METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PLATINUM DATABASE

• US 20080183598A1
• Filed: 01/22/2008
• Published: 07/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bright IP Holder LLC
• Original Assignee: Metropolitan Regional Information Systems Incorporated (Bright MLS)
• Inventors: CARR, Rick, Delgaudio, Michael, Moon, Elizabeth, Davis, Elizabeth, Halladay, Patrick, Petch, Gregg, O'Sullivan, Margaret, McAvey, Heather
• Granted Patent: US 7,881,948 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/16 Real estate

Abstract

A method and system for providing real estate information to users, tailored to requirements and fields relating to the location of the property. A single repository, such as a database or database farm, is used with middle tier software on servers on a network, such as the Internet, to provide information to users via user terminals coupled to the network, for particular properties, and to receive information for properties for addition to the database. Information and fields specific to locations are input to the system via a system operator. User terminals utilize either downloaded software to interact with the middle tier, or a network browser. In one variation, the middle tier software is based upon an open standard, such as an open Application Program Interface standard, so as to allow access for a variety of terminal types and software.

Claims

1. A method for receiving location specific information relating to real estate property via a network, comprising:

receiving locale specific criteria related to a property listing, the locale specific criteria entered using a core attribute field and a locale attribute field linked to the core attribute field, wherein the core attribute field contains attributes relating to a large number of locations, and the locale attribute field comprises attributes specific to a certain location, and wherein the locale attribute field is nested under the core attribute field as part of a hierarchy in a single database schema, such that data relevant to a location of the listed property is received and presentable in a format based on the locale specific criteria or a locale specific user identification; and

storing the core attribute field and the attribute field related to the property listing in the single database schema.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the location specific field comprises a locale adjustable display name, wherein the locale adjustable display name is configured to allow the location specific field to be labeled in more than one way depending on the locale.

2. A system for receiving location specific information relating to real estate property via a network, comprising:

a server coupled to a network;

a single database schema accessible by the server;

a user terminal coupled to the network; and

an application coupled to the server, the application configured for;

receiving locale specific criteria related to a property listing, the locale specific criteria entered using a core attribute field and a locale attribute field linked to the core attribute field, wherein the core attribute field contains attributes relating to a large number of locations, and the locale attribute field comprises attributes specific to a certain location, and wherein the locale attribute field is nested under the core attribute field as part of a hierarchy in a single database schema; and

storing the core attribute field and the locale attribute field related to the property listing in the single database schema;

such that a user is able to discover the core attribute field and the locale attribute field for the property listing in a format based on the locale specific criteria or a locale specific user identification.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the location specific field comprises a locale adjustable display name, wherein the locale adjustable display name is configured to allow the location specific field to be labeled in more than one way depending on the locale.

3. A method for receiving location specific information relating to real estate property via a network, comprising:

means for receiving locale specific criteria related to a property listing, the locale specific criteria entered using a core attribute field and a locale attribute field linked to the core attribute field, wherein the core attribute field contains attributes relating to a large number of locations, and the locale attribute field comprises attributes specific to a certain location, and wherein the locale attribute field is nested under the core attribute field as part of a hierarchy in a single database schema, and

means for storing the core attribute field and the locale attribute field related to the property listing in the single database schema;

such that a user is able to discover the core attribute field and the locale attribute field for the property listing in a format based on the locale specific criteria or a locale specific user identification.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the location specific field comprises a locale adjustable display name, wherein the locale adjustable display name is configured to allow the location specific field to be labeled in more than one way depending on the locale.

7. A system for receiving location specific information relating to real estate property via a network, the system comprising:

a server coupled to a network;

a single database schema accessible by the server;

a user terminal coupled to the network; and

an application coupled to the server, the application configured for;

receiving locale specific criteria, the locale specific criteria comprising a locale adjustable display name, wherein the adjustable display name is configured to allow a search result to be labeled in more than one way depending on the locale;

storing the locale specific criteria, the locale specific criteria entered using a core attribute field and a locale attribute field linked to the core attribute field, wherein the core attribute field contains attributes relating to a large number of locations, and the locale attribute field comprises attributes specific to a certain location, and wherein the locale attribute field is nested under the core attribute field as part of a hierarchy in a single database schema;

such that a user is able to discover the core attribute field and the attribute field for the property listing in a format based on the locale specific criteria or a locale specific user identification.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the location specific field comprises a core attribute field and a locale attribute field linked to the core attribute field, wherein the core attribute field contains attributes relating to a large number of locations, and the locale attribute field comprises attributes specific to a certain location, and wherein the locale attribute field is nested under the core attribute field as part of a hierarchy in a single database schema.

8. A method for receiving location specific information relating to real estate property via a network, the method comprising:

receiving locale specific criteria, the locale specific criteria comprising a locale adjustable display name, wherein the adjustable display name is configured to allow a search result to be labeled in more than one way depending on the locale;

storing the locale specific criteria using a core attribute field and a locale attribute field linked to the core attribute field, wherein the core attribute field contains attributes relating to a large number of locations, and the locale attribute field comprises attributes specific to a certain location, and wherein the locale attribute field is nested under the core attribute field as part of a hierarchy in a single database schema;

such that a user is able to discover the core attribute field and the attribute field for the property listing in a format based on the locale specific criteria or a locale specific user identification.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the location specific field comprises a core attribute field and a locale attribute field linked to the core attribute field, wherein the core attribute field contains attributes relating to a large number of locations, and the locale attribute field comprises attributes specific to a certain location, and wherein the locale attribute field is nested under the core attribute field as part of a hierarchy in a single database schema.

9. A method for receiving location specific information relating to real estate property via a network, the method comprising:

means for receiving locale specific criteria, the locale specific criteria comprising a locale adjustable display name, wherein the adjustable display name is configured to allow the location specific field to be labeled in more than one way depending on the locale; and

the locale specific criteria entered using a core attribute field and a locale attribute field linked to the core attribute field, wherein the core attribute field contains attributes relating to a large number of locations, and the locale attribute field comprises attributes specific to a certain location, and wherein the locale attribute field is nested under the core attribute field as part of a hierarchy in a single database schema;

such that a user is able to discover the core attribute field and the locale attribute field for the property listing in a format based on the locale specific criteria or a locale specific user identification.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the location specific field comprises a core attribute field and a locale attribute field linked to the core attribute field, wherein the core attribute field contains attributes relating to a large number of locations, and the locale attribute field comprises attributes specific to a certain location, and wherein the locale attribute field is nested under the core attribute field as part of a hierarchy in a single database schema.