Granted Patent B2

US 7,222,085 · App. 10/872,400 · Granted May 22, 2007

Abstract

Claims (44)

1. A computer-implemented method for the recommendation of items to a potential customer over a distributed network based on customer buying history, the computer-implemented method utilizing a storage system and a processing system adapted to receive and transmit data to a computer utilized by the potential customer, the method comprising:

storing in the storage system information that reflects customer buying history data;

electronically transmitting, from the processing system to the computer, a web page having a hyperlink associated with a first purchasable item, the hyperlink enabling the potential customer to access information advertising the first purchasable item without purchasing or rating the first purchasable item, the information advertising the first purchasable item including pricing information for the first purchasable item;

receiving, at the processing system, information transmitted by the computer, wherein the information was transmitted by the computer in response to the potential customer selecting the hyperlink;

in response to receiving the information transmitted by the computer, the processing system filtering the information stored in the storage system using only an item identifier identifying the first purchasable item as filter data to identify a second purchasable item purchased by at least one previous customer who had also previously purchased the first purchasable item;

the processing system transmitting over the distributed network to the computer the information advertising the first purchasable item; and

the processing system transmitting to the computer over the distributed network information relating to the second purchasable item, wherein

the processing system filters the information stored in the storage system using the filter data and transmits to the computer the information relating to the second purchasable item regardless of whether the potential customer bought the first purchasable item and regardless of whether the potential customer rated the first purchasable item.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of transmitting information relating to the second purchasable item is performed in response to a request for information regarding items similar to the first purchasable item.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first purchasable item and the second purchasable item comprises a book.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said filtering step comprises, upon receiving the information transmitted by the computer, the processing system executing commands to search the information that reflects customer buying history data for at least one record that contains the filter data.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said filtering step comprises, upon receiving the information transmitted by the computer, the processing system executing commands to search the information that reflects customer buying history data for previous customers who had also purchased the first purchasable item and then searching among the previous customers who had also purchased the first purchasable item for two or more previous customers who had purchased the second purchasable item.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the information relating to the second purchasable item is transmitted only if a number of customers who have purchased both the first purchasable item and the second purchasable item is greater than or equal to a predetermined value.

7. A computer-implemented system for the recommendation of items to a potential customer over a distributed network based on customer buying history, said system comprising:

a storage system storing information that reflects customer buying history; and

a processing system configured to:

electronically transmit, from the processing system to a computer utilized by the potential customer, a web page having a hyperlink associated with a first purchasable item, the hyperlink enabling the potential customer to access information advertising the first purchasable item without purchasing or rating the first purchasable item, the information advertising the first purchasable item including pricing information for the first purchasable item;

receive over the distributed network information transmitted by the computer, wherein the information was transmitted by the computer in response to the potential customer selecting the hyperlink;

in response to receiving the information transmitted by the computer, filter the information that reflects customer buying history data using only an item identifier identifying the first purchasable item as filter data to identify a second purchasable item purchased by at least one previous customer who had also previously purchased the first purchasable item;

transmit over the distributed network to the computer information advertising the first purchasable item; and

transmit over the distributed network to the computer information relating to the second purchasable item,

wherein the processing system is configured to filter the information stored in the storage system using the filter data and transmits to the computer the information relating to the second purchasable item regardless of whether the potential customer bought the first purchasable item and regardless of whether the potential customer rated the first purchasable item.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first purchasable item and the second purchasable item comprises a book.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to transmit information relating to the second purchasable item in response to a request for information regarding items similar to the first purchasable item.

10. A computer implemented method for selling books and making recommendations of books to a potential customer over a distributed network based on customer buying history, the computer-implemented method utilizing a processing system adapted to receive and transmit data to a computer utilized by the potential customer, the method comprising:

receiving at the processing system from the computer a search request including one or more search terms;

in response to receiving the search request, the processing system searching data stored in a storage system to identify one or more books that correspond to the search request;

electronically transmitting from the processing system to the computer a web page having a hyperlink associated with each of the one or more books that correspond to the search request, each hyperlink enabling the potential customer to access information advertising the associated book without purchasing or rating the associated book, the information advertising the associated book including pricing information for the associated book;

receiving, at the processing system, information transmitted by the computer, wherein the information was transmitted by the computer in response to the potential customer selecting a one of said hyperlinks;

in response to receiving the information transmitted by the computer, the processing system filtering information that reflects customer buying history data stored in the storage system using only an identifier identifying the book associated with the selected hyperlink as filter data to identify a second book purchased by at least one previous customer who had also previously purchased the associated book;

the processing system transmitting to the computer the information advertising the associated book;

the processing system transmitting to the computer information relating to the second book, wherein

the processing system filters the information stored in the storage system using the filter data and transmits to the computer the information relating to the second book regardless of whether the potential customer bought the associated book and regardless of whether the potential customer rated the associated book.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the search terms comprise at least one term selected from the group comprising a name of person, a title of a book, and a book-identifying number.

12. In a client-server computer system comprising a client computer and a processing system implementing an on-line store and having one or more servers, a method comprising:

(a) the processing system electronically transmitting to the client computer a web page having a hyperlink associated with a first purchasable item, the hyperlink enabling a user of the client computer to access information advertising the first purchasable item without purchasing or rating the first purchasable item, the information advertising the first purchasable item including pricing information for the first purchasable item,

(b) the processing system electronically receiving information transmitted from the client computer, wherein the information was transmitted by the client computer in response to the user of the client computer selecting the hyperlink; and

(c) the processing system, in response to receiving the information transmitted by the computer:

(i) electronically determining one or more items purchased by at least one customer who also purchased the first purchasable item, the determining carried out using as filter data only an identifier corresponding to the first purchasable item, and

(ii) electronically transmitting to the client computer the information advertising the first purchasable item and information informing the user that one or more items were purchased by at least one customer who also purchased the first purchasable item, wherein the processing system transmits the information informing the user that one or more items were purchased by at least one customer who also purchased the first purchasable item regardless of whether the user bought the first purchasable item and regardless of whether the user rated the first purchasable item.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising the processing system:

(1) electronically transmitting to the client computer a request hyperlink enabling the user of the client computer to request information relating to the one or more items purchased by at least one customer who also purchased the first purchasable item;

(2) electronically receiving request information transmitted from the client computer, wherein the request information was transmitted by the client computer in response to the user selecting the request hyperlink; and

(3) in response to receiving the request information, transmitting to the client computer information identifying the one or more items purchased by at least one customer who also purchased the first purchasable item.

Assignments (16)