System and method for directing attention to web site content

• US 7,873,725 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2007
• Issued: 01/18/2011
• 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): Neurauter, Jr.; George C
• Assistant Examiner(s): BILGRAMI, ASGHAR H
• Application Number:
  US11/711,429
• Publication Number:
  US 20070266311A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,421 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 715/785
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements

Abstract

Attention of a user is direct to content offered via a Web site by monitoring interactions of a user with a currently displayed Web site page to determine if the user has indicated a desire to exit from the currently displayed Web site page. When it is determined that the user has indicated a desire to exit from the currently displayed Web site page, the Web site page is automatically caused to be scrolled to thereby cause a display, for a predetermined period of time, of content that is located in a portion of the Web site page that is not currently being viewed by the user.

Claims

1. A method for directing attention of a user to content offered via a Web site, comprising:

monitoring interactions of a user with a currently displayed Web site page;

determining from the monitored interactions that the user has provided an instruction to exit from the currently displayed Web site page; and

when it is determined from the monitored interactions that the user has provided an instruction to exit from the currently displayed Web site page, automatically causing the currently displayed Web site page to be scrolled to a portion of the currently displayed Web site page having content and thereafter causing the scrolled to portion of the currently displayed Web site page to be displayed for a predetermined period of time before exiting from the currently displayed Web site page in accordance with the user provided instruction.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the Web site page is automatically scrolled vertically.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the Web site page is automatically scrolled horizontally.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, comprising allowing a user to inhibit automatic scrolling of the Web site page.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the instruction to exit from the currently displayed Web site page comprises the user activating a link to a further Web site page.

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

monitoring interactions of a user with a currently displayed Web site page;

determining from the monitored interactions that the user has provided an instruction to exit from the currently displayed Web site page; and

when it is determined from the monitored interactions that the user has provided an instruction to exit from the currently displayed Web site page, automatically causing the currently displayed Web site page to be scrolled to a portion of the currently displayed Web site page having content and thereafter causing the scrolled to portion of the currently displayed Web site page to be displayed for a predetermined period of time before exiting from the currently displayed Web site page in accordance with the user provided instruction.

7. The computer readable media as recited in claim 6, wherein the Web site page is automatically scrolled vertically.

8. The computer readable media as recited in claim 6, wherein the Web site page is automatically scrolled horizontally.

9. The computer readable media as recited in claim 6, wherein the instruction provide a means for a user to inhibit automatic scrolling of the Web site page.

10. The computer readable media as recited in claim 6, wherein the instruction to exit from the currently displayed Web site page comprises the user activating a link to a further Web site page.

11. The computer readable media as recited in claim 6, wherein the content comprises a link to Web site functionality that is determined to be underutilized by the user.