Method, system, and computer program product for long-term on-line comparison shopping

Abstract

A method, system, and computer-program product for automatically monitoring websites (e.g., web-based shopping sites, catalogs, auction sites, etc.) for acquisition parameters (e.g., prices, rental amounts, trading/barter requirements, etc.) on one or more commodities, for a predetermined time period.

1 - 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A computer-implemented method for identifying acquisition parameters for one or more commodities, comprising the steps of:
 receiving, in a remote server computer, forwarded information for processing in response to a user, on a client computing device, entering information defined by the user in a template associated with a client-side browser plug-in; and,   processing the received information on the remote server computer comprising:
 identifying said one or more commodities using one or more searchable identification parameters; 
 defining a monitoring duration during which acquisition parameters for said one or more commodities will be monitored, including
 defining an overall duration for conducting said monitoring step; and 
 defining a refresh interval for said monitoring step; 
 
 setting multiple different alarm conditions on at least one of the acquisition parameters; 
 monitoring multiple different publicly-searchable, network-accessible databases for acquisition parameters for said one or more commodities using said one or more searchable identification parameters; 
 determining whether any of the alarm conditions are met by the acquisition parameters while monitoring the databases; and 
   triggering an event responsive to an alarm condition having been met before completing the monitoring of the databases.   
     
     
         29 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 28 , wherein said one or more publicly-searchable databases includes shop-bot sites. 
     
     
         30 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 28 , wherein said event includes sending an email to a user of said method upon the occurrence of one or more of said alarm conditions. 
     
     
         31 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 28 , wherein said event includes sending an electronic page to a user of said method upon the occurrence of one or more of said alarm conditions. 
     
     
         32 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 28 , wherein said event includes sending an instant message to a user of said method upon the occurrence of one or more of said alarm conditions. 
     
     
         33 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 28 , wherein one of said one or more alarm conditions comprises an acquisition parameter reaching a predefined minimum value. 
     
     
         34 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 33 , wherein said acquisition parameter comprises a sale price. 
     
     
         35 . A computer-implemented system for identifying acquisition parameters for one or more commodities, comprising:
 a client computing device comprising at least one processor and a memory;   a client-side browser plug-in coupled to the client computing device, the client-side browser plug-in receiving information defined by a user in a template associated with a client-side browser plug-in and forwarding the received information to a different computing device; and,   the different computing device comprising at least one processor and a memory, the at least one processor of the different computing device configured to perform the steps of   receiving the forwarded received information for processing; and   processing the forwarded received information comprising:
 identifying said one or more commodities using one or more searchable identification parameters; 
 defining a monitoring duration during which acquisition parameters for said one or more commodities will be monitored, including
 defining an overall duration for conducting said monitoring step; and 
 defining a refresh interval for said monitoring step; 
 
 setting multiple different alarm conditions on at least one of the acquisition parameters; 
 monitoring multiple different publicly-searchable, network-accessible databases for acquisition parameters for said one or more commodities using said one or more searchable identification parameters; 
 determining whether any of the alarm conditions are met by the acquisition parameters while monitoring the databases; and 
 triggering an event responsive to an alarm condition having been met before completing the monitoring of the databases. 
   
     
     
         36 . The computer-implemented system of  claim 35 , wherein said one or more publicly-searchable databases includes shop-bot sites. 
     
     
         37 . The computer-implemented system of  claim 35 , wherein said event includes sending an email to a user of said method upon the occurrence of one or more of said alarm conditions. 
     
     
         38 . The computer-implemented system of  claim 35 , wherein said event includes sending an instant message to a user of said method upon the occurrence of one or more of said alarm conditions. 
     
     
         39 . The computer-implemented system of  claim 35 , wherein one of said one or more alarm conditions comprises an acquisition parameter reaching a predefined minimum value. 
     
     
         40 . The computer-implemented system of  claim 39 , wherein said acquisition parameter comprises a sale price. 
     
     
         41 . A computer program product for identifying acquisition parameters for one or more commodities, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied in the medium, the computer-readable program code, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to perform:
 receiving, in a remote server computer, forwarded information for processing in response to a user, on a client computing device, entering information defined by the user in a template associated with a client-side browser plug-in; and,   processing the received information on the remote server computer comprising:
 identifying said one or more commodities using one or more searchable identification parameters; 
 defining a monitoring duration during which acquisition parameters for said one or more commodities will be monitored, including
 defining an overall duration for conducting said monitoring step; and 
 defining a refresh interval for said monitoring step; 
 
 setting multiple different alarm conditions on at least one of the acquisition parameters; 
 monitoring multiple different publicly-searchable, network-accessible databases for acquisition parameters for said one or more commodities using said one or more searchable identification parameters; 
 determining whether any of the alarm conditions are met by the acquisition parameters while monitoring the databases; and 
 triggering an event responsive to an alarm condition having been met before completing the monitoring of the databases. 
   
     
     
         42 . The computer program product of  claim 41 , wherein said one or more publicly-searchable databases includes shop-bot sites. 
     
     
         43 . The computer program product of  claim 41 , wherein said event includes sending an email to a user of said method upon the occurrence of one or more of said alarm conditions. 
     
     
         44 . The computer program product of  claim 41 , wherein said event includes sending an electronic page to a user of said method upon the occurrence of one or more of said alarm conditions. 
     
     
         45 . The computer program product of  claim 41 , wherein said event includes sending an instant message to a user of said method upon the occurrence of one or more of said alarm conditions. 
     
     
         46 . The computer program product of  claim 41 , wherein one of said one or more alarm conditions comprises an acquisition parameter reaching a predefined minimum value. 
     
     
         47 . The computer program product of  claim 46 , wherein said acquisition parameter comprises a sale price.