METHOD AND SYSTEM CONFIGURED TO ASSESS A FEE FOR COMMUNICATION FACILITATION REGARDING PUBLICATION INFORMATION

• US 20130007631A1
• Filed: 07/18/2012
• Published: 01/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2007
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Zacarias, Arturo Manuel, Shirk, Valerie K., Stuart, Erik Anderson
• Granted Patent: US 10,269,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/748
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A method and system are configured to assess a fee for communication facilitation. An electronic publication system includes a publication module configured to generate a user interface. The user interface includes search result information associated with a first entity and communication initiation information associated with the first entity. The communication initiation information includes identification information configured to identify a contact module of the first entity. The communication initiation information may be selectable to facilitate communication with the first entity. The publication system also includes a receiving module configured to receive a lead data record from a communication system for communication between the first entity and a second entity via the contact module. The publication system also includes a fee assessment module configured to receive the lead data record and to assess a fee to the first entity.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a publication module configured to generate a user interface that includes search result information associated with a first entity and communication initiation information associated with the first entity,

the communication initiation information identifying a first contact module at a first computer system of the first entity, the first contact module having a contact module type,

the communication initiation information being selectable to facilitate a communication between the first contact module and a second contact module at a second computer system of a second entity; and

a processor configured by a fee assessment module to assess a fee to the first entity upon selection of the communication initiation information and based on the contact module type of the first contact module at the first computer system of the first entity.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a receiving module configured to receive a lead data record that stores a characteristic of the communication between the first contact module and the second contact module; and

wherein

the fee assessment module configures the processor to assess the fee based on the lead data record.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first contact module is hosted by the first computer; and

the first computer hosts a browser application that displays the generated user interface that includes the communication initiation information.

3. A method comprising:

generating a user interface that includes search result information associated with a first entity and communication initiation information associated with the first entity,

the communication initiation information identifying a first contact module at a first computer of the first entity,

the first contact module having a contact module type,

the communication initiation information being selectable to facilitate a communication between the first contact module and a second contact module at a second computer of a second entity; and

assessing a fee to the first entity upon selection of the communication initiation information and based on the contact module type of the first contact module at the first computer of the first entity, the assessing of the fee being performed by a processor of a machine.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

receiving a lead data record that stores a characteristic of the communication between the first contact module and the second contact module; and

wherein

the assessing of the fee is based on the received lead data record.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein:

the communication initiation information includes an electronic mail link that at least initially hides an associated electronic mail address of the first entity.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein:

the communication initiation information includes an instant messaging link that at least initially hides an associated instant messaging name of the first entity.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein:

the communication initiation information includes a telephone call link that at least initially hides an associated telephone number of the first entity.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein:

the contact module type is selected from a group consisting of an electronic message module type, an instant message module type, and a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) module type.

9. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

tracking a duration of the communication between the first contact module and the second contact module; and

wherein

the assessing of the fee is based on the tracked duration of the communication between the first contact module and the second contact module.

10. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

sending information regarding the second entity to the first entity,

the sent information being selected from a group consisting of reputation information, feedback information, the previous purchase category, a previous selling category, demographic information, contact information, and user information.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein:

the search result information includes a search result among multiple search results generated in response to a search query; and

the communication initiation information is associated with the search result among the multiple search results generated in response to the search query.

12. The method of claim 3, wherein:

the communication initiation information includes an icon that is selectable to invoke the first contact module to initiate the communication between the first contact module and the second contact module.

13. The method of claim 3, wherein:

the communication initiation information includes a locater that identifies the first contact module at the first computer.

14. The method of claim 3, wherein:

the assessing of the fee is based on a monitored characteristic of the communication between the first contact module and the second contact module.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the monitored characteristic indicates that the communication is initiated and received; and

the assessing of the fee is based on the communication being initiated and received.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the monitored characteristic indicates that the communication has a duration that exceeds a minimum length; and

the assessing of the fee is based on the communication having the duration that exceeds the minimum length.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the monitored characteristic indicates that the communication contains content that exceeds a minimum number of characters; and

the assessing of the fee is based on the communication containing the content that exceeds the minimum number of characters.

19. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

generating a user interface that includes search result information associated with a first entity and communication initiation information associated with the first entity,

the communication initiation information identifying a first contact module at a first computer of the first entity, the first contact module having a contact module type,

the communication initiation information being selectable to facilitate a communication between the first contact module and a second contact module at a second computer of a second entity; and

assessing a fee to the first entity upon selection of the communication initiation information and based on the contact module type of the first contact module at the first computer of the first entity,

the assessing of the fee being performed by the one or more processors of the machine.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a lead data record that stores a characteristic of the communication between the first contact module and the second contact module; and

wherein

the assessing of the fee is based on the received lead data record.

21. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise:

tracking a duration of the communication between the first contact module and the second contact module; and

wherein

the assessing of the fee is based on the tracked duration of the communication between the first contact module and the second contact module.