Innovation Timeline
E-Commerce
One-click ordering, recommendation engines, digital wallets — the patents that defined online retail and payments.
Landmark patents
88
Total citations
9,310
Span
1916 – 2024
Milestones
18
1980s
How Stores Make Custom Products On-Demand with Remote Approval
This patent describes a system where a store can make a custom product for a customer, but only after getting permission and the necessary design information from a central, remote office.
498 citations
Prodigy's System for Interactive Online Information and Shopping
Prodigy's 1994 patent outlines an interactive online system that delivered news, shopping, and banking to personal computers by breaking applications into 'objects' stored locally or remotely, and used user data for targeted ads.
808 citations
1990s
How Digital Media Purchases and Downloads Work
A 1990 patent describing the basic process of paying for digital audio or video content over a phone line and downloading it to a personal device.
260 citations
How the QR Code Works
The 1995 patent by Toyota Central R&D Labs that invented the QR code, using three distinct corner squares with a unique 1:1:3:1:1 pixel ratio to let scanners instantly find and read the code from any angle.
250 citations
How Netscape Created the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) for Web Security
Netscape's 1995 patent defining the architecture for SSL, the foundational technology that allows browsers to securely transmit encrypted data over the internet.
383 citations
How Websites Remember You Using Stored Data
Netscape's 1998 patent on storing small pieces of website information (like login details or preferences) on your computer so the website can recall them later, enabling personalized experiences and smoother navigation.
508 citations
How to Build Complex Database Searches Using Venn Diagrams
A method for searching databases by visually connecting Venn diagrams to represent complex logical relationships between different sets of data.
859 citations
How Servers Combine Global and Local Content for Personalized Web Displays
A 1997 Microsoft patent describing how a server can mix general content with specific local details to create a personalized experience for users based on their location or demographics.
111 citations
How Amazon's One-Click Ordering Works for Online Purchases
Amazon's 1999 patent describes how a customer can buy an item online with just one click, bypassing a traditional shopping cart by using pre-stored payment and shipping information.
1,636 citations
How Websites Get Ranked by Importance
This patent describes a computer method for scoring documents in a linked database, like the internet, by considering the importance of other documents that link to them, helping search engines find better results.
818 citations
How Dynamic Web Applications Use Templates to Fetch Data
A method for web applications to use abstract templates that automatically connect to back-end databases based on the user's device or platform.
78 citations
Smart Ranking of Emails and Files Based on How You Click
IBM's 1999 patent on automatically sorting lists of items, like emails, by watching which ones you click first and updating a mathematical model of your preferences in the background.
135 citations
2000s
How Virtual Fitting Rooms Work for Online Shopping
A method for creating a virtual dressing room where a user's photo is combined with images of clothing from different websites to see how they look together.
35 citations
How Google Ads Detect Which Web Page You Are Viewing
A method for web browsers to identify the correct webpage address to show relevant advertisements, even when the ad code is hidden inside a frame.
427 citations
How Search Engines Personalize Results Based on Your Browsing History
Google's patent for narrowing down search results by prioritizing websites that match your personal interests and past browsing habits.
24 citations
How Digital Systems Pool Money from Many People for One Goal
A system that lets multiple people contribute small amounts of money toward a shared goal, only releasing the total funds to a recipient once specific conditions are met.
9 citations
How a Server Updates Smart Card Apps and Shows Ads
This patent describes a system where a central server authenticates a smart card user, identifies the specific smart card, allows the user to update applications on it, and then sends an advertisement to the user's computer.
1 citation
How to Automatically Track and Act on Internet Domain Name Expirations
This patent describes a system that automatically checks when internet domain names are set to expire, calculates how much time is left, and can notify a user or even try to register the domain once it becomes available.
55 citations
How a Centralized Broker Handles Online Shopping Transactions
A system where a third-party broker handles payments and shipping logistics for online merchants, allowing customers to checkout without entering payment details on every individual site.
9 citations
How Software Predicts What You Need Based on Your Coworkers
A system that uses the browsing history and work habits of your colleagues to automatically build a personalized dashboard of links and content you are likely to need next.
5 citations
How to Verify Anonymous Users Using Third-Party Identity Services
A method for a system to identify and authorize a user it doesn't know by asking a different, trusted service that already has the user's information.
39 citations
How Search Engines Rank Images Using User Ratings
A system that improves image search results by combining how well an image matches a search term with how highly users have rated that image elsewhere.
46 citations
Delivering Targeted Ads and Digital Content to Remote Kiosks
A method for sending digital content and personalized advertisements to remote kiosks by combining scheduled data pushes with real-time requests.
How Phones Store and Rotate Ads Locally by Breaking Rules
Sprint's 2006 patent on a system that downloads a pool of ads to a phone and uses an on-device manager to decide which ad to show, even breaking its own rules to make sure lagging ad campaigns get seen.
119 citations
How to Aggregate Transaction Notifications Using Secure Tokens
A method for a central server to collect and organize event notifications from different merchants using unique, secure tokens that prove the user's identity without sharing sensitive account details.
How Mobile Phones Can Securely Authorize Payments Using Random ID Codes
A 2006 system that uses a mobile phone to receive and relay a unique, temporary ID code to a store terminal to verify and authorize a payment transaction.
17 citations
How Online Stores Automatically Block Illegal Alcohol and Tobacco Deliveries
A system that checks if your online order of alcohol or tobacco is legal to deliver at your chosen time based on local laws.
11 citations
How a Smart System Verifies and Updates Customer Data
This patent describes an automated system that uses artificial intelligence to pick the best ways to check and update information about people or businesses, choosing from methods like web searches, phone calls, or direct mail.
102 citations
How Amazon Optimizes Website Loading Speeds by Managing Domain Requests
A system that tests different ways to distribute website resources across multiple domains to find the fastest way to load a webpage for users.
123 citations
How Facebook's Share Button Works Across Different Websites
A patent describing how a social network can pull content from an outside website and share it with friends based on specific user-selected settings.
4 citations
How Cloud Storage Providers Automatically Connect Files to Content Delivery Networks
A system that lets website owners use a single button in their storage dashboard to automatically distribute their files across a global network of servers for faster loading.
10 citations
How Computers Automatically Target Ads Based on Trending Internet Memes
A system that finds trending internet topics, measures how fast they are spreading, and automatically places relevant advertisements on the web pages where those topics are being discussed.
8 citations
How Human Searchers Unlock Restricted Web Content for Users
A system that uses human searchers to access password-protected or subscription-based websites to retrieve information for users who otherwise cannot see that content.
How Software Automatically Ranks and Manages Online Customer Feedback
A system that automatically finds, scores, and prioritizes online mentions of a company so they can respond to the most important conversations first.
27 citations
How eBay Uses Image Fingerprints to Search for Products
A system that lets you search for items on a marketplace by uploading a photo instead of typing text, using image 'fingerprints' to find matching products.
12 citations
Predicting User Interests Based on Who Looks at Whose Profile
A method for predicting what a user might be interested in by analyzing the web of connections created when people view each other's social media profile pages.
73 citations
How to Buy Digital Media Once and Get Multiple Formats
A system that lets you pay for a digital file once and download it in different formats from various providers without paying again.
12 citations
2010s
How Google Uses User Feedback to Rank Websites by Quality
A method for Google to judge a website's quality by looking at how users interact with its search results across different categories of search queries.
26 citations
How Websites Get Paid for Referring Video Traffic
A method for tracking which website sent a user to a video stream so the referring site can be paid for the advertisement shown.
6 citations
How Phones Use Photos to Buy or Research Products
A method for using a smartphone camera to photograph a product and send that image to a remote server to trigger a purchase or retrieve product information.
4 citations
How Devices Automatically Tag and Monetize Real-World Events
A system for capturing data about a specific moment or location—like a song playing or a vehicle passing—to automatically trigger online searches and sponsor payments.
4 citations
How IMDb Knew If You'd Go to a Movie or Concert
This 2015 IMDb patent describes a system that predicts if you'll attend an event, like a movie, by checking your phone's location near the event time and place, then sending you related content.
62 citations
How Streaming Services Dynamically Insert Targeted Ads Into Videos
A method for streaming services to stitch personalized advertisements into video content by dynamically generating playlists that match the user's profile and internet speed.
1 citation
How Eventbrite Recommends Events Based on Your Social Network
A system that suggests events to you by analyzing your social media connections and your past attendance history to see what your friends are doing.
51 citations
How Amazon Optimizes Where to Store Products to Avoid Stockouts
A mathematical method for deciding how many items to stock in different warehouses to minimize the cost of running out of products.
41 citations
How Software Automatically Collects and Organizes Data from Multiple Websites
A system that automatically logs into multiple websites, pulls information, and stores it locally before you even ask for it, so it is ready to view instantly.
18 citations
How Software Automatically Picks the Best Way to Send Job Ads
A system that uses data analytics to choose the most effective communication channel for sending job advertisements to specific people and tracks the resulting referrals.
2 citations
How Amazon Created a Marketplace for Recommendation Algorithms
A system that lets website owners rent recommendation algorithms from third-party developers, with a built-in payment structure that rewards developers based on how well their algorithms perform.
3 citations
How Software Detects What You Want Based on Your Social Media Posts
A system that reads your social media posts to figure out your intent, then automatically serves ads or updates your profile based on how likely you are to actually buy or do something.
34 citations
How Google Displays Knowledge Panels Next to Search Results
A method for automatically assembling and displaying information boxes on search result pages by pulling data from multiple sources based on user query patterns.
25 citations
How Facebook Ranks Search Results Based on Your Friends' Activity
A method for ranking search results by prioritizing links that your social network friends have clicked on previously.
66 citations
How Cloud Storage Providers Automatically Connect Files to Content Delivery Networks
A system where a cloud storage provider detects when a website's files need faster delivery and automatically handles the setup with a Content Delivery Network (CDN) for the user.
How Facebook Uses User Feedback to Improve Search Results
A method for improving search engine accuracy by letting users manually rate search results, then using those ratings to automatically adjust how the search algorithm ranks future results.
How Smartphones Use Flashing Barcodes for Secure Ticketing
A system for mobile devices to display a series of flashing barcodes that a scanner reads, ensuring tickets are only used during specific valid time windows.
How Computers Match and Join Messy Data from Different Sources
A method for merging datasets by identifying related but non-identical items using flexible matching rules rather than strict equality.
15 citations
How Websites Use Your Cookie Data to Show Targeted Ads
Adobe's patent describes a system where website administrators create custom rules to match a user's browser cookie data with specific advertisements or content.
2 citations
How Groupon Automatically Categorizes Merchant Services Using Text Analysis
A system that automatically scans merchant websites and uses high-precision search queries to label their services, helping platforms like Groupon organize thousands of business listings.
25 citations
How Digital Receipts Turn One-Time Payments Into Ongoing Customer Relationships
A system that transforms static digital receipts into dynamic, time-sensitive portals for rewards, feedback, and tipping after a purchase is complete.
7 citations
How Software Automatically Translates Database Queries for Different Storage Systems
A system that intercepts database queries written for traditional relational databases and automatically translates them to work with non-relational databases, allowing developers to switch storage systems without rewriting their application code.
11 citations
How Referral-Based Text Message Marketing Systems Work
A system that tracks web browsing to send personalized text message offers to users, incentivizing them to share those offers with friends to grow a subscriber database.
3 citations
How Square Uses Your Phone's Location to Verify Credit Card Payments
A system that uses GPS data from a customer's smartphone to confirm they are physically present at a store during a credit card transaction to reduce fraud.
9 citations
How Square Syncs Inventory Between Physical Shops and Online Stores
A system that lets store owners toggle items between online and physical sales channels using a single dashboard to keep stock counts accurate everywhere.
6 citations
How CDNs Use Client-Side Code to Speed Up Web Downloads
Amazon's patent on using client-side code like JavaScript to dynamically rewrite website links so they point directly to the fastest content delivery server, bypassing traditional DNS routing bottlenecks.
69 citations
How Apps Compare Local Prices and Ratings for Specific Items
A system that helps users find and order a specific product from nearby stores by ranking them based on price, ratings, and item attributes like calorie count.
20 citations
Square's System for Predicting Orders and Guiding Couriers
This 2018 patent from Square describes a system that predicts which restaurants will get orders and tells delivery drivers where to wait to be ready.
63 citations
How Online Work Platforms Manage New Freelancer Onboarding
A system for online freelance marketplaces to automatically create and manage task-based checklists that guide new workers through hiring and project setup.
6 citations
How Amazon Delivers Content Faster Using Local Servers
Amazon's 2016 patent describes a system for breaking down digital content into smaller pieces and storing them on servers located near users to speed up downloads and reduce network traffic.
75 citations
How Computers Group Files Based on Meaning and Context
A system that organizes digital files and data into related groups by analyzing their meaning, context, and how they relate to one another.
17 citations
How Visa Processes Targeted Discounts on Specific Items During Checkout
A system for payment networks to automatically apply discounts to specific categories of items within a single transaction while correctly calculating taxes.
1 citation
How Uber Calculates Ride-Pooling Times to Keep Detours Reasonable
Uber's 2015 patent on matching multiple riders into a single shared vehicle by calculating whether the detour will keep everyone's arrival times within an acceptable limit compared to a private ride.
49 citations
How Facebook Uses Deep Learning to Predict What You Might Like
A method for training AI models to recommend new content by comparing a user's past interactions with unseen items in a social network.
8 citations
How Automated Systems Generate and Track Consumer Dispute Letters
A software system that helps consumers write, format, and send formal complaint letters to businesses by turning simple questionnaire answers into professional, legally-compliant documents.
3 citations
How Computers Find Similar Text Using Compact Data Structures
This patent describes a method for efficiently identifying similar text records, like documents or product reviews, by using special compact data structures that store text terms probabilistically and then analyzing them with machine learning.
18 citations
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.
2 citations
How Square Prepares Digital Tabs for Customers Before They Arrive
A system that lets merchants create a digital customer tab before a guest arrives, using reservation data to pre-load preferences and payment info for a faster checkout.
3 citations
How Mobile Devices Use Tags to Close Restaurant Checks
A system for restaurant servers to open and close customer tabs by tapping a mobile device against a physical tag at a table.
1 citation
How eBay Uses AI to Identify Brands in Search Queries
A system that uses deep learning to recognize brand names in search queries and automatically improve search results by adding relevant product terms.
2 citations
How Online Systems Verify Your Identity Using External Data
A system for verifying user identity and payment details in an online environment by pulling data from external sources and generating virtual payment tokens.
1 citation
How AI Connects Different Databases Using Knowledge Graphs
This patent describes a server-based method that uses artificial intelligence and two learning models to automatically find and integrate connections between data fields and data values across multiple databases that have different structures.
2 citations
2020s
How Web Browsers Create Fluid Animations Without Reloading Pages
A method for web browsers to render smooth, real-time animations by using a downloaded engine that calculates transitions on the fly instead of refreshing the entire page.
Tracking Shoppers and Store Items for Better Recommendations
This patent describes a system that tracks the location of physical customers, virtual customers, and store items using beacons to generate a combined visual report and recommend actions for merchants.
How Digital Wallets Pull Data From Multiple Sources for Payments
A system that lets a digital wallet gather and combine account information from different companies to help a user complete a payment transaction.
How Software Automatically Filters Employee Survey Results Based on Management Roles
A system that automatically restricts who can see specific employee survey results by mapping organizational reporting lines through a digital object graph.
How to Map Physical Locations to Human-Friendly Web Addresses
A system that assigns easy-to-read web domain names to specific geographic areas on a map, making it easier to search, own, and trade location-based digital data.
How to Build a Shock-Absorbing Shipping Box
A design for a shipping box that uses special tabs and accordion-style folds to keep an inner product compartment suspended away from the outer box walls, protecting fragile items from impacts.
How to Safely Shut Down Microservices Without Breaking Apps
A method for shutting down parts of a software system one by one by mapping active requests to specific services, ensuring no tasks are interrupted during updates.