Providing navigation objects for communications over a network

Abstract

Communications between participants over a communications link are proxied by an intermediary, such as an Integrated Order Mechanism (IOM). Participants interact with each other through the IOM. The IOM may be transparent to the participants such that they are not aware that the IOM is involved in processing communications. For example, in the context of a transaction by a customer making a purchase from a merchant over the Internet, the IOM facilitates the processing of transactions by processing requests from both the customer and the merchant. Neither the customer nor the merchant may be aware that the transactions are being handled by the IOM. Navigation objects may be provided for the communications over a network. For example, a navigation bar may be included on a merchant web page to provide the customer with a link back to a shopping application provided by the IOM.

1 . A method comprising:
 providing, by a processing device, a first document including a first object associated with a first address in response to a first request;   receiving, by the processing device, a second request for a second document based at least in part on selection of the first object in the first document;   modifying, by the processing device, the second document to generate a modified second document by including a second object associated with the first address; and   providing the modified second document in response to the second request for the second document.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 sending, by the processing device, the modified second document to a client device in response to the first request for the first document.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first document comprises a first web page;   the second document comprises a second web page;   the modified second document comprises a modified second web page; and   the second object comprises a hyperlink to the first web page.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the first web page is associated with a shopping application;   the second web page is associated with a merchant; and   the modified second web page is generated by the shopping application.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the first object or the second object comprises a graphical image, an audio file, a hyperlink, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a memory device configured to store instructions associated with an application program; and   a processing device that, in response to executing the instructions stored in the memory device, is configured to:
 retrieve a first document including a first object associated with a first address in response to a first request; 
 retrieve a second document in response to receiving a second request based at least in part on selection of the first object in the first document; 
 modify the second document to generate a modified second document by including a second object associated with the first address; and 
 provide the modified second document in response to the second request. 
   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the processing device is further configured to:
 send the modified second document to a client in response to the first request for the first document.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the first document comprises a first web page;   the second document comprises a second web page;   the modified second document comprises a modified second web page; and   the second object comprises a hyperlink to the first web page.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the first web page is associated with a shopping application; and   the modified second web page is generated by the shopping application.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the first object comprises a graphical image, an audio file, a hyperlink, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . A computer-readable memory device having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a processing device, cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:
 retrieving a first document comprising a first object associated with a first address in response to a first request;   retrieving a second document in response to receiving a second request that is generated based at least in part on selection of the first object in the first document;   modifying the second document to generate a modified second document by including a second object associated with the first address; and   providing the modified second document in response to the second request for the second document.   
     
     
         12 . The computer-readable memory device of  claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 sending the modified second document to a client device in response to a first request for the first document.   
     
     
         13 . The computer-readable memory device of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the first document comprises a first web page;   the second document comprises a second web page;   the modified second document comprises a modified second web page; and   the second object comprises a hyperlink to the first web page.   
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable memory device of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the operations further comprise:   the first web page is associated with a shopping application; and   the modified second web page is generated by the shopping application.   
     
     
         15 . The computer-readable memory device of  claim 14 , wherein the first object comprises a graphical image, an audio file, a hyperlink, or any combination thereof.