How Websites Can Sell Items from Other Sites Without Redirecting Users
A method for a website to display and process purchases for items listed on a completely different website, allowing users to buy products without ever leaving the page they are currently browsing.
Original patent title: “Composite search results”
A method for a website to display and process purchases for items listed on a completely different website, allowing users to buy products without ever leaving the page they are currently browsing. Granted to PayPal Inc in 2017 with 19 claims and 2 forward citations.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The patent describes a system where a search engine on a 'first website' fetches product information from a 'second website' and displays it directly to the user. Instead of forcing the user to click a link and navigate away to the second site, the system uses remote APIs to embed interactive elements. This allows the user to perform transaction-based functions, such as placing a bid or purchasing an item, directly within the interface of the first website. Essentially, it turns a search results page into a functional storefront for external retailers.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover standard search results that only provide links to external websites.
- Does not cover systems that require the user to navigate to the second website to complete a purchase.
- Does not cover general web scraping that does not include a transaction-based interface element.
- Does not cover offline transactions or systems that do not use remote APIs to facilitate the interaction.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The innovation lies in using remote APIs to inject 'functionally-active' elements into a third-party search result, effectively turning a static search list into a live transaction portal for external inventory.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Google Shopping results that allow direct checkout
Social media 'buy' buttons integrated into third-party feeds
Comparison shopping engines with embedded 'add to cart' features
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This technology addresses the 'friction' of web navigation, where users often abandon purchases if they are forced to jump between multiple tabs or sites. By keeping the user within a single interface, companies like PayPal can increase conversion rates and keep users within their own ecosystem longer. It represents a shift from the web as a collection of linked documents to the web as a collection of integrated, functional services.
Filed
June 15, 2016
Granted
October 17, 2017
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
PayPal, the original assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →, continues to integrate these types of seamless checkout experiences into their payment processing suite. Major search engines and large e-commerce aggregators also utilize similar API-driven integration patterns to keep users engaged within their own platforms.
Market impact
This patent reflects the industry-wide move toward 'headless' commerce and integrated shopping experiences. It helped formalize the technical approach for platforms to act as intermediaries, reducing the reliance on traditional affiliate link models where users are simply sent away to another site.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The patent describes a system where a search engine on a 'first website' fetches product information from a 'second website' and displays it directly to the user. Instead of forcing the user to click a link and navigate away to the second site, the system uses remote APIs to embed interactive elements. This allows the user to perform transaction-based functions, such as placing a bid or purchasing an item, directly within the interface of the first website. Essentially, it turns a search results page into a functional storefront for external retailers.
The clever bit
The innovation lies in using remote APIs to inject 'functionally-active' elements into a third-party search result, effectively turning a static search list into a live transaction portal for external inventory.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover standard search results that only provide links to external websites.
- Does not cover systems that require the user to navigate to the second website to complete a purchase.
- Does not cover general web scraping that does not include a transaction-based interface element.
- Does not cover offline transactions or systems that do not use remote APIs to facilitate the interaction.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
10/40
Early citations
Claim breadth
13/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
10/20
Granted 5–10 years ago
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$78K – $250K
Midpoint $156K · 10.0 yr remaining · industry ×1.6
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
19 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Gardner, M. J., Williams, H. E., & Nygaard, V. (2017). How Websites Can Sell Items from Other Sites Without Redirecting Users (U.S. Patent No. 9,792,375). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9792375/facebook-privacy-checkup
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Websites Can Sell Items from Other Sites Without Redirecting Users cover?
A method for a website to display and process purchases for items listed on a completely different website, allowing users to buy products without ever leaving the page they are currently browsing.
Who owns patent US 9792375?
PayPal Inc owns this patent, granted in 2017.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on October 17, 2037, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 9792375 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 2 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This technology addresses the 'friction' of web navigation, where users often abandon purchases if they are forced to jump between multiple tabs or sites. By keeping the user within a single interface, companies like PayPal can increase conversion rates and keep users within their own ecosystem longer. It represents a shift from the web as a collection of linked documents to the web as a collection of integrated, functional services.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover standard search results that only provide links to external websites.
Same assignee
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