ACQUISITION OF ITEMS OFFERED FOR PURCHASE ONLINE THROUGH A GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM

• US 20100211481A1
• Filed: 05/03/2010
• Published: 08/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Pandurangan, Senthil K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,463,655 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 Item locations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

In an example embodiment, a method is provided. The method may comprise receiving an item identifier from a global positioning system (GPS) apparatus. Data associated with the item identifier is accessed and transmitted to a initiate a purchase of the item. In some embodiments, a voice portal may be used to facilitate the purchase.

Claims

1. A global positioning system (GPS) apparatus, comprising:

a memory configured to store an auction mapping application programming interface (API) module; and

a processor in communication with the memory, the processor being configured to execute the auction mapping API module, the auction mapping API module comprising;

a GPS interface module to receive a location of the GPS apparatus;

an API services module to;

receive a search query associated with an online auction;

transmit a request for auction data, the request including the search query and the location of the GPS apparatus; and

receive the auction data that includes a location of an auction item; and

a location plotter module to display the location of the auction item on a map.

2. The GPS apparatus of claim 1, wherein the location of the GPS apparatus is defined by a longitude and a latitude.

3. The GPS apparatus of claim 1, wherein the API services module to further:

receive a selection of the auction item, the auction item being identified by an auction item identifier; and

transmit the auction item identifier to an online auction server.

4. The GPS apparatus of claim 1, wherein the auction item offered for purchase.

5. The GPS apparatus of claim 1, wherein transmitting the request for auction data including the location of the GPS apparatus includes transmitting a location of the GPS apparatus as specified through received user input.

6. The GPS apparatus of claim 1, wherein the API services modules is further operable to:

receive auction item selection input of an auction item plotted on a displayed map; and

transmit a purchase request for the selected auction item.

7. The GPS apparatus of claim 1, wherein the GPS apparatus is a mobile telephone.

8. A graphical user interface (GUI), comprising:

a map;

a first region identifying an auction item, a position of the first region relative to the map identifying a location of the auction item; and

a second region displaying auction data associated with the auction item, a portion of the second region enabling a selection of the auction item to acquire.

9. The GUI of claim 8, wherein the portion of the second region enables initialization of a call to a telephone number through a single input command.

10. The GUI of claim 8, wherein the second region is generated in response to a selection of the first region.

11. A system comprising:

a global positioning system (GPS) apparatus configured to;

receive a selection of an auction item, the auction item being identified by an auction item identifier; and

transmit the auction item identifier to an online auction server; and

the online auction server in communication with the GPS apparatus, the online auction server being configured to;

receive the auction item identifier from the GPS apparatus;

access auction data associated with the auction item identifier; and

transmit the auction data to a voice portal server.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the GPS apparatus is further configured to:

receive a search query associated with an online auction;

transmit a request for the auction data to the online auction server, the request including the search query and a location of the GPS apparatus;

receive the auction data that includes a location of the auction item; and

display the location of the auction item on a map.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising the voice portal server in communication with the online auction server, the voice portal server being configured to call a telephone number and to receive a request to acquire the auction item.

14. A method comprising:

receiving, via an input mechanism of a device, a search query associated with items offered for purchase;

transmitting, via a network, a request based on the received search query for data associated with the items offered for purchase;

receiving, via the network, the requested data associated with items offered for purchase, the data including a location of each of item offered for purchase represented in the received data; and

plotting on a map an item identifier for each item offered for purchase based on the location data of the respective item offered for purchase.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a location input; and

wherein the transmitting the request based on the received search query further includes the location input.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving the location input includes receiving input from user.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the location input is received from a GPS receiver.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a selection of an item identifier of an item offered for purchase; and

transmitting data identifying the selected item to initiate a purchase of the item.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the method is performed on a mobile telephone.