The patent, for which Microsoft applied in 1996, is formally described as relating to the "Customisation of network documents by accessing customisation information on a server computer using unique user identifiers".
But it goes on to explain that this covers the use of cookies to store customisation options which may include a wide variety of information such as, "a collection of [favourite site URLs], types of news that the user wants to see, display information that determines how the information is presented to the user, stock ticker symbols for which the user wishes to receive stock quotes, or the city for which the user wishes to receive a weather report."
Last week, Microsoft was granted another patent that relates to a feature on Microsoft's Instant Messaging products that lets users know when another person is typing a message to them. The feature can also be found on rival products from AOL and Yahoo!, but as yet neither company has commented on the patent.
AOL also has a patent on Instant Messaging, granted in September 2002. Originally requested in 1997, AOL's patent appears to be much wider, claiming to cover all IM applications. It has not attempted to enforce its patent rights, according to media reports.