Collecting and valuating used items for sale
First Claim
1. A method of aggregating a database of items for sale, comprising:
- activating a web crawler into a plurality of different network sites;
collecting a plurality of data records corresponding to said items for sale from said plurality of different network sites;
validating each of said plurality of data records to confirm that it is a item of the desired type for sale;
normalizing each of said plurality of data records with one of a pre-defined list of identification units; and
providing a user with market price information for a particular condition of a particular item for sale from said items for sale, said market price information based on said plurality of data records from said plurality of different network sites.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Data is collected and aggregated regarding a particular used item for sale, e.g., automobiles, which is in turn validated and normalized with respect to pre-determined identification models. A historical report may be generated to provide an assessment of value based on qualitative information such as mileage and/or location, and may be presented in a multi-axis graphic format. Data records are collected from a plurality of sources over the Internet, and are validated by comparing data field entries in the aggregate data records with data field entries in an established validation database. The validated data records are normalized with respect to a predetermined set or sets of fields by assigning an identification unit to each validated data record. A web crawler to seek out suitable data records relating to the used items that are sought, a search engine is queried to derive a list of suitable high probability target URLs.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method of aggregating a database of items for sale, comprising:
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activating a web crawler into a plurality of different network sites; collecting a plurality of data records corresponding to said items for sale from said plurality of different network sites; validating each of said plurality of data records to confirm that it is a item of the desired type for sale; normalizing each of said plurality of data records with one of a pre-defined list of identification units; and providing a user with market price information for a particular condition of a particular item for sale from said items for sale, said market price information based on said plurality of data records from said plurality of different network sites. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. Apparatus for aggregating a database of items for sale, comprising:
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means for activating a web crawler into a plurality of different network sites; means for collecting a plurality of data records corresponding to said items for sale from a plurality of different network sites; means for validating each of said plurality of data records to confirm that it is a item for sale of the desired type for sale; means for normalizing each of said plurality of data records with one of a pre-defined list of identification units; and means for providing a user with market price information for a particular condition of a particular item for sale from said items for sale, said market price information based on said plurality of data records from said plurality of different network sites. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification