Method and system for integrating transaction mechanisms over multiple internet sites

A method for effecting transactions across a plurality of vendors in an internet environment, wherein a user may purchase each of a plurality of items the user finds independent of the vendors, comprising:

• displaying the plurality of items for purchase, the plurality of items drawn from the plurality of vendors;
• receiving from the user a selection of items to purchase from the plurality of items, the selection of items comprising items from a set of vendors from the plurality of vendors;
• mapping the selection of items to purchase to the set of vendors;
• determining a plurality of order entry form identifiers corresponding to the set of vendors for the selection of items;
• determining matching patterns using the order entry form identifiers, wherein the matching patterns are stored in a database;
• matching the matching patterns to web pages containing order entry forms that are associated with the set of vendors;
• for one of the web pages that matches one of the matching patterns, parsing the order entry form for that web page to obtain attributes, wherein the attributes are fields in the order entry form to be filled in;
• identifying properties required to fill in the order entry form, the properties corresponding to user related information stored in a database;
• transforming data formats of the properties to yield values that match data formats of the attributes using a transformation function, wherein the values are user related information in the data formats of the attributes;
• filling the order entry form by entering the values into the attributes;
• passing control to the user after filling the plurality of forms to perform a confirming operation;
• submitting the order entry form to a first vendor in the set of vendors in response to the confirming operation;
• and
• tracking confirmation information returned by the first vendor in response to submitting the order entry form.

A method for effecting transactions across a plurality of nodes, wherein a user may make a plurality of transactions with said plurality of nodes, comprising:

• displaying the plurality of transactions from which to choose, the plurality of transactions drawn from the plurality of nodes;
• receiving from the user a selection from the plurality of transactions, the selection comprising transactions with a set of nodes from the plurality of nodes;
• mapping the selection to the set of nodes;
• determining a plurality of order entry form identifiers corresponding to the set of nodes for the selection based upon selectable criterion;
• determining matching patterns using the order entry form identifiers, wherein the matching patterns are stored in a database;
• matching the matching patterns to web pages containing order entry forms that are associated with the set of nodes;
• for one of the web pages that matches one of the matching patterns, parsing the order entry form for that web page to obtain attributes, wherein the attributes are fields in the order entry form to be filled in;
• identifying properties required to fill in the order entry form, the properties corresponding to user related information stored in a database;
• transforming data formats of the properties to yield values that match data formats of the attributes using a transformation function, wherein the values comprise user related information in the data formats of the attributes;
• automatically filling the order entry form by entering the values into the attributes;
• and
• submitting the order entry form to one of the set of nodes.

A system for effecting transactions across a plurality of vendors in an internet environment, wherein a user may purchase each of a plurality of items the user finds independent of the vendors, comprising:

• a client system;
• a server in communication with the client system;
• wherein the client system is configured to display to the user the plurality of items for purchase, the plurality of items drawn from the plurality of vendors;
• wherein the client system is configured to receive from the user a selection of items to purchase from the plurality of items, the selection of items comprising items from a set of vendors from the plurality of vendors;
• wherein the server is configured to map the selection of items to purchase to the set of vendors;
• wherein the server is configured to determine a plurality of order entry form identifiers corresponding to the set of vendors for the selection of items, to determine matching patterns using the order entry form identifiers, and to match the matching patterns to web pages containing order entry forms that are associated with the set of vendors, the matching patterns being stored in a database;
• wherein the server is configured to parse at least one of the order entry forms that is contained in a web page that matches one of the matching patterns to obtain attributes and to identify properties required to fill in that order entry form, the properties corresponding to user related information stored in a database and the attributes being fields in the order entry form;
• wherein the server is configured to transform data formats of the properties to yield values that match data formats of the attributes using a transformation function, wherein the values comprise user related information in the data formats of the attributes;
• wherein the server is configured to fill the order entry form by entering the values into the attributes;
• and
• wherein the server is configured to submit the order entry form to one of the set of vendors.

A computer program product embodied on a computer readable storage medium for effecting transactions across a plurality of vendors in an internet environment, wherein a user may purchase each of a plurality of items the user finds independent of the vendors, comprising:

• code for displaying the plurality of items for purchase, the plurality of items drawn from the plurality of vendors;
• code for receiving from the user a selection of items to purchase from the plurality of items, the selection of items comprising items from a set of vendors from the plurality of vendors;
• code for mapping the selection of items to purchase to the set of vendors;
• code for determining order entry form identifiers corresponding to the set of vendors for the selection of items based upon selectable criterion;
• code for determining matching patterns using the order entry form identifiers, wherein the matching patterns are stored in a database;
• code for matching the matching patterns to web pages containing order entry forms that are associated with the set of vendors;
• for one of the web pages that matches one of the matching patterns, code for parsing the order entry form for that web page to obtain attributes, wherein the attributes are fields in the order entry form to be filled in;
• code for identifying properties required to fill in the order entry form, the properties corresponding to user related information stored in a database;
• code for transforming data formats of the properties to yield values that match data formats of the attributes using a transformation function, wherein the values comprise user related information in the data formats of the attributes;
• code for filling in the order entry form by entering the values into the attributes;
• and
• code for submitting the form to one of the set of vendors.