Patent ID: 7702549

Claim:
A method of sharing state information, wherein: (i) data is presented to a user from a template file in an extensible markup language that is adapted to contain style data and state data provided by a referring site hosted on a server on a distributed computer network; (ii) during user interaction between the user and the referring site, user entered data is captured at the referring site where it is used to modify state data of the template file as part of a transaction; (iii) at a point in the transaction at which it is required to transfer transaction data to a nominated site on the distributed computer network to further process the transaction, a digital signature confirming the referring site's agreement with the transaction, as defined by user-modified state data and the style data, is added on behalf of the referring site, and user-modified state data and style data from the template file are transferred at the behest of the referring site to the nominated site; and (iv) the nominated site when continuing processing of the transaction utilises the style data from the template file, wherein the nominated site comprises a storage facility for data of completed and/or uncompleted transactions in which user data, transaction data, identification data relating to the identity of the referring site and house style data of the referring site is stored.