System for dynamic product summary based on consumer-contributed keywords

• US 20070112760A1
• Filed: 06/22/2006
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PowerReviews OC LLC (Powerreviews Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Powerreviews Incorporated
• Inventors: Prabhu, Gautam, Morris, James, Chea, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,620,651 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/345 Summarisation for human users
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A system for presenting keywords obtained from users in a review process. The keywords are displayed along with a use value that reflects the number of times users have voted or selected the keyword as being relevant or effective in a review of a product. The keywords can be used to assist consumers in deciding whether to purchase a product or a service, in determining a brand'"'"'s reputation, or for other purposes. Keywords can be ranked according to usage criteria such as the frequency of use of the keyword in reviews, the reputation of a user/reviewer who created or used the keyword, etc. Rankings can be dynamically updated when keyword usage changes. Such as when a keyword declines in popularity, when words change in meaning or become obsolete or irrelevant with respect to their original intent, etc. Keywords can be used as filters for product searches.

Claims

1. A method for presenting keywords used for a review, the method comprising:

obtaining a plurality of user-created keywords, wherein each user-created keyword is created by a user in a review;

receiving votes to indicate users'"'"' ratings of effectiveness of the keywords used in reviews; and

transferring at least a portion of the plurality of user-created keywords for display to a user, wherein a digital processor is used to display keywords on a display screen along with a rating derived from the votes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the keyword rating information includes frequency of selection of a keyword for use in reviews.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

tracking a rating of a user/reviewer; and

including the rating of the user/reviewer in the keyword rating information.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically updating a ranking of at least a portion of the plurality of user-created keywords.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein automatically updating is in response to an increase in the number of obtained user-created keywords.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

tabulating keywords.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

categorizing keywords.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein categorizing includes categories of one or more of the following:

pros, cons, uses, benefits, drawbacks, style, lifestyle, fit, sizing.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a given keyword includes a link to a context of use of the given keyword, the method further comprising:

receiving a signal from a user input device to select the given keyword; and

displaying at least a portion of the context of use of the given keyword in response to the selection.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a given keyword includes a link to a subset of additional keywords.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

replacing a particular user-created keyword.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein replacing is in response to a change in use of the particular user-created keyword.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the meaning of the particular user-created keyword has changed over time.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the review includes a review of a product.

15. An apparatus for presenting keywords used for a review, the apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a machine readable medium including one or more instructions executable by the processor for;

obtaining a plurality of user-created keywords, wherein each user-created keyword is created by a user in a review;

receiving votes to indicate users'"'"' ratings of effectiveness of the keywords used in reviews; and

transferring at least a portion of the plurality of user-created keywords for display to a user, wherein a digital processor is used to display keywords on a display screen along with a rating derived from the votes.

16. A machine-readable medium including instructions executable by a processor for:

obtaining a plurality of user-created keywords, wherein each user-created keyword is created by a user in a review;

receiving votes to indicate users'"'"' ratings of effectiveness of the keywords used in reviews; and

transferring at least a portion of the plurality of user-created keywords for display to a user, wherein a digital processor is used to display keywords on a display screen along with a rating derived from the votes.

17. A method for displaying a user-created keyword for use in a review of an item, the method comprising:

displaying the keyword on a display screen; and

displaying an indicator of an amount of use of the keyword.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the action includes:

using the keyword in a review of the item.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the action includes:

linking to a web page that includes additional information relating to the keyword.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the amount of use includes a number indicating the amount of times that the keyword has been used in an item review.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein two or more user-created keywords are displayed in two or more item reviews at the same time.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the item reviews are displayed adjacently on a display screen.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the item reviews are displayed side-by-side.

24. A method for presenting a list of items, the method comprising:

obtaining a plurality of user-created keywords, wherein each user-created keyword is created by a user in a review;

displaying the plurality of user-created keywords by using a digital processor to display keywords on a display screen;

accepting a signal from a user input device to select at least one keyword;

filtering a subset of the items in response to the selected at least one keyword; and

displaying at least a portion of the subset of the items on the display screen.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

accepting a signal from a user input device to select a particular keyword; and

displaying items having reviews that do not include the particular keyword.

26. An apparatus for displaying a user-created keyword for use in a review of an item, the apparatus comprising:

a processor coupled to a display screen;

a machine-readable storage medium including instructions executable by the processor for;

displaying the keyword on the display screen; and

displaying an indicator of an amount of use of the keyword.

27. A machine-readable storage medium for displaying a user-created keyword for use in a review of an item, the machine-readable storage medium comprising one or more instructions for performing the following:

displaying the keyword on a display screen; and

displaying an indicator of an amount of use of the keyword.

28. A method for presenting a review of an item to a user, the method comprising the following steps performed by a processor coupled to a display screen:

detecting an indicator that indicates that the item was purchased by the reviewer; and

displaying a symbol on the display screen in association with the review to indicate to the user that the reviewer purchased the item.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the symbol is a badge.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the symbol is an icon.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

accepting an email address at a time of accepting a purchase of a particular item from a customer; and

using the email address to obtain a review of the particular item.

32. An apparatus for presenting a review of an item to a user, the apparatus comprising:

a processor coupled to a display screen;

a machine readable storage medium including instructions executable by the processor for

detecting an indicator that indicates that the item was purchased by the reviewer; and

displaying a symbol on the display screen in association with the review to indicate to the user that the reviewer also purchased the item.

33. A machine-readable medium including instructions executable by a processor for presenting a review of an item to a user, the machine-readable storage medium including one or more instructions for:

detecting an indicator that indicates that the item was purchased by the reviewer; and

displaying a symbol on a display screen in association with the review to indicate to the user that the reviewer also purchased the item.