Systems and Methods to Present Search Results of Business Listings

• US 20090307018A1
• Filed: 06/06/2008
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thryv, Inc. (Mudrick Capital Management LP)
• Original Assignee: YellowPages.com LLC (Mudrick Capital Management LP)
• Inventors: Nebrich, Samantha, Chappell, Stephen, Lieske, Jay H. JR.
• Granted Patent: US 8,700,447 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0635 Risk analysis of enterprise or organisation activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided to facilitate the presentation of listings according to levels of user interest in the listings. For example, statistics generated from tracking user interactions with the listings and/or other parameters can be used to measure or estimate a level of current user interest in a listing. Listings in search results can be presented in an order according to the levels of current user interest in the listings.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

storing a plurality of listings;

presenting subsets of the listings to users in response to requests from the users;

monitoring a plurality of types of user interactions with the presented subsets to determine levels of current interest in the listings; and

responsive to a search request from a first user, selecting a first subset of the listings according to the search request and presenting the first subset to the first user in an order according to levels of current interest in the selected subset.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

computing the levels of current interest in the listings based on a weighted sum of selection percentile, average user rating, and advertiser value of corresponding listings.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the listings provide contact information of business entities.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the listings provide location information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the subsets are presented to the users on mobile communication devices;

and the user interactions with the subsets on the mobile communication devices are monitored to determine levels of current interest among users of the mobile communication devices in the listings.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the mobile communication devices comprise radios for at least one of:

cellular communications, wireless local area networking, and wireless personal area networking; and

the subsets are presented on the mobile communication devices via the radios.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the search request includes a preprogrammed search criterion.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the search request excludes user specified search criteria.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the search request is based on a location of the user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the subsets of the listings are presented to the users of a predetermined category;

and responsive to the first user of the predetermined category, the subset is presented to the first user in the order according to the levels of current interest in the selected subset.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the predetermined category is based on a type of mobile device used for presentation of the subsets.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interactions are weighted according to a social distance to the first user to determine the levels of current interest in the selected subset for presentation to the first user.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of user interactions includes bookmarking a listing or adding a listing to favorites.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of user interactions includes communicating a listing for sharing with a different user.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of user interactions includes planning an event using a listing.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of user interactions includes obtaining a driving direction to a location identified by a listing.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of user interactions includes providing a user rating above a threshold to a listing or providing an evaluation of a business of a listing.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of user interactions includes performing a search using a name of a listing or using a listing to specify a location of interest.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of user interactions includes making a reservation or purchase via a listing.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of user interactions includes viewing detailed information about a business of a listing or viewing a location of a listing on a map.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of user interactions includes making a phone call to a business identified by a listing or sending a message to the business identified by the listing.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of user interactions includes visiting a website of a business identified by a listing.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of user interactions includes a second user viewing, forwarding, responding to, or investigating a message concerning a listing shared by the first user.

24. A machine readable media storing instructions, the instructions causing a data processing system to perform a method, the method comprising:

storing a plurality of listings;

providing subsets of the listings to users in response to search requests from the users;

tracking a plurality of types of user interactions with the subsets to determine levels of interest in the listings; and

responsive to a search request from a first user, selecting a first subset of the listings according to the search request and presenting the first subset to the first user in an order according to levels of interest in the selected subset.

25. A data processing system, comprising:

means for storing a plurality of listings;

means for providing subsets of the listings to users in response to search requests from the users;

means for monitoring a plurality of types of user interactions with the presented subsets to determine levels of current interest in the listings; and

means for selecting a first subset of the listings according to a search request received from a first user and for providing the first subset to the first user for presentation in an order according to levels of current interest in the selected subset.