METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR DERIVING DEMAND METRICS USED IN ORDERING ITEM LISTINGS PRESENTED IN A SEARCH RESULTS PAGE

• US 20100262600A1
• Filed: 06/01/2009
• Published: 10/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Julie Netzloff, Ken Sun, Muhammad Faisal Rehman, Olivier G. Dumon, Ryan Mcdonald
• Original Assignee: Julie Netzloff, Ken Sun, Muhammad Faisal Rehman, Olivier G. Dumon, Ryan Mcdonald
• Inventors: Sun, Ken, Rehman, Muhammad Faisal, Dumon, Olivier G., McDonald, Ryan, Netzloff, Julie
• Application Number:
  US12/476,127
• Publication Number:
  US 20100262600A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/725
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90335 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0629 for generating comparisons
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations

Abstract

Methods and systems for using a half-life formula for deriving demand metrics used in ordering item listings, when presenting those item listings in a search results page, are described. In some embodiments, a demand metric for an item listing is derived by monitoring events associated with item listings, such as, keeping a count of the number of search impressions an item listing receives. A half-life formula is used to ensure that events occurring earlier in time contribute less to the demand metric than more recently occurring events. The demand metric are used to order the item listings, when the item listings are being presented in a search results page.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

processing a search query to identify item listings satisfying the search query;

deriving for each item listing satisfying the search query a demand metric using a half life formula such that a value for an event contributing to the demand metric is reduced over time, as determined by the half life formula; and

presenting the item listings satisfying the search query in a search results page ordered at least in part based on the corresponding demand metric for each item listing.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein an event contributing to the demand metric is selected from the group:

a search impression, a view, a bid, a transaction, and a watch list.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the half life formula has a configurable parameter representing the number of days until the value of an event contributing to the demand metric is reduced by half.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the configurable parameter is configurable on a per item category basis.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein presenting the item listings satisfying the search query in a search results page ordered at least in part based on the corresponding demand metric for each item listing includes generating a list of the item listings satisfying the search query ordered based in part on the demand metric assigned to each item listing such that the item listing assigned the highest demand metric is first in the list and the item listing assigned the lowest demand metric is last in the list.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the demand metric is used in calculating a ranking score assigned to each item listing satisfying the query, the ranking score used to order the item listings when presenting the item listings in the search results page.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein an event contributing to the demand metric is selected from the group:

a search impression, a view, a bid, a transaction, and a watch list.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the half life formula has a configurable parameter representing the number of days until the value of an event contributing to the demand metric is reduced by half.

10. The system of claim 3, wherein the configurable parameter is configurable on a per item category basis.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the hardware-implemented item listing presentation management module is further configured to generate a list of the item listings satisfying the search query ordered based in part on the demand metric assigned to each item listing such that the item listing assigned the highest demand metric is first in the list and the item listing assigned the lowest demand metric is last in the list.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the demand metric is used in calculating a ranking score assigned to each item listing satisfying the query, the ranking score used to order the item listings when presenting the item listings in the search results page.

7. A system comprising:

a hardware-implemented item listing presentation management module configured to i) process a search query to identify item listings satisfying the search query, ii) derive for each item listing satisfying the search query a demand metric using a half life formula such that a value for an event contributing to the demand metric is reduced over time, as determined by the half life formula, and iii) present the item listings satisfying the search query in a search results page ordered at least in part based on the corresponding demand metric for each item listing.

13. A server comprising:

a memory storing instructions executable by a processor, the processor configured to execute the instructions causing the server to perform a method comprising;

processing a search query to identify item listings satisfying the search query;

deriving for each item listing satisfying the search query a demand metric using a half life formula such that a value for an event contributing to the demand metric is reduced over time, as determined by the half life formula;

presenting the item listings satisfying the search query in a search results page ordered at least in part based on the corresponding demand metric for each item listing.

14. The server of claim 13, wherein an event contributing to the demand metric is selected from the group:

a search impression, a view, a bid, a transaction, and a watch list.

15. The server of claim 13, wherein the half life formula has a configurable parameter representing the number of days until the value of an event contributing to the demand metric is reduced by half.

16. The server of claim 15, wherein the configurable parameter is configurable on a per item category basis.

17. The server of claim 13, wherein presenting the item listings satisfying the search query in a search results page ordered at least in part based on the corresponding demand metric for each item listing includes generating a list of the item listings satisfying the search query ordered based in part on the demand metric assigned to each item listing such that the item listing assigned the highest demand metric is first in the list and the item listing assigned the lowest demand metric is last in the list.

18. The server of claim 13, wherein the demand metric is used in calculating a ranking score assigned to each item listing satisfying the query, the ranking score used to order the item listings when presenting the item listings in the search results page.