System and method for directing attention to web site functionality

• US 9,009,291 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2006
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WW Grainger Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WW Grainger Incorporated
• Inventors: Westphal, Geoffry A.
• Primary Examiner(s): MACILWINEN, JOHN MOORE JAIN
• Application Number:
  US11/432,948
• Publication Number:
  US 20070266146A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,259 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/223, 709/224, 715/805
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing

Abstract

A system determines if functionality offered via a Web site is being underutilizing by a user, e.g., not being using at all or not being using with some desired degree of regularity. When it is determined that the functionality offered via the Web site is being underutilized by the user, the system provides to content of the Web site a cue, e.g., audio and/or visual, for directing the attention of the user to the functionality offered via the Web site.

Claims

1. A computer-readable media embodied in a non-transitory physical memory device having stored thereon instructions executable by a computer for directing attention of a user to a particular functionality offered via a Web site, the instructions performing steps comprising:

monitoring interactions of a user with functionality of the Web site;

actively determining from the monitored interactions if a pre-existing link of a Web page used to access the particular functionality offered via the Web site has been activated within a predetermined number of accesses to the Web site; and

when it is determined from the monitored interactions that the pre-existing link of the Web page used to access the particular functionality offered via the Web site has not been activated within a predetermined number of access to the Web site, actively causing an alteration in an appearance of the pro-existing link of the Web page as it is displayed in the Web page.

2. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the appearance of the pre-existing link of the Web page is altered for a predetermined period of time.

3. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the appearance of the pre-existing link of the Web page is altered for a predetermined number of access by the user to the Web site.

4. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the particular functionality offered via the Web site comprises a selection guide.

5. A computer-readable media embodied in a non-transitory physical memory device having stored thereon instructions executable by a computer for directing attention of a user to a particular functionality offered via a Web site, the instructions performing steps comprising:

monitoring interactions of a user with functionality of the Web site;

actively determining from the monitored interactions if a pre-existing link of a Web page used to access the particular functionality offered via the Web site has been activated within a predetermined number of accesses to the Web site; and

when it is determined from the monitored interactions that the pre-existing link of the Web page used to access the particular functionality offered via the Web site has not been activated within a predetermined number of access to the Web site, actively causing a pointer to be displayed on the Web page that points to the pre-existing link of the Web page as it is displayed in the Web page.

6. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 5, wherein the pointer is displayed on the Web page for a predetermined period of time.

7. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 5, wherein the pointer is displayed on the Web page for a predetermined number of accesses by the user to the Web site.

8. The computer-readable media as recited in claim 5, wherein the particular functionality offered via the Web site comprises a selection guide.