Method and system for identifying and displaying shopping deals

Abstract

A virtual layer is used to provide web page components to implement the deals display to perform the searching and deal display activities. By using the virtual layer approach of embodiments of the present invention, this allows the shopping deals to be placed on and overlaid with the web page from any host web page.

1 . A computer implemented method for identifying additional content corresponding to search criteria received from a user using a virtual layer plug-in to display additional content in a virtual layer overlaid over a host web page, comprising:
 receiving search criteria at a remote server, the search criteria corresponding to internet usage information associated with internet usage by a user at the virtual layer plug-in;   identifying additional content relevant to the internet usage information received from the virtual layer plug-in, wherein the internet usage information pertains to a host web page that is displayed in a web browser to the user, and wherein the additional content is identified using the search criteria, and the search criteria is based on at least the contents of the host web page that is displayed in a web browser to the user and the additional content is received from the remote server using the search criteria; and   sending the additional content to a client computer to display at least some of the additional content with the host web page using a virtual layer overlaid over the host web page displayed in the web browser to the user, at least some of the additional content being superimposed over the host web page in the same display window using the virtual layer overlaid over the host web page displayed in the web browser to the user and the additional content being displayed in a drop down menu structure, wherein the additional content comprises at least shopping deal information, the additional content is processed by the virtual layer plug-in to generate a visual representation, and the visual representation is clickable to cause an action to be taken corresponding to the additional content, and wherein the host web page does not natively provide functionality to enable a third party to overlay the additional content using the virtual layer.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  in which an extension is instantiated on the virtual layer with a corresponding user interface element in the drop down menu structure that enables a user to enter search criteria. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  in which the additional content comprises a coupon deal and the coupon deal includes a coupon code that is displayed to the user and the coupon code is auto-populated to a field in host web page by the virtual layer plug-in. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  in which an interface element is provided in the virtual layer to obtain user feedback for the shopping deal and the interface element is provided in the drop down menu structure, and wherein the user feedback from multiple users are collected and stored in a deals database to obtain overall user feedback ratings for the shopping deal. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  in which the additional content is identified using search criteria related to a URL associated with the host web page or extracted from the host web page to search a deals database. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  in which the additional content corresponds to a search association within a deals database, wherein the search association relates to a deal description, coupon code, expiration date, URL, domain, merchant, deal provider, ratings, deal amount, or discount values. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  in which multiple shopping deals are sorted or filtered for display, and wherein the user can specify filtering criteria comprising at least one of a deal expiration date, a deal upload date, a discount level, a discount amount, or feedback ratings. 
     
     
         8 . A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer usable medium, the non-transitory computer usable medium having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which, when executed by a processor causes the processor to execute a method for identifying additional content corresponding to search criteria received from a user using a virtual layer plug-in to display additional content in a virtual layer overlaid over a host web page, the method comprising:
 receiving search criteria at a remote server, the search criteria corresponding to internet usage information associated with internet usage by a user at the virtual layer plug-in;   identifying additional content relevant to the internet usage information received from the virtual layer plug-in, wherein the internet usage information pertains to a host web page that is displayed in a web browser to the user, and wherein the additional content is identified using the search criteria, and the search criteria is based on at least the contents of the host web page that is displayed in a web browser to the user and the additional content is received from the remote server using the search criteria; and   sending the additional content to a client computer to display at least some of the additional content with the host web page using a virtual layer overlaid over the host web page displayed in the web browser to the user, at least some of the additional content being superimposed over the host web page in the same display window using the virtual layer overlaid over the host web page displayed in the web browser to the user and the additional content being displayed in a drop down menu structure, wherein the additional content comprises at least shopping deal information, the additional content is processed by the virtual layer plug-in to generate a visual representation, and the visual representation is clickable to cause an action to be taken corresponding to the additional content, and wherein the host web page does not natively provide functionality to enable a third party to overlay the additional content using the virtual layer.   
     
     
         9 . The computer program product of  claim 8  in which an extension is instantiated on the virtual layer with a corresponding user interface element in the drop down menu structure that enables a user to enter search criteria. 
     
     
         10 . The computer program product of  claim 8  in which the additional content comprises a coupon deal and the coupon deal includes a coupon code that is displayed to the user and the coupon code is auto-populated to a field in host web page by the virtual layer plug-in. 
     
     
         11 . The computer program product of  claim 8  in which an interface element is provided in the virtual layer to obtain user feedback for the shopping deal and the interface element is provided in the drop down menu structure, and wherein the user feedback from multiple users are collected and stored in a deals database to obtain overall user feedback ratings for the shopping deal. 
     
     
         12 . The computer program product of  claim 8  in which the additional content is identified using search criteria related to a URL associated with the host web page or extracted from the host web page to search a deals database. 
     
     
         13 . The computer program product of  claim 8  in which the additional content corresponds to a search association within a deals database, wherein the search association relates to a deal description, coupon code, expiration date, URL, domain, merchant, deal provider, ratings, deal amount, or discount values. 
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 8  in which multiple shopping deals are sorted or filtered for display, and wherein the user can specify filtering criteria comprising at least one of deal expiration date, deal upload date, discount levels, discount amounts, or minimum feedback ratings. 
     
     
         15 . A system for identifying additional content corresponding to search criteria received from a user using a virtual layer plug-in to display additional content in a virtual layer overlaid over a host web page, comprising:
 a memory for storing data and instructions; and   a processor that executes the instructions to enable actions, including:
 receiving search criteria at a remote server, the search criteria corresponding to internet usage information associated with internet usage by a user at the virtual layer plug-in; 
 identifying additional content relevant to the internet usage information received from the virtual layer plug-in, wherein the internet usage information pertains to a host web page that is displayed in a web browser to the user, and wherein the additional content is identified using the search criteria, and the search criteria is based on at least the contents of the host web page that is displayed in a web browser to the user and the additional content is received from the remote server using the search criteria; and 
 sending the additional content to a client computer to display at least some of the additional content with the host web page using a virtual layer overlaid over the host web page displayed in the web browser to the user, at least some of the additional content being superimposed over the host web page in the same display window using the virtual layer overlaid over the host web page displayed in the web browser to the user and the additional content being displayed in a drop down menu structure, wherein the additional content comprises at least shopping deal information, the additional content is processed by the virtual layer plug-in to generate a visual representation, and the visual representation is clickable to cause an action to be taken corresponding to the additional content, and wherein the host web page does not natively provide functionality to enable a third party to overlay the additional content using the virtual layer. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein an extension is instantiated on the virtual layer with a corresponding user interface element in the drop down menu structure that enables a user to enter search criteria. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15  in which the additional content comprises a coupon deal and the coupon deal includes a coupon code that is displayed to the user and the coupon code is auto-populated to a field in host web page by the virtual layer plug-in. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein an interface element is provided in the virtual layer to obtain user feedback for the shopping deal and the interface element is provided in the drop down menu structure, and wherein the user feedback from multiple users are collected and stored in a deals database to obtain overall user feedback ratings for the shopping deal. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , in which the additional content is identified using search criteria related to a URL associated with the host web page or extracted from the host web page to search a deals database. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15  in which the additional content corresponds to a search association within a deals database, wherein the search association relates to a deal description, coupon code, expiration date, URL, domain, merchant, deal provider, ratings, deal amount, or discount values.