Abstract: A system and method for enhanced tracking of calls resulting from referrals to a website from third party servers includes the steps of identifying a tracking parameter, dynamically allocating a phone number to the tracking parameter, displaying the dynamically allocated number on a web page, and tracking calls received on the number. The dynamically allocated number may replace an existing number on the web page. The tracking parameter can be a keyword used in a search, an identifier of the referring website, or any other parameter, including combinations thereof. The tracking parameter may be included in the referring URL, the URL of the website, or in the body of a web page. In some embodiments, the call tracking capability is provided by a service provider other than an operator of the merchant website and JavaScript is used so that the process is easy to implement by the merchant website.

Abstract: A method and system for placing a call back from a call center to an end user viewing a website includes sending a request for the call back from an end user computer to a call server, the request including the PSTN number at which the end user wishes to be called; placing calls to the end user and the call center, the call center call including the ANI/callerID of the number at which the end user is called; requesting by the call center data concerning the end user from the call server; receiving by the call server data from the end user computer; and transmitting the data from the call server to the call center. The data from the end user computer may be an identification of the web page being viewed, data entered on the web page, an end user identifier and/or co-browsing data.

Abstract: A streaming media application attempting to establish a streaming media connection first attempts to establish the connection directly using a format such as UDP. If no direct connection can be established, the media application attempts to establish a connection through a proxy server using proxy server information obtained from installed software components such as browsers that manage Internet connections. If necessary, an auto configuration web page is utilized to obtain the proxy server address. The invention also includes methods for blocking streaming media connections.

Abstract: An order processing system includes an order structure in which an order includes multiple objects representing items being purchased, shipping methods, payment parameters, and other parts of an order. The order can include one or more of each of the types of objects. Items in the order can be divided among shipping methods and payment mechanisms using a relationship model to describe the relationships between the different types of objects. Shipping methods and payment mechanisms also can be related. The order may be represented as an order object, which represents the order and can be related to particular shipping methods and payment mechanisms. Relationship objects describe the relationships between objects. Relationship objects can use different relationship types to characterize the extent of the specified relationship.

Abstract: A streaming media application attempting to establish a streaming media connection first attempts to establish the connection directly using a format such as UDP. If no direct connection can be established, the media application attempts to establish a connection through a proxy server using proxy server information obtained from installed software components such as browsers that manage Internet connections. If necessary, an auto configuration web page is utilized to obtain the proxy server address. The invention also includes methods for blocking streaming media connections.

Abstract: An order processing system includes an order structure in which an order includes multiple objects representing items being purchased, shipping methods, payment parameters, and other parts of an order. The order can include one or more of each of the types of objects. Items in the order can be divided among shipping methods and payment mechanisms using a relationship model to describe the relationships between the different types of objects. Shipping methods and payment mechanisms also can be related. The order may be represented as an order object, which represents the order and can be related to particular shipping methods and payment mechanisms. Relationship objects describe the relationships between objects. Relationship objects can use different relationship types to characterize the extent of the specified relationship.

Abstract: In one method and apparatus for blocking unwanted calls in a callback system, parameters associated with a callback request (e.g., the user device to which the call is to be directed, the IP address from which the request originated or an identifier of the source computer from which the callback request originated, the party from whom the call is requested) are tracked for each call. A decision to automatically block the requested callback is made based on one or more criteria based on a combination of these parameters, which may be a total over a period of time. In a second method, one or both of the parties to the callback is queried as to whether the callback is unwanted and, if so, one or more parameters associated with the request are blacklisted.

Abstract: A computer system and method for dynamic pricing is described. The system includes at least one dynamic calculator, which performs calculations based upon conditional rules.

Abstract: A computer systems includes a rule engine, one or more repository interfaces, and corresponding repositories. The repositories typically contain content or profile information about users. The rule engine provides rules in a uniform format which can be translated, through use of the repository interfaces, into queries specific for the corresponding repositories. Before translating the rules, context objects referenced in the rules are resolved and the corresponding attribute values are inserted into the rules. The resulting rule is simplified where possible because of the attribute values, so that only those queries that need to be made to a repository are made.

Abstract: The system and method interface and separate formatted content and program code in connection with a content server system. The system includes a document preprocessor, a compiler, and an execution context manager. The document preprocessor parses and analyzes a formatted content document that contains program invocations and translates the program invocations into a procedure having program code suitable for compilation or intepretation. The preprocessor also encodes designated segments of the content document as subprocedures which are invoked within a context managed by the execution context manager. The execution context manager allows values to be mapped to named parameters so that the values are available to the invoked procedures and programs. As a result, the content server system provides separation between the formatted content and program code.

Abstract: A computer system for a web site uses load balancing of new sessions based on measurements and estimates of past, present, and future performance, using the average time each application server takes to respond to a request (the latency) and the number of active sessions on each application server. Generally, once assigned to a session, an application server handles all future requests relating to that session. However, if the load or performance of an application server becomes sufficiently degraded, a failover mechanism causes future requests to be handled by a different application server until the performance improves. Under extreme circumstances, an application server will be restarted. If a web or HTTP server is unable to have requests served by any application server, future requests may be redirected to another web server.

Abstract: A computer system for a web site uses three tiers of servers, web (or HTTP) servers, application servers, and backup servers. The backup servers are responsible for backing up the session data for particular application servers. The system assigns to each web session a session ID, which encodes the IP addresses of the application server and its backup server, and provides an identifier that uniquely identifies the session within that application server. A session is automatically routed to a second application server to process a request if the application server handling the session should fail or not have the requested application. However, the request uses the original session ID. The second application server detects from the session ID that the session may have been handled by the first application server. The second application server decodes the IP address for the backup server for the first application server, and connects to that backup server.