Power filter for online listing service

• US 7,725,477 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2005
• Issued: 05/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Wiseman, Garry R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ly; Cheyne D
• Assistant Examiner(s): MENG, JAU SHYA
• Application Number:
  US11/311,813
• Publication Number:
  US 20070143312A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,618 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/758
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

A unique system and method that facilitates searching an online listing service by employing a plurality of attributes, parameters, and search terms in a search query is provided. The system and method involve using parameters such as the listed item'"'"'s location and a trust category associated with the listed item to assist in providing more meaningful listings in response to the search query. These parameters can be applied to one or more search queries or can be modified for each search query. Categories, subcategories, and attributes can also be used to optimize the searching capability of the system and method. In particular, the set of available attributes displayed to a user can depend on the particular category and/or subcategory. Listing owners can manage their listings and increase traffic and/or revenue using such filtering and viewing modes.

Claims

1. A machine-implemented filtering system for an online listing service that facilitates searching for and selectively displaying items comprising:

a processor that facilitates searching for and selectively displaying items;

a query component that receives a search query associated with a user;

wherein the search query comprises user-based search terms, a location and distance radius parameter, and a trust parameter; and

an analysis component that parses the search query and filters a plurality of listings to converge on a set of listings that satisfy the search query;

a listing display component that dynamically displays one or more listings respectively associated with one or more listing entities based at least in part on search terms within the search query, wherein a geographic location is respectively associated with each of the one or more listings, and wherein a trust categorization is respectively associated with the each of the one or more listings, wherein the trust categorization comprises a trusted listing entity that has a trust relationship with the user and a listing entity that does not have the trust relationship with the user, wherein the trusted listing entity is a listing entity of the one or more listing entities that is determined to be the trusted listing entity based at least in part on belonging to at least one online community to which the user belongs, and a listing entity that does not have a trust relationship with the user is another listing entity of the one or more listing entities that is determined to not have a trust relationship with the user based at least in part on not belonging to the at least one online community to which the user belongs, and wherein each listing of the one or more listings is displayed based upon the trust categorization associated with each listing or each listing associated with a listing entity that does not have a trust relationship with the user is omitted from the one or more listings when the one or more listings is displayed.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the query component further comprises a category look-up component that limits a scope of the search terms within the search query.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the search query further comprises one or more attribute types which are selected to display based at least in part on one or more of the search terms.

4. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an AI component that is trained to automatically provide at least one of the following based on historical user data;

search terms, attribute terms, or parameter terms.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the search query comprises a standing search that is performed periodically in an automated manner to mitigate repeated user input of the search query.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a mapping component that provides one or more map related views of the one or more listings displayed by the listing display component.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a user identification component that receives user data, wherein the user data comprises login information, username, and user profile information to facilitate determining a user'"'"'s trust associations.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the location associated with each of the one or more listings comprises a geographic reference to at least one of a source of the listing or an item in the listing.

9. Computer-storage media having computer-usable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed, perform to be executed to perform a filtering method for a listing service that facilitates performing searches, the method comprising:

presenting to a user a group of search attributes that includes location, delivery mode, price, trusted seller, social group, and features;

receiving a search query associated with a user, wherein the search query includes at least one selected search attribute that was selected from the group by the user;

wherein the search query comprises user-based search terms, a location and distance radius parameter, and a trust parameter;

parsing the search query and filters a plurality of listings to converge on a set of listings that satisfy the search query;

receiving a subset of listings in response to the search query, wherein the subset of listings is filtered based on at least an identity of the user, the at least one selected search attribute, and an at least one inferred search attribute;

determining whether the user and a listing entity belong to a same online community for each listing entity associated with a listing in the subset of listings;

determining that at least one listing entity is a trusted listing entity when the at least one listing entity belongs to the same online community as the user;

determining that at least one other listing entity is not trusted when the at least one other listing entity does not belong to the same online community as the user;

dynamically displaying one or more listings of the subset of listings as a function of search terms within the search query, wherein a geographic location is associated with each listing of the subset of listings, and wherein a trust categorization is respectively associated with each listing of the subset of listings, wherein the trust categorization for each listing of the subset of listings is determined based at least in part on whether a listing entity is the trusted listing entity or is not the trusted listing entity, wherein each listing of the subset of listings is displayed based upon the trust categorization associated with each listing or each listing associated with a listing entity that is not a trusted listing entity is omitted from the one or more listings when the one or more listings is displayed.

10. The media of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

employing a respective geo-tag to tag each listing of the subset of listings with a respective geographic location reference, wherein the geo-tag is analyzed during the search query to facilitate determining whether a particular listing satisfies the geographic location associated with the search query.

11. The media of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

employing a trust selection component and applying it across a plurality of queries.

12. The media of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

automatically determining one or more attributes to be utilized to focus the search query based in part on previous selected attributes associated with a user and a type of search query received.

13. The media of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

dynamically recommending at least one additional search-query term to a user to use in the search query based in part on at least one received search-query term to facilitate focusing the search query.

14. The media of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

mapping the subset of listings to facilitate providing a geographic perspective of the subset of listings in relation to a user or to any other listings.

15. The media of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

repeatedly running the search query in a periodic manner to facilitate mitigating repetitive input of the search query by a user; and

alerting the user regarding one or more listings of potential interest to the user in response to the search query.

16. The media of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

adjusting at least one of the location or the trust categorization to modify a filtered view of the one or more listings without rerunning the search query.

17. The media of claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

augmenting one or more search terms by adding one or more attributes in the search query, wherein the one or more attributes are determined by one or more of the search terms.

18. A machine-implemented filtering system for an online listing service that facilitates searching for and selectively displaying items comprising:

a processor that facilitates searching for and selectively displaying items;

means for receiving a search query associated with a user;

wherein the search query comprises user-based search terms, a location and distance radius parameter, and a trust parameter; and

means for parsing the search query and filters a plurality of listings to converge on a set of listings that satisfy the search query;

means for dynamically displaying one or more listings respectively associated with one or more listing entities as a function of search terms within the search query, wherein a location is respectively associated with each of the one or more listings, and wherein a trust categorization is respectively associated with the each of the one or more listings, wherein the trust categorization for each listing of the one or more listings is determined based in part on a type of relationship between the user and a listing entity associated with a respective listing of the one or more listings, wherein the type of relationship comprises a trusted listing entity that is a listing entity of the one or more listing entities determined to be the trusted listing entity based at least in part on belonging to at least one online community to which the user belongs and a listing entity that is not trusted that is another listing entity of the one or more listing-entities that is determined to be not trusted based at least in part on not belonging to the at least one online community to which the user belongs, wherein each listing of the one or more listings is displayed based upon the trust categorization associated with each listing or each listing associated with a listing entity that is not trusted is omitted from the one or more listings when the one or more listings is displayed.