Systems and methods to provide visual browsing

• US 9,183,589 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2015
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• 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:
  US14/617,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20150154692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 274 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: 1/1
• 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 a primary item is positioned in a predetermined location on a visual display. Navigation direction constraints are determined. The navigation direction constraints provide guidance as to where related items that are related to the primary item, based on at least one attribute of the primary item and attributes of the related items, should be located in the visual display. The related items are positioned in proximity to the predetermined location of the primary item based on the determined navigation direction constraints.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a layout module comprising at least one hardware process to cause presentation of a visual display on a device, the layout module to cause the presentation by performing operations comprising;

positioning a primary item in a predetermined location on the visual display;

determining, by a hardware processor, navigation direction constraints, the navigation direction constraints providing guidance as to where related items that are related to the primary item, based on at least one attribute of the primary item and attributes of the related items, are to be located in the visual display; and

positioning the related items in proximity to the predetermined location of the primary item based on the determined navigation direction constraints.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the related items comprise an accessory related to the primary item; and

the navigation direction constraint indicates that the accessory related to the primary item is positioned in a particular direction from the predetermined location.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the related items comprise a related version of the primary item; and

the navigation direction constraint indicates that the related version of the primary item is positioned in a particular direction from the predetermined location.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the related items comprise a similar competitor product; and

the navigation direction constraint indicates that the similar competitor product is positioned in a particular direction from the predetermined location.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the primary item comprises a category and the related items comprise individual products within the category; and

the navigation direction constraint indicates that the individual products are positioned in a drill down level below a main level having the predetermined location.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the determining the navigation direction constraints comprises:

accessing a database that stores the navigation direction constraints; and

retrieving the navigation direction constraints.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the layout module is further to cause display of a navigation control on the visual display, the navigation control indicating available directions for multi-direction visual browsing.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a search module to identify the primary item; and

a refinement module to determine the at least one attribute of the primary item, and using the at least one attribute, determine the related items based on the related items having attributes related to the at least one attribute of the primary item.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a directional input module to receive a navigational input, the navigational input causing the related items to spatially shift on the visual display.

10. A system comprising:

causing presentation of a visual display on a device, the causing comprising;

positioning a primary item in a predetermined location on the visual display;

determining, by a hardware processor, navigation direction constraints, the navigation direction constraints providing guidance as to where related items that are related to the primary item, based on at least one attribute of the primary item and attributes of the related items, are to be located in the visual display; and

positioning the related items in proximity to the predetermined location of the primary item based on the determined navigation direction constraints.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the related items comprise an accessory related to the primary item; and

the navigation direction constraint indicates that the accessory related to the primary item is positioned in a particular direction from the predetermined location.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the related items comprise a related version of the primary item; and

the navigation direction constraint indicates that the related version of the primary item is positioned in a particular direction from the predetermined location.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the related items comprise a similar competitor product; and

the navigation direction constraint indicates that the similar competitor product is positioned in a particular direction from the predetermined location.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the primary item comprises a category and the related items comprise individual products within the category; and

the navigation direction constraint indicates that the individual products are positioned in a drill down level below a main level having the predetermined location.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the determining the navigation direction constraints comprises:

accessing a database that stores the navigation direction constraints; and

retrieving the navigation direction constraints.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising causing display of a navigation control on the visual display, the navigation control indicating available directions for multi-direction visual browsing.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

identifying the primary item;

determining the at least one attribute of the primary item; and

using the at least one attribute, determining the related items based on the related items having attributes related to the at least one attribute of the primary item.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a navigational input; and

spatially shifting the related items on the visual display based on the navigational input.

19. A machine-readable storage medium having no transitory signals and storing instructions which, when executed by the at least one processor of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising:

cause presentation of a visual display on a device, the causing comprising;

positioning a primary item in a predetermined location on the visual display;

determining, by a hardware processor, navigation direction constraints, the navigation direction constraints providing guidance as to where related items that are related to the primary item, based on at least one attribute of the primary item and attributes of the related items, are to be located in the visual display; and

positioning the related items in proximity to the predetermined location of the primary item based on the determined navigation direction constraints.

20. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the operations further comprise causing display of a navigation control on the visual display, the navigation control indicating available directions for multi-direction visual browsing.