SYSTEM TO MONITOR IRREGULAR ACTIVITY

• US 20090150202A1
• Filed: 02/16/2009
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Ye, Mei, Vogel, Inna
• Granted Patent: US 7,890,383 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/20 Point-of-sale [POS] network systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/201 Price look-up processing, e.g. updating
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/203 Inventory monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0185 Product, service or business identity fraud
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0225 Avoiding frauds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0607 Regulated
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting

Abstract

A computer-implemented method includes receiving item data at a network-based computer system, the item data related to an item categorized in at least a first category of a plurality of categories supported by the network-based computer system and including an item price-based value associated with the item. A category-specific threshold price-based value, for the first category of the plurality of categories supported by the network-based computer system, is automatically determined. The item data is automatically determined to the irregular, based on the item price-based value associated with the item and the category-specific threshold price-based value for the first category of the plurality of categories supported by the network-based computer system. Responsive to the determination that the item data is irregular, an entity associated with the item is restricted from using the network-based computer system.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving item data at a machine of a network-based computer system, the item data related to an item categorized in at least a first category of a plurality of categories supported by the network-based computer system and including an item price-based value associated with the item;

determining a category-specific threshold price-based value of the first category;

automatically determining at the machine that the item data is irregular, based on the item price-based value and the category-specific threshold price-based value; and

responsive to the determination that the item data is irregular, causing the machine to restrict an entity associated with the item from using the network-based computer system.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

communicating an electronic message to the entity associated with the item.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the communicating of the electronic message includes sending an e-mail message to at least one of a seller or a buyer of the item, the e-mail message addressed to an address associated with at least one of the seller or the buyer of the item.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

responsive to the determination that the item data is irregular, setting an irregular item flag of the item data.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 further comprising:

determining that the item data is legitimate; and

responsive to the determination that the item data is legitimate, unsetting the irregular item flag of the item data.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the item price-based value is a price of the item, the price of the item being at least one of a selling price or a bid price.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the item price-based value is a fee set by the network-based computer system based on a selling price of the item.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

removing the item data determined to be irregular from an item database of the network-based computer system.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating a report based on at least one of the item data or an item database of the network-based computer system, the item data determined as irregular.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the category-specific threshold price-based value includes reading the category-specific threshold price-based value from a table of price-based values.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing an entity identification of the entity associated with the item in an irregular entity database.

12. A system comprising:

means for receiving item data at a machine of a network-based computer system, the item data related to an item categorized in at least a first category of a plurality of categories supported by the network-based computer system and including an item price-based value associated with the item;

means for determining a category-specific threshold price-based value of the first category;

means for automatically determining at the machine that the item data is irregular, based on the item price-based value and the category-specific threshold price-based value; and

means, responsive to the determination that the item data is irregular, for causing the machine to restrict an entity associated with the item from using the network-based computer system.

13. A system comprising:

a database to receive and store item data, the item data related to an item categorized in at least a first category of a plurality of categories supported by a network-based computer system and including an item price-based value associated with the item;

a database engine server including an irregular activity monitoring system, the irregular activity monitoring system to;

determine a category-specific threshold price-based value of the first category;

determine that the item data is irregular, based on the item price-based value associated with the item and the category-specific threshold price-based value of the first category; and

responsive to the determination that the item data is irregular, restrict an entity associated with the item from using the network-based computer system.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the irregular activity monitoring system communicates an electronic message to the entity associated with the item.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the irregular activity monitoring system sends an e-mail message to at least one of a seller or a buyer of the item, the e-mail message addressed to an address associated with at least one of the seller or the buyer of the item.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the irregular activity monitoring system, responsive to the determination that the item data is irregular, sets an irregular item flag of the item data.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the irregular activity monitoring system determines that the item data is legitimate;

and responsive to the determination that the item data is legitimate, unsets the irregular item flag of the item data.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the item price-based value is a price of the item, the price of the item being at least one of a selling price or a bid price.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the item price-based value is a fee set by the network-based computer system based on a selling price of the item.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the irregular activity monitoring system removes the item data determined to be irregular from an item database of the network-based computer system.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the irregular activity monitoring system generates a report based on at least one of the item data or an item database of the network-based computer system, the item data determined as irregular.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein the irregular activity monitoring system, in determining the category-specific threshold price-based value, reads the category-specific threshold price-based value from a table of price-based values.

23. The system of claim 13, wherein the irregular activity monitoring system stores an entity identification of the entity associated with the item in an irregular entity database.

24. A machine-readable medium comprising a set of instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of a machine at a network-based computer system, causes the machine to:

receive item data at the network-based computer system, the item data related to an item categorized in at least a first category of a plurality of categories supported by the network-based computer system and including an item price-based value associated with the item;

determine a category-specific threshold price-based value of the first category;

automatically determine at the machine that the item data is irregular, based on the item price-based value and the category-specific threshold price-based value; and

responsive to the determination that the item data is irregular, cause the machine to restrict an entity associated with the item from using the network-based computer system.

25. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving item data at a machine of a network-based computer system, the item data related to an item categorized in at least a first category of a plurality of categories supported by the network-based computer system and including an item price-based value associated with the item;

determining a category-specific threshold price-based value of the first category;

automatically determining at the machine that the item data is irregular, based on the item price-based value and the category-specific threshold price-based value; and

responsive to the determination that the item data is irregular, setting an irregular item flag of the item data.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

responsive to the determination that the item data is irregular, causing the machine to restrict an entity associated with the item from using the network-based computer system.

27. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

storing an entity identification of the entity associated with the item in an irregular entity database.

28. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

communicating an electronic message to an entity associated with the item.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the communicating of the electronic message includes sending an e-mail message to at least one of a seller or a buyer of the item, the e-mail message addressed to an address associated with at least one of the seller or the buyer of the item.

30. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

determining that the item data is legitimate; and

responsive to the determination that the item data is legitimate, unsetting the irregular item flag of the item data.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein the item price-based value is a price of the item, the price of the item being at least one of a selling price or a bid price.

32. The method of claim 25, wherein the item price-based value is a fee set by the network-based computer system based on a selling price of the item.

33. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

removing the item data determined to be irregular from an item database of the network-based computer system.

34. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

generating a report based on at least one of the item data or an item database of a network-based computer system.

35. The method of claim 25, wherein the determining of the category-specific threshold price-based value includes reading the category-specific threshold price-based value from a table of price-based values.

36. A system comprising:

means for receiving item data at a machine of a network-based computer system, the item data related to an item categorized in at least a first category of a plurality of categories supported by the network-based computer system and including an item price-based value associated with the item;

means for determining a category-specific threshold price-based value of the first category;

means for automatically determining at the machine that the item data is irregular, based on the item price-based value and the category-specific threshold price-based value; and

means, responsive to the determination that the item data is irregular, for setting an irregular item flag of the item data.

37. A system comprising:

a database to receive and store item data, the item data related to an item categorized in at least a first category of a plurality of categories supported by a network-based computer system and including an item price-based value associated with the item;

a database engine server including an irregular activity monitoring system, the irregular activity monitoring system to;

determine a category-specific threshold price-based value of the first category;

determine that the item data is irregular, based on the item price-based value associated with the item and the category-specific threshold price-based value of the first category; and

responsive to the determination that the item data is irregular, set an irregular item flag of the item data.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the irregular activity monitoring system restricts an entity associated with the item from using the network-based computer system.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein the irregular activity monitoring system stores an entity identification of the entity associated with the item in an irregular entity database.

40. The system of claim 37, wherein the irregular activity monitoring system communicates an electronic message to an entity associated with the item.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the irregular activity monitoring system sends an e-mail message to at least one of a seller or a buyer of the item, the e-mail message addressed to an address associated with the at least one of the seller or the buyer of the item.

42. The system of claim 37, wherein the irregular activity monitoring system determines that the item data is legitimate;

and responsive to the determination that the item data is legitimate, unsets the irregular item flag of the item data.

43. The system of claim 37, wherein the item price-based value is a price of the item, the price of the item being at least one of a selling price or a bid price.

44. The system of claim 37, wherein the item price-based value is a fee set by the network-based computer system based on a selling price of the item.

45. The system of claim 37, wherein the irregular activity monitoring system removes the item data determined to be irregular from an item database of the network-based computer system.

46. The system of claim 37, wherein the irregular activity monitoring system generates a report based on at least one of the item data or an item database of the network-based computer system, the item data determined as irregular.

47. The system of claim 37, wherein the irregular activity monitoring system, in determining the category-specific threshold price-based value, reads the category-specific threshold price-based value from a table of price-based values.

48. A machine-readable medium comprising a set of instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of a machine at a network-based computer system, causes the machine to:

receive item data at the network-based computer system, the item data related to an item categorized in at least a first category of a plurality of categories supported by the network-based computer system and including an item price-based value associated with the item;

determine a category-specific threshold price-based value of the first category;

automatically determine at the machine that the item data is irregular, based on the item price-based value and the category-specific threshold price-based value; and

responsive to the determination that the item data is irregular, set an irregular item flag of the item data.