Systems and methods to provide information and services to authorized users
View Patent ↗Systems and methods are provided to authorize users to anonymously access resources of different web sites. For example, a business listing service may authenticate users and allow the authenticated users to access the resources of the businesses listed via the business listing service, without the users having to create separate accounts with the businesses and without having to reveal the identities of the users to the businesses.
1. A method comprising:
presenting, using a computing device, to a first user, first information in a first web page in a first web domain prior to the first user having visited a second web domain that is different from the first web domain, wherein the first information relates to the second web domain;
responsive to the first user selecting the first information, authenticating, using the computing device, the first user in the first web domain;
wherein the first web domain temporarily allocates a first identity from a plurality of first web domain credentials and assigns the first identity to the first user; and
responsive to authenticating the first user in the first web domain, forwarding, using the computing device, the first user to a second web page in the second web domain, including identifying the first user as being an authenticated user of the first web domain, without revealing an identity of the first user;
wherein the first identity is recognizable by the second web domain as a first web domain credential and allows the first user access to the second web domain based at least in part on the first identity.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein access to the second web page in the second web domain requires authentication.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
providing credential information of an operator of the first web domain to authenticate the first user in the second web domain.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first user is to visit the second web domain on behalf of the operator of the first web domain.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first information comprises one of a listing of services offered in the second web domain and a listing of products offered in the second web domain.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the listing comprises a telephonic contact of a provider of one of the services and the products.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first information comprises an advertisement for the second web domain.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second web page provides second information for a fee, and the method further comprises:
an operator of the first web domain paying the fee for the second information accessed by the first user; and
the operator of the first web domain charging the first user for accessing the second information.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second web page allows the first user to purchase a product, and the method further comprises:
an operator of the first web domain providing shipping information of the first user for delivery of the product purchased by the first user via the second web page.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second web page allows the first user to purchase a service, and the method further comprises:
an operator of the first web domain forwarding data relating to the service purchased by the first user to the first user without revealing an address of the first user.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the address comprises an Internet address.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first identity is randomly selected for a session.
13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
providing a second identity to identify the first user in a different session of visiting the second web domain.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
presenting, to a second user, the first information in a third web page in the first web domain;
responsive to the second user selecting the first information, authenticating the second user in the first web domain; and
responsive to authenticating the second user in the first web domain, forwarding the second user to the second web page in the second web domain, including identifying the second user as being an authenticated user in the first web domain without revealing an identity of the second user.
15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
providing the first identity to identify the second user in a session of the second user visiting the second web domain.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the session of the first user visiting the second web domain and the session of the second user visiting the second web domain do not overlap in time.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the forwarding comprises receiving the second web page from the second web domain and sending the second web page in the first web domain.
18. A tangible, non-transitory machine readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method, the method comprising:
presenting, to a first user, first information in a first web page in a first web domain prior to the first user having visited a second web domain that is different from the first web domain, wherein the first information relates to the second web domain;
responsive to the first user selecting the first information, authenticating the first user in the first web domain;
wherein the first web domain temporarily allocates a first identity from a plurality of first web domain credentials and assigns the first identity to the first user; and
responsive to authenticating the first user in the first web domain, forwarding the first user to a second web page in the second web domain, including identifying the first user as being an authenticated user of the first web domain, without revealing an identity of the first user;
wherein the first identity is recognizable by the second web domain as a first web domain credential and allows the first user access to the second web domain based at least in part on the first identity.
19. A data processing system, comprising:
memory; and
a processor coupled to the memory to:
present, to a first user, first information in a first web page in a first web domain prior to the first user having visited a second web domain that is different from the first web domain, wherein the first information relates to the second web domain;
responsive to the first user selecting the first information, authenticate the first user in the first web domain;
wherein the first web domain temporarily allocates a first identity from a plurality of first web domain credentials and assigns the first identity to the first user; and
responsive to authenticating the first user in the first web domain, forward the first user to a second web page in the second web domain, including identifying the first user as being an authenticated user of the first web domain, without revealing an identity of the first user;
wherein the first identity is recognizable by the second web domain as a first web domain credential and allows the first user access to the second web domain based at least in part on the first identity.
20. A method implemented in a data processing system, the method comprising:
registering a first user at a listing web site, the listing web site to present listings of businesses;
presenting, using a computing device, a listing of a first business to the first user at the listing web site prior to the first user having visited a business web site, the first business to offer at least one of a product and a service via the business web site;
receiving, using the computing device, from the first user a selection of the listing of the first business at the listing web site;
responsive to the selection from the first user, authenticating, using the computing device, the first user at the listing web site;
wherein the listing web site temporarily allocates a first identity from a plurality of listing web site credentials and assigns the first identity to the first user; and
responsive to authenticating the first user at the listing web site, redirecting from the listing web site to the business web site to allow the first user to access the at least one of a product and a service, including identifying the first user as being an authenticated user of the listing web site, without revealing an identity of the first user;
wherein the first identity is recognizable by the business web site as a listing web site credential and allows the first user access to the business web site based at least in part on the first identity.