Patent Publication Number: US-2010114947-A1

Title: Online web search based business-to-business interaction system

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates generally to Internet browsing and more particularly to searching for company profiles at a business oriented website. 
     RELATED ART 
     Today, most of the online trade between buyers and sellers is facilitated by websites that provide information to users and some support for product selection. Most of these are aimed at consumers, and an individual can purchase an item such as a book, or a TV, online. There are several shortcomings with the type of websites and information provided for such online users. For example, a user has to browse through a product catalog pages first, select some products, then transition to a shopping cart page and then go through some payment process. This involves several different types of web pages and complicated navigation between them. Often, the user is required to go back and forth between these webpages, especially in order to add yet another product for purchase, or to get some additional details on a product selected. Such jumping back and forth between pages or viewing pieces of information on multiple open windows is tedious. The user interface is inadequate and user interactions across several webpages presented in a plethora of windows kept open is tedious and non-intuitive. 
     Having to open more than one window to search more than one piece of information and having to move back and forth between several open windows is not only cumbersome but also tedious for most users. Often, users open up a Google search window to find search some particular information, then open up a Yahoo search window to search for some other information, etc. If one web search engine does not provide the required information, the user is likely to search in another window employing a different search engine. 
     Sometimes users search on the Internet for a company to partner with, then get some details of that company from its website. Later, they open up another window and retrieve contact information from the company&#39;s website. Then they send an email using the contact information to get in touch with a company representative. Thus, such interactions require opening several windows on a PC/computer, browsing through such open windows, noting down contact information, etc. and subsequently using the contact information, such as in a request for product information or pricing information. Currently, there are few means by which this process can be made easier or speeded up, or made more efficient. 
     These and other limitations and deficiencies associated with the related art may be more fully appreciated by those skilled in the art after comparing such related art with various aspects of the present invention as set forth herein with reference to the figures. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed to apparatus and methods of operation that are further described in the following Brief Description of the Drawings, the Detailed Description of the Invention, and the claims. Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention made with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective block diagram of an online web search based business-to-business interaction system  105  facilitates simultaneously viewing and browsing more than one search interface presented on a webpage; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective block diagram of a network wherein a cooperating web server and web client make it possible for a user to interact with more than one search engine servers from the same web page/web client window; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective block diagram of a network wherein a user employing a PC/computer with browser is able to search simultaneously (from the same web page or window) on more than one search engine server such as Google, Yahoo etc.; 
         FIG. 4  is an exemplary webpage provided by a web server built in accordance with the present invention that is displayed by a web client in order to enable simultaneous access to more than one search engine interface; 
         FIG. 5  is a flow chart of an exemplary operation of the online web search based business-to-business interaction system that facilitates searches for company profiles and interactions with targeted companies, all from a single web page; and 
         FIG. 6  is a flow chart of an exemplary operation of the online web search based business-to-business interaction system wherein the user can search and retrieve a target company profile and subsequently interact with the target company using the web client. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention makes it possible to have a website/portal based interactive navigation system that enables a user, using a web client on a PC or computer, to simultaneously and actively search and navigate different company websites and Internet portals. Individual customers who subscribe to, or access the website/portal, can create or upload their company profiles and search other profiles for their partner companies. The present invention eliminates the need to open multiple browsers or tabs in Internet programs, such as browsers, and makes search and discovery using multiple search engines or services much easier. A user can actively navigate through any of the one or more search and browsing panes/windows that are presented, that are simultaneously open, using the web client. The web customer of the web portal based interactive navigation system, who does not have a custom company website with an accessible public company profile, can create a new profile on the web portal. In general, the user can simultaneously open up one or more browsing panes to search and retrieve partner information, or search for new partner companies and browse their profiles. 
     In general, the user can simply select a search interface on the default webpage provided by a website, built in accordance with the present invention that comprises a plurality of search interfaces. The user can then begin actively navigating through one or more search windows or browsing windows/panes. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective block diagram of an online web search based business-to-business interaction system  105  that facilitates simultaneously viewing and browsing more than one search interface presented on a webpage. The online web search based business-to-business interaction system  105  comprises a web server  157  communicatively coupled to a PC /computer  109  via Internet  107 , and one or more search engine servers  151  communicatively coupled to the web server  157  and to the PC/computer  109 . The PC/computer  109  comprises a web client  111  that is capable of presenting a plurality of search interfaces to the user on a webpage provided by the web server  157 . The web client  111  comprises web page display module  121 , a transaction processing module  115 , an instant messaging interface module  131  and a search results processor  113 . The web page display module  121  presents a search interface A  123 , a search interface B  125 , a search interface C  127 . It comprises a video display module  131 , an instant messaging display module  133 , a company profile display module  135  and a search results display module  137 . 
     The online web search based business-to-business interaction system  105  makes it possible for a user of the PC/computer  109  to be presented with a web page that provides a plurality of search engine interfaces, instant messaging capabilities as well as a display of company profiles that are selected. The search engine interfaces  123 ,  125 ,  127  make it possible to search and retrieve company profiles, and product information. The web client  111  communicatively coupled to the web server  157  is capable of providing a plurality of panes for simultaneously displaying search prompts, related results, and company profiles. The web server  157  is capable of simultaneously searching a plurality of other web servers and presenting retrieved results in the corresponding ones of the plurality of panes on the web client  111 . For example, it can interact with a Google based search engine server, a Yahoo based search engine server, etc. 
     The web server  157  retrieves corresponding videos from at least one of a plurality of video servers on the Internet and displays them for selection by the user on the web client  111 . The web client  111  enables simultaneous display of the retrieved results in the corresponding ones of the plurality of panes. It also enables displaying the corresponding videos on a video display pane managed by the web client  111 . The web client  111  provides a company profile pane for facilitating optional company profile entry or update by the user. 
     The online web search based business-to-business interaction system  105  interacts with search engine server  151  such as a Google search engine server, a Yahoo search engine server, a Baidu search engine server, a MSN search engine server and a YouTube server. The online web search based business-to-business interaction system  105  comprises the web client  111  that facilitates simultaneous searches across a plurality of search engines. Each of the plurality of search engines display their results in a corresponding one of the plurality of panes. In one embodiment, the online web search based business-to-business interaction system  105  presents a plurality of panes on the same web page, wherein each of the plurality of panes provide access to one of a plurality of search services. The plurality of search services comprise a Google search service, a Yahoo service and an Microsoft search service. The user can use any of the search services to search for a target company profile, and then interact with contacts provided for the target company. 
     In one embodiment, the online web search based business-to-business interaction system  105  includes the web client  121  that enables a user to simultaneously and actively search and navigate different websites and portals employing the plurality of panes. Each of the plurality of panes presented by a web page (that is provided by the web server  157 , for example) provides one of the search services (for example, Google based, Yahoo based, etc.). The user can search and retrieve company profiles of other companies (such as potential partners) that the user is interested in interacting with, and review the company profiles in the plurality of panes. The web client also enables a user to set up a company profile that is stored locally at the web server  157  or to reference a remotely stored company profile stored on an external web server. 
     In general, the same webpage presented to the user by the web client  111  can have more than one search engine interface, an instant messaging section (such as an HTML DIV), a video display section on the web page, a company profile display section, etc. The user need not open up additional browser windows just to conduct additional searches, etc. The webpage also provides instant messaging capabilities and company profile display capabilities. The display of the company profile is facilitated by the company profile display module  135 . When a company profile is searched by a user, and a target company profile is determined, it is displayed in a company profile section/pane or optionally in a main screen area. The target profile comprises contact information, product information, video information, such as a CEO&#39;s presentation, etc. Thus, a user can locate/search company profiles and be able to interact with those companies, thereby conducting business-to-business interactions. Results of searches for target companies are displayed with the help of the search results display module  137 . Instant messaging based interactions with contacts provided by target companies is facilitated by the instant messaging display module  133 . 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective block diagram of a network  205  wherein a cooperating web server  231  and web client  209  make it possible for a user to interact with more than one search engine servers from the same web page/web client  209  window. The web client  209  is executed/used in a PC/computer  233  and it provides window search interfaces employing search panes  211 ,  213 ,  215 . The search interfaces facilitate interactions with corresponding search servers, via the web server  231  or directly with the search servers. For example, a Google search pane  211  facilitates interactions with a Google Search server  251 . In one embodiment, it can be directly interacting with the Google Search server  251 , and in a related embodiment, it interacts with the Google Search server  251  via the web server  231 . 
     The web client  209  comprises a Google search pane  211 , a Yahoo search pane  213  and another search pane  215  (a placeholder that can be used when needed). It also comprises a web page retrieval module  217 , an instant messaging pane  219  for presenting instant messages during online messaging interactions, and a company profile display pane  221  for presenting company profiles of target companies. 
     In one related embodiment, the web client  209  is an Internet browser software that runs on the PC/computer  233 , such as an Internet Explorer browser or a Firefox browser. The web server  231  presents a web page that comprises the Google search pane  211 , the Yahoo search pane  213  and the another search pane  215 . 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective block diagram of a network wherein a user employing a PC/computer with browser  307  is able to search simultaneously (from the same web page or window) on more than one search engine server such as Google, Yahoo etc. The PC/computer with browser  307  comprises a processing circuitry  309 , a local storage  317 , a network interface  341  and a user manager interface  349 . The network interface  341  comprises an interface processing circuitry  343  and a wired &amp; wireless interface  345 . The local storage  317  comprises a plurality of programs that can be executed on the processing circuitry  309 . It comprises a browser  319 , a partner list manager  321 , a search manager  323 , a security manager  325  and a display manager  335 . The browser  319  can employ the other software components available in local storage  317  or others that it can download as necessary. 
     Using the browser  319 , a user of the PC/computer with browser  307  can work on webpages provided by the web server  351 , such as those that comprise search interfaces to search servers  353 . For example, the browser  319  can be a an Internet Explorer browser from Microsoft and the search servers  353  comprise of a Google search server and an Yahoo search server. The web server  351  provides a web page to the user of the PC/computer with browser  307  wherein the web page has search sections (such as panes implemented by html DIVs) for both Google and Yahoo based search engine servers  353 . 
       FIG. 4  is an exemplary webpage  421  provided by a web server built in accordance with the present invention that is displayed by a web client in order to enable simultaneous access to more than one search engine interface. The web page  421  comprises a Google search section  423 , a Yahoo search section  443 , a status bar  409 , a tool bar  461 , an industry selection dialog box section  463 , a company profile section  467 , an instant messaging section  471 , and a video display section  473 . The web page  421  is displayed by a client browser  407  that is typically executed on a PC or computer. 
     The user can select an industry category using the industry selection dialog box section  463 . Based on user&#39;s industry selection, the searches in the Yahoo search section  443  and the Google search section  423  are guided/filtered. Further search criteria can be specified by the user in each of the individual search sections  423 ,  443  to fine tune the searches and retrieve relevant search results. The search results are displayed in appropriate search results sections  431 ,  451 . If the user selects one of the displayed results, such as a target company listed, the company profile section  467  is populated by details from a target company webpage retrieved. In addition, the video display section  473  is populated with available videos, such as a presentation from a CEO of the company that s retrieved from a YouTube server. Also, the instant messaging section  471  is also activated with a contact information for a person or group associated with the target company. The toolbar section  461  provides links for default web pages such as those for homepages and for restarting searches. 
     The Google search section  423  comprises a search string input section  425 , a search activation button  429  and the search results display section  431  that lists results, such as a list of company profiles of potential target companies. Similarly, the Yahoo search section  443  comprises a search string input section  445 , a search activation button  449  and the search results display section  451  that lists results, such as a list of company profiles of potential target companies. The status bar  409  indicates status information, such as status of searches being conducted, company profiles currently displayed, status of video being downloaded for display, etc. 
       FIG. 5  is a flow chart of an exemplary operation of the online web search based business-to-business interaction system  105  that facilitates searches for company profiles and interactions with targeted companies, all from a single web page. At a start block  505 , operation starts where a user starts the web client (such as a browser built in accordance with the present invention). Then, at a next block  507 , the web client is configured such that it is capable of interacting simultaneously with more than one search engine server. Then, the user is presented a webpage with a plurality of search windows on the same web page. Thus, for example, a webpage presented to the user can be used to interact with a Google search engine from one section of the web page and a Yahoo search engine from another section of the same web page. 
     Then, at next block  511 , the search for a target company profile is facilitated when the user employs one or more of the plurality of search windows/panes that is presented by the web client (based on webpage provided by a web server, for example). The results of such a search are presented to the user for review. Then, at a next block  513 , a target company profile is retrieved and presented to the user, when the user selects one of the companies listed as a part of the search results. The user can select one of the listed companies in the search results and it will be designated as the target company, and a webpage (one or more web pages) associated with the company profile are retrieved and presented to user. 
     Then, at a next block  515 , interactions by the user with the target company is facilitated. Such interactions can be via instant messaging facilities available, via email, etc. It can involve sales inquiries, sales transactions, etc. Then, at an end block  521 , the operation terminates. 
       FIG. 6  is a flow chart of an exemplary operation of the online web search based business-to-business interaction system  105  wherein the user can search and retrieve a target company profile and subsequently interact with the target company using the web client. At a start block  607 , the user logs into an account established with the online web search based business-to-business interaction system  105 . Then, at a next block  609 , the user is prompted for an industry selection prompt. The user can select one of the available categories of industry that is supported. For example, a drop down box enables the user to select an industry, such as “insurance”. Then, at a next block  611 , the selected industry home page is presented to the user, based on the user&#39;s selection of a selected industry. 
     Then, at a next block  613 , the search capabilities are configured with the user selected industry. For example, the filters for searches on available search interfaces, for search engine servers such as Google, Yahoo, etc. are setup with the selected industry to narrow the search if initiated. Thus, the selected industry is used to present a search refining capability using the search window/panes in order to help the user pick a target company. The user is presented with a list of target companies and he can select a target company from the list presented. 
     At a next block  617 , the webpages associated with the selected target company are presented to the user along with links to videos and company profile. The The web server of the online web search based business-to-business interaction system  105  provides such webpages if it is stored there, or it retrieves them from an external server, as necessary, if references/links to such webpages have been configured. The user can view the target company profile, view a video provided for that target company, access contact information, etc. A video pane is populated with the link to the video, if any. AN instant messaging pane is configured with an instant messaging account information, as necessary. 
     Then, at a next block  619 , the user, via the web client, interacts with the web server associated with the target company. The interactions can be via instant messaging, via email, etc. The user can view company profile and associated detail information provided by a webserver associated with the target company selected, or those hosted by the webserver associated with the online web search based business-to-business interaction system  105 . 
     Finally, the operation terminates at the end block  621 . 
     The terms “circuit” and “circuitry” as used herein may refer to an independent circuit or to a portion of a multifunctional circuit that performs multiple underlying functions. For example, depending on the embodiment, processing circuitry may be implemented as a single chip processor or as a plurality of processing chips. Likewise, a first circuit and a second circuit may be combined in one embodiment into a single circuit or, in another embodiment, operate independently perhaps in separate chips. The term “chip”, as used herein, refers to an integrated circuit. Circuits and circuitry may comprise general or specific purpose hardware, or may comprise such hardware and associated software such as firmware or object code. 
     As one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate, the terms “operably coupled” and “communicatively coupled,” as may be used herein, include direct coupling and indirect coupling via another component, element, circuit, or module where, for indirect coupling, the intervening component, element, circuit, or module does not modify the information of a signal but may adjust its current level, voltage level, and/or power level. As one of ordinary skill in the art will also appreciate, inferred coupling (i.e., where one element is coupled to another element by inference) includes direct and indirect coupling between two elements in the same manner as “operably coupled” and “communicatively coupled.” 
     The present invention has also been described above with the aid of method steps illustrating the performance of specified functions and relationships thereof. The boundaries and sequence of these functional building blocks and method steps have been arbitrarily defined herein for convenience of description. Alternate boundaries and sequences can be defined so long as the specified functions and relationships are appropriately performed. Any such alternate boundaries or sequences are thus within the scope and spirit of the claimed invention. 
     The present invention has been described above with the aid of functional building blocks illustrating the performance of certain significant functions. The boundaries of these functional building blocks have been arbitrarily defined for convenience of description. Alternate boundaries could be defined as long as the certain significant functions are appropriately performed. Similarly, flow diagram blocks may also have been arbitrarily defined herein to illustrate certain significant functionality. To the extent used, the flow diagram block boundaries and sequence could have been defined otherwise and still perform the certain significant functionality. Such alternate definitions of both functional building blocks and flow diagram blocks and sequences are thus within the scope and spirit of the claimed invention. 
     One of average skill in the art will also recognize that the functional building blocks, and other illustrative blocks, modules and components herein, can be implemented as illustrated or by discrete components, application specific integrated circuits, processors executing appropriate software and the like or any combination thereof. 
     Moreover, although described in detail for purposes of clarity and understanding by way of the aforementioned embodiments, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments. It will be obvious to one of average skill in the art that various changes and modifications may be practiced within the spirit and scope of the invention, as limited only by the scope of the appended claims.