is a dialog box.

11. The system as claimed in claim 8 further operable to change the content of the displayable component by replacing the content of the displayable component with different content of the displayable component to present information and request user input.

12. The system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the displayable component includes a data entry field.

13. The system as claimed in claim 12 further operable to change the content of the displayable component by changing information in the data entry field.

14. The system as claimed in claim 8 wherein the web page further includes dynamic presentation features.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a web page accessible via a web browser, the web page including a displayable component to present information, the displayable component being a web browser readable code component including dynamically selectable characteristics, content of the displayable component being displayable concurrently with a remainder of the web page, the displayable component being useable with a plurality of different web browsers provided by a plurality of different web browser providers, the web page being operable to receive an input, and to change the content of the displayable component in response to the received input without changing the remainder of the web page, without reloading the remainder of the web page, and without redirecting a web browser away from the web page, the changed content of the displayable component being displayable concurrently with the remainder of the web page.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein the displayable component is a window.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein the displayable component is a dialog box.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15 further operable to change the content of the displayable component by replacing the content of the displayable component with different content of the displayable component to present information and request user input.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein the displayable component includes a data entry field.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 19 further operable to change the content of the displayable component by changing information in the data entry field.

21. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein the web page further includes dynamic presentation features.

22. An apparatus comprising:

means for providing a web page at a user computer, the web page including a displayable component to present information, the displayable component being a web browser readable code component including dynamically selectable characteristics, content of the displayable component being displayable concurrently with a remainder of the web page, the displayable component being useable with a plurality of different web browsers provided by a plurality of different web browser providers;

means for receiving an input; and

means for changing the content of the displayable component in response to the received input without changing the remainder of the web page, without reloading the remainder of the web page, and without redirecting a web browser away from the web page, the changed content of the displayable component being displayable concurrently with the remainder of the web page.

23. The apparatus as claimed in claim 22 wherein the displayable component is a window.

24. The apparatus as claimed in claim 22 wherein the displayable component is a dialog box.

25. The apparatus as claimed in claim 22 wherein the means for changing the content of the displayable component further includes means for replacing the content of the displayable component with a different content of the displayable component to present information and request user input.

26. The apparatus as claimed in claim 22 wherein the displayable component includes a data entry field.

27. The apparatus as claimed in claim 26 wherein the means for changing the content of the displayable component further includes means for changing information in the data entry field.

28. The apparatus as claimed in claim 22 wherein the web page further includes dynamic presentation features.