APPENDIX G
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Page 1 of 46
`
`TRADING TECH EXHIBIT 2189
`TRADESTATION ET AL. v. TRADING TECH
`CBM2016-00051
`
`

`
`Ulllted States Patent [19]
`Hartman et al.
`
`[54] METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PLACING A
`PURCHASE ORDER VIAA
`COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK
`
`[75] Inventors: Peri Hartman; Je?'rey P‘ Bezos; Shel
`‘lilaptlllan; Joel Spiegel’ an of Seattle’
`as '
`[73] Assignee: Amazon.com, Inc., Seattle, Wash.
`
`[21] APPL NO; 08/928,951
`_
`Sep‘ 12’ 1997
`[22] Flled:
`[51]
`Int. Cl? .................................................... .. G06F 17/60
`
`
`U-SI ClI [58] Field of Search ........................ .. 705/26, 27; 380/24,
`380/25; 235/2, 375, 378, 381; 395/188.01;
`345/962
`
`56
`[
`1
`
`-
`R f
`Ct d
`e erences l e
`US. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`576407501
`
`6/1990 Robert et al. ............................. .. 380/4
`4,937,863
`4/1993 Wyman
`380/4
`5,204,897
`5,260,999 11/1993 Wyman ..................................... .. 384/4
`Rohra et al. ............................ ..
`6/1997 Turpin """"" "
`395/768
`IS\ICaI;:;n:tra'1""'
`380/24
`2/1998 Payne et a1.‘
`577157314
`2/1998 BeZos ...................................... .. 705/27
`5,715,399
`3/1998 B620S _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
`_ _ _ _ __ 705/27
`577277163
`4/1998 Levine et a]_ _
`395 /200_3
`5,745,681
`5/1998 Daniels et al. ........................ .. 395/500
`5,758,126
`FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`0855659 A1 1/1998 European Pat. Off. ...... .. G06F 17/30
`0855687 A2 1/1998 European Pat- O?- ~~~~~~ ~~ G07F 19/00
`0845747A2 6/1998 European Pat O?- ~~~~~~ ~~ GOGF 17/60
`0883076A2 12/1998 European Pat‘ Off‘
`GOGF 17/60
`ag
`""""""" "
`WO 98/21679
`5/1998 WIPO n
`
`n GOGF 17/60
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`Jones, Chris. “Java Shopping Cart and Java Wallet; Oracles
`plans to join e—commerce initiative.” Mar. 31, 1997, Info
`World Media Group.
`
`US005960411A
`[11] Patent Number:
`[45] Date of Patent:
`
`5,960,411
`Sep. 28, 1999
`
`“Paci?c Coast Software Software creates virtual shopping
`cart.” Sep. 6, 1996. M2 Communications Ltd 1996.
`“Software Creates Virtual Shopping Cart.” Sep. 5, 1996.
`Business Wire, Inc.
`Terdoslavich, William. “Java Electronic Commerce Frame
`work.” Computer Reseller News, Sep. 23, 1996, CMP
`Media, Inc., 1996, pp. 126, http://www.elibrary.com/id/101/
`101/get_dOC '
`'
`' rydoeld:902269@hbrary*d&dtype=
`0~0&d1nst=. [Accessed Nov. 19, 1998].
`“Internet Access: Disc Distributing Announces Interactive
`World Wide.” Cambridge Work—Group Computing Report,
`Cambridge Publishing, Inc., 1995, http://www.elibrary.com/
`id/lOl/lOl/getdoc -
`-
`- d°<>id=1007497@1ibrarYJ&dtF/Pe=
`
`
`
`0~0&d1nst=0. [Accessed NOV. 19, (Ust Continued on next page)
`
`Primary Examiner—James P. Trammell
`Assistant Examiner—Demetra R. Smith
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Perkins Coie LLP
`
`[57]
`
`ABSTRACT
`
`A method and system for placing an order to purchase an
`itern Via the Internet, The Order is placed by a purchaser at
`a Client System and received
`a Server systel'n~ The Server
`system receives purchaser information including identi?ca
`tion of the purchaser, payment information, and shipment
`mfqmamnfm theichent System‘ The Server System .then
`asslgns a Chem ldenn?er to the Chem System and assoclates
`the assigned client identi?er with the received purchaser
`information. The server system sends to the client system the
`assigned client identi?er and an HTML document identify
`ing the item and including ‘an order button. The client system
`receives and stores the assigned cl1ent1dent1?er and receives
`and displays the HTML document. In response to the
`selection of the order button, the client system sends to the
`server system a request to purchase the identi?ed item. The
`server system receives the request and combines the pur
`chaser information associated with the client identi?er of the
`client system to generate an order to purchase the item in
`accordance with the billing and shipment information
`whereby the purchaser effects the ordering of the product by
`Selection of the Order button
`
`26 Claims, 11 Drawing Sheets
`
`Enable Single-Amen]
`B
`
`m S
`
`keuieve client ID
`
`Set cl ient lD/customer
`mappmg
`
`l
`
`35
`
`Se! Single-action
`ordering For chant
`lD/euslomer
`
`f
`
`304
`
`Return con?rming
`web page
`
`
`
`Page 2 of 46
`
`

`
`5,960,411
`Page 2
`
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`Nance, Barry, “Reviews: A Grand Opening for Virtual
`Storefront With MiddleWare.” Jun. 1, 1997, CMP Media,
`Inc.
`1997,
`p.
`80,
`http://WWWelibrary.com/getdoc.egi?id=11
`. docid=
`1257247@libraryia&dtype=0~0&dinst=0. [Accessed Nov.
`19, 1998].
`“Go—Cart Shopping Cart SoftWare Features.” 1996 GO
`International, Inc. http://WWW.go—cart.com/features.html.
`[Accessed Nov. 19, 1998].
`
`“PerlShop Manual (version 2.2).” 1996, ARPAnct Corp.
`http://WWW.W3u.com/grokksoft/shop/perlman.html.
`[Ac
`cessed Nov. 19, 1998].
`“Sax SoftWare Announces SaX NetSell; SaX NetSell’s
`design—time ActiveX controls make Internet commerce
`easy.”1997, SaX SoftWare Corp.
`Baron, Chris and Bob Weil, “Implementing a Web Shopping
`Cart,”Dr. Dobb’s Journal, Sep. 1996, pp. 64, 66, 68—69, and
`83—85.
`Hoque, ReaZ, “A Shopping Cart Application With JavaS
`cript,” Web Techniques, May 1998, pp. 63, 65—66, and 68.
`
`
`
`Page 3 of 46
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep.28,1999
`
`Sheet 1 0f 11
`
`5,960,411
`
`101
`
`Summary Description of Item
`
`102
`
`Add it to your shopping cart
`
`(You can always cancel later .
`
`.
`
`. )
`
`NEW! Order faster with l-click!
`(You can cancel within 90 minutes )
`
`1033 Buy item and ship to:
`
`103
`
`10% John Doe at home
`
`1036 Check shipping address or change l-click settings
`103d Learn more about l-click express ordering
`
`104
`
`Detail Description of Item
`
`Fig. 1A
`
`
`
`Page 4 of 46
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep.28,1999
`
`Sheet 2 0f 11
`
`5,960,411
`
`Thank you for your l-click order!
`
`A quantity of l of lthe iteml will be shipped to you
`as soon as possible. We will do our best to
`minimize your shipping costs by combining your
`l-click orders into as few shipments as possible.
`
`105
`
`Please continue browsing.
`
`Review or change your l-click orders
`
`101
`
`Summary Description of Item
`
`Fig. 1B
`
`
`
`Page 5 of 46
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep.28,1999
`
`Sheet 3 of 11
`
`5,960,411
`
`Summary of l-Click Express Orders
`
`Press this button if you Changed Quantities of any item
`below. If you don't press it, your changes won't "stick."
`You can set the quantity to 0 (zero) to cancel an item.
`
`The l-click orders below (available in 3 or fewer days)
`will be shipped together.
`
`Order # 098337
`
`E Item 1
`E Item 2
`
`Total
`
`$10.00
`$15.00
`
`$25.00
`
`The l-click orders below (available in one week or more)
`will be shipped together.
`
`Order # 098336
`
`E Item 3
`[3
`Item 4
`
`Total
`
`$20.00
`s 6.00
`
`$26.00
`
`106
`
`107
`
`108
`
`Ship to:
`Shipment Method:
`Payment Method:
`
`Continue Shopping
`
`John Doe at home
`Standard Domestic Shipping
`* * * *_* * **_* * *1_2345
`
`l-Click Express shipping policies
`
`Fig. 1C
`
`
`
`Page 6 of 46
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep.28,1999
`
`Sheet 4 of 11
`
`5,960,411
`
`Em
`
`©o..:o>£
`
`ommnfimn
`
`3:E26
`
`$5830
`
`0551
`
`ommsfimfl
`
`EEOEm
`
`mR
`
`5E9m:U
`
`umwn_§mQ
`
`muwmmnu?
`
`mE
`
`N.......¢~
`
`$m>>8m
`
`Na
`
`DHE25
`
`.5>.5mE25
`
`Page 7 of 46
`
`
`
`Page 7 of 46
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep.28,1999
`
`Sheet 5 0f 11
`
`5,960,411
`
`Enable Single-Action
`Ordering
`
`Retrieve client ID
`
`301
`
`302
`
`Set client ID/customer
`mapping
`
`303
`
`304
`
`Set single-action
`ordering for client
`ID/customer
`
`Return con?rming
`Web page
`
`1
`
`Done
`
`)
`
`Fig. 3
`
`
`
`Page 8 of 46
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep.28,1999
`
`Sheet 6 0f 11
`
`5,960,411
`
`Generate Item
`Web Page
`
`401
`
`Generate standard
`shopping cart web
`page for item
`
`Single
`Action ?ag set
`for client ID/
`customer
`
`403
`
`Add single-action
`section to web page
`
`4
`
`(
`
`Done
`
`)
`
`Fig. 4
`
`
`
`Page 9 of 46
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep.28,1999
`
`Sheet 7 0f 11
`
`5,960,411
`
`Process Single
`Action Order
`
`short
`
`long
`
`Availability
`of item
`
`Is
`short-term order
`open for
`customer
`
`503
`
`Create short-term
`order
`
`ong-term order
`open for
`customer
`
`506
`
`Create long-term
`order
`
`'
`
`504
`
`‘
`
`507
`
`Add item to short-term
`order
`
`Add item to long-term
`order
`
`508
`
`Generate and send
`con?rmation
`
`(
`
`Done
`
`)
`
`Fig. 5
`
`
`
`Page 10 of 46
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep.28,1999
`
`Sheet 8 0f 11
`
`5,960,411
`
`Generate Single
`Order Summary
`
`601
`
`Generate standard Web
`Page
`
`Short-term
`order open
`
`Long-term
`order open
`
`603
`
`Add short-term order
`to web page
`
`605
`Add long-term order
`to web page
`
`
`
`Page 11 of 46
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep.28,1999
`
`Sheet 9 0f 11
`
`5,960,411
`
`Expedited Order
`Selection
`
`7
`
`701
`
`Select next group with
`all sibling orders ?lled
`
`703
`Combine and schedule
`orders in selected
`group
`
`702
`All
`such groups
`already
`selected
`
`704
`Select next group with
`partially ?lled order
`that has largest next
`ful?llment time
`
`706
`Combine and schedule
`'
`orders in selected
`group
`
`705
`
`All
`such groups
`already
`selected
`
`
`
`Page 12 of 46
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep. 28, 1999
`
`Sheet 10 0f 11
`
`5,960,411
`
`START
`
`Customer Name & Address
`Customer Financial Info
`Customer Employment Info
`Customer Education Info
`
`P9P???
`
`Fig. 8A
`
`A:
`
`First Name :
`
`M.I.
`Last Name
`Street
`City
`State
`
`Next
`
`Previous
`
`Customer Financial Info
`PP
`Customer Employment Info
`C:
`D: Customer Education Info
`
`Fig. 8B
`
`
`
`Page 13 of 46
`
`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Sep.28, 1999
`
`Sheet 11 0f 11
`
`5,960,411
`
`A: Customer Name & Address
`B:
`Net Worth:
`Annual Income:
`Spouse's Annual Income:
`Other Income:
`
`Next
`
`Previous
`
`9
`
`Customer Employment Info
`Customer Education Info
`
`Fig. 8C
`
`
`
`Page 14 of 46
`
`

`
`5,960,411
`
`1
`METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PLACING A
`PURCHASE ORDER VIAA
`COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK
`
`TECHNICAL FIELD
`
`The present invention relates to a computer method and
`system for placing an order and, more particularly, to a
`method and system for ordering items over the Internet.
`
`2
`vendors and purchasers Want to ensure the security of such
`information. Security is a concern because information
`transmitted over the Internet may pass through various
`intermediate computer systems on its Way to its ?nal desti
`nation. The information could be intercepted by an unscru
`pulous person at an intermediate system. To help ensure the
`security of the sensitive information, various encryption
`techniques are used When transmitting such information
`betWeen a client computer system and a server computer
`system. Even though such encrypted information can be
`intercepted, because the information is encrypted, it is
`generally useless to the interceptor. Nevertheless, there is
`alWays a possibility that such sensitive information may be
`successfully decrypted by the interceptor. Therefore, it
`Would be desirable to minimiZe the sensitive information
`transmitted When placing an order.
`The selection of the various items from the electronic
`catalogs is generally based on the “shopping cart” model.
`When the purchaser selects an item from the electronic
`catalog, the server computer system metaphorically adds
`that item to a shopping cart. When the purchaser is done
`selecting items, then all the items in the shopping cart are
`“checked out” (i.e., ordered) When the purchaser provides
`billing and shipment information. In some models, When a
`purchaser selects any one item, then that item is “checked
`out” by automatically prompting the user for the billing and
`shipment information. Although the shopping cart model is
`very ?exible and intuitive, it has a doWnside in that it
`requires many interactions by the purchaser. For eXample,
`the purchaser selects the various items from the electronic
`catalog, and then indicates that the selection is complete.
`The purchaser is then presented With an order Web page that
`prompts the purchaser for the purchaser-speci?c order infor
`mation to complete the order. That Web page may be
`pre?lled With information that Was provided by the pur
`chaser When placing another order. The information is then
`validated by the server computer system, and the order is
`completed. Such an ordering model can be problematic for
`a couple of reasons. If a purchaser is ordering only one item,
`then the overhead of con?rming the various steps of the
`ordering process and Waiting for, vieWing, and updating the
`purchaser-speci?c order information can be much more than
`the overhead of selecting the item itself. This overhead
`makes the purchase of a single item cumbersome. Also, With
`such an ordering model, each time an order is placed
`sensitive information is transmitted over the Internet. Each
`time the sensitive information is transmitted over the
`Internet, it is susceptible to being intercepted and decrypted.
`SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`An embodiment of the present invention provides a
`method and system for ordering an item from a client
`system. The client system is provided With an identi?er that
`identi?es a customer. The client system displays information
`that identi?es the item and displays an indication of an
`action (e.g., a single action such as clicking a mouse button)
`that a purchaser is to perform to order the identi?ed item. In
`response to the indicated action being performed, the client
`system sends to a server system the provided identi?er and
`a request to order the identi?ed item. The server system uses
`the identi?er to identify additional information needed to
`generate an order for the item and then generates the order.
`The server system receives and stores the additional
`information for customers using various computer systems
`so that the server system can generate such orders. The
`server system stores the received additional information in
`association With an identi?er of the customer and provides
`
`10
`
`25
`
`35
`
`BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`The Internet comprises a vast number of computers and
`computer netWorks that are interconnected through commu
`nication links. The interconnected computers exchange
`information using various services, such as electronic mail,
`Gopher, and the World Wide Web (“WWW”). The WWW
`15
`service alloWs a server computer system (i.e., Web server or
`Web site) to send graphical Web pages of information to a
`remote client computer system. The remote client computer
`system can then display the Web pages. Each resource (e.g.,
`computer or Web page) of the WWW is uniquely identi?able
`by a Uniform Resource Locator (“URL”). To vieW a speci?c
`Web page, a client computer system speci?es the URL for
`that Web page in a request (e.g., a HyperTeXt Transfer
`Protocol (“HTTP”) request). The request is forWarded to the
`Web server that supports that Web page. When that Web
`server receives the request, it sends that Web page to the
`client computer system. When the client computer system
`receives that Web page, it typically displays the Web page
`using a broWser. A broWser is a special-purpose application
`program that effects the requesting of Web pages and the
`displaying of Web pages.
`Currently, Web pages are typically de?ned using Hyper
`TeXt Markup Language (“HTML”). HTML provides a stan
`dard set of tags that de?ne hoW a Web page is to be
`displayed. When a user indicates to the broWser to display a
`Web page, the broWser sends a request to the server com
`puter system to transfer to the client computer system an
`HTML document that de?nes the Web page. When the
`requested HTML document is received by the client com
`puter system, the broWser displays the Web page as de?ned
`by the HTML document. The HTML document contains
`various tags that control the displaying of teXt, graphics,
`controls, and other features. The HTML document may
`contain URLs of other Web pages available on that server
`computer system or other server computer systems.
`The World Wide Web is especially conducive to conduct
`ing electronic commerce. Many Web servers have been
`developed through Which vendors can advertise and sell
`product. The products can include items (e.g., music) that
`are delivered electronically to the purchaser over the Internet
`and items (e.g., books) that are delivered through conven
`tional distribution channels (e.g., a common carrier). A
`server computer system may provide an electronic version
`of a catalog that lists the items that are available. Auser, Who
`is a potential purchaser, may broWse through the catalog
`using a broWser and select various items that are to be
`purchased. When the user has completed selecting the items
`to be purchased, the server computer system then prompts
`the user for information to complete the ordering of the
`items. This purchaser-speci?c order information may
`include the purchaser’s name, the purchaser’s credit card
`number, and a shipping address for the order. The server
`computer system then typically con?rms the order by send
`ing a con?rming Web page to the client computer system and
`schedules shipment of the items.
`Since the purchaser-speci?c order information contains
`sensitive information (e.g., a credit card number), both
`
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`Page 15 of 46
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`

`
`3
`the identi?er to the client system. When requested by the
`client system, the server system provides information
`describing the item to the requesting client system. When the
`server system receives a request from a client system, the
`server system combines the additional information stored in
`association With the identi?er included in the request to
`effect the ordering of the item.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIGS. 1A—1C illustrate single-action ordering in one
`embodiment of the present invention.
`FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of
`the present invention.
`FIG. 3 is a How diagram of a routine that enables
`single-action ordering for a customer.
`FIG. 4 is a How diagram of a routine to generate a Web
`page in Which single-action ordering is enabled.
`FIG. 5 is a How diagram of a routine Which processes a
`single-action order.
`FIG. 6 is a How diagram of a routine for generating a
`single-action order summary Web page.
`FIG. 7 is a How diagram of a routine that implements an
`expedited order selection algorithm.
`FIGS. 8A—8C illustrate a hierarchical data entry mecha
`nism in one embodiment.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE
`INVENTION
`
`The present invention provides a method and system for
`single-action ordering of items in a client/server environ
`ment. The single-action ordering system of the present
`invention reduces the number of purchaser interactions
`needed to place an order and reduces the amount of sensitive
`information that is transmitted betWeen a client system and
`a server system. In one embodiment, the server system
`assigns a unique client identi?er to each client system. The
`server system also stores purchaser-speci?c order informa
`tion for various potential purchasers. The purchaser-speci?c
`order information may have been collected from a previous
`order placed by the purchaser. The server system maps each
`client identi?er to a purchaser that may use that client system
`to place an order. The server system may map the client
`identi?ers to the purchaser Who last placed an order using
`that client system. When a purchaser Wants to place an order,
`the purchaser uses a client system to send the request for
`information describing the item to be ordered along With its
`client identi?er. The server system determines Whether the
`client identi?er for that client system is mapped to a pur
`chaser. If so mapped, the server system determines Whether
`single-action ordering is enabled for that purchaser at that
`client system. If enabled, the server system sends the
`requested information (e.g., via a Web page) to the client
`computer system along With an indication of the single
`action to perform to place the order for the item. When
`single-action ordering is enabled, the purchaser need only
`perform a single action (e.g., click a mouse button) to order
`the item. When the purchaser performs that single action, the
`client system noti?es the server system. The server system
`then completes the order by adding the purchaser-speci?c
`order information for the purchaser that is mapped to that
`client identi?er to the item order information (e.g., product
`identi?er and quantity). Thus, once the description of an
`item is displayed, the purchaser need only take a single
`action to place the order to purchase that item. Also, since
`the client identi?er identi?es purchaser-speci?c order infor
`
`15
`
`25
`
`35
`
`45
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`65
`
`5,960,411
`
`4
`mation already stored at the server system, there is no need
`for such sensitive information to be transmitted via the
`Internet or other communications medium.
`FIGS. 1A—1C illustrate single-action ordering in one
`embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1A illustrates the
`display of a Web page describing an item that may be
`ordered. This eXample Web page Was sent from the server
`system to the client system When the purchaser requested to
`revieW detailed information about the item. This eXample
`Web page contains a summary description section 101, a
`shopping cart section 102, a single-action ordering section
`103, and a detailed description section 104. One skilled in
`the art Would appreciate that these various sections can be
`omitted or rearranged or adapted in various Ways. In general,
`the purchaser need only be aWare of the item or items to be
`ordered by the single action and of the single action needed
`to place the order. The summary description and the detailed
`description sections provide information that identi?es and
`describes the item(s) that may be ordered. The shopping cart
`section provides the conventional capability to add the
`described item to a shopping cart. The server system adds
`the summary description, the detailed description, and the
`shopping cart sections to each Web page for an item that may
`be ordered. The server system, hoWever, only adds the
`single-action ordering section When single-action ordering is
`enabled for that purchaser at that client system. (One skilled
`in the art Would appreciate that a single Web page on the
`server system may contain all these sections but the single
`action ordering section can be selectively included or
`eXcluded before sending the Web page to the client system.)
`This eXample single-action ordering section alloWs the pur
`chaser to specify With a single click of a mouse button to
`order the described item. Once the purchaser clicks the
`mouse button, the item is ordered, unless the purchaser then
`takes some action to modify the order. The single-action
`ordering section contains a single-action ordering button
`103a, purchaser identi?cation subsection 103b, and single
`action ordering information subsections 103C and 103d. The
`purchaser information subsection displays enough informa
`tion so that the purchaser can verify that the server system
`correctly recogniZes the purchaser. To reduce the chances of
`sensitive information being intercepted, the server system
`sends only enough information so that the purchaser is
`con?dent that the server system correctly identi?ed the
`purchaser but yet not enough information to be useful to an
`unscrupulous interceptor. The additional information sub
`sections alloW the purchaser to obtain various settings or
`obtain more information related to the single-action order
`ing. If the purchaser Wants to verify the shipping address, the
`purchaser can select the “check shipping address” label. In
`response to this selection, the server system may require the
`purchaser to perform a “login” so that the identity of the
`purchaser can be veri?ed before the shipping information is
`vieWed or modi?ed. The server system then sends a Web
`page to the client system for display and possible modi?
`cation of the shipping address. In this Way, the transmitting
`of the sensitive shipping address can be avoided unless
`requested by the veri?ed purchaser.
`When the purchaser selects the single-action ordering
`button, the client system sends a message to the server
`system requesting that the displayed item be ordered. After
`the server system processes the message, the server system
`provides to the client system a neW Web page that con?rms
`receipt of the single-action order. FIG. 1B illustrates the
`display of a Web page con?rming a single-action order. The
`con?rming Web page contains essentially the same infor
`mation as the Web page describing the item (i.e., FIG. 1A)
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`except that an order con?rmation section 105 is displayed at
`the top of the Web page. The order con?rmation section
`con?rms that the order has been placed and provides an
`opportunity for the purchaser to revieW and change the
`single-action order. Alternatively, the con?rming Web page
`can be identical to the Web page describing the item (i.e.,
`FIG. 1A), except that the single-action ordering button is
`replaced With a message con?rming the order.
`If a single-action ordering is not currently enabled for the
`client system but could be enabled, then the server system
`can generate a Web page like FIG. 1A, except that the
`single-action ordering button 103a is replaced by a single
`action ordering enable button. Such a replacement button
`could contain text instructing the purchaser to click on the
`button to enable single-action ordering. When the purchaser
`clicks on that button, the server system Would send the Web
`page of FIG. 1A to be displayed. Single-action ordering can
`be enabled Whenever the server system has stored suf?cient
`purchaser-speci?c order information for that client system to
`complete a single-action order. If the server system does not
`have suf?cient information, then When the purchaser selects
`the single-action ordering button, the server system can
`provide a Web page to collect the additional information that
`is needed. The server system may require the purchaser to
`“login” so that the identity of the purchaser can be veri?ed
`before the single-action ordering is enabled.
`To help minimize shipping costs and purchaser confusion,
`the server system may combine various single-action orders
`into a multiple-item order. For example, if a purchaser
`orders one item using the single-action ordering and ?ve
`minutes later orders another item using the single-action
`ordering, then those orders may be cost effectively combined
`into a single order for shipping. The server system combines
`the single-action orders When their expected ship dates are
`similar. For example, if one item is immediately available
`and the other item Will be available in one day, then the tWo
`single-action orders may be cost-effectively combined.
`HoWever, if the other item Will not be available for tWo
`Weeks, then the tWo single-item orders Would not be com
`bined. FIG. 1C illustrates the display of a Web page repre
`senting four single-action orders that have been combined
`into tWo separate multiple-item orders based on the avail
`ability of the items. The order information 106 indicates that
`item 1 and item 2, Which Will be available in three or feWer
`days, have been combined into one order. The order infor
`mation 107 indicates that items 3 and 4, Which Will not be
`available Within one Week, are combined into a separate
`order. In one embodiment, the server system may combine
`single-action orders that are placed Within a certain time
`period (e.g., 90 minutes). Also, the server system may
`combine or divide orders When the orders are scheduled for
`shipment based on the then current availability of the items
`ordered. This delayed modi?cation of the orders is referred
`to as “expedited order selection” and is described beloW in
`detail.
`FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of
`the present invention. This embodiment supports the single
`action ordering over the Internet using the World Wide Web.
`The server system 210 includes a server engine 211, a client
`identi?er/customer table 212, various Web pages 213, a
`customer database 214, an order database 215, and an
`inventory database 216. The server engine receives HTTP
`requests to access Web pages identi?ed by URLs and
`provides the Web pages to the various client systems. Such
`an HTTP request may indicate that the purchaser has per
`formed the single action to effect single-action ordering. The
`customer database contains customer information for vari
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`ous purchasers or potential purchasers. The customer infor
`mation includes purchaser-speci?c order information such
`as the name of the customer, billing information, and ship
`ping information. The order database 215 contains an entry
`for each order that has not yet been shipped to a purchaser.
`The inventory database 216 contains a description of the
`various items that may be ordered. The client identi?er/
`customer table 212 contains a mapping from each client
`identi?er, Which is a globally unique identi?er that uniquely
`identi?es a client system, to the customer last associated
`With that client system. The client system 220 contains a
`broWser and its assigned client identi?er. The client identi
`?er is stored in a ?le, referred to as a “cookie.” In one
`embodiment, the server system assigns and sends the client
`identi?er to the client system once When the client system
`?rst interacts With the server system. From then on, the client
`system includes its client identi?er With all messages sent to
`the server system so that the server system can identify the
`source of the message. The server and client systems interact
`by exchanging information via communications link 230,
`Which may include transmission over the Internet.
`One skilled in the art Would appreciate that the single
`action ordering techniques can be used in various environ
`ments other than the Internet. For example, single-action
`ordering can also be in an electronic mail environment in
`Which an item is described in an electronic mail message
`along With an indication of the single action that is to be
`performed to effect the ordering of the item. Also, various
`communication channels may be used such as local area
`netWork, Wide area netWork, or point-to-point dial up con
`nection. Also, a server system may comprise any combina
`tion of hardWare or softWare that can generate orders in
`response to the single action being performed. A client
`system may comprise any combination of hardWare or
`softWare that can interact With the server system. These
`systems may include television-based systems or various
`other consumer products through Which orders may be
`placed.
`FIG. 3 is a How diagram of a routine that enables
`single-action ordering for a customer. To enable single
`action ordering, a server system needs to have information
`about the customer that is equivalent to the purchaser
`speci?c order information. The server system can obtain this
`information in various Ways. First, the server system could
`ask the customer if they Would like to have single-action
`ordering enabled. If so, then the server system could prompt
`the customer using a Web page for the purchaser-speci?c
`order information. Second, the server system could also save
`the purchaser-speci?c order information collected When an
`order is placed conventionally. The server system could,
`either automatically or With the customer’s assent, enable
`single-action ordering. In step 301, the server system
`retrieves the client identi?er that Was sent by the client
`system. In step 302, the server system updates the client
`identi?er/customer table to indicate that the generated client
`identi?er has been associated With that customer. In step
`303, the server system sets a ?ag indicating that single
`action ordering is enabled for that client identi?er and that
`customer combination. That ?ag may be stored in the client
`identi?er/customer table. In step 304, the server system
`supplies a con?rming Web page to the client system. The
`next time a purchaser attempts to order an item, the client
`system Will supply its client identi?er to the server system.
`If single-action ordering is enabled for that purchaser, the
`server system Will assume that the purchaser is the customer
`associated With that client identi?er in the client identi?er/
`customer table. Thus, a purchaser may not Want to alloW the
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`server system to enable single-action ordering if there is a
`possibility that someone else may use that same client
`system.
`FIG. 4 is a How diagram of a routine to generate a Web
`page in Which single-action ordering is enabled. When
`single-action ordering is enabled, the server system gener
`ates a Web page describing an item as is conventionally done
`and then adds a single-action ordering section. In one
`embodiment, the server system adds partial pu