Patent ID: 7177818

Claim:
A method for assisting a user to efficiently query for product information and promotional information available from electronic commerce websites over the Internet, said method comprising the steps of: checking a local database to find a match to a user query, wherein the user query relates to at least one product said user desires to find product information for from at least one available website; if the local database contains at least one match to the user query, accepting a selection input from the user, wherein the user refines the user query by specifically selecting the at least one product; displaying the desired product information selected by said user on said at least one product; determining whether the local database has cached product information relating to the at least one product within a specified time limit; if the local database has not cached the product information within the specified time limit, polling the at least one available website, wherein the product information for the at least one selected product is retrieved and is cached by the local database; and displaying the polling results to the user, wherein the user may locate the at least one available website offering the at least one product associated with the desired product information, whereby Internet searching is minimized and time saved by resort to first checking the local database for the desired product information responsive to said user query, said desired product information being timely for usage by said user.