Managing online shop using instant messaging system

• US 9,576,273 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2016
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.
• Inventors: Zhang, Jian
• Primary Examiner(s): SCOTT, RANDY A
• Application Number:
  US15/055,425
• Publication Number:
  US 20160180290A1
• Time in Patent Office: 361 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/225, 709/226, 705/7.12, 705/7.13, 705/7.15, 705/35, 705/301
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/046 Interoperability with other network applications or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources

Abstract

A method and a system for managing an online shop use an instant messaging system to allow an auxiliary account to log in and manage an online shop of a primary account user. The primary account user creates an online shop in an online shop server, and associates itself with one or more auxiliary accounts in an instant messaging system. Upon authorization by primary account user to allow an auxiliary account to manage the online shop, the system records an authorization relation between the auxiliary account and the primary account. The authorization relation may be recorded in the instant messaging system. Based on the recorded authorization relation, the system allows a user of the authorized auxiliary account to manage the online shop system through the instant messaging system. An instant messaging server serving for this purpose is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

creating one or more auxiliary accounts in an instant messaging system, wherein the one or more auxiliary accounts are created in the instant messaging system in association with a primary account that is associated with an online business;

receiving an authorization to use the one or more auxiliary accounts for managing the online business;

recording an authorization relation between the one or more auxiliary accounts and the primary account in response to receiving the authorization;

receiving a request from an auxiliary account to perform a managing operation on the online business through the instant messaging system; and

determining whether to allow the auxiliary account to carry out the managing operation on the online business through the instant messaging system based on one or more factors that comprise at least the recorded authorization relation.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing the auxiliary account to login to the online business through the instant messaging system in response to determining that the auxiliary account is authorized to carry out the managing operation on the online business.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising receiving login information of the online business from an online business server to allow the auxiliary account to log in the online business through the instant messaging system.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the login information of the online business includes an account name and a password of the primary account.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising denying the request of the auxiliary account in response to determining that the auxiliary account is not authorized to carry out the managing operation on the online business.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein recording the authorization relation between the one or more auxiliary accounts and the primary account comprises:

receiving a request for authorization verification from the primary account, the request comprising online shop account information for logging in and managing the online business, and information of the one or more auxiliary accounts; and

verifying the online shop account information submitted by the primary account, and recording the authorization relation between the one or more auxiliary accounts and the primary account user upon successful verification by the instant messaging system.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein verifying the online shop account information comprises:

sending the online shop account information to an online shop server; and

receiving a verification result from the online shop server.

8. One or more storage devices storing executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform acts comprising:

creating one or more auxiliary accounts in an instant messaging system, wherein the one or more auxiliary accounts are created in the instant messaging system in association with a primary account that is associated with an online business;

receiving an authorization to use the one or more auxiliary accounts for managing the online business;

recording an authorization relation between the one or more auxiliary accounts and the primary account in response to receiving the authorization;

receiving a request from an auxiliary account to perform a managing operation on the online business through the instant messaging system; and

determining whether to allow the auxiliary account to carry out the managing operation on the online business through the instant messaging system based on one or more factors that comprise at least the recorded authorization relation.

9. The one or more storage devices of claim 8, the acts further comprising allowing the auxiliary account to login to the online business through the instant messaging system in response to determining that the auxiliary account is authorized to carry out the managing operation on the online business.

10. The one or more storage devices of claim 9, the acts further comprising receiving login information of the online business from an online business server to allow the auxiliary account to log in the online business through the instant messaging system.

11. The one or more storage devices of claim 10, wherein the login information of the online business includes an account name and a password of the primary account.

12. The one or more storage devices of claim 9, the acts further comprising denying the request of the auxiliary account in response to determining that the auxiliary account is not authorized to carry out the managing operation on the online business.

13. The one or more storage devices of claim 8, wherein recording the authorization relation between the one or more auxiliary accounts and the primary account comprises:

receiving a request for authorization verification from the primary account, the request comprising online shop account information for logging in and managing the online business, and information of the one or more auxiliary accounts; and

verifying the online shop account information submitted by the primary account, and recording the authorization relation between the one or more auxiliary accounts and the primary account user upon successful verification by the instant messaging system.

14. The one or more storage devices of claim 13, wherein verifying the online shop account information comprises:

sending the online shop account information to an online shop server; and

receiving a verification result from the online shop server.

15. An instant messaging system comprising:

one or more processors;

memory;

an authorization unit stored in the memory and executable by the one or more processors to receive an authorization to use one or more auxiliary accounts to manage an online business associated with a primary account, and record an authorization relation between the one or more auxiliary accounts and the primary account in response to receiving the authorization; and

a management unit stored in the memory and executable by the one or more processors to receive a request from an auxiliary account to perform a managing operation on the online business through the instant messaging system and determine whether to allow the auxiliary account to carry out the managing operation on the online business through the instant messaging system based on one or more factors that comprise at least the authorization relation, wherein the one or more auxiliary accounts are created in the instant messaging system in association with the primary account.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the authorization unit comprises:

an request unit to submit a request for authorization verification for the primary account, wherein the request includes login information of the online business, and information of the one or more auxiliary accounts waiting for authorization; and

a verification unit to verify the login information, and record the authorization relation between the one or more auxiliary accounts and the primary account user upon successful verification.

17. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the authorization unit further comprises an initiation unit to receive a request for authorization from the one or more auxiliary accounts, and initiate the request unit to submit the request for the authorization verification.

18. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein the verification unit sends the login information of the online business to an online business server to cause the online business server to verify the login information and return a verification result to the verification unit.

19. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein allowing the one or more auxiliary accounts to manage the online business comprises obtaining login information of the online business from an online business server.