Method and system for a browser module

• US 8,769,432 B1
• Filed: 10/26/2011
• Issued: 07/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intuit, Inc.
• Inventors: Rhyne, Clifford L., Raab, Larry John, Wang, Gang
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Quoc A
• Application Number:
  US13/281,661
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• Field of Search: 715/205, 715/226, 715780-829, 715234-234, 715/253, 715/273, 715/708, 715741-764, 709/203, 709/206, 705/4, 705/14, 705/34, 705/40, 701/211, 701431-532
• US Class Current: 715/789
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/204 comprising interface for record bearing medium or carrier for electronic funds transfer or payment credit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

In general, the invention relates to a method for capturing information from a web site. The method includes accessing the web site using a browser with a browser module, where the web site comprises a number of web pages having information in a first format, and obtaining a profile corresponding to the web site, where the profile defines a manner to capture information in a first format from the web site. The method further includes capturing information, by the browser module, from at least one of the number of web pages based on the profile and sending the information captured by the browser module to a destination application, where the destination application is external to the browser and where the destination application is configured to use the information in a second format.

Claims

1. A method for capturing information from a web application, comprising:

receiving, using a web browser executing on a user computer, a request for a travel route from a user, wherein the request comprises an origin location and a destination location;

displaying, to the user, a web page of the web application comprising the travel route, wherein the travel route comprises a travel distance;

identifying a profile corresponding to the web application;

executing, by a computer processor on the user computer and in response to the identifying the profile, a browser module of the web browser;

retrieving the travel route from the web page of the web application according to the profile;

displaying, to the user by the browser module and concurrently with the web page, a graphical user interface (GUI) element for accessing a financial application executing on the user computer, wherein the GUI comprises the travel route;

receiving a first selection of the GUI element from the user;

identifying, within the profile, a plurality of credentials for accessing the financial application;

sending, in response to the first selection, a request to the financial application for a plurality of application specific options allowing the user to annotate the travel route for storage by the financial application;

receiving the plurality of application specific options from the financial application in response to the request;

displaying the plurality of application specific options to the user;

receiving a second selection of at least one of the plurality of application specific options from the user, wherein the message further comprises the customer account;

generating, after receiving the first selection, a message comprising the plurality of credentials, the travel distance of the travel route, and the at least one of the application specific options; and

sending the message to the financial application, wherein the financial application uses the plurality of credentials to authenticate the user and generates an expense report based on the message.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, in response to receiving the first selection of the GUI element, a dialog box comprising a plurality of destination applications to the user, wherein the plurality of destination applications comprises the financial application;

receiving a third selection of the financial application in response to displaying the dialog box; and

receiving, from the user, a confirmation of the dialog box, wherein the message is sent to the financial application in response to the confirmation.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, in response to receiving the first selection of the GUI element, a dialog box comprising a travel date field and a distance field, wherein the distance field is pre-populated with the travel distance;

receiving, from the user, an input of a travel date into the travel date field; and

receiving, from the user, a confirmation of the dialog box, wherein the message further comprises the travel date, and wherein the message is sent to the financial application in response to the confirmation.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, in response to the first selection, a request to the financial application for a list of customer accounts;

receiving the list of customer accounts from the financial application in response to the request;

displaying the list of customer accounts to the user; and

receiving a selection of a customer account of the list of customer accounts from the user, wherein the message further comprises the customer account.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending, in response to the first selection, a request to the financial application for a list of jobs;

receiving the list of jobs from the financial application in response to the request;

displaying the list of jobs to the user; and

receiving a selection of a job of the list of jobs from the user, wherein the message further comprises the job.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the user, the plurality of credentials for accessing the financial application, wherein the plurality of credentials are sent to the financial application with the travel distance.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the browser module, the travel distance of the travel route from the web application prior to sending the travel distance of the travel route to the financial application.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the GUI element is one selected from a group consisting of a button and a hyperlink.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the browser module is a third party plugin.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions for capturing information from a web application, the plurality of instructions comprising functionality to:

receive, using a web browser executing on a user computer, a request for a travel route from a user, wherein the request comprises an origin location and a destination location;

display, to the user, a web page of the web application comprising the travel route, wherein the travel route comprises a travel distance;

identify a profile corresponding to the web application;

execute, in response to the identifying the profile, a browser module of the web browser;

retrieve the travel route from the web page of the web application according to the profile;

display, to the user by the browser module and concurrently with the web page, a graphical user interface (GUI) element for accessing a financial application executing on the user computer, wherein the GUI element comprises the travel route;

receive a first selection of the GUI element from the user;

identify, within the profile, a plurality of credentials for accessing the financial application;

send, in response to the first selection, a request to the financial application for a plurality of application specific options allowing the user to annotate the travel route for storage by the financial application;

receive the plurality of application specific options from the financial application in response to the request;

display the plurality of application specific options to the user;

receive a second selection of at least one of the plurality of application specific options from the user, wherein the message further comprises the customer account;

generate, after receiving the first selection, a message comprising the plurality of credentials, the travel distance of the travel route, and the at least one of the application specific options; and

send the message to the financial application, wherein the financial application uses the plurality of credentials to authenticate the user and generates an expense report based on the message.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the plurality instructions further comprise functionality to:

display, in response to receiving the first selection of the GUI element, a dialog box comprising a plurality of destination applications to the user, wherein the plurality of destination applications comprises the financial application;

receive a third selection of the financial application in response to displaying the dialog box; and

receive, from the user, a confirmation of the dialog box, wherein the message is sent to the financial application in response to the confirmation.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the plurality instructions further comprise functionality to:

display, in response to receiving the first selection of the GUI element, a dialog box comprising a travel date field and a distance field, wherein the distance field is pre-populated with the travel distance;

receive, from the user, an input of a travel date into the travel date field; and

receive, from the user, a confirmation of the dialog box, wherein the message further comprises the travel date, and wherein the message is sent to the financial application in response to the confirmation.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the plurality instructions further comprise functionality to:

send, in response to the first selection, a request to the financial application for a list of customer accounts;

receive the list of customer accounts from the financial application in response to the request;

display the list of customer accounts to the user; and

receive a selection of a customer account of the list of customer accounts from the user, wherein the message further comprises the customer account.

14. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the plurality instructions further comprise functionality to:

send, in response to the first selection, a request to the financial application for a list of jobs;

receive the list of jobs from the financial application in response to the request;

display the list of jobs to the user; and

receive a selection of a job of the list of jobs from the user, wherein the message further comprises the job.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the plurality instructions further comprise functionality to:

receive, from the user, the plurality of credentials for accessing the financial application, wherein the plurality of credentials are sent to the financial application with the travel distance.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the plurality instructions further comprise functionality to:

receive, by the browser module, the travel distance of the travel route from the web application prior to sending the travel distance of the travel route to the financial application.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the GUI element is one selected from a group consisting of a button and a hyperlink.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the browser module is a third party plugin.

19. A system for capturing information from a web application, comprising:

a computer processor;

a web browser executing on the computer processor and configured to;

receive a request for a travel route from a user, wherein the request comprises an origin location and a destination location;

display, to the user, a web page of the web application comprising the travel route, wherein the travel route comprises a travel distance;

identify a profile corresponding to the web application;

execute, on the computer processor and in response to the identifying the profile, a browser module of the web browser; and

receive a first selection of a graphical user interface (GUI) element from the user,

wherein the browser module executes on the computer processor is configured to;

retrieve the travel route from the web page of the web application according to the profile;

display, to the user concurrently with the web page, the GUI element for accessing a financial application executing on the computer processor, wherein the GUI element comprises the travel route;

identify, within the profile, a plurality of credentials for accessing the financial application;

send, in response to the first selection, a request to the financial application for a plurality of application specific options allowing the user to annotate the travel route for storage by the financial application;

receive the plurality of application specific options from the financial application in response to the request;

display the plurality of application specific options to the user;

receive a second selection of at least one of the plurality of application specific options from the user, wherein the message further comprises the customer account;

generate, after receiving the first selection, a message comprising the plurality of credentials, the travel distance of the travel route, and the at least one of the application specific options; and

send the message to the financial application, wherein the financial application uses the plurality of credentials to authenticate the user and generates an expense report based on the message.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the financial application is configured to:

receive the message; and

generate the expense report by;

identifying a predefined expense rate associated with the travel route;

calculating an expense amount, wherein the expense amount is a product of the travel

distance and the predefined expense rate; and

creating an expense transaction comprising the expense amount.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the browser module is further configured to:

display, in response to receiving the first selection of the GUI element, a dialog box comprising a plurality of destination applications to the user, wherein the plurality of destination applications comprises the financial application;

receive a third selection of the financial application in response to displaying the dialog box; and

receive, from the user, a confirmation of the dialog box, wherein the message is sent to the financial application in response to the confirmation.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the browser module is further configured to:

display, in response to receiving the first selection of the GUI element, a dialog box comprising a travel date field and a distance field, wherein the distance field is pre-populated with the travel distance;

receive, from the user, an input of a travel date into the travel date field; and

receive, from the user, a confirmation of the dialog box, wherein the message further comprises the travel date, and wherein the message is sent to the financial application in response to the confirmation.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the browser module is further configured to:

send, in response to the first selection, a request to the financial application for a list of customer accounts;

receive the list of customer accounts from the financial application in response to the request;

display the list of customer accounts to the user; and

receive a selection of a customer account of the list of customer accounts from the user, wherein the message further comprises the customer account.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the browser module is further configured to:

send, in response to the first selection, a request to the financial application for a list of jobs;

receive the list of jobs from the financial application in response to the request;

display the list of jobs to the user; and

receive a selection of a job of the list of jobs from the user, wherein the message further comprises the job.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the browser module is further configured to:

receive, from the user, the plurality of credentials for accessing the financial application, wherein the plurality of credentials are sent to the financial application with the travel distance.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein the browser module is further configured to:

receive the travel distance of the travel route from the web application prior to sending the travel distance of the travel route to the financial application.

27. The system of claim 19, wherein the GUI element is one selected from a group consisting of a button and a hyperlink.

28. The system of claim 19, wherein the financial application is a web application.