Method and computer system for optimizing a link to a network page

Abstract

To optimize a link ( 221 ) which refers to a first network page ( 11 ) of a first server ( 10 a ) and which is displayed on a second network page ( 21 ) of a second server ( 20 ), the link is automatically assessed in dependence on link ( 22 ) activation by a user ( 50 ), wherein the assessment is carried out in dependence on the frequency of activation of the link ( 22 ) by any user. A static link is examined in dependence on the assessment of the link as to whether the display of the link on the second network page ( 21 ) should be continued. A dynamic link, which is generated in dependence on at least one predeterminable parameter, is examined in dependence on the assessment of the link ( 22 ) as to whether the at least one or another predeterminable parameter should be changed.

1 . Method for optimizing a link ( 11 ) to a first network page ( 11 ) of a first server ( 10   a ,  10   b ) which is displayed on a second network page ( 21 ) of a second server ( 20 ), wherein 
 the second network page ( 21 ) is requested by the second server ( 20 ) via a client ( 40 ) associated with a user ( 50 );    the second network page ( 21 ) is transmitted to the client ( 40 ) by the second server ( 20 );    the user ( 50 ) activates the link ( 22 ) represented on the second network page ( 21 ), characterized in that    the link ( 22 ) can be automatically assessed in dependence on the link ( 22 ) activated by the user ( 50 ), wherein an assessment ( 310 ) is carried out in dependence on the frequency ( 304 ) of activation of the link ( 22 ) by any user and in dependence on at least one process ( 308 ) initiated by the user ( 50 ) on the first server ( 10   a ,  10   b ); and    a static link ( 22 ) is automatically examined in dependence on the assessment of that link ( 22 ) as to whether display of the static link ( 22 ) on the second network page ( 21 ) should be continued and a dynamic link ( 22 ), which is generated in dependence on at least one predeterminable parameter, is automatically examined in dependence on the assessment ( 310 ) of that link ( 22 ) whether the at least one and/or another predeterminable parameter should be changed.    
     
     
         2 . Method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the assessment is carried out in dependence on at least one process ( 308 ) initiated by the user ( 50 ) on the first server ( 10   a ,  10   b ).  
     
     
         3 . Method according to  claim 1  or  2 , characterized in that upon activation of the link ( 22 ), source information is automatically stored and the link ( 22 ) is assessed in dependence on the source information.  
     
     
         4 . Method according to  claim 3 , characterized in that a user identification is assigned on the basis of the source information and/or the user, and the user ( 50 ) is automatically assessed ( 306 ) on the basis of the user information.  
     
     
         5 . Method according to  claim 4 , characterized in that the assessment ( 310 ) of the link ( 22 ) is also carried out in dependence on the user identification ( 302 ) and/or the assessment ( 306 ) of the user ( 50 ).  
     
     
         6 . Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the assessment ( 310 ) of the link ( 22 ) and/or examination ( 324 ) of the assessment of the link ( 22 ) is also carried out in dependence on a threshold value which can be set by a certain user ( 60 ), and/or the result of the assessment ( 310 ) of the link ( 22 ) is automatically stored to be retrievable by that certain user ( 60 ).  
     
     
         7 . Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that for a static link ( 22 ), the link ( 22 ) is automatically removed from the second network page ( 21 ) in dependence on the result of the examination ( 324 ) and/or for a dynamic link ( 22 ), the at least one predeterminable parameter is automatically changed in dependence on the result of the examination ( 324 ).  
     
     
         8 . Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that 
 the second server ( 20 ) is associated with a search engine;    the at least one predeterminable parameter is determined by a search term;    the user ( 50 ) transmits the at least one search term to the search engine;    the second network page ( 21 ) containing the link ( 22 ) to the first network page ( 11 ) is automatically generated in dependence on the transmitted search term; and    the search engine is caused to stop display of the link ( 22 ) on the second network page ( 21 ) when it is re-generated in dependence on the result of the examination ( 324 ) of the assessment ( 310 ) of the link ( 22 ).    
     
     
         9 . Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the link ( 22 ) is associated with a product and/or a product group.  
     
     
         10 . Method according to  claim 9 , characterized in that when the link ( 22 ) is activated, an identification of the product and/or product group associated with the link ( 22 ) is transmitted to the first server ( 10   a ,  10   b ).  
     
     
         11 . Method according to  claim 9  or  10 , characterized in that the link ( 22 ) is also assessed in dependence on at least one piece of information concerning the product and/or product group associated with the link ( 22 ).  
     
     
         12 . Method according to any one of the claims  9  through  11 , characterized in that information from a merchandise information system is used as the at least one piece of information concerning the product and/or the at least one piece of information concerning the product group.  
     
     
         13 . Method according to  claim 12 , characterized in that the information from the merchandise information system is automatically provided for the assessment.  
     
     
         14 . Computer system ( 1   a ,  1   b ) comprising a first server ( 10   a ,  10   b ), a second server, a client ( 40 ) associated with a user ( 50 ), at least one link ( 22 ) which refers to a first network page ( 11 ) of the first server ( 10   a ,  10   b ) and can be displayed on a second network page ( 21 ) of the second server ( 20 ), and a communications network for providing communication between the first server ( 10   a ,  10   b ) and the client ( 40 ) and between the second server ( 20 ) and the client ( 40 ), wherein 
 a network page can be requested from the second server via the client ( 40 );    the second network page ( 21 ) can be transmitted to the client ( 40 ) by the second server;    the link ( 22 ) shown on the second network page ( 21 ) can be activated; characterized in that    the link ( 22 ) can be automatically assessed ( 310 ) in dependence on the link ( 22 ) activations by the user ( 50 );    the assessment can be carried out in dependence on the frequency ( 304 ) of activation of the link ( 22 );    it is possible to examine ( 324 ) in dependence on the assessment of the link ( 22 ) whether the representation of the link ( 22 ) on the second network page ( 21 ) is to be continued;    it is possible to examine in dependence on the assessment ( 310 ) of the link ( 22 ) whether at least one predeterminable parameter should be changed if the link ( 22 ) on the second network page ( 21 ) is generated in dependence on the at least one predeterminable parameter.    
     
     
         15 . Computer system ( 1   a ,  1   b ) according to  claim 14 , characterized in that the computer system ( 1   a ,  1   b ) is programmed to carry out a method in accordance with any one of the claims  2  through  13 .  
     
     
         16 . Computer program ( 38 ) which can be run on a computer, in particular, on a server ( 10   a ,  10   b ,  20 ,  30 ) in a computer system ( 1   a ,  1   b ), characterized in that the computer program ( 38 ) is programmed to carry out a method in accordance with any one of the claims  1  through  23 .  
     
     
         17 . Computer program ( 38 ) according to claim  28 , characterized in that the computer program ( 38 ) is stored on a storage element ( 17 ,  27 ,  37 ), in particular, on a Random-Access-Memory, on a Read-Only-Memory or on a Flash-Memory.