Online network and associated methods

• US 8,255,479 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2001
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Music Entertainment (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Qtrax, Inc. (Brilliant Technologies Corp.), Law Office Of Scott C Harris Inc.
• Inventors: Killmer, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thu
• Assistant Examiner(s): WIDHALM, ANGELA M
• Application Number:
  US09/921,003
• Publication Number:
  US 20020046257A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,045 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/227, 705/1
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/02 using automatic reactions or user delegation, e.g. automatic replies or chatbot-generated messages

Abstract

Computer program products, computer systems and related methods are provided which compare a URL, title and/or content of an online site viewed by a user with a first index of keywords relating to a plurality of subject matter categories, to determine any subject matter categories to which the online site relates; cross-reference any determined subject matter categories with a second index of alternative online sites categorised by subject matter, in order to determine any alternative online sites in the same or similar category; and perform a variety of actions in response including displaying a determined alternative online site to the user.

Claims

1. A computer program product storing executable instructions on a tangible, non-transitory medium, said instructions executed by a network-connected computer device, to execute a routine comprising:

detecting operations on the computer by a user on an online site viewed by the user, said computer detecting operations indicating that the user may potentially purchase products or services from the online site viewed by the user, by recognizing when the user accesses detailed information on the computer regarding a first product, wherein the first product is a product offered by a first trader operating the online site currently viewed by the user, and where a competing product to said first product is also offered by a second trader associated with the computer program;

comparing electronic information that electronically represents a specific page of the online site viewed by the user when viewing the first product, with a first index of keywords relating to a plurality of subject matter categories, where said electronic information is part of the online site being viewed by the user, but is less than an entirety of the online site viewed by the user, and is obtained from the part of the online site being viewed by the user, said comparing operating to determine first subject matter categories within said first index which match to said electronic information and where said subject matter categories define a category of the online site that describes the product or service;

cross-referencing said first subject matter categories determined by said determining, with a second index of alternative online sites, where said second index of alternative online sites is categorized by subject matter, said cross referencing determining alternative online sites that have a similar category to said first determined subject matter, said alternative online sites including a second site associated with the second trader associated with the computer program; and

first displaying, in a first area on the user'"'"'s computer monitor, said alternative online sites to the user, including the second site associated with the second trader associated with the computer program;

second displaying, in the first area on the user'"'"'s computer monitor, a hyperlink to a specific page of the second site associated with the second trader associated with the computer program, wherein the specific page specifically relates to said competing product offered by the second trader;

(c) displaying in said first area on the user'"'"'s computer monitor, a price of the competing product provided by the second trader; and

(d) in the first area on the user'"'"'s computer monitor, displaying information that enables placing an order for the competing product provided by the second trader.

2. The computer program product on a network-connected device of claim 1 wherein the first and second indexes are contained in a database remote from the computer program product.

3. The computer program product on a network-connected device of claim 1 wherein said routine further comprises:

determining a geographic locality of the user; and

where said alternative sites are in the same or a proximate geographical locality of the user, so that the displaying means displays any of the determined alternative sites in the same or a similar subject matter category, that are also in the same or a proximate geographical locality.

4. The computer program product on a network-connected device of claim 1, wherein said comparing uses information indicative of a title or address of the page that does not represent the actual information that is on the page.

5. A method of comparative advertising in an online environment including the steps of:

receiving in a server computer, over a computer network coupled to online sites, information regarding at least one online site that has been viewed by a user connected to the computer network;

analyzing electronic information that electronically represents a specific page of the at least one online site viewed by a user to identify subject matter represented by the at least one online site where said electronic information is part of the online site being viewed by the user, but is less than an entirety of the online site viewed by the user, and is obtained from the part of the online site being viewed by the user, said comparing operating to determine first determined subject matter categories;

said analyzing including detecting operations on the computer by a user on an online site viewed by the user, said computer detecting operations indicating that the user may potentially purchase products or services from the online site viewed by the user, where the detecting operations includes recognizing when the user accesses detailed information regarding a competing first product, wherein the competing first product is one offered by a trader operating the online site currently viewed by the user and where a competing product to said first product is also offered by a second trader;

cross-referencing said first subject matter categories determined by said analyzing with a second index of alternative online sites, where said second index of alternative online sites is categorized by subject matter, said cross referencing determining alternative online sites that have a similar category to said first determined subject matter categories where said first subject matter categories define a category of the online site that describes the product or service, said alternative online sites including a second site associated with the second trader;

first displaying in a first area on the user'"'"'s computer monitor, said alternative online sites to the user, including the second site associated with the second trader;

second displaying in said first area on the user'"'"'s computer monitor, a hyperlink to a specific page of the second site associated with the second trader associated with the computer program, wherein the specific page specifically relates to a competing product provided by the second trader;

displaying in said first area on the user'"'"'s computer monitor, a price of the competing product provided by the second trader; and

displaying in the first area on the user'"'"'s computer monitor, the ability to place an order for the competing product provided by the second trader.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising determining a geographical locality relating to the user and only displaying alternative sites in the same or a proximate geographical locality.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the geographical locality relating to the user is determined by analysing the user'"'"'s electronic address and/or the address of the online site viewed by the user.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein said analyzing is performed by using information indicative of a title or address of the page that does not represent the actual information that is on the page.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein the information displayed to the user includes hyperlinks to the alternative online site(s).

10. A computer system carrying out comparative advertising in an online environment, comprising:

a network connection, receiving, over a computer network coupled to online sites, information regarding an online site viewed by a user;

a computer which is programmed for first analyzing electronic information that electronically represents a specific page of the online site viewed by a user to identify products advertised on the site, where said electronic information is part of the online site being viewed by the user, but is less than an entirety of the online site viewed by the user, and is obtained from the part of the online site being viewed by the user, detecting operations on the computer being programmed to determine that a user will potentially purchase products or services from the online site viewed by the user, wherein the detecting comprises recognizing, from the information indicative of the specific page, when the user accesses detailed information on the computer regarding a first product, wherein the first product is a product offered by a first trader operating the online site currently viewed by the user, and where a competing product to said first product is also offered by a second trader associated with the computer program, said computer

cross-referencing any determined subject matter categories with a second index of alternative online sites categorised by subject matter, in order to determine any alternative online sites in the same or similar category, where said subject matter categories define a category of the online site that describes the product or service, the alternative online sites including a second site associated with the second trader associated with the computer program;

said computer producing outputs for displaying in a first area on the user'"'"'s computer monitor, said alternative online sites to the user, including the site associated with the alternative trader associated with the computer program and for displaying in the first area on the user'"'"'s computer monitor, a hyperlink to a specific page of the site associated with the alternative trader associated with the computer program, wherein the specific page specifically relates to a competing product provided by the second trader and for

displaying in the first area on the user'"'"'s computer monitor, a price of the competing product provided by the second trader; and

for displaying in the first area on the user'"'"'s computer monitor, the ability to place an order for the competing product provided by the second trader.

11. The computer system of claim 10 wherein the analysis is performed by using information indicative of a title or address of the page that does not represent the actual information that is on the page.

12. The computer system of claim 10 wherein the information displayed to the user includes hyperlinks to the alternative online site(s).

13. The computer system of claim 10 wherein the displayed information includes a price of the competing product(s).

14. The computer system of claim 13 further including the steps of:

determining whether the competing product price is less than the price of the identified product on the online site viewed by the user, and

(i) if less, displaying the competing product price to the user;

or

(ii) if not less, ascertaining a best price relating to the competing product and displaying the best price to the user or a value in-between.

15. A method implemented in a network-connected device including:

receiving, over a computer network coupled to online sites, information regarding an online site viewed by a user;

recognizing when a user will potentially purchase products or services from an online site viewed by the user, wherein the recognizing when a user will potentially purchase products or services from an online site viewed by the user includes recognizing a point at which the user accesses detailed information regarding a competing product, wherein the competing product is one offered by a trader operating the online site currently viewed by the user and an alternative trader associated with the computer program;

comparing a URL, title and/or content of an online site viewed by a user with a first index of keywords relating to a plurality of subject matter categories, to determine any subject matter categories to which the online site relates, where said electronic information is part of the online site being viewed by the user, but is less than an entirety of the online site viewed by the user, and is obtained from the part of the online site being viewed by the user;

cross-referencing any determined subject matter categories with a second index of alternative online sites categorised by subject matter, in order to determine any alternative online sites in the same or similar category which match to said electronic information and where said subject matter categories define a category of the online site that describes the product or service;

displaying in a separate window on the user'"'"'s computer monitor, any determined alternative online sites to the user, including the site associated with the alternative trader associated with the computer program;

displaying in the separate window on the user'"'"'s computer monitor, a hyperlink to a specific page of the site associated with the alternative trader associated with the computer program, wherein the specific page specifically relates to a competing product provided by the alternative trader;

displaying in the separate window on the user'"'"'s computer monitor, a price of the competing product provided by the alternative trader; and

displaying in the separate window on the user'"'"'s computer monitor, the ability to place an order for the competing product provided by the alternative trader.

16. The method implemented in the network-connected device of claim 15, wherein the first and second indexes are contained in a database remote from the computer program product.

17. The method implemented in the network-connected device of claim 15, further including:

means for determining a geographic locality relating to the user; and

means for determining any alternative sites in the same or a proximate geographical locality to that relating to the user, so that the displaying means displays any of the determined alternative sites in the same or a similar subject matter category, that are also in the same or a proximate geographical locality.

18. The method implemented in the network-connected device of claim 15, further including:

means for determining a geographic locality relating to the user; and

means for determining any alternative sites in the same or a proximate geographical locality to that relating to the user, so that the displaying means displays any of the determined alternative sites in the same or a similar subject matter category, that are also in the same or a proximate geographical locality.