Systems and methods for providing multi-directional visual browsing

• US 8,452,759 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2012
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Melcher, Ryan, Howard, Dane
• Primary Examiner(s): LEWIS, CHERYL RENEA
• Application Number:
  US13/354,875
• Publication Number:
  US 20120113112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 494 Days
• Field of Search: 707/722, 709/203, 715/204, 715/273, 345/419, 345/634, 345/649, 345/650, 345/689, 345/161, 345/163, 345/173
• US Class Current: 707/722
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2455 Query execution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/287 Visualization; Browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90328 using search space presentation or visualization, e.g. category or range presentation and selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9038 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers

Abstract

Systems and methods for multi-directional visual browsing on an electronic device are described. In example embodiments, a primary result and a peripheral result are determined. A display layout based on attributes associated with the primary result and the peripheral result is generated. The display layout is then formatted into instructions, which will cause a device to render the display layout. The instructions are transmitted to the client device.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method to provide multi-directional visual browsing, the method comprising:

obtaining a primary result and a peripheral result, the primary result based on a search criterion received from a device;

generating a display layout based on attributes associated with the primary result and the peripheral result, the display layout positioning the primary result in a predetermined location of a multi-directional visual browser display and positioning the peripheral result in proximity to the primary result based on the attributes; and

providing instructions to render the display layout to the device.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining of the primary result comprises performing a keyword search.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining of the primary result comprises performing an image data search.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining of the primary result comprises determining one or more lists associated with a user of the client device.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining of the peripheral result comprises determining attributes of the primary result and discovering items or categories having related attributes, the items or categories having the related attributes resulting in the peripheral result.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined location is at a center of the multi-directional visual browser display.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the generating of the display layout comprises positioning the peripheral result around the predetermined location based on attributes of the peripheral result and navigation direction constraints.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the display layout is a three-dimensional display layout and the generating of the display layout comprises positioning at least a part of the primary result in a lower level of the three-dimensional display layout.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein generating the display layout comprises positioning at least a part of the peripheral result in a level of a three-dimensional display layout lower than a main level where the primary result is positioned.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising generating navigation control instructions.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the device, a navigational input based on the multi-directional visual browser display;

determining a new primary result and a new peripheral result based on the navigational input; and

providing a new display layout based on attributes of the new primary result and the new peripheral result.

12. A system to provide multi-directional visual browsing, the system comprising:

a search module to determine a primary result based on a search criterion received from a device;

a refinement module to determine a peripheral result associated with the primary result; and

a layout module to generate a display layout based on attributes associated with the primary result and the peripheral result, the display layout positioning the primary result in a predetermined location of a multi-directional visual browser display and positioning the peripheral result in proximity to the primary result based on the attributes.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a format module to format rendering and display instructions, the rendering and display instructions to cause a client device to render the display layout.

14. The system of claim 12, further comprising a directional input module to receive a navigational input from the client device.

15. A machine-readable storage medium in communication with at least one processor, the machine-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor, provide operations comprising:

obtaining a primary result and a peripheral result, the primary result based on a search criterion received from a device;

generating a display layout based on attributes associated with the primary result and the peripheral result, the display layout positioning the primary result in a predetermined location of a multi-directional visual browser display and positioning the peripheral result in proximity to the primary result based on the attributes; and

providing instructions to render the display layout to the device.

16. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the obtaining of the peripheral result comprises determining attributes of the primary result and discovering items or categories having related attributes, the items or categories having the related attributes resulting in the peripheral result.

17. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the generating of the display layout comprises positioning the primary result on a main level of a three-dimensional display layout.

18. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the generating of the display layout comprises positioning the peripheral result around the predetermined location based on the attributes of the peripheral result and navigation direction constraints.

19. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising generating navigation control instructions.

20. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving, from the device, a navigational input based on the multi-directional visual browser display;

determining a new primary result and a new peripheral result based on the navigational input; and

providing a new display layout based on attributes of the new primary result and the new peripheral result.