Systems and methods to present search results of business listings

• US 8,700,447 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2008
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thryv, Inc. (Mudrick Capital Management LP)
• Original Assignee: YellowPages.com LLC (Mudrick Capital Management LP)
• Inventors: Chappell, Stephen, Lieske, Jay H. Jr., Nebrich, Samantha
• Primary Examiner(s): Ebersman, Bruce I
• Application Number:
  US12/135,090
• Publication Number:
  US 20090307018A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,139 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0635 Risk analysis of enterprise or organisation activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided to facilitate the presentation of listings according to levels of user interest in the listings. For example, statistics generated from tracking user interactions with the listings and/or other parameters can be used to measure or estimate a level of current user interest in a listing. Listings in search results can be presented in an order according to the levels of current user interest in the listings.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

storing in a database a plurality of listings;

transmitting, via a communication network, a set of listings to user devices in response to a plurality of search requests;

monitoring, via a computing device, a plurality of types of user interactions with the set of listings to gather listing interaction information;

evaluating, via the computing device, the listing interaction information to determine statistical information for each listing of the set of listings, the statistical information comprising a selection percentile indicative of selections relative to other listings of the set of listings;

computing, via the computing device and for each listing of the set of listings, a point score representing popularity that is a function of at least;

the selection percentile indicative of selections relative to other listings of the set of listings, wherein the selections are at least partially based on one or more user selection values; and

an advertiser value of the listing that corresponds to at least one predetermined subscription level associated with the listing; and

responsive to a subsequent search request received, via the communication network, selecting, via the computing device, a subset of the set of listings based at least in part on the subsequent search request and a ranking of respective point scores representing popularity, and providing the subset of the set the listings, along with a response to the subsequent search request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the point score representing popularity for each listing of the set of listings is based at least in part on a weighted sum of the selection percentile, an average user rating, and the advertiser value.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the listings provide contact information of business entities.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the listings provide location information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the one or more user devices comprise one or more mobile communication devices; and

the listing interaction information is based at least in part on at least one listing of the set of listings that was transmitted to the one or more mobile communication devices.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein:

at least one of the one or more mobile communication devices comprises at least one of a radio for at least one of cellular communications, wireless local area networking, or wireless personal area networking; and

the listings are received via the radio.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the search request includes a preprogrammed search criterion.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the search request excludes user specified search criteria.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the search request is based on a location corresponding to a user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the subset of the set of listings corresponds to a predetermined category;

the selecting the subset of the set of listings is responsive to the subsequent search request relating to the predetermined category; and

the subset of the set of listings is ordered according to the ranking of respective point scores representing popularity.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the predetermined category is based on a type of mobile device used for presentation of the subset of the set of listings.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the listing interaction information is weighted according to a social distance to a user to determine the point score representing popularity for the respective listing.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of user interactions includes one or both of bookmarking a listing and adding a listing to favorites.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of user interactions includes communicating a listing for sharing with a different user.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of user interactions includes planning an event using a listing.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of user interactions includes obtaining a driving direction to a location identified by a listing.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of user interactions includes one or both of providing a user rating above a threshold to a listing and providing an evaluation of a business of a listing.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of user interactions includes one or both of performing a search using a name of a listing and using a listing to specify a location of interest.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of user interactions includes one or both of making a reservation and making a purchase using a listing.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of user interactions includes one or both of viewing detailed information about a business of a listing and viewing a location of a listing on a map.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of user interactions includes one or both of making a phone call to a business identified by a listing and sending a message to the business identified by the listing.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of user interactions includes visiting a website of a business identified by a listing.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of user interactions includes at least one of forwarding, responding to, or investigating a message concerning a listing shared by another.

24. One or more non-transitory machine-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method, the method comprising:

storing a plurality of listings;

providing a set of listings for user devices in response to a plurality of search requests;

monitoring user interactions with the set of listings to gather listing interaction information;

evaluating the listing interaction information to determine statistical information for each listing of the set of listings, the statistical information comprising a selection percentile indicative of selections relative to other listings of the set of listings;

computing, for each listing of the set of listings, a point score representing popularity that is a function of at least;

the selection percentile indicative of selections relative to other listings of the set of listings, wherein the selections are at least partially based on one or more user selection values; and

an advertiser value of the listing that corresponds to at least one predetermined subscription level associated with the listing; and

responsive to a subsequent search request receive, selecting a subset of the set of listings based at least in part on the subsequent search request and a ranking of respective point scores representing popularity, and providing the subset of the set of listings, along with a response to the subsequent search request.

25. A system, comprising:

one or more storage media configured to store a plurality of listings; and

one or more processors coupled to the one or more storage media, the one or more processors to execute instructions to;

provide a set of listings for user devices in response to a plurality of search requests;

monitor a plurality of types of user interactions with the set of listings to gather listing interaction information;

evaluate the listing interaction information to determine statistical information for each listing of the set of listings, the statistical information comprising a selection percentile indicative of selections relative to other listings of the set of listings;

compute, for each listing of the set of listings, a point score representing popularity that is a function of at least;

the selection percentile indicative of selections relative to other listings of the set of listings, wherein the selections are at least partially based on one or more user selection values; and

an advertiser value of the listing that corresponds to at least one predetermined subscription level associated with the listing; and

responsive to a subsequent search request received, select a subset of the set of listings based at least in part on the subsequent search request and a ranking of respective point scores representing popularity, and provide the subset of the set of listings, along with a response to the subsequent search request.