Web page customization based on a search term expertise level of a user

• US 9,009,100 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2004
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Go Daddy Operating Company LLC (GoDaddy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Go Daddy Operating Company LLC (GoDaddy, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rechterman, Barbara J., Proctor, Neil, Fitzpatrick, Shawn, Bennett, Bill
• Primary Examiner(s): Ehichioya, Fred I
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mobin, Hasanul
• Application Number:
  US10/944,645
• Publication Number:
  US 20060064637A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,861 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/609
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

A Web site, through the use of a Rules Engine, determines an expertise level of a User for one or more topics on a Web page. The Rules Engine may analyze User related data, such as the search term used by the User to find the Web site, the past products purchased by the User, the path through the Web site taken by the User, the usage history by the User on the Web site, the demographics of the User and/or the self declared expertise level of the User, to determine an expertise level of the User for the topics on the Web page. A Display Engine may customize a Web page based on the expertise levels of a User so that topics on the Web page are presented in a manner most appropriate for the User. An Email Engine may be used to customize emails to the User so that topics in the email are presented in manner most appropriate for the User. A Support Entity Engine may also be used to route an incoming support inquiries from a User to an appropriate technical support person for the User.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving, from a client software application on a client computer, a selection of content, wherein the content comprises one or more topics within one or more web pages on a web site hosted on a server computer, wherein the web site is selected from a plurality of web sites searched using one or more search terms and wherein the client computer and the server computer are communicatively coupled to a network;

b) calculating a search term expertise level for each of the one or more topics, wherein the search term expertise level is calculated by a rules engine, wherein the one or more search terms are transmitted to the rules engine and wherein the rules engine comprises one or more software packages on the server computer configured to analyze the one or more search terms to determine the search term expertise level;

c) customizing the content, wherein the content is customized by a display engine and wherein the display engine comprises one or more software packages on the server computer configured to alter text, graphics, a layout or an order of the content in response to receiving the search term expertise level calculated by the rules engine for each of the one or more topics; and

d) transmitting the content, as customized by the display engine to the client software application for display on the client computer.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of determining a topic expertise level for each of the one or more topics on the one or more web page, wherein customizing and transmitting the content to a user is based on the one or more search terms and the topic expertise level.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of customizing a technical level of a written content of the one or more topics on the one or more web pages to match the expertise level for each of the one or more topics.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of matching a technical level of a written content for the one or more topics with one or more topic expertise levels.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of customizing a user interface on the one or more web pages.

6. A method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving, from a client software application on a client computer, a selection of content, wherein the content comprises one or more topics within one or more web pages on a web site hosted on a server computer, wherein the web site is selected from a plurality of web sites searched using one or more search terms and wherein the client computer and the server computer are communicatively coupled to a network;

b) calculating a search term expertise level for each of the one or more topics, wherein the search term expertise level is calculated by a rules engine, wherein the one or more search terms are transmitted to the rules engine and wherein the rules engine comprises one or more software packages on the server computer configured to analyze the one or more search terms to determine the search term expertise level;

c) customizing the content, wherein the content is customized by a display engine and wherein the display engine comprises one or more software packages on the server computer configured to alter text, graphics, one or more offered products, a layout or an order of the content in response to receiving the search term expertise level calculated by the rules engine for each of the one or more topics; and

d) transmitting the content, as customized by the display engine and including the one or more offered products, to the client software application for display on the client computer.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the rules engine analyzes a subject matter of the one or more search terms in determining the search term expertise level.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the rules engine analyzes a technical level of the one or more search terms in determining the search term expertise level.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of communicating data to the display engine;

and creating, by the display engine, a user interface for the one or more web pages based at least in part on the data from the rules engine.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the data to the display engine includes an expertise level for one of the one or more topics on the one or more web pages.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the user interface includes a text for the topic.

12. A method comprising the steps of:

a) receiving, from a client software application on a client computer, a selection of content, wherein the content comprises one or more topics within one or more web pages on a web site hosted on a server computer, wherein the web site is selected from a plurality of web sites searched using one or more search terms and wherein the client computer and the server computer are communicatively coupled to a network;

b) customizing the content, wherein the content is customized by a display engine and wherein the display engine comprises one or more software packages on the server computer configured to alter text, graphics, one or more offered products, a layout or an order of the content appropriate to an expertise level for the one or more search terms on a first customized web page and transmitting and displaying, on the client computer, the first customized web page to the User;

c) identifying an calculating a search term expertise level for each of the one or more topics, wherein the search term expertise level is calculated by using a rules engine, wherein the one or more search terms are transmitted to the rules engine and wherein the rules engine comprises one or more software packages on the server computer configured to analyze the one or more search terms to determine the search term expertise level; and

d) customizing a content, wherein the content is customized by the display engine in response to receiving the search term expertise level for each of the one or more topics on a second customized web page and transmitting and displaying, on the client computer, the second customized web page to the User.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the expertise level is self-declared by a user.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the expertise level is based on at least one purchase made by a user.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the expertise level is based on a path of a user through the web site.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of customizing a technical level of a written content for each of the one or more topics on the one or more web pages.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of customizing a user interface on the one or more web pages.

18. A method, comprising the steps of:

a) receiving, from a client software application on a client computer, one or more search terms used to find content, wherein the content comprises one or more topics within one or more web pages;

b) calculating a search term expertise level for each of the one or more topics, wherein the search term expertise level is calculated by a rules engine, wherein the one or more search terms are transmitted to the rules engine and wherein the rules engine comprises one or more software packages on a server computer configured to analyze the one or more search terms to determine the search term expertise level;

c) customizing the content, wherein the content is customized by a display engine and wherein the display engine comprises one or more software packages on the server computer configured to alter text, graphics, a layout or an order of the content in response to receiving the search term expertise level calculated by the rules engine for each of the one or more topics, wherein, if a user has a high expertise level for the one or more topics then advanced material related to the one or more topics will be incorporated into the content; and

d) transmitting the content, as customized by the display engine, to the client software application for display on the client.

19. A method, comprising the steps of:

a) receiving, from a client software application on a client computer, one or more search terms used to find content, wherein the content comprises one or more topics within one or more web pages;

b) calculating a search term expertise level for each of the one or more topics, wherein the search term expertise level is calculated by a rules engine, wherein the one or more search terms are transmitted to the rules engine and wherein the rules engine comprises one or more software packages on a server computer configured to analyze the one or more search terms to determine the search term expertise level;

c) customizing the content, wherein the content is customized by a display engine and wherein the display engine comprises one or more software packages on the server computer configured to alter text, graphics, a layout or an order of the content in response to receiving the search term expertise level calculated by the rules engine for each of the one or more topics, so that if a user has a low expertise level for the one or more topics then introductory material related to the one or more topics will be incorporated into the content; and

d) transmitting the content, as customized by the display engine, to the client software application for display on the client.

20. A method, comprising the steps of:

a) receiving, from a client software application on a client computer, one or more search terms used to find content, wherein the content comprises one or more topics within one or more web pages;

b) calculating a search term expertise level for each of the one or more topics, wherein the search term expertise level is calculated by a rules engine, wherein the one or more search terms are transmitted to the rules engine and wherein the rules engine comprises one or more software packages on a server computer configured to analyze the one or more search terms to determine the search term expertise level and wherein there are at least two possible discreet search term expertise levels;

c) customizing the content, wherein the content is customized by a display engine and wherein the display engine comprises one or more software packages on the server computer configured to alter text, graphics, a layout or an order of the content in response to receiving the search term expertise level calculated by the rules engine for each of the one or more topics; and

d) transmitting the content, as customized by the display engine, to the client software application for display on the client.

21. A method, comprising the steps of:

a) receiving, from a client software application on a client computer, one or more search terms used to find content, wherein the content comprises one or more topics within one or more web pages;

b) calculating a search term expertise level for each of the one or more topics, wherein the search term expertise level is calculated by a rules engine, wherein the one or more search terms are transmitted to the rules engine and wherein the rules engine comprises one or more software packages on a server computer configured to analyze the one or more search terms to determine the search term expertise level, wherein the search term expertise level assigned to the User is novice or advanced;

c) customizing the content, wherein the content is customized by a display engine and wherein the display engine comprises one or more software packages on the server computer configured to alter text, graphics, a layout or an order of the content in response to receiving the search term expertise level calculated by the rules engine for each of the one or more topics; and

d) transmitting the content, as customized by the display engine, to the client software application for display on the client.

22. A method, comprising the steps of:

a) receiving, from a client software application on a client computer, one or more search terms used to find content, wherein the content comprises one or more topics within one or more web pages;

b) calculating a search term expertise level for each of the one or more topics, wherein the search term expertise level is calculated by a rules engine, wherein the one or more search terms are transmitted to the rules engine and wherein the rules engine comprises one or more software packages on a server computer configured to analyze the one or more search terms to determine the search term expertise level, wherein there are at least three possible discreet search term expertise levels;

c) customizing the content, wherein the content is customized by a display engine and wherein the display engine comprises one or more software packages on the server computer configured to alter text, graphics, a layout or an order of the content in response to receiving the search term expertise level calculated by the rules engine for each of the one or more topics; and

d) transmitting the content, as customized by the display engine, to the client software application for display on the client.

23. A method, comprising the steps of:

a) receiving, from a client software application on a client computer, one or more search terms to find content, wherein the content comprises one or more topics within one or more web pages;

b) calculating a search term expertise level for each of the one or more topics, wherein the search term expertise level is calculated by a rules engine, wherein the one or more search terms are transmitted to the rules engine and wherein the rules engine comprises one or more software packages on a server computer configured to analyze the one or more search terms to determine the search term expertise level, wherein the search term expertise level is novice, intermediate or advanced;

c) customizing the content, wherein the content is customized by a display engine and wherein the display engine comprises one or more software packages on the server computer configured to alter text, graphics, a layout or an order of the content in response to receiving the search term expertise level calculated by the rules engine for each of the one or more topics; and

d) transmitting the content, as customized by the display engine, to the client software application for display on the client.