SYSTEM AND METHOD ENABLING SEARCHING FOR ITEMS, LISTINGS, OR PRODUCTS BASED ON LISTING ACTIVITY

• US 20110029408A1
• Filed: 07/28/2009
• Published: 02/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Pham, Vinh Thu, Shusterman, Richard Aaron Neal
• Granted Patent: US 10,055,786 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

A system and method for providing a listing activity engine for online computer users is disclosed. A particular embodiment includes: accessing a plurality of listings corresponding to items offered on a host site; accessing listing activity level information related to the plurality of listings, the listing activity level information including information indicative of a number of times particular listings of the plurality of listings were viewed or activated; producing search results that include only matched listings of the plurality of listings that were viewed or activated a number of times less than a pre-determined listing activity threshold; and displaying the search results to a user.

Claims

1. A method, including:

accessing a plurality of listings corresponding to items offered on a host site;

accessing listing activity level information related to the plurality of listings, the listing activity level information including information indicative of a number of times particular listings of the plurality of listings were viewed or activated;

producing search results that include only matched listings of the plurality of listings that were viewed or activated a number of times less than a pre-determined listing activity threshold; and

displaying the search results to a user.

2. The method of claim 1, including filtering a search result to produce the search results that include only matched listings of the plurality of listings that were viewed or activated a number of times less than a pre-determined listing activity threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, including initially configuring a search engine to produce the search results that include only matched listings of the plurality of listings that were viewed or activated a number of times less than a pre-determined listing activity threshold.

4. The method of claim 1, including initially configuring a widget to produce the search results that include only matched listings of the plurality of listings that were viewed or activated a number of times less than a pre-determined listing activity threshold.

5. The method of claim 1, including charging the user for use of functionality to produce the search results that include only matched listings of the plurality of listings that were viewed or activated a number of times less than a pre-determined listing activity threshold.

6. The method of claim 1, including charging the user for exclusive use for a pre-determined duration of functionality to produce the search results that include only matched listings of the plurality of listings that were viewed or activated a number of times less than a pre-determined listing activity threshold.

7. The method of claim 1, including providing a user interface object to enable the user to select a production of search results that include only matched listings of the plurality of listings that were viewed a number of times less than a pre-determined listing activity threshold but not activated.

8. A system, comprising:

a processor;

a network interface, coupled to the processor, to communicate with a server in a data network; and

a listing activity module, executable by the processor, to access a plurality of listings corresponding to items offered on a host site;

access listing activity level information related to the plurality of listings, the listing activity level information including information indicative of a number of times particular listings of the plurality of listings were viewed or activated;

produce search results that include only matched listings of the plurality of listings that were viewed or activated a number of times less than a pre-determined listing activity threshold; and

display the search results to a user.

9. The system of claim 8, being further configured to filter a search result to produce the search results that include only matched listings of the plurality of listings that were viewed or activated a number of times less than a pre-determined listing activity threshold.

10. The system of claim 8, being further configured to initially configure a search engine to produce the search results that include only matched listings of the plurality of listings that were viewed or activated a number of times less than a pre-determined listing activity threshold.

11. The system of claim 8, being further configured to initially configure a widget to produce the search results that include only matched listings of the plurality of listings that were viewed or activated a number of times less than a pre-determined listing activity threshold.

12. The system of claim 8, being further configured to charge the user for use of functionality to produce the search results that include only matched listings of the plurality of listings that were viewed or activated a number of times less than a pre-determined listing activity threshold.

13. The system of claim 8, being further configured to charge the user for exclusive use for a pre-determined duration of functionality to produce the search results that include only matched listings of the plurality of listings that were viewed or activated a number of times less than a pre-determined listing activity threshold.

14. The system of claim 8, being further configured to provide a user interface object to enable the user to select a production of search results that include only matched listings of the plurality of listings that were viewed a number of times less than a pre-determined listing activity threshold but not activated.

15. A machine-useable medium embodying instructions which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

access a plurality of listings corresponding to items offered on a host site;

access listing activity level information related to the plurality of listings, the listing activity level information including information indicative of a number of times particular listings of the plurality of listings were viewed or activated;

produce search results that include only matched listings of the plurality of listings that were viewed or activated a number of times less than a pre-determined listing activity threshold; and

display the search results to a user.

16. The machine-useable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions being further configured to cause the machine to filter a search result to produce the search results that include only matched listings of the plurality of listings that were viewed or activated a number of times less than a pre-determined listing activity threshold.

17. The machine-useable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions being further configured to cause the machine to initially configure a search engine to produce the search results that include only matched listings of the plurality of listings that were viewed or activated a number of times less than a pre-determined listing activity threshold.

18. The machine-useable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions being further configured to cause the machine to initially configure a widget to produce the search results that include only matched listings of the plurality of listings that were viewed or activated a number of times less than a pre-determined listing activity threshold.

19. The machine-useable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions being further configured to cause the machine to charge a user for use of functionality to produce the search results that include only matched listings of the plurality of listings that were viewed or activated a number of times less than a pre-determined listing activity threshold.

20. The machine-useable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions being further configured to cause the machine to charge a user for exclusive use for a pre-determined duration of functionality to produce the search results that include only matched listings of the plurality of listings that were viewed or activated a number of times less than a pre-determined listing activity threshold.

21. The machine-useable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions being further configured to cause the machine to provide a user interface object to enable a user to select a production of search results that include only matched listings of the plurality of listings that were viewed a number of times less than a pre-determined listing activity threshold but not activated.