Methods and apparatuses for sorting lists for presentation

• US 20060200380A1
• Filed: 03/03/2005
• Published: 09/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thryv, Inc. (Mudrick Capital Management LP)
• Original Assignee: UTBK, Inc.
• Inventors: Altberg, Ebbe, Faber, Scott, Hirson, Ron, Ho, Kelvin
• Granted Patent: US 7,979,308 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.460
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0243 Comparative campaigns
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0247 Calculate past, present or future revenues
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0254 based on statistics
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 User requested
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0274 Split fees
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0275 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0276 Advertisement creation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for sorting seller listings or advertisements of a seller network. In one embodiment, a method includes: determining an indicator of potential revenue for a first party from price information of a list of entities, wherein revenue generated according to the price information of at least some of the list of entities is to be split among a plurality of parties; and, sorting the list of entities into a first list based at least partially on the indicator of potential revenue.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

determining an indicator of potential revenue for a first party from price information of a list of entities, wherein revenue generated according to the price information of at least some of the list of entities is to be split among a plurality of parties; and

sorting the list of entities into a first list based at least partially on the indicator of potential revenue.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting the first list in a media channel.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the media channel is one from a group consisting:

HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) server;

Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) server; and

Short Message Service (SMS) based server.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

presenting advertisements of the list of entities according to the first list in a media channel.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the price information is for the advertisements of the list of entities.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the advertisements are charged based on telephonic connections resulting from the advertisements and the price information.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the indicator of potential revenue is partially determined based on an indicator of likelihood of telephonic connections resulting from the advertisements of the list of entities.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the indicator of likelihood of telephonic connections is based on a ratio of past telephonic connections and past presentations of corresponding advertisements.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting one or more from the first list for presentation to a user in response to a search request from the user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein revenue generated according to the price information of at least some of the list of entities is not to be split among a plurality of parties.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein ratios of potential revenue for the first party over price according to the price information of at least two of the list of entities are different.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

tracking revenues realized according to the price information;

determining revenues for a second party based on the revenues realized according to the price information; and

presenting a report indicating the revenues for the second party in response to a request from the second party.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving information about one or more entities from a second party, the list of entities including a portion of the one or more entities;

wherein a portion of revenue generated according to the price information of the one or more of the list of entities is to be rewarded to the second party.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second party represents an individual person.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the price information is for services or goods.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

contacting the one or more entities to join a seller network according to the information received from the second party; and

associating the one or more entities with the second party when the one or more entities join the seller network.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the seller network sells goods or services.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the price information comprises at least one from a group consisting:

a price for a product;

a price for a service; and

a price for an advertisement to sell a product or a service.

19. A machine readable medium containing instructions which when executed perform a method, comprising:

determining an indicator of potential revenue for a first party from price information of a list of entities, wherein revenue generated according to the price information of at least some of the list of entities is to be split among a plurality of parties; and

sorting the list of entities into a first list based at least partially on the indicator of potential revenue.

20. A data processing system, comprising:

means for determining an indicator of potential revenue for a first party from price information of a list of entities, wherein revenue generated according to the price information of at least some of the list of entities is to be split among a plurality of parties; and

means for sorting the list of entities into a first list based at least partially on the indicator of potential revenue.