Abstract:
A method of accumulating a personalized list of products viewed by a user on different website domains includes providing a first embedded code on a first website domain and a second embedded code on a second website domain in which the first website domain is different from said second website domain. Each of the embedded codes allows a specified third party server to communicate interactively with the user. The method further includes automatically accumulating a personalized list of products viewed by the user in a database on the specified third party server, wherein the personalized list includes at least a first product and a second product, wherein the first product is on the first website domain and the second product is on the second website domain.

Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    This patent application generally relates to a system for automatically displaying products on distinct web domains. More particularly, it relates to a system that automatically allows a user to see relevant information from an unrelated web domain while viewing a different web domain. Even more particularly, it relates to a system that automatically allows a user to link to the information from the unrelated web domain while viewing the different web domain. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Users, such as customers for automobiles viewing cars on the internet, have had no way to easily compare cars sold by competing dealers. Nor have they had an automatic system for doing so. A better scheme is needed, and such solutions are provided by the following description. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    One aspect of the present patent application is a method of accumulating a personalized list of products viewed by a user on different website domains. The method includes providing a first embedded code on a first website domain and a second embedded code on a second website domain in which the first website domain is different from the second website domain. Each of the embedded codes allows a specified third party server to communicate interactively with the user. The method further includes automatically accumulating a personalized list of products viewed by the user in a database on the specified third party server, wherein the personalized list includes at least a first product and a second product, wherein the first product is on the first website domain and the second product is on the second website domain. 
         [0004]    One embodiment further includes displaying the personalized list when the user views any one of a plurality of website domains, wherein the plurality of website domains includes the first website domain and the second website domain. 
         [0005]    In one embodiment if the user selects the first product on the personalized list, the method includes displaying the first product on the first website domain and if the user selects the second product on the personalized list, displaying the second product on the second website domain. 
         [0006]    In one embodiment when the user views the first website domain with a device running a browser, providing a cookie to the browser and storing the cookie ID on the third party server. 
         [0007]    In one embodiment if the user views the first product on the first website domain, the method includes storing an identification of the first product in association with the cookie ID on the third party server. 
         [0008]    One embodiment further includes identifying the cookie when the user views the second website domain, and providing information about the first product from the first website domain and stored by the third party server associated with the cookie ID for display to the user on the second website domain. 
         [0009]    One embodiment further includes receiving user identification information from the user and storing the user identification information in association with the cookie. 
         [0010]    In one embodiment the user identification information includes user contact information. 
         [0011]    In one embodiment the user contact information includes at least one from the group consisting of an email address and a telephone number. 
         [0012]    One embodiment further includes displaying the personalized list on a second display device if the user provides the same user identification information from the second display device. 
         [0013]    One embodiment further includes the user identifying at least one favorite product, and storing a favorite product identifier on the third party server. 
         [0014]    One embodiment further includes automatically providing an alert to the user related to the favorite product. 
         [0015]    In one embodiment the alert includes at least one from the group consisting of a price change, a statement giving the number of other users watching the user&#39;s favorite product, a statement that another user has made an offer to buy the favorite product, and a statement that the favorite product has been sold. 
         [0016]    In one embodiment the favorite product is a member of the personalized list. 
         [0017]    In one embodiment the product is a motor vehicle. 
         [0018]    Another aspect of the present patent application is a method of communicating about a product with a user. The method includes the user identifying a specific product on a website, wherein the product has an identifying code. The method also includes the user providing a method of contacting the user, and using the method of contact and automatically contacting the user with a change in information about the user&#39;s identified product. 
         [0019]    In one embodiment the change of information includes at least one from the group consisting of a price change, a statement giving the number of other users watching the user&#39;s identified product, a statement that another user has made an offer to buy the identified product, and a statement that the identified product has been sold. 
         [0020]    Another aspect of the present patent application is a method that includes automatically accumulating a personalized list of products in a common database, wherein the personalized list includes at least a first product and a second product, wherein the first product is displayed on a first website domain and the second product is displayed on a second website domain, wherein the first website domain is different from the second website domain, wherein a first product identifier is automatically accumulated in the common database when a user views the first product on the first website domain and wherein a second product identifier is automatically accumulated in the common database when a user views the second product on the second website domain. 
         [0021]    One embodiment further includes displaying the personalized list when the user views any one of a plurality of website domains, wherein the plurality of website domains includes the first website domain and the second website domain. 
         [0022]    In one embodiment if the user selects the first product on the personalized list, displaying the first product on the first website domain, and if the user selects the second product on the personalized list, displaying the second product on the second website domain. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0023]    The foregoing will be apparent from the following detailed description, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0024]      FIG. 1  is a screen shot showing what a user sees when viewing a product on a first domain; 
           [0025]      FIG. 2  is a screen shot showing products that a user sees when visiting a second domain to continue shopping; 
           [0026]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart showing the visitor database that stores information such as details about the visitor, the domains visited, the products viewed, and the products saved, and that communicates with a dealer-managed database and with a notification engine that communicates information to the user; 
           [0027]      FIG. 4  is a screen shot showing what a user sees when viewing a product on a first domain that was recently viewed, based on a cookie; 
           [0028]      FIG. 5  is a screen shot showing that the user sees an online representation of the product (“the product”) from the first domain visible on the second domain with a link back to the first domain for a product that exists on the first domain while at least a portion of the information about the product exists on the database of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 6  is a screen shot showing the product saved on the first domain based on the cookie with a link to the database of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0030]      FIG. 7  is a screen shot showing the second domain with the product from the first domain visible as saved by the user when viewing the product on the first domain and the product is visible on the second domain, still based on the cookie with a link to the database of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0031]      FIG. 8  is a screen shot showing the results of the user creating an account that includes a desired method of contact, such as email that enables the user to save the product he or she is interested in; 
           [0032]      FIG. 9  is a screen shot showing the user logged in automatically when he or she visits the second domain, and the product from the first domain is remaining visible on the second domain; 
           [0033]      FIG. 10  is a screen shot showing the result if an attribute of the product changes, such as price, and system alerts the user via the user&#39;s chosen method of communication, and the user can view the alert on each domain, such as the second domain which is shown, and see links to products on both the second domain and on the first domain, such as in this case, seeing links to the Toyota domain when the user is on the Ford domain; 
           [0034]      FIG. 11  is a screen shot showing the result if an attribute of the product changes, such as price, and the system alerts the user via the user&#39;s chosen method of communication, and the user can view the alert on each domain, such as the first domain which is shown, and see links to products on both the first domain and on the second domain, such as in this case, seeing links to the Ford domain when the user is on the Toyota domain; and 
           [0035]      FIG. 12  is a flow chart showing the steps followed by a program running on a computer to accomplish the tasks in  FIGS. 1-11 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0036]    The present applicants created a system that automatically saves and displays as a hyperlinked list all of the competing products viewed by a user, although the products may be found on different website domains. The system also allows the user to select favorite ones among the viewed products for separate display to the user. The scheme also allows the user to receive alerts related to any of the products so selected if the user provides contact information. 
         [0037]    In one embodiment, illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a user may view one or more products, such as automobiles or other motor vehicles, on first website domain  20   a , such as the website of a first automobile dealership, in this example DARCARS Ford. While automobiles are used for illustrative purposes in this patent application, the subject of the viewing can be any kind of product. 
         [0038]    Each automobile on the dealership lot may be displayed on its own page or pages on the automobile dealers website. The first page on that website may include a photograph and text with description of the automobile&#39;s features, manufacturers suggested retail price, sale price, financing information, and location, as also shown in  FIG. 1 . It can include links to additional photographs, a video, and additional information about the vehicle. It can also include links to schedule an appointment to see or test drive the vehicle. Each page of the website for a particular vehicle has its own unique URL  22  that includes website-domain  20   a.    
         [0039]    After viewing one or more automobiles on a page or on pages of the first automobile dealer&#39;s website the user may then choose to leave that dealer&#39;s website to view automobiles on another dealer&#39;s website, such as DARCARS Toyota, as shown in  FIG. 2 . The second dealer&#39;s website may have a second website domain  20   b  which is not directly connected with the first dealer&#39;s website domain. 
         [0040]    In one embodiment, the system automatically stores identifying information about the user&#39;s device and about the products the user viewed in database  24 , as shown in the block diagram in  FIG. 3 . The user&#39;s device (not shown) may be a display device, such as a computer, a smart phone, or a tablet. In one embodiment, the identifying information about the user are those that can be detected by a server hosting the automobile dealer&#39;s website, including the user&#39;s IP address, operating system, and the user&#39;s browser. 
         [0041]    In another embodiment, when the user connects with the dealer&#39;s website, server  26  hosting that website automatically sends a cookie for storage in the user&#39;s browser on the user&#39;s device. The cookie includes a cookie identifying number that uniquely identifies the user&#39;s device. Anytime in the future (until the user clears the cookies) that the user uses that device to reconnect with the dealer&#39;s website, server  26  will recognize the cookie ID and can access information previously collected related to that cookie that was stored in database  24 . 
         [0042]    The collected and saved information may include the user&#39;s device type, the user&#39;s browser, the user&#39;s IP address, and the user&#39;s click path on the dealer&#39;s website. The click path includes the URLs of all the pages on the website that were viewed by the user and the date and time of the user&#39;s visit to each of those pages. From the URL, additional information can be stored in the database, including the automobile viewed, the price at the time that automobile was viewed, the vehicle&#39;s identification number (VIN), and other information about the vehicle. 
         [0043]    Thus, the system can display list  30  of the automobiles viewed by the user at a particular dealer&#39;s website, as shown in  FIG. 4 . In this example only one vehicle has been viewed by the user so far so list  30  only includes one member. In the embodiment shown, when the user clicks a tab marked “Recently Viewed Cars,” list  30  appears overlayed on whatever web page the user is currently viewing. 
         [0044]    The present application also includes a way to automatically save and display as a hyperlinked list all of the competing products viewed by the user, although the products may be found on the different website domains of different automobile dealerships. 
         [0045]    In one embodiment, each of the different automobile dealerships permits a third party provider, such as Dealer Dot Com, Inc., to provide embedded code, such as an iFrame, on its website that is accessible from server  26  provided by the third party provider, as shown in  FIG. 3 . The iFrame, or other embedded code, allows third-party server  26  to provide web content, such as text and images, within the dealership&#39;s web pages and to receive information, such as the IP address of a user or an email address provided by a user on the dealership&#39;s website. Information about the user&#39;s interaction with the website, including the click path, the sequence of URLs and products viewed by the user can also be transmitted to the third party server. The content within an iFrame can be changed by third-party server  26  without the user having to reload the surrounding page the user is viewing. Server  26  includes processor  34  and storage  36  for database  24 . While the example given here includes only two dealerships, the same method is used with any other number of dealerships that have made themselves in-network with the third party provider to receive the iFrame on their web sites that are accessible from server  26  provided by the third party provider. 
         [0046]    When the user accesses web site  40   a  of a first one of the dealerships, the cookie is provided to the user from server  26  through iFrame  42   a , and the cookie ID is stored on the user&#39;s browser. The cookie ID is also stored in database  24  on server  26  provided by the third party provider, as shown in box  42  in database  24  of  FIG. 3 . Now, when the user accesses the web site of a second one of the dealerships, through iFrame  42   b  on its website  40   b , the user&#39;s browser presents that cookie to server  26  through iFrame  42   b . No further cookie is provided. The third party server uses the existing cookie for identifying the user regardless of which dealership website domain  40   a ,  40   b  the user visits, as shown in box  44  in database  24 . The system allows third-party server  26  to collect and save the user&#39;s click path on all the different third-party- associated dealers&#39; web sites  40   a ,  40   b  that the user visits, as shown in box  45  in database  24 . Thus, the list of one or more automobiles viewed on website domain  20   a  of the first dealership, DARCARS Ford, shown in  FIG. 4 , is also visible on website domain  20   b  of the second dealership, DARCARS Toyota, as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0047]    In one embodiment, list of viewed automobiles  30  includes for each member of the list “save this car” tab  46 , allowing the user to identify the car as a potential favorite in “saved car” list  48 . “Saved car” list  48  can be accessed by clicking on tab  50   a ,  50   b , as shown in  FIG. 6 . As with list of recently viewed cars  30 , the list of one or more automobiles saved on website domain  20   a  of the first dealership, DARCARS Ford, shown in  FIG. 6 , is also visible on website domain  20   b  of the second dealership, DARCARS Toyota, as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0048]    In one embodiment, list of viewed vehicles  30  also includes for each member of the list “get price alerts” tab  52   a ,  52   b , as shown in  FIG. 4 , which allows the user to request receipt of alerts about a viewed automobile. Alerts may include a price increase, a price decrease, a change in incentives, or other new information about the vehicle that the user selected for receiving alerts. 
         [0049]    If the user has not already provided contact information, when the user clicks on “get price alerts” tab  52   a ,  52   b  the system takes the user to a page (not shown) where the user can provide contact information, such as an email address or a phone number so the user can automatically receive the alerts by email or by text message. In one embodiment, the system automatically notifies the user that the registration with the email address has been successful after the user provides this contact information, as shown in  FIG. 8 . 
         [0050]    If the user signed up for alerts by clicking on the “save” button and providing contact information, such as an email address, when the user was on the first website domain, as shown in box  58  of  FIG. 3 , that contact information is stored in third party server&#39;s database  24 , as shown in box  54 , and remains available to server  26  when the user leaves the first website domain and visits the second website domain, as shown in tab  55  in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , “welcome testing@dealer.com”. 
         [0051]    Thus, in addition to providing the alerts by email or text, as shown in box  56  of  FIG. 3 , server  26  displays the alerts, such as price changes, in price alerts list  60   a ,  60   b  that originates with either of the dealerships and that are available for viewing on both the first and second website domains, as shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11 . 
         [0052]    In one embodiment, the system asks the user to provide the contact information when the user requests to add a first car to “saved car” list  48 . In one embodiment, price alerts are automatically sent to the user for all the cars designated as favorites and listed as saved cars in saved car list  48 . 
         [0053]    In one embodiment, the system allows the user to see the full list of vehicles that the user identified as favorites by clicking on “saved cars” tab  50   a ,  50   b . The system allows the user to add or delete cars from the saved car list. 
         [0054]    In one embodiment, the “save this car” and “get price alerts” buttons are omitted from the personalized list when the listing of the car is viewed on the website of a competing dealership, as shown in  FIG. 5 , whereas these buttons are visible when the personalized list is viewed on the products original domain, as shown in  FIG. 4 . However, if the user clicks on a listing of a car on the website domain of the first dealership while on the website domain of the second dealership or clicks on link  66  to view that car on its native website domain, the system takes the user back to the page of website domain  20   a ,  40   a  of the first dealership where all the information about that car is displayed. On the listing of recently viewed cars on that page the “save this car” and “get price alerts” tabs are available for that car. 
         [0055]    The steps followed by processor  34  of third-party server  26  are illustrated in the flow chart in  FIG. 12 . When a user visits a website domain that is in the network of website domains served by a third party provider, such as Dealer Dot Com, Inc., as shown in box  100   a ,  100   b , the user&#39;s browser makes any existing dealer.com cookie available to dealer.com iFrame  42   a  embedded in the dealership&#39;s website, and processor  34  verifies through iFrame  42   a  that a Dealer Dot Com, Inc. 
         [0056]    cookie ID has been saved in data base  24  for that user, as shown in query box  101 . If no Dealer Dot Com, Inc. cookie exists for that user, then processor  34  creates a Dealer Dot Com, Inc. cookie for that user and stores the new anonymous user ID for that cookie in database  24 , as shown in box  102 . 
         [0057]    If a Dealer Dot Com, Inc. cookie exists for that user, then processor  34  queries database  24  based on the cookie ID. Since a common cookie ID has been used by the system across all in-network website domains, the processor can now present a list of products viewed by the user on all the in-network website domains, as shown in box  103 . However, it is possible that the user previously used a different browser or a different device. In this case, processor  34  will have assigned a different cookie, and the previous record will not be identified. 
         [0058]    Processor  34  then checks data base  24  to see whether, based on the cookie ID, the user has already provided an email address, as shown in query box  104 . If so, processor  34  automatically logs the user in, as shown in box  105 . However, it is possible that the user previously provided an email address using a different browser or using a different device. In this case, processor  34  will have assigned a different cookie, and the previous record, including the email address, will not be identified, and the user will not be logged in. 
         [0059]    If processor  34  does not find a login for the user, then processor  34  offers the user three choices as shown in query boxes  106   a ,  106   b ,  106   c . The user can log into an existing account by providing the previously submitted contact information, such as an email address, as shown in box  106   a . Alternatively, the user can choose to create a login by providing contact information for the first time, as shown in box  106   b . Alternatively, the user can choose to ignore the other login options, as shown in box  106   c  and go right to viewing a product, such as an automobile on the dealer&#39;s in-network website, as shown in box  107 . 
         [0060]    If the user logs into an existing account, as shown in box  106   a , say from a session using a different browser or a different device, processor  34  merges any data regarding products viewed and saved from the present anonymous user session, if any, with data from the previous session. Processor  34  also overwrites the existing cookie with the pre-existing cookie from the previous session with the different browser or device, as shown in box  108 . The user then views a product, as shown in box  107 . 
         [0061]    If the user chooses to create a login, and enters contact information, such as an email address, as shown in box  106   b , processor  34  stores the email address and the customers&#39; login credentials in database  24 , as shown in box  109 . Login credentials may include the email address and a password. 
         [0062]    The user then views a product, as shown in box  107 . 
         [0063]    While the user is viewing a product, as shown in box  107 , processor  32  automatically stores an identifier of the product viewed, such as the URL, in database  24  in association with the cookie of the user, as shown in box  110 . 
         [0064]    The user may select signing up for product alerts for one or more of the products the user has seen, as shown in box  111 . If the user is logged in, as shown in query box  112 , or logs into an existing login, or chooses to create a login, as shown in query box  113 , the selected product information is saved in database  24  in association with the user&#39;s contact information, and the user will get alerts on product changes automatically, regardless of which in-network website domain from which they arise, as shown in box  114 . If the user chooses not to create a log in, or chooses not to log in, then processor  34  informs the user that a login must be created with a method of contact in order for the user to receive product alerts, as shown in box  115 . 
         [0065]    While several embodiments, together with modifications thereof, have been described in detail herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it will be evident that various further modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Nothing in the above specification is intended to limit the invention more narrowly than the appended claims. The examples given are intended only to be illustrative rather than exclusive.