Tracking transactions by using addresses in a communications network
First Claim
1. A method for tracking network transactions associated with a customer making a purchase from a merchant over the Internet via a shopping application, the method comprisingreceiving, at an intermediary, from a merchant computer, at least one Internet cookie that includes first transaction data for a transaction originated via the shopping application, wherein the intermediary comprises a proxy server associated with the shopping application;
- storing the received at least one Internet cookie at an intermediary storage location;
receiving, at the intermediary, second transaction data for a completed transaction via one or more tracer images included in a merchant order confirmation page provided by the merchant computer for the completed transaction, wherein the one or more tracer images do not include transaction origination information for the completed transaction;
comparing, by the intermediary, the first transaction data to the second transaction data to determine whether the completed transaction originated via the shopping application; and
determining that a commission is owed to the shopping application from the merchant for the completed transaction in response to a determination that the completed transaction originated via the shopping application.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Communications between participants over a communications link are proxied by an intermediary, such as an Integrated Order Mechanism (IOM). Participants interact with each other through the IOM. The IOM may be transparent to the participants such that they are not aware that the IOM is involved in processing communications. For example, in the context of a transaction by a customer making a purchase from a merchant over the Internet, the IOM facilitates the processing of transactions by processing requests from both the customer and the merchant. Neither the customer nor the merchant may be aware that the transactions are being handled by the IOM. Transactions may be tracked using addresses in a communications network. Address identifiers may be used to reduce the size of the addresses.
58 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method for tracking network transactions associated with a customer making a purchase from a merchant over the Internet via a shopping application, the method comprising
receiving, at an intermediary, from a merchant computer, at least one Internet cookie that includes first transaction data for a transaction originated via the shopping application, wherein the intermediary comprises a proxy server associated with the shopping application; -
storing the received at least one Internet cookie at an intermediary storage location; receiving, at the intermediary, second transaction data for a completed transaction via one or more tracer images included in a merchant order confirmation page provided by the merchant computer for the completed transaction, wherein the one or more tracer images do not include transaction origination information for the completed transaction; comparing, by the intermediary, the first transaction data to the second transaction data to determine whether the completed transaction originated via the shopping application; and determining that a commission is owed to the shopping application from the merchant for the completed transaction in response to a determination that the completed transaction originated via the shopping application. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 11)
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6. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for tracking network transactions associated with a customer making a purchase from a merchant over the Internet via a shopping application, the non-transitory computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising:
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receiving, at an intermediary, from a merchant computer, at least one Internet cookie that includes first transaction data for a transaction originated via the shopping application, wherein the intermediary comprises a proxy server associated with the shopping application; storing the received at least one Internet cookie at an intermediary storage location; receiving, at the intermediary, second transaction data for a completed transaction via one or more tracer images included in a merchant order confirmation page provided by the merchant computer for the completed transaction, wherein the one or more tracer images do not include transaction origination information for the completed transaction; comparing, by the intermediary, the first transaction data to the second transaction data to determine whether the completed transaction originated via the shopping application; and determining that a commission is owed to the shopping application from the merchant for the completed transaction in response to a determination that the completed transaction originated via the shopping application. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 12)
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Specification