Method and system for dynamically maintaining internet associations
OwnerKirk Feathers, Gregory Kerberinventors
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Abstract
A method is disclosed wherein a source referring users to an on-line retailer is uniquely identified to the on-line retailer every time the user visits the on-line retailer's web site. This is accomplished by automatically appending a unique identification code identifying the referring source to the user's request to visit the site, regardless where in the user is logically located on the Internet when the request occurs
Claims30
A method of delivering an identifier associated with a referring source to an online retailer comprising the steps of:
- receiving a response from said retailer prompted by a request to visit a web site maintained by said retailer;
- examining said response to determine if said identifier is present in said response;
- and if said identifier is not present in said response, re-issuing said request to visit said web-site of said on-line retailer with said identifier added thereto.
A method of delivering an identifier associated with a referring source to an on-line retailer comprising the steps of:
- examining a request from a user to visit said retailer's web site;
- and
- if said retailer is known, adding said identifier to said request and issuing said request.
A system for delivering an identifier associated with a referring source to an on-line retailer comprising:
- a list of known retailers and an associated list of identifiers for said referring source;
- and
- software means for intercepting responses from the web sites of said on-line retailers, said software means being capable of determining if the proper identifier is present in the response and, if not, issuing a request to link to said web site, said request having an identifier selected from said list appended thereto.
A system for delivering an identifier associated with a referring source to an on-line retailer comprising:
- a list of known retailers and an associated list of identifiers for said referring source;
- and
- software means for intercepting requests from a user to link to the web sites of one of said on-line retailers, said software means being capable of determining if the proper identifier is present in the request and, if not, issuing a modified request to link to said web site, said modified request having an identifier selected from said list appended thereto.
A method of identifying a referring source to an on-line retailer comprising the steps of:
- examining an Internet address for the presence of an identification code associated with said referring source, wherein said referring source is affiliated with each of said plurality of retailers;
- selecting a referring source identification code from a plurality of known identification codes when said address is indicative of a retailer to which said referring source is affiliated;
- and
- amending said Internet address to incorporate said selected identification code.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.