Systems and methods for recommending website hosting applications

• US 7,873,709 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2010
• Issued: 01/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Go Daddy Operating Company LLC (GoDaddy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Go Daddy Group Incorporated (GoDaddy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chappie, Jason, Jilg, Justin, Lee, Yong
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu; Le
• Application Number:
  US12/774,517
• Publication Number:
  US 20100217690A1
• Time in Patent Office: 258 Days
• Field of Search: 709/207, 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709/218, 705/27, 705/10, 455/406, 715/700, 719/328
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles

Abstract

Systems and methods of the present invention allow for recommending hosting applications. An exemplary method may comprise the steps of receiving a URL for a Submitted Website from a potential customer, determining the features of the Submitted Website, and offering Hosting Applications (that implement the Submitted Website'"'"'s features) for sale to said potential customer.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a) a Search Webpage hosted on at least one server computer communicatively coupled to a Network, said Search Webpage having a data field configured to receive a URL resolving to a Submitted Website; and

b) a Recommendation Engine running on at least one of said at least one server computer configured to perform the steps of;

i) analyzing said Submitted Website;

ii) determining at least one software-implemented tool on said Submitted Website;

iii) identifying at least one Hosting Application providing similar functionality to at least one of said at least one software-implemented tool; and

iv) offering for purchase, via said Search Webpage, at least one of said at least one Hosting Application.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said Search Webpage further comprises a Shopping Cart.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said Recommendation Engine is further configured to populate said Shopping Cart with at least one of said at least one Hosting Application.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising an Applications Database comprising a list of Hosting Applications that may be offered to a potential customer, said Applications Database communicatively coupled to said Network and searchable by said Recommendation Engine.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising a Popular Website Profile Database comprising a plurality of Popular Website Profiles for popular websites, said Popular Website Profile Database communicatively coupled to said Network and searchable by said Recommendation Engine.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one software-implemented tool comprises an operating system, an e-mail application, an online file storage application, a forum application, a blog application, a shopping cart application, an SSL certificate, or a flash-based application.

7. A method, comprising the steps of:

a) receiving, by at least one server computer communicatively coupled to a Network, a URL resolving to a Submitted Website from a potential customer;

b) determining, by at least one of said at least one server computer, at least one software-implemented tool on said Submitted Website; and

c) offering, by at least one of said at least one server computer, at least one Hosting Application for sale to said potential customer, said at least one Hosting Application providing similar functionality to at least one of said at least one software-implemented tool.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said receiving step a) further comprises the step of providing a Search Webpage having a data field for entry of said URL by said potential customer.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of, after step b) but before step c):

i) generating, by at least one of said at least one server computer, a Website Profile identifying said at least one software-implemented tool;

ii) comparing, by at least one of said at least one server computer, said Website Profile against an Applications Database storing a list Hosting Applications that may be offered for sale to said potential customer; and

iii) generating, by at least one of said at least one server computer, a list of at least one Hosting Application providing similar functionality to at least one of said at least one software-implemented tool.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said generating a Website Profile step i) comprises selecting said Website Profile from a Popular Website Profile Database storing a plurality of Popular Website Profiles for popular websites.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said determining step b) further comprises the steps of:

i) identifying a hosting provider hosting said Submitted Website;

ii) transmitting a request for an identification of said at least one software-implemented tool to said hosting provider; and

iii) receiving said identification from said hosting provider.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said determining step b) comprises the step of analyzing said Submitted Website to determine said at least one software-implemented tool.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said analyzing step comprises analyzing a HTTP reply received from said Submitted Website.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein said offering step c) comprises populating a Shopping Cart on said Search Webpage with at least one of said at least one Hosting Application.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein said at least one software-implemented tool comprises an operating system, an e-mail application, an online file storage application, a forum application, a blog application, a shopping cart application, an SSL certificate, or a flash-based application.