Methods and systems to alert a user of a network-based marketplace event

• US 20060149655A1
• Filed: 12/30/2004
• Published: 07/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Ferreira, Carl, Leahy, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 8,688,528 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A system to alert a user of a network-based marketplace event. The system receives the network-based marketplace event and determines if the network-based marketplace event is associated with a network-based marketplace alert that has been requested by the user. If so, the system communicates the network-based marketplace alert to the client machine over a persistent connection, the network-based marketplace alert to alert the user of the network-based marketplace event.

Claims

1. A method to alert a user at a client machine of a network-based marketplace event, the method including:

receiving the network-based marketplace event;

determining if the network-based marketplace event is associated with a network-based marketplace alert that has been requested by the user; and

if so then communicating the network-based marketplace alert to the client machine over a persistent connection, the network-based marketplace alert to alert the user at the client machine of the network-based marketplace event.

2. The method of claim 1, further including receiving a request to establish the persistent connection with the client machine before receiving the network-based marketplace event.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining is performed responsive to receiving the network-based marketplace event.

4. The method of claim 1, further including communicating a message that indicates no new network-based marketplace events if a timeout is received.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the network-based marketplace alert includes any one of a group of alerts that include an item listed alert, an item watch alert, an item bid alert, an item out-bid alert, an item end alert, an item won alert, a seller shipped alert, a buyer paid alert, and a user feedback alert.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the communicating the item listed alert is performed responsive to the listing of an item on the network-based marketplace that is included in search results of a search that is generated based on search criteria that has been saved.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the communicating the item watch alert is preformed responsive to determining a predetermined period of time before an auction ends.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the communicating the item bid alert is performed responsive to receiving a bid for an item.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the communicating the item out-bid alert is performed responsive to receiving a bid for an item that the user has previously bid on.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the communicating the item end alert is performed responsive to an end of an auction.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein the communicating the item won alert is performed responsive the user winning an auction.

12. The method of claim 5, wherein the communicating the seller shipped alert is performed responsive receiving a communication from a seller that an item has shipped.

13. The method of claim 5, wherein the communicating the buyer paid alert is performed responsive to receiving payment from a buyer.

14. The method of claim 5, wherein the communicating the user feedback alert is performed responsive to receiving feedback on the user.

15. A system to alert a user at a client machine of a network-based marketplace event, the system including:

a receiving module to receive the network-based marketplace event;

a processing module to determine if the network-based marketplace event is associated a network-based marketplace alert that has been requested by the user; and

if so a communicating module to communicate the network-based marketplace alert to the client machine over a persistent connection, the network-based marketplace alert to alert the user at the client machine of the network-based marketplace event.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the receiving module is to receive a request to establish the persistent connection with the client machine before the receiving module is to receive the network-based marketplace event.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the processing module is to determine in response to receipt of the network-based marketplace event.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the communicating module is to communicate a message that indicates no new network-based marketplace events if a timeout is received.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the network-based marketplace alert includes any one of a group of alerts that include an item listed alert, an item watch alert, an item bid alert, an item out-bid alert, an item end alert, an item won alert, a seller shipped alert, a buyer paid alert, and a user feedback alert.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the communicating module is to communicate the item listed alert for an item that is listed on the network-based marketplace and included in search results of a search that is generated based on search criteria that has been saved.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the communicating module is to communicate the item watch alert for a predetermined period of time before an auction ends.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the communicating the item bid alert is performed responsive to receiving a bid for an item.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the communicating the item out-bid alert is performed responsive to receiving a bid for an item that the user has previously bid on.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the communicating the item end alert is performed responsive to an end of an auction.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the communicating the item won alert is performed responsive the user winning an auction,

26. The system of claim 19, wherein the communicating the seller shipped alert is performed responsive receiving a communication from a seller that an item has shipped.

27. The system of claim 19, wherein the communicating the buyer paid alert is performed responsive to receiving payment from a buyer.

28. The system of claim 19, wherein the communicating the user feedback alert is performed responsive to receiving feedback on the user.

29. A machine readable medium storing a set of instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

receive the network-based marketplace event;

determine if the network-based marketplace event is associated with a network-based marketplace alert that has been requested by the user; and

if so then communicate the network-based marketplace alert to the client machine over a persistent connection, the network-based marketplace alert to alert the user at the client machine of the network-based marketplace event.

30. A method to alert a user at a client machine of a network-based marketplace event that is associated with auction information, the method including:

receiving a request for a user interface that includes the auction information, the request automatically generated by a client application program at the client machine; and

communicating the auction information to the client machine responsive to the automatically generated request, the auction information updated based on the network-based marketplace event.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the client application program is utilized display a countdown timer at the client machine.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the client application program is included in the user interface that is communicated to the client machine.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the receiving the user interface occurs with greater frequency as the auction approaches a predetermined time to dose.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the countdown timer displays a time remaining in the auction.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the auction information includes bidding information.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the bidding information includes an out bid.

37. A system to alert a user at a client machine of a network-based marketplace event that is associated with auction information, the system including:

a receiving application to receive a request for a user interface that includes the auction information, the request automatically generated by a client application program at the client machine; and

a communicating application to communicate the user interface to the client machine responsive to the automatically generated request, the user interface to include the auction information that is updated based on the network-based marketplace event.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the client application program is utilized display a countdown timer at the client machine.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the client application program is included in the user interface that is communicated to the client machine.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the receiving application is to receive a request for the user interface with increasing frequency as the auction approaches a predetermined time to dose.

41. The system of claim 38, wherein the countdown timer displays a time remaining in the auction.

42. The system of claim 37, wherein the auction information includes bidding information.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the bidding information includes an out bid.

44. A machine readable medium storing a set of instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

receive a request for a user interface that includes auction information, the request automatically generated by a client application program at the client machine; and

communicate the user interface to the client machine responsive to the automatically generated request, the user interface to include the auction information that is updated based on the network-based marketplace event.

45. A system to alert a user at a client machine of a network-based marketplace event that is associated with auction information, the system including:

a first means for receiving a request for a user interface that includes the auction information, the request automatically generated by a client application program at the client machine; and

a second means for communicating the user interface to the client machine responsive to the automatically generated request, the user interface to include the auction information that is updated based on the network-based marketplace event.