Method and apparatus for facilitating user registration in an on-line auction environment

• US 7,373,312 B1
• Filed: 12/04/2000
• Issued: 05/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Poon, Alex D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fadok; Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Airapetian; Mila
• Application Number:
  US09/730,034
• Time in Patent Office: 2,717 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/14
• US Class Current: 705/26.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0609 Buyer or seller confidence or verification
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

A method and apparatus for facilitating user registration in a network-based transaction facility are described. According to one embodiment, a user associated with a registration process in the network-based transaction facility is identified, and a verification rating is assigned to the user based on the accuracy of the registration information submitted by the user during the registration process. If the verification rating exceeds a predetermined threshold, the user is registered with the network-based transaction facility.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating user registration in a network-based facility, the method comprising:

identifying, in the network-based facility, a user associated with a registration process within the network-based facility;

assigning, in the network-based facility, a verification rating to the user based on accuracy of registration information submitted by the user during the registration process; and

registering the user with the network-based facility if the verification rating exceeds a predetermined threshold, to allow the user to interact with other users in the network-based facility, wherein the predetermined threshold is varied based on whether the user is a corporation or an individual.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein assigning the verification rating further comprises:

performing a set of validity checks on the registration information of the user;

determining a result of each validity check within the set of validity checks; and

calculating the verification rating based on the result of each validity check.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein each validity check verifies validity of a corresponding piece of the registration information of the user.

4. The method of claim 2 further comprising utilizing a set of verification rules to define the set of validity checks, and translating the result of each validity check into a numerical value.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

creating a verification detail record using the result of each validity check; and

storing the verification detail record in a database.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing the verification rating of the user in a database.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the registration information comprises demographic information of the user.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

maintaining a database of valid demographic information; and

determining whether demographic information entered by the user matches any of the valid demographic information from the database.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the valid demographic information defines correlation between a plurality of area codes and a plurality of location information.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein each of the plurality of location information includes any one of the group comprising country information, zip code information, state information, city information, time zone information, latitude information, and longitude information.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the valid demographic information defines correlation between a plurality of area codes and a plurality of location information.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing user interface information to the user via a communications network, the user interface information specifying a registration interface for obtaining registration information of the user.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the network-based facility comprises a network-based auction facility.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the registering is to allow the user to conduct sale and purchase transactions with other users in the network-based auction facility.

13. A system for facilitating user registration in a network-based facility, the system comprising:

means for identifying, in the network-based facility, a user associated with a registration process within the network-based facility;

means for assigning, in the network-based facility, a verification rating to the user based on accuracy of registration information submitted by the user during the registration process; and

means for registering the user with the network-based facility if the verification rating exceeds a predetermined threshold, to allow the user to interact with other users in the network-based facility, wherein the predetermined threshold is varied based on whether the user is a corporation or an individual.

29. The system of claim 13, wherein the network-based facility comprises a network-based auction facility.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the means for registering is to allow the user to conduct sale and purchase transactions with other users in the network-based auction facility.

14. An apparatus for facilitating user registration in a network-based facility, the apparatus comprising:

an identification function to identify, in the network-based facility, a user associated with a registration process within the network-based facility;

a set of verification rules to assign, in the network-based facility, a verification rating to the user based on accuracy of registration information submitted by the user during the registration process; and

a registration function to register the user with the network-based facility if the verification rating exceeds a predetermined threshold, to allow the user to interact with other users in the network-based facility, wherein the predetermined threshold is varied based on whether the user is a corporation or an individual.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the registration function is to perform a set of validity checks on the registration information of the user, to determine a result of each validity check within the set of validity checks, and to calculate the verification rating based on the result of each validity check.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein each validity check verifies validity of a corresponding piece of the registration information of the user.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the registration function is to further utilize a set of verification rules for defining the set of validity checks, and to translate the result of each validity check into a numerical value.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the registration function is to further create a verification detail record using the result of each validity check, and to store the verification detail record in a database.

19. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising a database to store the verification rating of the user.

20. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the registration information comprises demographic information of the user.

21. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising a database of valid demographic information, and wherein the registration module is to further determine whether demographic information entered by the user matches any of the valid demographic information from the database.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the valid demographic information defines correlation between a plurality of area codes and a plurality of location information.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein each of the plurality of location information includes any one of the group comprising country information, zip code information, state information, city information, time zone information, latitude information, and longitude information.

24. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the valid demographic information defines correlation between a plurality of area codes and a plurality of location information.

25. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising a client computer to provide user interface information to the user via a communications network, the user interface information specifying a registration interface for obtaining registration information of the user.

31. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the network-based facility comprises a network-based auction facility.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the registration function is to allow the user to conduct sale and purchase transactions with other users in the network-based auction facility.

26. A computer readable medium that provides instructions, which when executed on a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

identifying, in a network-based facility, a user associated with a registration process within the network-based facility;

assigning, in the network-based facility, a verification rating to the user based on accuracy of registration information submitted by the user during the registration process; and

registering the user with the network-based facility if the verification rating exceeds a predetermined threshold, to allow the user to interact with other users in the network-based facility, wherein the predetermined threshold is varied based on whether the user is a corporation or an individual.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein the network-based facility comprises a network-based auction facility.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 33, wherein the registering is to allow the user to conduct sale and purchase transactions with other users in the network-based auction facility.