METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR WEB SITE

TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to a method for providing/running/hosting an information web service, comprising the following steps: providing a server comprising a memory, providing at least one unit of said memory to store numerous information modules comprising company specific information, i.e. address, providing a search site to enable terminals to search and display information stored in said memory.

PRIOR ART

The use of web sites on internet to search for information is becoming increasingly more popular. There are numerous fields where a great many people prefer using internet instead of traditional information channels, e.g. telephone and/or personal visits. The searching and booking of travels is a typical example where people tend to use internet more and more. From a view point of efficiency this trend is indeed positive for society.

However, there do remain areas where the existing solutions of today's internet world do not provide sufficient level of a service to fulfil the needs of most people. Such an area is adequate information regarding opening hours of premises of companies, institutions, shops, industries authorities, etc. Many premises do not provide any information at all regarding opening hours via the internet. Therefore there is still a need to use more time consuming ways, e.g. telephone, to collect information regarding opening hours in many situations. Hence the unavailability to adequate information concerning opening hours via internet leads to a lot of time being wasted (searching for telephone numbers, trying to get in contact by telephone, wasted travelling time due to un-updated/erroneous information regarding opening hours, etc.), which is of course undesired.

Indeed there do exist web sites, e.g. Google and Yahoo, where it is possible to search and find certain retailers, industries, etc. and possibly also be informed of opening hours, of their premises, if that information is already available on the internet, e.g. by means of a web site connected to that retailer, industry, etc. However, all premises do not have a web site of its own, or any other information on the internet. Accordingly

there are existing "information gaps". Moreover, a major problem with that kind of search engines is the difficulty of specifying a search to obtain a relevant and easy manageable number of hits. As is generally known a search often gives a too great number of hits or no relevant hits at all. In the case that many hits are presented on the screen there is no easy way of identifying that or those objects that are being looked for.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to eliminate or at least minimize the above mentioned problem which is achieved by a method for administration of an information web site, according to claim 1.

Thanks to the invention there is achieved a search site which will facilitate improved life quality for a lot of people, since a number of situations including wasted time may be eliminated by means of the invention. The method according to the invention will facilitate an easy way for people to be correctly informed regarding desired company(ies)/product(s)/service(s) and interrelated information concerning opening hours. A synergetic effect of the invention is that companies will be autonomously promoted to supply desired information to the server, since if certain desired information of a company is not stored in the memory of the server it will not be displayed on a hit list.

According to further aspects of the invention:

- said information module is arranged to allow autonomous supply of information to said memory by the company itself, which provides for cost efficiency thanks to creating a means that will promote companies to autonomously supply an update information regarding opening hours

- said information module is arranged to enable storing a graphical symbol being displayed in connection with the display of a search, which will make it much more easy to identify/find objects that are searched and further it may also have a function as an extra promotion for companies to supply information to the server, not at least since it will provide a new kind of easily and frequently available advertisement.

- the server is arranged to produce an alert message if an information module does not contain certain information, wherein preferably an alert message is sent to the company to which the information module relates. Thanks to integrating that kind of functionality (e.g. software) it provides an especially efficient tool/means for keeping

a memory of the server supplied with desired information and in correct and updated form. If said alert message is sent to the company to which the information module relates, it provides the further advantage that supply of lacking information may expediently be provided in a cost efficient manner.

- said information modules is designed to contain a number of different sheets and at least one sheet containing information related to address and at least one sheet containing information related to said geographical symbol, which facilitates easy administration of the information modules.

- a first sheet of said information module displays areas of information that would be available on the search site, which provides for the advantage that any company can very easily and quickly control that the correct information details are stored in the information module.

- information display on said first sheet is entered in other sheets of the module, which is an efficient manner of handling an information module according to the invention, since most people are used to working with different sheets in computers and since it gives a clear and easy understandable structure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the enclosed drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a schematic presentation of a system according to a preferred embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 2 shows an example of a preferred kind of information module in accordance with the invention, Fig. 3 presents an exemplary views of a hit list displayed by means of a system according to the invention, Fig. 4 shows a principal layout of different features included in the system according to the invention, Fig. 5 shows a preferred layout of the screen picture that is displayed for performing a search, and

Fig. 6 shows a schematic presentation of a system according to the invention wherein a supplemental functionality has been introduced.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In Fig. 1 there is shown a basic layout of a system according to the invention. It is understood that the figure merely is intended for presenting the principles according to the invention and therefore there is shown a simplified presentation of the system. It is evident for the skilled person within the field that the system in an implicit manner includes numerous technical features that are known per se for performing different functions of a system according to the invention.

There is shown a server 1 (or server arrangement) including necessary hardware and software, which inter alia relates to a memory device 10. The memory device 10 has at least one unit/volume 12 including data/information related to each one of the companies/shops/industries/institutions, etc. being stored for information purposes, and also at least one further unit volume 11 for storing information regarding activities on and registered by the server 1, e.g. a log for traffic. In any appropriate manner (e.g. fibre optic cable, high speed transmission cable, wireless relaying, etc.) the server 1 is connected to the internet 5, by means of an appropriate interface that can handle transmission/transfer a large amount of data, preferably at least 100 Mbit/s. Further there is shown a symbol 2 representing any kind of company/shop/institution/industry, etc. (hereafter generally referred to as "company") that has a premise intended for visits during opening hours and/or certain opening hours for telephone calls. As indicated in the figure the company 2 sends an information module/data package 120, e.g. by means of the internet 5 (or sms, or email), to the server 1 wherein the information contained in the data package 120 is stored in register 12 within the memory 10. Alternatively that information (of the module 120) may be obtained from an external supplier in possession/control of the desired information, for instance at least for some companies before start up of the server 1.

As indicated in fig. 1 the at least one unit/volume 12 including data/information related to each one of the companies/shops/industries/institutions, comprises different searchable tables 12A, (e.g. comprising information related to company names) 12B (e.g. comprising information concerning country/region/city), 12C (e.g. comprising information related to opening hours), 12D (e.g. comprising information related to products/services) enabling the server 1 to search and identify information stored in said memory 10, qualified by different sets of search terms.

Moreover there is shown a user having a terminal 3 (e.g. PC, mobile phone, etc.), that can connect to the server 1 via internet 5 to search for/look up requested data, e.g.

including opening hours. Finally the figure also shows that specific institutions 4 may also connect to the server 1, e.g. via the internet 5, to gather information packages 111, e.g. regarding traffic within the server 1 stored in the memory unit/volume 11 containing the log, etc.

In Fig. 2 there is shown a preferred kind of registration module 120 that each company 2 may fill in to have desired details stored within the memory 10 of the server 1. As can be seen the registration module 120 comprises a number of different sheets 121-125, containing different kind of information. The first sheet 121 is the sheet that is presented automatically. Accordingly the first sheet 121 is the one that is always displayed when the registration module 120 is presented on a screen and it presents that kind of information often being requested, e.g. opening hours, address, phone number, etc. This module 120 will easily be accessible in different ways for shops/industry, etc. that want to have their details available on the web site (hereinafter called "the search site") supported by means of the server 1, e.g. by clicking a hyper link in the search site or as an attachment in an email, etc.

The first sheet 121 automatically displays relevant information extracted from data fields of the other sheets 122-125. For instance, there is one field 121 A displaying the logotype of the company 2 and also an area 121B containing requested information details, e.g. address and opening hours. An essential feature of the invention is that the responsibility of having correct information stored within the information module 120 is within the organization in charge of the company 2 and accordingly not within the organization that is responsible for the search site/the server 1. Accordingly the invention is intended to provide a means that will urge organizations to supply and maintain correct information in the information module 120. Preferably each organization 2 fills in the information details by themselves and also makes frequent updates to always show correct information, e.g. by means of allocating the responsibility to a specific individual or department.

In the second sheet 122 there are pre-identified fields for filling in usually requested details concerning the company, e.g. address of the premises, organization number, VAT number, banking details, etc. The third sheet 123 has pre-identified fields for specifying information regarding opening hours, which pre-identified fields are designed in a flexible manner (e.g. by means of roll down menus) to make it easy to present varying opening hours different days and/or different weeks and also having

specific fields for special information regarding certain days that the company 2 is closed for visits, etc. a long time ahead.

A fourth sheet 124 contains means for facilitating an easy way of adding the logotype that the company 2 decides to be displayed on the web site. Hence, to this sheet 124 there is preferably connected some kind of specific software (e.g. Java applet or cookie) that will assist in easily adding that kind of logotype each company 2 wants to display.

The last sheet 125 contains pre-identified fields (e.g. in the form of roll down menus) for giving information of what kind of services/products that the company 2 wants to display in connection with the search site.

Preferably there is software being active when filling each one of the sheets that will eliminate or at least minimize the possibility of entering erroneous information, e.g. some software that will alert if an insufficient number of digits are entered regarding the organization number and some software that alerts if the opening hours seem unrealistic. Preferably this will be presented in the form of questions requiring the person who enters the information to verify that the "unrealistic" information is indeed correct.

Each company may easily control that correct information is displayed by merely looking at the first sheet 121 which displays the information 121A, 121B that will be presented to users 3 searching the search site.

In Fig. 3 there is shown an exemplary hit list 30 according to the invention, that may be displayed on a screen 3 A of a user terminal 3. As can be seen the hit list will sort the hits in a specific order, that may be decided by the user 3. The search site is equipped with different search profiles. According to a basic approach of the invention the user will first specify a search term related one or more of the following search fields: a. Company name, b. Address/region c. Product/service, being stored in at least one table 12A (12B, 12D) in the memory of the server 1.

Thereafter the user will enter a search term being stored in at least a second table 12C regarding information concerning opening hours, thereby initiating a search to be performed by the server 1 that will cross examine the tables 12A-D in the memory 10,

thereby retrieving a number of hits that qualify, and subsequently enabling the display of information 3A on the terminal (3), showing companies fulfilling input regarding opening hours and one or more of company name and/or address/region and/or product/service, depending on the needs of the user 3.

According to one exemplary, possible search performed, the user 3 first gives information concerning his/her location as a first search term, thereby initiating the related table 12B to be included in the search, which indeed may be achieved automatically (e.g. by identification of location of the IP number , the IP address, and/or GPS of the terminal 3 that is used). Hence according to one embodiment of the invention the server 1 may be programmed to give that search term automatically as default, which

Thereafter the user 3 will have to identify what kind of company and/or service/product he or she is interested in, thereby initiating a further the related table 12A and/or 12D to be included in the search where after a hit list will be presented.

One preferred manner of sorting the hit list is by way of distance from the location of the user 3. Another possibility is to sort by some kind of classification, e.g. price level, service level, etc.

A specific feature of the invention is that the logotypes 121A-121A" are displayed in the hit list, which makes it much more easy to find what you are looking for.

By way of example, if for instance a user 3 driving by car is approaching the city

Karlstad, having a car equipped with a terminal 3 and needs fuel he/she can easily make an appropriate choice by using the search site. First the user enters Karlstad as a first search term (possibly automatically), thereafter the search term gas station and further desires related to opening hours, e.g. using "from now until + ¹ A hour" as default or a chosen span e.g. "now +1 hour until now + 2 hours", thereby initiating the server to cross examine the related tables 12B, 12C , 12D, where after a hit list will be displayed showing the logotypes of each one of gas stations being open at that time in Karlstad, e.g. presenting a sort order in accordance with the distance to each one of the gas stations, (assuming the car being equipped with a terminal 3 that automatically (e.g. GPS) may supply location data). Moreover the server 1 may then assist in displaying a map on the terminal 3 to show the location of a chosen gas station..

Preferably the search site is includes/is linked a means of presenting an electronic map, e.g showing the way to a gas station that was chosen, even if the car is not equipped with a GPS-guidance system. This may easily be achieved by having the search site connected to a link displaying exactly that kind of information, e.g. wvYw jnap24s vveden.se, whereby the driver will be shown an electronic map (static or dynamic) to show exactly the way to the desired gas station, on any kind of terminal 3, e.g. mobile phone of appropriate kind, such as a blackberry™, Ericsson 910, etc. Accordingly the invention provides a very efficient way of choosing and finding a company 2 (and its premises) without risking wasting time on undesired travels to a company not being open.

Moreover the manner of presenting the logotypes makes it extremely easy to quickly identify a certain kind of company/product since as is well known humans eye find it much more easy to identify pictures than interpreting text. Another very important feature of the invention is that thanks to having each company being responsible for displaying correct information there will be no need for a costly organization to maintain correct information in the memory of the server 1. Furthermore the display of the logotype at the search site will have a positive influence on all companies 2 to strive for supplying information and for always presenting correct information on the web site.

Of course, there may be organizations that will have difficulties in providing and/or updating the information that is needed in the information module 120. As shown in Fig. 4 some kind of support organization 6, 7 connected to the organization in charge of the server 1 may beneficially be arranged for. Firstly Fig. 4 shows that a company 2 may deliver info inputs in many different ways, wherein using a hyperlink connected to the search site via internet is the most efficient/preferred way. But also other ways, e.g. by telephone, or by sms or by filling in a form that is faxed or emailed are also foreseen, by having a support centre 7 connected to the organization in charge of the server 1 that will be able to assist filling in such details. Hence a person of an organization 2 may phone the support centre 7 where the individual taking the call will enter information to the memory 10 by means of the web site, i.e. open an information module 120 and fill in the requested information that is given by telephone. The support centre 7 may assist in various ways, e.g. supplying information to the memory 10 from information supplied by email, fax, letters, sms, etc. The logotype may also be introduced by the support staff 7, e.g. by receiving instructions by telephone to find a desired logotype on the internet and introducing it into the logotype sheet 124 or by introducing it into the sheet 124 after receiving an email from the company 2 containing the logotype. Moreover there is

foreseen a call centre 6 (e.g. for a user that may not be able to use a terminal 3 having a display means 3A) where, by means of for instance telephone or sms, a user can get in contact with the staff and receive desired information by telephone, by means of the staff making a desired search on the search site and presenting the desired information orally, or sms, or fax, or email.

As is evident from the above it is an important feature of the invention that opening hours will be available on the search site. According to one embodiment of the invention it will not be possible to register an information module 120 into the memory 10 of the server 1 if opening hours have not been specified. The reason is that people searching this search site shall be assured that they will be able to get information on opening hours that are correct. Of course there is no better way of assuring correct information concerning opening hours than by having responsibility for that together with the company 2 in control of the opening hours of its premises. Moreover this feature will facilitate a very cost efficient manner of having correct information and keeping the data in the memory 10 continuously updated, since it will only take some minutes per year for each organization/company 2 to keep it updated whereas it would require a very large organization if this would have to be handled externally.

In a start-up phase, where many companies will not have had the possibility to supply information by themselves, but information is supplied to the memory 10 from some kind of address registered it will be more preferred to instead of not allowing an information module 120 on the search site, to have some kind of means within the server 1 to alert that opening hours have not been specified. One way of handling this would be to have a software searching the memory 10 and sort out all information modules 120 that have not any opening hours specified therein and to email that information module 120 to the company 2, and requesting supply of information relating to the opening hours, e.g. by filling in the information module 120 and resending the email. Hence, this would be an easy and efficient way to assure a quick supply of information regarding opening hours. Of course such a measure could also be supplemented with (or exchanged by) other means of alerting each company 2, e.g. by sending sms, or possibly phoning and collecting desired information .

As mentioned above the invention also foresees the possibility of providing different kind of useful information to different organizations/institutions 4 related to different activities that are registered in a log memory 11 of the server 1. The server is pre- equipped with hardware and software that enables registering and measuring of a great

number of parameters, e.g. the duration of the visit at the site, frequency of visits, trends of different kind (e.g. increase of searches related to a certain product/service) habitual behaviour, (e.g. related to region etc.) etc. etc. Hence the information can be used to analyze numerous aspects, e.g. information relevant for sales campaigns, different preferences based on for instance geography, etc., etc.

Since opening hours is a key feature of the invention it is of course of great importance that the time displayed in connection with the search site is correct. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention it is therefore foreseen that not the clock of the terminal 3 of the user is displayed in connection with the search, but a very correct clock connected to the server 1, e.g. by synchronizing the clock of the server 1 frequently with an atomic clock.

In Fig. 5 there is shown preferred layout of a screen picture according to the invention, wherein the principles thereof are shown as displayed on a screen 3A. There is shown a search field 31 comprising an area 31 A for typing keywords 31 A and a "search button" 3 IB. As is presented in Fig. 5 the preferred embodiment according to the invention merely comprises a single field 31 A for entering keywords. Accordingly, the user does not need to keep control of different fields that are to be combined, but may type any kind of keyword information into the search field 31, e.g. telephone number, street, town, country, service, product name, etc. and combine them without any operators, but merely a space to combine different search aspects. In the shown example the keyword "hair dresser" has been typed into the field 31 A and accordingly a hit list 30 comprising a number of hair dressers is displayed. Moreover in the preferred search layout there is also a field 33 related to opening hours wherein the user may tic a box concerning opening hours, e.g. to identify; if opening hours is of no importance 33A, the hit list merely shall display hair dressers being open and 30 minutes onwards 33B or if a chosen/specified time/date for opening hours is desired 33C. Further there are some other tic boxes 32A-34C, whereby the search may be delimited to a specific desire, e.g. a certain service and/or product. As exemplified there is a number of tic boxes related to the services, e.g. Drop in, etc. and a number of further tic boxes related to products/brands 32, e.g. Wella ^® 32A. Accordingly the search may easily and quickly be made very focused without any need of creating new search keys, e.g. by first reading and studying different hits in the display list. Instead the search engine by easy ticking provides the user with search terms that are known to be of interest related to the hits in the list 30 and/or connected to any of the typed search terms.

Moreover there is also provided the possibility to retrieve information on how to easily find what you are looking for, partly by a specific information button 35, whereby useful information is displayed, and which preferably also is connected to an interactive support whereby easily understood e-learning may be obtained. Also in relation to other search terms 36 it is possible to find out information, e.g. if Sweden is written in the search field 31 A the searcher by clicking "region" can be informed of which different regions there are, e.g. by having a map displayed.

Accordingly the above shown embodiment presents a design of the layout that will make searching for a big variety of topics, e.g. services/products/businesses/individuals very easy and effective. It is evident for the skilled person that different combinations of the above features may be used, or indeed merely one of the features mentioned above, together with the basic principle of the invention. Further it is evident that the use of tic boxes may be varied within a wide range to achieve the advantages as shown with the above example, i.e. a very easy way of narrowing a search after having written relatively general keywords into the search fields 31, especially if having tic boxes 32, 34 that do vary in dependence of the hit list 30 that is displayed.

In Fig. 6 there is shown in a schematic manner a supplemental functionality that may be beneficial in many different situations. There is presented a server arrangement 1 according to the invention. Further the figure indicates that supplemental information packages 120' are supplied to the server arrangement 1. These information packages are preferably in a form of supplemental information and/or information regarding amendments for a company 2 having details related thereto already registered in the memory 10 of the server 1. For instance the information package 120' may relate to a change in opening hours and/or a change of telephone number and/or change of address, etc. In accordance with what has already been described before, that supplementary information 120' will be registered in the corresponding information module 120 and thereby stored within the memory 10 of the server 1. Within connected to the server, according to this supplemental functionality, there is a software (not shown) that identifies this new piece of information 120'. That software will then transfer that information package 120' to be automatically introduced onto and updated on one (or more) predetermined web site(s) 2A, 2B on the internet, e.g. arranging for storing of said new information 120' on the server (not shown) connected to said web sites 2A, 2B. To achieve this the server 1 provides the information package 120 with a unique code 120", presenting a kind of identification number. Further the server (not shown) connected to said web sites 2A, 2B have been supplied with a script (software) that

enables automatic introduction of said information package 120', wherein the code 120" includes data that enables said automatic implementation. As is evident the server 1 of the invention will use registered/stored data in relation to each data package 120' depending on to whom said information 120' relates to arrange for correct transfer/export of the data package 120', 120" to correct recipients 2A, 2B. Thanks to this facility the companies 2 having their own web site 2A will no longer be in need of having costly competence to update information on the web site 2A. Further also other organisations 2B, e.g. community related organisations, may also have their servers supplying their web sites 2B to be automatically updated in the same manner. Accordingly the system provides for a very cost efficient way of keeping updated information not only in the data base 10 related to the invention but also other data bases. In general the way of receiving the supplemental information 120' is basically the same as has been described above. Accordingly, supplementary information 120' may either be provided directly by any company 2, wherein preferably there is software or similar kind of functionality (in the picture called "double-check") that controls that the information package 120' comes from a reliable source and is correct, e.g. by the use of verified log in (user name/password). Of course also support staff 6, 7 of the administrator may supply that information package 120' to the server 1, which in turn may be information 120' that has been provided to the support staff 6, 7 by means of personal visits, email, telephone, etc. It should be understood that this latter functionality may also be used in connection with servers/databases of other kind than the invention, and that it therefore may be made the subject-matter for a divisional application.

The invention is not delimited by what has been described above but may be varied within the scope of the pending claims. For instance, it is evident that the term company may not be construed in a limited way, but indeed including any kind of organization or object that has some kind of service or premises of possible interest to people/users. Also it is to be understood that opening hours has to be construed in a broad manner not merely relating to physical visits but also opening hours in a virtual way, e.g. using phone or interactivity via internet. Further it is evident to the skilled person within the field that the term server has to be construed in the broad manner and that its functionality may be achieved in many different manners, e.g. by having a distributed net work of servers that are interconnected, etc. ,etc. Moreover it is evident from the skilled person that the term site service has to be construed in a broad manner, e.g. implying using a web site (i.e. HTML-coded) or using/sending information XML-coded or using/sending other suitable data formats.

Moreover the skilled person realizes that the term address also has to be interpreted in a broad manner, also including virtual addresses like an URL on the internet.