Patent Publication Number: US-2002010656-A1

Title: Link engine computer and method

Description:
[0001] This Application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/208,463, filed Jun. 1, 2000 and U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/282,829 filed Apr. 10, 2001. 
    
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002] 1. Field of the Invention  
       [0003] This invention relates to a computer and method for locating an item on the Internet or World Wide Web.  
       [0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art  
       [0005] Current search engines present a user with a search process that is confusing as well as tedious and cumbersome. The search process confronts the user with the task of selecting a category from huge libraries of categories. The names given to the categories often overlap with one another, resulting in an enormous number of matches.  
       [0006] Current search engines also provide keyword searching features. Keyword searching gives the user the ability to look for topics that include a common word within that topic. Unfortunately, with over 8 million web sites, words become common in several different topics that give the user matches in topics that are entirely irrelevant. For example, the word “furniture” takes the user to 20 categories with over 27,000 possible web sites. By narrowing the search down to couches, four topics come up with the word couches in them and 17 categories come up dealing with ceramics. The end result is that keyword searching frequently results in an unmanageable number of matches. The names given to the categories or topics in the search engine libraries may not include the words that the user uses to describe the item being searched, thereby resulting in no matches or in matches that are entirely irrelevant.  
       [0007] What is needed is a streamlined search engine that is less time consuming and that has a high percentage of successful searches for novices as well as skilled searchers.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008] The method of the present invention searches for a vendor or a source of goods or services (products) that a user desires to procure either information thereon or the products themselves. According to the method, a session with a user begins with presenting a web page that includes a selection mechanism for identifying a product. When the user identifies a product, a plurality of logos or brands of sources that offer the identified product are presented to the user for selection. When one of the logos is selected, a list of vendors that deal in the identified product and selected logo is presented to the user. At least one of the vendors has a web site or web page that is hot-linked via a URL embedded in the list. The method of the invention permits the user to reach a vendor of a desired brand of products in a minimum of two or three selections or mouse clicks.  
       [0009] The method also provides a drill down capability in which the user first identifies a category of products, then a sub-category of products and so on. The logo and vendor list presentations are made when the category level matches the desired product.  
       [0010] The selection mechanism also identifies a predetermined territory, in which the vendors are located. In one embodiment of the method, the predetermined territory is defined as an area of a zip code that has an extended border. In another embodiment of the method, the predetermined territory is defined by country, state and county. The computer of the present invention performs the method of the invention. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
     [0011] Other and further objects, advantages and features of the present invention will be understood by reference to the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters denote like elements of structure and:  
     [0012]FIG. 1 is a diagram of a system in which the method of the present invention can be used;  
     [0013]FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an application server according to the present invention;  
     [0014]FIG. 3 depicts a data structure for the logo search program of the FIG. 2 application server;  
     [0015]FIG. 4 depicts a category web page presented by the logo search program of the FIG. 2 application server;  
     [0016]FIG. 5 depicts a sub-category web page presented by the logo search program of the FIG. 2 application server;  
     [0017]FIG. 6 depicts a logo web page for a selected sub-category that is presented by the logo search program of the FIG. 2 application server;  
     [0018]FIG. 7 depicts a portion of the category web page of FIG. 4 with a user selection of a state;  
     [0019]FIG. 8 depicts a county web page presented by the logo search program of the FIG. 2 application server;  
     [0020]FIGS. 9 and 10 are flow diagrams of the logo search program of the FIG. 2 application server; and  
     [0021]FIG. 11 is a diagram of another system in which the method of the present invention can be used;  
     [0022] FIGS.  12 - 14  depict web pages used by the system of FIG. 11;  
     [0023]FIG. 15 depicts a data structure for the logo search program of the FIG. 11 system; and  
     [0024]FIGS. 16 and 17 are flow diagrams of the logo search program of the FIG. 11 system. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
     [0025] Referring to FIG. 1, a web page server system  20  communicates with a plurality of user devices  24  via an Internet  22 . User devices  24  may be any suitable device upon which a browser may run, such as a personal computer, a telephone, a television set, a hand held computing device and the like. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the number of user devices is limited only by the capacity of the Internet and the worldwide web. By way of example, three user devices  26 ,  28  and  30  are shown with a dashed line from user device  28  to user device  30  illustrates this capacity.  
     [0026] Web page server system  20  includes a plurality of HTTP servers  32 , one or more application servers  34  and a database  36 . HTTP servers  32  may be any suitable server, presently known or developed in the future, that is capable of communicating via internet  22  with web clients  24  in a protocol that is compatible with the browser capability of web clients  24 . Application servers  34  may be any suitable server, presently known or developed in the future, that is capable of running applications that supply web page data to HTTP servers  32  and interact with web page actions taken by web clients  24 . Database  36  may be any suitable database, presently known or developed in the future, that is capable of handling large amounts of data.  
     [0027] Application servers  34  present web pages that are served by HTTP servers via Internet  22  to one of user devices  24  during a session. The web pages, if frequently served, may reside in a cache memory of application servers  34  or in database  36 .  
     [0028] Application servers  34  may be substantially identical in architecture. For example, application server  34 A is shown in FIG. 2 to include a processor  42 , an interface  46  and a memory  44  that are interconnected via a bus  48 . Memory  44  includes an operating system  50  and a logo search program  52  of the present invention. Other programs, such as utilities and other applications, may also be stored in memory  44 . All of these programs may be loaded into memory  44  from a memory medium, such as a memory disk  54 .  
     [0029] Processor  42  is operable under the control of operating system  50  to execute logo search program  52  to present web pages via interface  46  to HTTP servers  32  for presentation to user devices  24  during a session and to receive and interact with responses from user devices  24 . The web pages, if frequently served, may reside in a cache (not shown) of memory  44  or in database  36 .  
     [0030] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that logo search program  52  may alternatively be distributed among application server  34 A and the other application servers  34 , database  36  or other computers. The physical locations of HTTP servers  32 , application servers  34  or database  36  are unimportant to the present invention. They may be in the same physical location or in separate locations that communicate via Internet  22  or other communication facility.  
     [0031] Logo search program  52  will initially be described based on a typical session with a user device, for example, user device  26  of FIG. 1. With reference, to FIG. 4, a category page  60  is presented to user device  26 . Category page  60  includes a generic list  62  of generic items for selection by user device  26 , a geographical selector  64 , a group of logos  66  and other items  68  that are not germane to the present invention. According to the present invention, user device  26  may be hot-linked to a web site of a source or a vendor of products denoted by logos  66 . It will be appreciated that the method of the invention is useful to locate a source or vendor of goods or of services. The term “product” is used herein to denote either a good, a service or a combination thereof.  
     [0032] A user at this point has the choice of searching either by selecting a category from generic list  62  or by selecting one of logos  66 . For example, the user may be interested in clothing. Remembering that a GAP store is nearby, the user can select the GAP logo and be hot-linked to the web site of GAP Company, Inc. However, logos appearing on category page  60  are generally nationally known brands that are vendors or manufacturers of a broad line of products for one or more of generic categories  62 . For this reason, logos  66  on page  60  will be hot-linked to a web site or page of the corporation itself, requiring further drilling through pages at that web site to reach a desired item of interest.  
     [0033] If the user selects the category of clothing from generic category list  62 , a sub-category web page  70 , shown in FIG. 5, is presented to user device  26 . Sub-category web page  70  includes sub-categories, men&#39;s clothing  72 , women&#39;s clothing  74  and children&#39;s clothing  76 . Although only three subcategories are shown, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that more sub-categories are possible. Also, if desired, logos could be located on web page  70 .  
     [0034] For a user selection of men&#39;s clothing, a web page  80  of FIG. 6 is then presented to user device  26 . Web page  80  includes a group of logos  82  that are brands that indicate a source of men&#39;s clothing. Each logo  82  has an associated URL that hot-links the user to a web site or page of that source that is specific to men&#39;s clothing. Thus, if the user selects the Nordstrom logo, user device  26  is hot-linked to a web page or web site of the Nordstrom Company that is specific to men&#39;s clothing.  
     [0035] Thus, the logo search program and method of the present invention can locate an item and a source for such item with only three selections without being encumbered by a host of irrelevant items.  
     [0036] Another feature of the invention is that the user can tailor a search to a specific geographic region. For example, a territory can be divisible into nations, states or provinces, counties and so on. Referring again to FIG. 4 and to FIG. 7, geographical selector  64  enables a user to select a specific state in which the products of interest may be procured. As shown in FIG. 7, the user selects the state of Connecticut.  
     [0037] Referring to FIG. 8, a web page  84  is then presented to user device  26 . Web page  84  includes a list  86  of counties and a group of logos  66 . The user can select either a county of interest or a logo of interest. However, logos  66  are hot-linked to a corporate web site that may require substantial drilling to obtain a web page or site of specific interest. For a selection of a county, e.g., Fairfield County, web page  60  of FIG. 4 is presented to user device  26 . Logos  66  may denote sources of national brands or of vendors located in Fairfield County. That is, a logo for Joe&#39;s Clothing Store in Danbury, Conn. may be presented as one of the logos  66 . User selection of the Joe&#39;s Clothing Store logo will hot-link user device  26  to a web site of Joe&#39;s Clothing Store.  
     [0038] In a more general case, the item of interest may be selected from category list  62 . Again, for a user selection of clothing, web page  70  is presented. For a user selection of men&#39;s clothing, web page  80  is presented. Each logo  88  is linked to a web site that identifies vendors of the selected logo that are located in Fairfield County, the vicinity thereof, the closest store thereto, or that are available for procurement from the web site.  
     [0039] Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown a logo data structure  90  that is used by logo search program  52  (FIG. 2). Logo data structure  90  includes a logo field  92 , a dates field  94 , a page field  96 , a state field  98 , a county field  100 , a category field  102 , a sub-category field  104  and a hyperlink field  106 . For example, logo field  92  identifies a specific logo. Dates field  94  identifies the dates the logo is to be displayed. Page field  96  identifies the web page upon which the logo is to appear. State field  98  identifies the territory for which the logo is to appear. For example, one value of state field can identify a nation and other values can identify states thereof. County field  100  identifies a county. Category field  102  identifies a generic class of items. Sub-category field  104  identifies a specific item. Hyperlink field  106  identifies the URL that links the logo identified by field  92  to a web site or page that is determined by the item identified by category or sub-category fields  102  and  104  and the geographical unit identified by state and/or county fields  98  and  102 .  
     [0040] Referring to FIG. 9, logo search program  52  begins a session with a user device  26 , for example, at step  110  by presenting web page  60  (FIG. 4). Step  112  determines if a state is selected. If yes, program  52  proceeds to a point A. If step  112  determines that a state is not selected, step  114  determines if a logo has been selected by user device  26 . If yes, step  128  hot-links user device  26  to the web page identified by the URL associated with the selected logo.  
     [0041] If step  114  determines that a logo was not selected, step  116  determines if a category  62  has been selected. If no, steps  110  through  116  are repeated. If yes, step  118  presents a sub-category list for the selected category, such as web page  70  (FIG. 5). Step  120  then determines if a logo has been selected from web page  70  (if any logos appear thereon). If yes, step  128  is performed. If no, step  122  determines if a sub-category has been selected. If no, steps  118  through  122  are repeated. If step  122  determines that a sub-category has been selected, step  124  presents logos with URLs for the selected sub-category, such as appear on web page  80  (FIG. 6). Step  126  determines if a logo has been selected. If no, steps  124  and  126  are repeated. If yes, step  128  is performed and logo search program  52  ends the session.  
     [0042] If step  112  determines that a state is selected, logo program  52  continues with step  130  shown in FIG. 10. Step  130  presents a list of counties for the selected state as on web page  84  of FIG. 8. Step  132  determines if a logo has been selected. If yes, logo program  52  continues via point B to perform step  128  (FIG. 9). If no, step  134  determines if a county has been selected. If no, steps  130  through  134  are repeated. If yes, step  136  presents a category list and logos earmarked for the selected state and county. Step  138  then determines if a logo has been selected. If yes, logo program  52  continues via point B to perform step  128  (FIG. 9). If no, step  140  determines if a category has been selected. If no, steps  136  through  140  are repeated. If yes, logo search program  52  continues via a point C with steps  118  through  128  (FIG. 9).  
     [0043] Referring to FIG. 11, an alternate embodiment of the present invention is shown as a web page server system  200 . Web page server system  200  includes a plurality of servers  202  and a user device  26  that are interconnected by network  22 . It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that although only one user device  26  is shown, more user devices can be interconnected to web servers  202  via network  22 . Servers  202  include a web server  204 , a directory server  206 , a directory server  208  and a map and zip code server  210 .  
     [0044] Web server  204  is substantially identical to web server  34 A of FIGS. 1 and 2, except that a logo search program  212  replaces logo search program  52 . Directory servers  206  and  208  hold the records of the advertising companies and participating vendors. Map and zip code server  210  holds mapping and zip code software. The mapping and zip code software is a known software that is capable of producing a map of a predetermined area defined by a zip code area and a specified radius or distance from the border of the zip code area. Servers  202  may communicate directly with one another as shown by the arrows or via connections (not shown) through network  22 .  
     [0045] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the architecture of servers  202  is shown by way of example and that their functions can be performed by any number of servers, even a single server.  
     [0046] Logo search program  212  will initially be described based on a typical session with user device  26  of FIG. 11. In this session, a user desires to identify a vendor of home insurance in a specific area. With reference, to FIG. 12, logo search program initially presents a web page  214  to user device  26 . Web page  214  includes a search definition area  216  and a logo select area  218 . Search definition area  216  includes an item box  220 , a brand box  222 , a price range box  224 , an alternate zip code box  226 , a find button  228  and a search criteria line  230 .  
     [0047] The user must identify a product by entering its name in item box  220 . The user may enter a desired brand in brand box  222 , but this is not necessary at this time. The user at this time may also enter a price range in price range box  226 , but this is not necessary at this time. When the user connects to web server  204 , logo search program  212  identifies the user&#39;s zip code from a previously registered cookie and enters the user&#39;s zip code in search selection line  230 . If no previously registered cookie is available for the user, the user will be prompted by a drop down message (not shown) to enter a zip code in alternate zip code box  226 . Alternate zip code box  226  can also be used by the user to override the default zip code selection. For example, the user may desire to find products in another location having a different zip code. As the user makes these entries, they are displayed in search criteria line  230 .  
     [0048] By way of example, search criteria line  230  shows that the user has a zip code of 06804 and is interested in finding homeowners insurance in that area. The user has made no entries for price range or brand. If satisfied with these entries, the user clicks on find button  228 .  
     [0049] Logo search program  212  then obtains from directory servers  206  and/or  208  the vendor data chains that match the criteria of home insurance for the zip code territory and the current date. Logo search program  212  then presents in logo search area  218  a plurality of logos of insurance companies that offer home insurance products/services in the territory defined by zip code 06804. In the illustrated example, the user selects H logo  234  with a mouse click.  
     [0050] Referring to FIG. 13, logo search program  212  then presents a web page  246  to user device  26 . Web page  246  includes a local source area  248  and search definition area  216 . Search definition area  216  can be used at this time to add a price range or change the zip code, if desired. Search selection line  230  now also lists the H logo. Local source area  246  includes a local source  248 , a local source  250 , a local source  252  and a local source  254 . Local sources  248 ,  250 ,  252  and  254  contain substantially identical content. For example local source  248  includes a name  256  (agency  1 ), an address  258 , a web page address  260 , a map button  262  and a coupon button  264 . Optionally, local source  248  may include a telephone and/or facsimile number. If desired, the user may click on map button  262  to view a map that shows the location of agency  1 . If desired, the user may click on coupon button  264  to obtain a discount coupon that can be integrated into an online order, or printed out for presentation at the physical store of agency  1 .  
     [0051] The user now has the option of selecting one of local sources  248 ,  252 ,  254  or  256 . For the illustrated example, the user selects local source  248  by clicking thereon. Referring to FIG. 14, logo search program  212  then presents a web page  270  for agency  1  of local source  248 . Alternatively, web page  270  may be presented via a hot link embedded in web page  246 . Web page  270  presents several options for contacting agency  1 .  
     [0052] Thus, logo search program  212  permits a user to reach the web page of a local vendor of desired products with a minimum of three clicks, namely, find button  228 , H logo  234  and local source  248 .  
     [0053] Referring to FIG. 15, there is shown a logo data structure  272  that is used by logo search program  212  (FIG. 11) for vendors who provide or sell products under a logo. Logo data structure  272  includes a logo field  274 , a dates field  276 , a page field  278 , a zip code field  280 , a brand field  282 , a price field  284 , a category field  286 , a sub-category field  288 , a sub-subcategory field  290  and a hyperlink field  292 . For example, logo field  272  identifies a specific logo. Dates field  274  identifies the dates the logo is to be displayed. Page field  276  identifies the web page upon which the logo is to appear. Zip code field  280  identifies the territory for which the logo is to appear. For example, the territory is defined as the region that includes the zip code area plus a 15-mile zone beyond the border of the zip code area. Brand field  282  identifies the brand of a product offered by the vendor. Price field  284  identifies the price range of the product. Category field  286  identifies a generic class of items, e.g., insurance. Sub-category field  288  identifies a specific item, e.g., home insurance or a sub-generic class of items. For example, a generic class is clothing and a sub-generic class is men&#39;s clothing. Sub-sub-category field  290  identifies the specific product, e.g. men&#39;s ties. Hyperlink field  292  identifies the URL that links the logo identified by field  286 ,  288  or  290  to a web site or page that is determined by the item identified by category, sub-category or sub-sub-category fields  286 ,  288  or  290  and the territory defined by zip code field  280 .  
     [0054] A vendor, e.g., local source  248  may register a catalog of products under the same brand or different brands. Optionally, the vendor may be given the opportunity to change the products in the catalog and/or their prices at any time on line. Optionally, logo search program  212  may present the catalog to the user upon selection of a hot button therefore, which may be located on web page  246  or  270 .  
     [0055] Referring to FIG. 16, logo search program  212  begins at step  300 , which presents web page  214  to the user. Step  302  establishes a zip code for the user. If a cookie is on record for the user, the zip code in the cookie is used by default and displayed in search criteria line  230 . If there is no cookie, step  302  will prompt the user as by a drop down message to enter a zip code in alternate zip code box  226 . Step  304  determines if find button  228  has been selected. If not, step  304  is repeated until find button  228  is selected. After find button  228  is selected, step  308  determines if an item has been selected. If not, step  306  prompts the user to select an item and step  304  is repeated. When step  308  determines that an item has been selected, step  310  determines if a sub-category is needed. If so, step  312  presents subcategories, such as men&#39;s clothing, children&#39;s clothing, women&#39;s clothing and the like. If a sub-sub-category is needed, step  312  presents sub-subcategories, such as men&#39;s ties, men&#39;s suits, men&#39;s shirts and the like.  
     [0056] Step  314  is performed if step  310  determines that no sub-category is needed or when step  312  is finished. Step  314  determines if there has been an alternate zip code change. If so, step  316  sets the zip code to the current alternate zip code. If not, step  318  affirms that the zip code is the one established by step  302 . Step  320  then presents logos in logo select area  218  that match the search criteria of zip code, item, sub-item (if any), brand (if any) and price range (if any). Logo program  212  then continues at A in FIG. 17.  
     [0057] Referring to FIG. 17, step  322  determines if there has been any change in the search criteria. If yes, step  324  adjusts the logos in logo select area  218  according to the changes. Step  326  is performed after step  324  or if step  322  determines that the search criteria have not been changed. Step  326  presents a list of local vendors who satisfy the search criteria. Step  328  determines if a vendor has been selected. If not, step  328  is repeated until a vendor is selected. Step  330  links the user to the selected vendor&#39;s web site. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that hot links can be embedded on web page  216  so that by clicking on a desired vendor, the user is hot linked to the desired vendor&#39;s web site. For this case, steps  328  and  330  are not needed. Thus, the logo search program and method of the present invention can locate an item and a source for such item with only three selections or mouse clicks without being encumbered by a host of irrelevant items.  
     [0058] The present invention having been thus described with particular reference to the preferred forms thereof, it will be obvious that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims. For example, the presentation of the sub-categories could be accomplished by dialog boxes, pop-up views and the like. In the embodiment of FIGS.  1 - 10 , geographical selector  64  could appear on a web page that is separate from web page  60 .