Recursive method and system for accessing classification information

• US 7,389,252 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2001
• Issued: 06/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Anne E. Robb
• Original Assignee: Anne E. Robb
• Inventors: Robb, Anne E., Fortna, Larry, Biritz, Ronald A
• Primary Examiner(s): Gart, Matthew S.
• Application Number:
  US09/755,442
• Publication Number:
  US 20010044757A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,720 Days
• Field of Search: 705/5, 705 26- 27, 701/37
• US Class Current: 705/14.73
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/23 Retrofit light sources for lighting devices with a single fitting for each light source, e.g. for substitution of incandescent lamps with bayonet or threaded fittings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/12 by screwing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/507 of means for protecting lighting devices from damage, e.g. housings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/773 the planes containing the fins or blades having the direction of the light emitting axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/89 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/00 Globes; Bowls; Cover glasses with refracting properties F21V5/00; with reflecting properties F21V7/00; characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/506
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2101/00 Point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/10 comprising a two-dimensional array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0625 Directed, with specific intent or strategy
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 Item locations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49716 Converting

Abstract

A web based menu system that allows the users such as buyers and sellers to locate, purchase, and sell goods, items and services easily without any search queries. The knowledge base of the system increases with user interaction at variable levels. The database contains an orderly classification of goods and services throughout. Point-and-click technology can be used to navigate through a series of menus. The system can also respond to voice activation and recognition commands. At the web site, the user first selects a category followed by a selection of makes, items, or services called a Sub-Category that relate to the category. The system responds by displaying a uniform series of menus referred to as a “Fluidity of Taxonomy”. This process repeats until the user reaches the finite end of the menu series. Next, the system completes the interaction based upon if the user is a buyer or a seller. For buyers, the database is accessed resulting in a list of ads based upon the user'"'"'s accumulated menu selections. The user can filter and sort the presentation of ads based on various criteria and place requests for instant notification of subsequent new ad placements. Banner ads that are applicable to the buyers'"'"' area of interest are also presented by the system. For sellers, an input form for ad placement is presented based upon the user'"'"'s accumulated menu selections. Sellers can also grow the database based on their menu selections and form input. The system can be used for retreiving any orderly classification of information.

Claims

1. A method of accessing classification information of different advertisements from different sellers on a web based system through customer owned personal handheld display devices, until a finite selection point is achieved by customers without inputting any search queries, the customers being selected from both buyers and sellers, each customer having an interest in at least one of:

a good and a service, comprising the steps of;

providing a customer owned personal handheld telephone accessible display device that is selected from at least one of a pager, a cell phone, and a PDA(personal digital assistant);

providing a remote web site having advertisements from different sellers, wherein the advertisements include listed advertisements of different goods by different sellers, and listed advertisements of different services by different, each of the sellers;

connecting to the remote web site via the world wide web, solely through existing wireless telephone lines, by a customer using the customer owned personal handheld display device from a location remotely located away from the remote web site, the customer being a buyer;

accessing and viewing the remote web site having a first main menu page of category headings of the advertisements from the different sellers by the customer owned handheld display device solely through the existing wireless telephone lines at the location remotely located away from the remote web site;

first selecting and viewing at least one of the category headings on the first main menu page on the customer owned hand held display device;

accessing and viewing a second menu page having first subcategory headings from the first selecting step on the customer owned hand held display device;

second selecting and viewing at least one of the first subcategory headings on the customer owned handheld display device;

accessing and viewing a third menu page having second subcategory headings from the second selecting step on the handheld display device, the second subcategory headings being solely listed in a single vertical column on the third menu page with separate second subcategory headings solely on each line;

third selecting and viewing at least one of the second subcategory headings by scrolling down the single vertical column on the third menu page on the customer owned handheld display device; and

repeating accessing and selecting and viewing by solely scrolling down only one single vertical column on each successive menu page on the handheld display device, until the buyer reaches an end of a menu series to a finite selection list of a classification that is listed in a single vertical column of selected advertisements from the advertisements from the different sellers, wherein interaction of the accessing of the first page, the second page, the third page, and the first selecting, the second selecting and the third selecting are navigated on the handheld display device without inputting any search queries;

viewing the single column of the finite selection list of the classification by scrolling down the finite selection list of the selected advertisements from the advertisements from the different sellers on the handheld display device, without the inputting of any search queries;

requesting an unlisted item from the web based system by the buyer, the unlisted item being selected from one of;

a selected good and a selected service;

instantly notifying the buyer through the customer owned handheld display device, when the unlisted item has been placed by a seller to the web based system, which matches the unlisted item; and

allowing the buyer to purchase the unlisted item from the seller.

2. The method of accessing classification information from the different advertisements from the different sellers, of claim 1, wherein the steps of accessing of the first page, the second page, the third page, and the first selecting, the second selecting and the third selecting include at least one of:

a customer navigating each accessing and selecting step by point and click, and the customer navigating each accessing and selecting step by voice command using the customer owned handheld display device.

3. The method of accessing classification information from the different advertisements from the different sellers of claim 1, wherein the category headings include:

headings for;

agriculture, aircraft, antiques, automobiles, boats, heavy equipment, heavy trucks, industrial, medical, pickup trucks, recreational vehicles, and sport utility vehicles and vans.

4. The method of accessing classification information from the different advertisements from the different sellers of claim 1, wherein the category headings include different types of vehicles, and the first subcategory headings when selecting anyone of the different types of vehicles includes headings for:

makes, items, and services.

5. The method of accessing classification information from the different advertisements from the different sellers of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

solely listing the first subcategory headings on the second menu page in a single vertical column and selecting from the single vertical column of the first subcategory by scrolling down there through.

6. The method of accessing classification information from the different advertisements from the different sellers of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

solely filtering and sorting the finite selection list of the classification into a filtered and sorted list; and

viewing the filtered and sorted list, wherein filtering and sorting only occurs at the finite selection.

7. A web based system for accessing classification information of different advertisements from different sellers through customer owned personal handheld display devices, until a finite selection point is achieved by customers without inputting any search queries, the customers being selected from buyers and sellers, each customer having an interest in at least one of:

a good, and a service, comprising;

a customer owned personal handheld telephone accessible display device that is selected from at least one of a pager, a cell phone, and a PDA(personal digital assistant);

a remote web site having advertisements from different sellers, wherein the advertisements include listed advertisements of different goods by different sellers, and listed advertisements of different services by different, each of the sellers;

a connection medium for connecting to the remote web site via the world wide web, solely through existing wireless telephone lines, by a customer using the customer owned personal handheld display device from a location remotely located away from the remote web site, the customer being a buyer;

a first main menu page of category headings of the advertisements from the different sellers that is accessed and viewed by the customer owned handheld display device solely through the existing wireless telephone lines at the location remotely located away from the remote web site;

a first selector for selecting and viewing at least one of the category headings on the first main menu page on the customer owned handheld display device;

a second menu page having first subcategory headings from the first selector that is accessed and viewed on the customer owned hand held display device;

a second selector for selecting and viewing at least one of the first subcategory headings on the customer owned handheld display device;

a third menu page having second subcategory headings from the second selector that is accessed and viewed on the handheld display device, the second subcategory headings being solely listed in a single vertical column on the third menu page with separate second subcategory headings solely on each line;

a third selector for selecting and viewing at least one of the second subcategory headings by scrolling down the single vertical column on the third menu page on the customer owned hand held display device;

at least one additional successive menu page that is accessed and viewed by solely scrolling down only one single vertical column on each additional successive menu page on the handheld display device, until the buyer reaches an end of a menu series to a finite selection list of a classification that is listed in a single vertical column of selected advertisements from the advertisements from the different sellers, wherein interaction of the accessing of the first page, the second page, the third page, and the first selector, the second selector and the third selector are navigated on the handheld display device without inputting any search queries, wherein the single column of the finite selection list of the classification is viewed by scrolling down the finite selection list of the selected advertisements from the advertisements from the different sellers on the handheld display device, without the inputting of any search queries;

a requestor for requesting an unlisted item from the web based system by the buyer, the unlisted item being selected from one of;

a selected good and a selected service;

a notifier for instantly notifying the buyer through the customer owned handheld display device, when the unlisted item has been placed by a seller to the web based system, which matches the unlisted item, and for allowing the buyer to purchase the unlisted item from the seller.