Amazon's new cookie patent

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Inventors: 	Benson; Eric A. (Seattle, WA) 	
Assignee: 	Amazon.com, Inc. (Seattle, WA) 	
Appl. No.: 	494712	
Filed: 	January 31, 2000	
 
Use of browser cookies to store structured data 


Abstract

A web site system implements a process for storing selected data structures
within browser cookies. The data structures may contain a variety of
different types of data elements, including N-bit integers and other
non-character elements. A version tracking scheme provides forward and
backward compatibility between client and server software. The process is
implemented without the need for any browser extensions, and without the
need for users to download any special code to their computers. 

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