Methods and systems to communicate information

• US 7,640,234 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2006
• Issued: 12/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Leon, Jean-Michel, Gupta, Raghav, Ansari, Suhail, Foster, Benjamin David, Arora, Aditya, Shah, Seema, Raman, Vijay, Nash, Adam, Stonestreet, Xavier, Subramaniam, Srikanth
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong; Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): DANG, THANH HA T
• Application Number:
  US11/497,976
• Publication Number:
  US 20070185839A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,245 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/5, 707/6, 707/104.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9038 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

There is provided a method and system to communicate information. The system receives a first query that contains at least one constraint and retrieves a first plurality of data items from a database based on the first query. Next the system generating a first distribution based on the first plurality of data items, the first distribution utilizing a first plurality of domains used to identify data items. Next the system generates a second distribution based on a plurality of requests to view a second plurality of data items. Next the system generates a third distribution based on the first distribution and the second distribution. Finally the system generates interface information, to be communicated to a user, based on the third distribution.

Claims

1. A system including:

at least one processor for executing;

a communication module to receive a first query that contains a first constraint from a first user;

a search index engine to retrieve a first plurality of data items from a database based on the first query and to generate a first distribution based on the first plurality of data items, the first distribution to utilize a first plurality of domains used to identify data items and to indicate a number of data items associated with each domain of the first plurality of domains;

a demand data engine to generate a second distribution based on a plurality of requests received from a plurality of additional users to view a second plurality of data items, the second distribution to indicate a number of views of data items associated with each domain of the first plurality of domains by the plurality of additional users; and

a coverage module to generate a third distribution based on the first distribution and the second distribution and to generate interface information, to communicate to the first user, based on the third distribution and a predetermined distribution that includes at least one of a peak distribution that is associated with a domain that is included in the first plurality of domains, a hills distribution that is associated with a plurality of domains that are included in the first plurality of domains, and a flat distribution.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the demand data engine identifies a second query that contains a second constraint that corresponds to the first constraint.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the demand data engine respectively associates the plurality of requests to view data items to the first plurality of domains.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the demand data engine generates demand information that corresponds to the domain that is included in the first plurality of domains, the domain utilized to view a data item.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the third distribution includes the peak distribution and the interface information is for a product user interface that includes a single type of product.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the coverage module adds the first distribution to the second distribution and respectively averages the sum to generate the third distribution.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of domains is associated to a second plurality of domains, wherein the second plurality of domains is associated to a third plurality of domains, and wherein the user interface is generated based on any one of a group of plurality of domains that includes the first plurality of domains, the second plurality of domains and the third plurality of domains.

8. A method including:

receiving a first query that contains at least one constraint from a first user;

retrieving a first plurality of data items from a database based on the first query;

generating a first distribution based on the first plurality of data items, the first distribution utilizing a first plurality of domains used to identify data items and to indicate a number of data items associated with each domain of the first plurality of domains;

generating a second distribution based on a plurality of requests received from a plurality of additional users to view a second plurality of data items, the second distribution to indicate a number of views of data items associated with each domain of the first plurality of domains by the plurality of additional users;

generating a third distribution based on the first distribution and the second distribution; and

generating interface information, to communicate to the first user, based on the third distribution and a predetermined distribution that includes at least one of a peak distribution that is associated with a domain that is included in the first plurality of domains, a hills distribution that is associated with a plurality of domains that are included in the first plurality of domains, and a flat distribution.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the generating the second distribution includes identifying a second query that contains constraints that are to correspond to those of the first query.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the generating the second distribution includes respectively associating the plurality of requests to view data items to the first plurality of domains.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the generating the second distribution includes generating demand information that corresponds to the domain that is included in the first plurality of domains, the domain utilized to view a data item.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the third distribution includes the peak distribution and the interface information is for a product user interface that includes a single type of product.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the generating the third distribution includes respectively adding the first distribution to the second distribution and respectively averaging the sum to generate the third distribution.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the first plurality of domains is associated to a second plurality of domains, wherein the second plurality of domains is associated to a third plurality of domains, and wherein the user interface is generated based on any one of a group of plurality of domains that includes the first plurality of domains, the second plurality of domains and the third plurality of domains.

15. A tangible machine readable storage medium storing a set of instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:

receive a first query that contains at least one constraint from a first user;

retrieve a first plurality of data items from a database based on the first query and to generate a first distribution based on the first plurality of data items, the first distribution to utilize a first plurality of domains used to identify data items and to indicate a number of data items associated with each domain of the first plurality of domains;

generate a second distribution based on a plurality of requests received from a plurality of additional users to view a second plurality of data items, the second distribution to indicate a number of views of data items associated with each domain of the first plurality of domains by the plurality of additional users;

generate a third distribution based on the first distribution and the second distribution; and

generate interface information, to communicate to the first user, based on the third distribution and a predetermined distribution that includes at least one of a peak distribution that is associated with a domain that is included in the first plurality of domains, a hills distribution that is associated with a plurality of domains that are included in the first plurality of domains, and a flat distribution.

16. A system including:

at least one processor for executing;

a first means for receiving a first query that contains at least one constraint from a first user;

a second means for retrieving a first plurality of data items from a database based on the first query and to generate a first distribution based on the first plurality of data items, the first distribution utilizing a first plurality of domains used to identify data items and to indicate a number of data items associated with each domain of the first plurality of domains;

a third means for generating a second distribution based on a plurality of requests received from a plurality of additional users to view a second plurality of data items, the second distribution to indicate a number of views of data items associated with each domain of the first plurality of domains by the plurality of additional users; and

a fourth means for generating a third distribution based on the first distribution and the second distribution and for generating interface information, to communicate to the first user, based on the third distribution and a predetermined distribution that includes at least one of a peak distribution that is associated with a domain that is included in the first plurality of domains, a hills distribution that is associated with a plurality of domains that are included in the first plurality of domains, and a flat distribution.