US6016504A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and system for tracking the purchase of a product and services over the Internet
Assignee: Infospace Holdings LLC
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Filing: 1996-08-28
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Granted: 2000-01-18
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Expires: 2016-08-28
Abstract
Abstract A method for establishing and maintaining a virtual outlet ("VO") relationship on the Internet between an entity that controls and manages a Web site constituting a VO and a merchant that controls and manages a different Web site. The VO presents a series of VO Web pages to customers that contain descriptive information about products from one or more merchants. Customers can link through the VO Web pages directly to a merchant Web page provided to the customer computer by the merchant computer for the purpose of obtaining more detailed information about the product and for ordering the product. When the customer has finished ordering a product, the customer computer returns to a VO Web page. To the customer, it appears that the entire ordering process is conducted entirely within the VO Web pages. The merchant then credits the VO for the sale of the product to the customer, charges the purchase to the customer, and sends the ordered product to the customer.
Inventors
- 👤 John K. Arnold
- 👤 John R. Bennett
- 👤 Peter O. Claar
- 👤 Kurt D. Dahl
- 👤 Jennifer L. Dobson
- 👤 Charles A. Fontaine
- 👤 Philip H. Johanson
- 👤 Donald G. McGuire
- 👤 Mary Swanson
- 👤 David G. Wagner
- 👤 Steve Wainright
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 10:40
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q30/00; G06Q30/06; G06Q30/0601; G06Q30/0641
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
315 words
A method for tracking a purchase of a product supplied by merchant; the purchase being made by a customer through a virtual outlet; the merchant, virtual outlet, and customer each having a computer connected through the Internet; the method comprising: receiving at the virtual outlet computer from the customer computer a request for a virtual outlet Web page, the virtual outlet Web page having an indication of the product and a link associated with the product, the link identifying a merchant Web page of the merchant computer, identifying the virtual outlet, and identifying a virtual outlet return Web page; sending from the virtual outlet computer to the customer computer the virtual outlet Web page; displaying at the customer computer the virtual outlet Web page; receiving from the customer at the customer computer a selection of the product; sending from the customer computer to the merchant computer a request for the merchant Web page identified by the link associated with the selected product, the request including an indication of the virtual outlet; receiving at the merchant computer the request for the merchant Web page; upon receiving the request for the merchant Web page, under control of the merchant computer, modifying the merchant Web page to contain a return link based on the indication of the virtual outlet included in the request so that upon completion of the purchase, the customer computer displays the virtual outlet return Web page identified by the return link; and sending from the merchant computer to the customer computer the modified merchant Web page; displaying at the customer computer the modified merchant Web page, wherein after the customer purchases the product from the merchant, the merchant credits the virtual outlet identified by the link; and upon completion of the purchase, displaying at the customer computer the virtual outlet return Web page identified by the return link in the modified merchant Web page.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
315 words
A method for tracking a purchase of a product supplied by merchant; the purchase being made by a customer through a virtual outlet; the merchant, virtual outlet, and customer each having a computer connected through the Internet; the method comprising: receiving at the virtual outlet computer from the customer computer a request for a virtual outlet Web page, the virtual outlet Web page having an indication of the product and a link associated with the product, the link identifying a merchant Web page of the merchant computer, identifying the virtual outlet, and identifying a virtual outlet return Web page; sending from the virtual outlet computer to the customer computer the virtual outlet Web page; displaying at the customer computer the virtual outlet Web page; receiving from the customer at the customer computer a selection of the product; sending from the customer computer to the merchant computer a request for the merchant Web page identified by the link associated with the selected product, the request including an indication of the virtual outlet; receiving at the merchant computer the request for the merchant Web page; upon receiving the request for the merchant Web page, under control of the merchant computer, modifying the merchant Web page to contain a return link based on the indication of the virtual outlet included in the request so that upon completion of the purchase, the customer computer displays the virtual outlet return Web page identified by the return link; and sending from the merchant computer to the customer computer the modified merchant Web page; displaying at the customer computer the modified merchant Web page, wherein after the customer purchases the product from the merchant, the merchant credits the virtual outlet identified by the link; and upon completion of the purchase, displaying at the customer computer the virtual outlet return Web page identified by the return link in the modified merchant Web page.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the merchant computer maintains a database of information describing a desired layout of the merchant Web page when the merchant Web page is accessed through the virtual outlet Web page and wherein the merchant computer customizes the merchant Web page in accordance with the information.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the information includes a name and logo of the virtual outlet.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the information includes preferred coloring of the merchant Web page.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the links are universal resource locators.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
133 words
A method for returning to a first computer through which a second computer accesses information provided by a third computer, comprising: receiving at the third computer from the second computer a link identifying a resource an identifying an entity associated with the first computer, the link being supplied by the first computer to the second computer; and upon receiving the link at the third computer, under control of the third computer, generating a return link that identifies a return resource based on the entity identified in the received link; and sending to the second computer the return link along with the resource identified by the received link so that upon completion of accessing the resource identified by the received link, the second computer can access the return resource identified by the return link.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
133 words
A method for returning to a first computer through which a second computer accesses information provided by a third computer, comprising: receiving at the third computer from the second computer a link identifying a resource an identifying an entity associated with the first computer, the link being supplied by the first computer to the second computer; and upon receiving the link at the third computer, under control of the third computer, generating a return link that identifies a return resource based on the entity identified in the received link; and sending to the second computer the return link along with the resource identified by the received link so that upon completion of accessing the resource identified by the received link, the second computer can access the return resource identified by the return link.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the computers are interconnected through the Internet and the resources are Web pages.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the first computer is a computer of a virtual outlet, the second computer is a computer of a customer, and a third computer is a computer of a merchant.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the resource identified by the received link is a Web page that allows a customer to purchase a product of a merchant.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 8 including tracking the virtual outlet identified by the received link for providing access to the resource identified by the received link.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 6 including customizing the resource identified by the received link based on the entity identified by the link.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the links are universal resource locators.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
145 words
A method for providing a second computer with access to information provided by a third computer through a resource that is similar in appearance to a resource provided by a first computer; the first, second, and third computers being interconnected; the method comprising: receiving at the third computer from the second computer a link identifying a resource and identifying an entity associated with the first computer, the link being supplied by the first computer to the second computer; and upon receiving the link at the third computer, under control of the third computer, customizing the resource identified by the received link based on the entity identified in the received link; and sending to the second computer the customized resource so that the second computer can display the customized resource, the customized resource having an overall appearance similar to the displayed resources of the first computer.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
145 words
A method for providing a second computer with access to information provided by a third computer through a resource that is similar in appearance to a resource provided by a first computer; the first, second, and third computers being interconnected; the method comprising: receiving at the third computer from the second computer a link identifying a resource and identifying an entity associated with the first computer, the link being supplied by the first computer to the second computer; and upon receiving the link at the third computer, under control of the third computer, customizing the resource identified by the received link based on the entity identified in the received link; and sending to the second computer the customized resource so that the second computer can display the customized resource, the customized resource having an overall appearance similar to the displayed resources of the first computer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the first computer is a virtual outlet computer, the second computer is a customer computer, and the third computer is a merchant computer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the step of customizing includes customization options provided by the virtual outlet.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the customization option is a virtual outlet logo.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the customization option is a color.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the customization option is a font.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 15 wherein the customization option is a banner ad.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 15 wherein upon receiving the link at the merchant computer, the merchant computer accesses the virtual outlet computer to retrieve the customization option.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the computers are interconnected through the Internet and the resources are Web pages.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the resource identified by the received link is a Web page that allows a customer to purchase a product of a merchant.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 14 including crediting the virtual outlet identified by the received link with providing access to the resource identified by the received link.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
160 words
A method for selling through a virtual outlet a product of a merchant to a customer; the merchant, virtual outlet, and customer each having computers; the method comprising: receiving at the virtual outlet computer from the customer computer a request to access a virtual outlet resource indicating products being offered for sale through the virtual outlet; sending from the virtual outlet computer to the customer computer the virtual outlet resource that indicates products being offered for sale, the virtual outlet resource including a link that identifies a merchant resource and that identifies a return virtual outlet resource so that the merchant computer can modify the merchant resource to include a link to the return virtual outlet resource so that the customer can access the return virtual outlet resource using the modified merchant resource after the customer has completed the purchase; and receiving at the virtual outlet computer from the customer computer a request to access the return virtual outlet resource.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
160 words
A method for selling through a virtual outlet a product of a merchant to a customer; the merchant, virtual outlet, and customer each having computers; the method comprising: receiving at the virtual outlet computer from the customer computer a request to access a virtual outlet resource indicating products being offered for sale through the virtual outlet; sending from the virtual outlet computer to the customer computer the virtual outlet resource that indicates products being offered for sale, the virtual outlet resource including a link that identifies a merchant resource and that identifies a return virtual outlet resource so that the merchant computer can modify the merchant resource to include a link to the return virtual outlet resource so that the customer can access the return virtual outlet resource using the modified merchant resource after the customer has completed the purchase; and receiving at the virtual outlet computer from the customer computer a request to access the return virtual outlet resource.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 24 wherein the return virtual outlet resource and the virtual outlet resource are the same resources.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 24 wherein the resources are Web pages.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
180 words
A method in a computer system for establishing a relationship between a virtual outlet and a merchant so that the virtual outlet can offer to a customer over a network, a product that is for sale by the merchant; the virtual outlet, customer, and merchant each having a computer; the method comprising: establishing a database of information at the merchant computer, the database including an identification of the virtual outlet and representative interface aspects to be provided by the merchant computer to the customer computer; and supplying from the merchant computer to the virtual outlet computer a link that identifies a merchant resource associated with the merchant computer and that uniquely identifies the virtual outlet; wherein the virtual outlet computer supplies the link to the customer computer, when the customer computer uses the link to access the merchant resource, the merchant computer provides the merchant resource to the customer computer in a manner customized to the virtual outlet, such manner being based on the database of information and identifying the virtual outlet that provided the link to the customer computer.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
180 words
A method in a computer system for establishing a relationship between a virtual outlet and a merchant so that the virtual outlet can offer to a customer over a network, a product that is for sale by the merchant; the virtual outlet, customer, and merchant each having a computer; the method comprising: establishing a database of information at the merchant computer, the database including an identification of the virtual outlet and representative interface aspects to be provided by the merchant computer to the customer computer; and supplying from the merchant computer to the virtual outlet computer a link that identifies a merchant resource associated with the merchant computer and that uniquely identifies the virtual outlet; wherein the virtual outlet computer supplies the link to the customer computer, when the customer computer uses the link to access the merchant resource, the merchant computer provides the merchant resource to the customer computer in a manner customized to the virtual outlet, such manner being based on the database of information and identifying the virtual outlet that provided the link to the customer computer.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 27 wherein the computers are interconnected through the Internet and the resources are Web pages.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-01-17 | 2003-07-19 | 2004-01-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-01-17 | 2007-07-19 | 2008-01-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-01-17 | 2011-07-19 | 2012-01-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |