TRANSACTION INFORMATION BASED MEET-UPS

• US 20100081457A1
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Published: 04/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Jain, Manish, Jerome, Ceri Stuart
• Application Number:
  US12/242,593
• Publication Number:
  US 20100081457A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.300
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1818 Conference organisation arrangements, e.g. handling schedules, setting up parameters needed by nodes to attend a conference, booking network resources, notifying involved parties

Abstract

A computerized method and system for organizing meet-ups based on transaction information are provided. Example embodiments may include receiving a selection of a geographic area from a first user and displaying a map of the geographic area including one or more item symbols. A location of an item symbol on the map may indicate a geographic location associated with a listing in a publication system. A designation of an event location to an event may be received from the first user. Information related to the event may be communicated to a number of invitees. The invitees may be related to one or more listings in the publication system associated with an inclusion zone defined by the first user.

Claims

1. A computerized method comprising:

receiving a selection of a geographic area from a first user;

displaying a map of the geographic area selected by the first user, the map including a plurality of item symbols, a location of an item symbol on the map indicating a geographic location associated with a listing in a publication system;

receiving a designation of an event location to an event from the first user; and

communicating information related to the event to a plurality of invitees, the invitees being related to at least one listing in said publication system associated with an inclusion zone.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the event includes a meet-up.

3. The method of claim 1, further including allowing a second user to join the event.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographic area includes at least one of a country, a county, or a city.

5. The method of claim 1, further including displaying an event symbol at a location on the map associated with the event location.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the event symbol includes an icon representing at least one of the event location, or a schedule of the event.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the schedule of the event is received from the first user.

8. The method of claim 6, further including displaying additional information related to the event in response to the second user activating the icon.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the additional information includes a meet-up schedule when an activated icon represents the event location.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the additional information includes a date and a time associated with the event when the activated icon represents the schedule of the event.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the additional information includes a list of listings participating in the event when the activated icon represents the schedule of the event.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein an invitee is at least one of a buyer or a seller of a listing for which there is an associated address within the inclusion zone.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the inclusion zone defines an area surrounding the event location within a predefined radius designated by the first user.

14. The method of claim 1, further including promoting the event via at least one of messaging, posting in a forum, or posting in the publication system.

15. A system comprising:

a user interface module to receive a selection of a geographic area from a first user;

a display module to display a map of the geographic area selected by the first user, the map including a plurality of item symbols, a location of an item symbol on the map indicating a geographic location associated with a listing in a publication system;

a receiving module to receive a designation of an event location to an event from the first user; and

a communication module to communicate information related to the event to a plurality of invitees, the invitees being related to at least one listing in said publication system associated with an inclusion zone.

16. The system of claim 15, further including a database server to retrieve from a database geographic location information associated with a plurality of listings in the publication system.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the display module is to display an event symbol at a location on the map associated with the event location.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the receiving module is to receive a schedule of the event from the first user.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the display module is to display additional information related to the event in response to the second user activating the event symbol.

20. The system of claim 15, further including a promotion module to promote the event via at least one of messaging, posting in a forum, or posting in the publication system.

21. A system comprising:

means for receiving a selection of a geographic area from a first user;

means for displaying a map of the geographic area selected by the first user, the map including a plurality of item symbols, a location of an item symbol on the map indicating a geographic location associated with a listing in a publication system;

means for receiving a designation of an event location to an event from the first user;

means for displaying an event symbol at a location on the map associated with the event location; and

means for communicating information related to the event to a plurality of invitees, the invitees being related to at least one listing in said publication system associated with an inclusion zone.

22. The system of claim 21, further including means for displaying an event symbol at a location on the map associated with the event location, wherein the event symbol includes an icon representing at least one of the event location or a schedule of the event.

23. The system of claim 22, further including means for displaying additional information related to the event in response to a second user activating the icon, wherein the additional information includes a date and a time associated with the event when the activated icon represents the schedule of the event.

24. A machine-readable medium comprising instructions, which when executed on a machine, perform the following operations:

receiving a selection of a geographic area from a first user;

displaying a map of the geographic area selected by the first user, the map including a plurality of item symbols, a location of an item symbol on the map indicating a geographic location associated with a listing in a publication system;

receiving a designation of an event location to an event from the first user;

displaying an event symbol at a location on the map associated with the event location, the event symbol including an icon representing at least one of the event location, or a schedule of the event.

communicating information related to the event to a plurality of invitees, the invitees being related to at least one listing in said publication system associated with an inclusion zone.

25. The system of claim 24, further including displaying additional information related to the event in response to a second user activating the icon, wherein the additional information includes a date and a time associated with the event when the activated icon represents the schedule of the event.