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

• US 8,078,501 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2010
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Poon, Alex Dai-Shun
• Primary Examiner(s): Airapetian, Mila
• Application Number:
  US12/891,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20110015936A1
• Time in Patent Office: 442 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/27, 705/26.1, 705/26.35
• US Class Current: 705/26.1
• 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 a transaction in a network-based transaction facility are described. According to one embodiment, a user associated with the transaction in the network-based transaction facility is identified, and a rating is assigned to the user based on the accuracy of information submitted by the user during the transaction. If the rating exceeds a predetermined threshold, the transaction is completed.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying a user associated with a transaction within a network-based transaction facility;

assigning, using a processor, a rating to the user based on accuracy of information submitted by the user during the transaction; and

completing the transaction with the network-based transaction facility based on the rating exceeding a predetermined threshold value that is variable.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the assigning of the rating occurs in real-time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the assigning of the rating occurs when an attempt is made by the user to perform the transaction.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning a rating when the user modifies registration information previously submitted by the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the transaction is a registration process to become a member of the network-based transaction facility, the information being registration information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein assigning the rating further comprises:

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

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

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

7. The method of claim 6, 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 score.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the calculating of the rating comprises summing all numerical scores resulting from the set of validity checks.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the numerical score is negative when the validity check fails.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

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

storing the verification detail record in a database.

11. 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 to determine the rating to assign the user.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined threshold value is varied to control access restrictions for the user.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores instructions, which when executed by a processor of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

identifying a user associated with a transaction within a network-based transaction facility;

assigning, using the processor, a rating to the user based on accuracy of information submitted by the user during the transaction; and

completing the transaction with the network-based transaction facility based on the rating exceeding a predetermined threshold value that is variable.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the assigning of the rating occurs in real-time.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the assigning of the rating occurs when an attempt is made by the user to perform the transaction.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, further comprising assigning a rating when the user modifies registration information previously submitted by the user.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the transaction is a registration process to become a member of the network-based transaction facility, the information being registration information.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the assigning of the rating further comprises:

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

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

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

18. An apparatus comprising:

means for identifying a user associated with a transaction within a network-based transaction facility;

means for assigning, using a processor, a rating to the user based on accuracy of information submitted by the user during the transaction; and

means for completing the transaction with the network-based transaction facility based on the rating exceeding a predetermined threshold value that is variable.

20. A method comprising:

identifying a user associated with a transaction within a network-based transaction facility;

assigning, using a processor, a rating to the user based on accuracy of information submitted by the user during the transaction, the assigning comprising;

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

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

translating the result of each validity check into a numerical score, the numerical score being negative when the validity check fails; and

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

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising utilizing a set of verification rules to define the set of validity checks.

22. A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores instructions, which when executed by a processor of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

identifying a user associated with a transaction within a network-based transaction facility;

assigning a rating to the user based on accuracy of information submitted by the user during the transaction, the assigning comprising;

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

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

translating the result of each validity check into a numerical score, the numerical score being negative when the validity check fails; and

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