System and method for searching channels based on channel rating

• US 8,650,317 B2
• Filed: 09/12/2011
• Issued: 02/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Original Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (American Express Company)
• Inventors: Thomas, Tracey R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Osman, Ramy M
• Application Number:
  US13/230,239
• Publication Number:
  US 20120011030A1
• Time in Patent Office: 883 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/204, 709/217, 709/223, 709/229, 709/219, 709/246, 705/5, 705/26, 705/310, 705/51, 705/54, 725/46
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0627 using item specifications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers

Abstract

A comprehensive platform for merchandising intellectual property (IP) and conducting IP transactions is disclosed. A standardized data collection method enables IP assets to be characterized, rated and valuated in a consistent manner. Project management, workflow and data security functionality enable consistent, efficient and secure interactions between the IP Marketplace participants throughout the IP transaction process. Business rules, workflows, valuation models and rating methods may be user defined or based upon marketplace, industry or technology standards.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

an intellectual property (IP) marketplace processor,

a tangible, non-transitory memory configured to communicate with the processor,

the tangible, non-transitory memory having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

determining, by the processor, a channel rating for a first channel, wherein the first channel is one of a plurality of channels comprising at least one of an IP asset distribution channel, a product distribution channel, an IP asset marketing channel, a service provider tool and an IP analysis tool;

determining, by the processor and based on input from a user, a channel rating threshold;

determining, by the processor, that the channel rating for the first channel is greater than the channel rating threshold;

including, by the processor and based on the first channel rating and the channel rating threshold, the first channel in a channel guide interface;

analyzing, by the processor, the channel to determine a first channel relevancy; and

providing, by the processor, the channel guide interface to the user, wherein the channel guide interface presents the first channel based on the first channel rating and the first channel relevancy.

2. The system of claim 1, the operations further comprising receiving, by the processor and from a user, a channel search request.

3. The system of claim 2, the operations further comprising searching, by the processor and based on the channel search request, channel data to determine search results.

4. The system of claim 2, the operations further comprising searching, by the processor and based on the channel search request and at least one of a plurality of channel ratings and a plurality of channel relevancies to determine search results.

5. The system of claim 4, the operations further comprising presenting, by the processor, the search results to the user in a search results interface.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the channel data comprises at least one of channel metadata, channel registration data, channel attributes and channel content.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the channel search request is received via a search request query interface.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the search request query interface allows the user to specify at least one of the channel rating threshold and a channel relevancy threshold.

9. The system of claim 2, further comprising prompting, by the processor, the user for input based on at least one of the channel relevancy and the channel rating.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the channel relevancy is based on an analysis of similar users.

11. The system of claim 10, the operations further comprising determining, by the processor, the similar users based on a clustering algorithm.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the clustering algorithm is based on at least one of transaction histories, user profile data, industry data, company profile data, portfolio analysis and service providers.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the first channel relevancy is based on at least one of a marketplace strategy, a marketplace stage, a legal status, an owner, an inventor, a portfolio type, an IP asset type, a valuation, a rating, an industry, a technology, a IP asset transaction history associated with an owner, an interest level of a potential buyer, an IP acquisition strategy of a potential buyer, an IP transaction history of a potential buyer, service provider incentive and a service description of the channel.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the first channel rating is calculated based on a predetermined algorithm.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the first channel rating is based on at least one of an industry ranking, a third-party assessment, feedback from a first user, a prior transaction of a first user and a user survey.

16. The system of claim 1, further comprising retrieving, by the processor, user profile data from a user database, wherein the user profile data comprises at least one of company information, a company hierarchy, affiliate information, partner information, transaction data, associated buyers, associated sellers, associated inventors, an industry, a technology, a marketplace strategy, business rules, and a marketplace workflow;

and retrieving IP asset data, based on the user profile data, from an intellectual property (IP) asset database; and

determining the first channel relevancy rating based on the user profile data.

17. The system of claim 2, further comprising sorting, by the processor, channels displayed on the channel guide interface based on at least one of channel relevancy, the channel rating and a user defined sort order.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the channel guide interface comprises information indicating at least one of the channel relevancy and the channel rating.

19. A computer-based method comprising:

determining, by a computer-based system for IP commercialization, a channel rating for a first channel, wherein the first channel is one of a plurality of channels comprising at least one of an IP asset distribution channel, a product distribution channel, an IP asset marketing channel, a service provider tool and an IP analysis tool;

determining, by the computer-based system and based on input from a user, a channel rating threshold;

determining, by the computer-based system, that the channel rating for the first channel is greater than the channel rating threshold;

including, by the computer-based system and based on the first channel rating and the channel rating threshold, the first channel in a channel guide interface;

analyzing, by the computer-based system, the channel to determine a first channel relevancy; and

providing, by the computer-based system, the channel guide interface to the user, wherein the channel guide interface presents the first channel based on the first channel rating and the first channel relevancy.

20. An article of manufacture including a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a computer-based system for IP commercialization, causes the computer-based system to perform operations comprising:

determining, by the computer-based system, a channel rating for a first channel, wherein the first channel is one of a plurality of channels comprising at least one of an IP asset distribution channel, a product distribution channel, an IP asset marketing channel, a service provider tool and an IP analysis tool;

determining, by the computer-based system and based on input from a user, a channel rating threshold;

determining, by the computer-based system, that the channel rating for the first channel is greater than the channel rating threshold;

including, by the computer-based system and based on the first channel rating and the channel rating threshold, the first channel in a channel guide interface;

analyzing, by the computer-based system, the channel to determine a first channel relevancy; and

providing, by the computer-based system, the channel guide interface to the user, wherein the channel guide interface presents the first channel based on the first channel rating and the first channel relevancy.