Managing items in a networked environment

• US 9,904,439 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Issued: 02/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Callies, Daniel J., Landry, Stephenie, Grandinetti, Russell C., Donsbach, Aaron M., Todaro, Julie, Varadhan, Devraj, Joshi, Smita, Rao, Ganesh
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Repsher, III, John
• Application Number:
  US13/801,442
• Publication Number:
  US 20130198650A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,812 Days
• Field of Search: 715745
• 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: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

A system, methods and interfaces are provided for managing items in a networked environment. A set of items, such as publications or other works, can be embodied in tangible media that are mutually exclusive. In response to a selection of an item, a prioritized order of the tangible media corresponding to the selected item is provided. Each tangible media can be further subdivided into a prioritized order of physical attributes of the respective tangible media.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of managing items by a content provider system comprising one or more computing devices with one or more processors configured with specific computer-executable instructions, the computer-implemented method comprising:

obtaining a selection of an item from a user via a user interface displayed on a client computing device;

in response to the selection of an item, dynamically identifying, by the content provider system, a plurality of instance types, wherein the plurality of instance types correspond to the item;

determining by the content provider system, based on information of the user stored in a user information database, user history information or user geographic information;

generating, by an item management processing component, a filtered list of instance types, wherein the filtered list of instance types is generated by filtering the plurality of instance types according to a criteria determined by the user history information or the user geographic information;

determining, by the item management processing component, from the filtered list of instance types, at least a first instance type and a second instance type, wherein the first instance type corresponds to a first tangible medium of the item and the second instance type corresponds to a second tangible medium of the item, wherein the first instance type and the second instance type are mutually exclusive;

identifying, by the content provider system, a first seller, wherein the first seller is associated with the first instance type of the item;

identifying, by the content provider system, a second seller, wherein the second seller is associated with the second instance type of the item;

determining, by the content provider system, a prioritized order for the first instance type and the second instance type, wherein the prioritized order for the first instance type and the second instance type is based at least in part on seller prioritization criteria pertaining to at least one of the first seller and the second seller, wherein the seller prioritization criteria is based at least in part on a classification of a relationship of the seller with the content provider system;

causing display, by the content provider system, of a first selectable representation corresponding to the first seller and the first instance type of the item;

causing display, by the content provider system, of a second selectable representation corresponding to the second seller and the second instance type of the item, wherein the first selectable representation and the second selectable representation are caused to be displayed according to the prioritized order for the first instance type and the second instance type;

obtaining from the user via the user interface a selection of the first selectable representation of the first instance type or the second selectable representation of the second instance type, wherein the selection of the first selectable representation of the first instance type or the second selectable representation of the second instance type results in a selected instance type;

dynamically determining, by the content provider system, a prioritized order for selectable representations of the selected instance type based, at least in part, on an attribute prioritization criteria; and

causing display, by the content provider system, of the selectable representations of the selected instance type in accordance with the attribute prioritization criteria.

2. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1 wherein determining the prioritized order for the first instance type and the second instance type, wherein the prioritized order for the first instance type and the second instance type is based at least in part on seller prioritization criteria pertaining to at least one of the first seller and the second seller includes determining the prioritized order for the first instance type and the second instance type additionally based on user information.

3. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 2, wherein the user information corresponds to geographic information associated with a user.

4. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 2, wherein the first and second instance types are associated with one or more attributes, the method further comprising determining a prioritized order for the one or more attributes associated with each of the first and second instance types.

5. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 4 further comprising providing the prioritized order of the one or more attributes responsive to a selection of an instance type.

6. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 4, wherein the one or more attributes correspond to physical attributes of the respective instance types.

7. The computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least two mutually exclusive instance types have a common attribute.

8. A content provider system for managing items, the system comprising:

an electronic data store configured to store information about one or more items, each item embodied in a plurality of mutually exclusive instance types; and

a computing device with one or more processors in communication with the electronic data store, the computing device configured to;

receive a selection of an item from a user via a user interface displayed on a client computing device;

in response to the selection of an item, dynamically identify a plurality of instance types, wherein the plurality of instance types correspond to the item;

determine by the content provider system, based on information of the user stored in a user information database, user history information or user geographic information;

generate, by an item management processing component, a filtered list of instance types, wherein the filtered list of instance types is generated by filtering the plurality of instance types according to a criteria determined by the user history information or the user geographic information;

determine, from the filtered list of instance types, at least a first instance type and a second instance type, wherein the first instance type corresponds to a first tangible medium of the item and the second instance type corresponds to a second tangible medium of the item, wherein the first instance type and the second instance type are mutually exclusive;

identify at least a first seller and a second seller, wherein both the first seller and the second seller are associated with at least one of the first instance type and the second instance type;

determine a prioritized order for the first instance type and the second instance type based at least in part on seller prioritization criteria pertaining to at least one of the first seller and the second seller, wherein the seller prioritization criteria is based at least in part on a classification of a relationship of the seller with the content provider system; and

cause display of one or more selectable representations, wherein the display of the one or more selectable representations correspond to the prioritized order for the first instance type and the second instance type;

obtain from the user via the user interface a selection of a selectable representation of the one or more selectable representations corresponding to the first instance type or the second instance type, wherein the selection of the selectable representation corresponding to the first instance type or the second instance type results in a selected instance type;

dynamically determine a prioritized order for selectable representations of the selected instance type based, at least in part, on an attribute prioritization criteria; and

cause display of the selectable representations of the selected instance type in accordance with the attribute prioritization criteria.

9. The system for managing items as recited in claim 8, wherein the first instance type and the second instance type are selected from a group consisting of hardback publications, paperback publications, electronic reader representations, and audio representations.

10. The system for managing items as recited in claim 8, wherein one of the first instance type and the second instance type corresponds to an audio publication and wherein physical attributes corresponding to the audio publication corresponds to a recorded media.

11. The system for managing items as recited in claim 8, wherein the prioritized order for the first instance type and the second instance type relates additionally to at least one of a measurement of relative popularity of the first and second instance types, a release date of the first and second instance types, shipping information associated with the delivery of the first and second instance types, a classification of the first and second instance types, or a retail price associated with the first and second instance types.

12. The system for managing items as recited in claim 8, wherein the prioritized order for the first instance type and the second instance type is also based at least in part on geographic information associated with a user.

13. The system for managing items as recited in claim 12, wherein the computing device is further configured to filter at least one of the first and second instance types based on information indicative of a lack of support in a geographic region.

14. The system for managing items as recited in claim 12, wherein the computing device is further configured to filter at least one of the first or second instance types based on user profile information identifying instance types not previously purchased by a user.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a computer-executable component, the computer-executable component comprising:

an item management component of a content provider system configured to;

receive a selection of an item from a user via a user interface displayed on a client computing device;

responsive to receiving a selection of an item, dynamically identify, by the content provider system, a plurality of instance types, wherein the plurality of instance types correspond to the item;

determine by the content provider system, based on information of the user stored in a user information database, user history information or user geographic information;

generate, by an item management processing component, a filtered list of instance types, wherein the filtered list of instance types is generated by filtering the plurality of instance types according to a criteria determined by the user history information or the user geographic information;

determine, from the filtered list of instance types, at least a first instance type and a second instance type to which the item corresponds, wherein the first instance type corresponds to a first tangible medium of the item and the second instance type corresponds to a second tangible medium of the item, wherein the first instance type and the second instance type are mutually exclusive;

identify a first seller, wherein the first seller is associated with the first instance type of the item;

identify a second seller, wherein the second seller is associated with the second instance type of the item;

determine a prioritized order for the first instance type and the second instance type based at least in part on seller prioritization criteria pertaining to at least one of the first seller and the second seller, wherein the seller prioritization criteria is based at least in part on a classification of a relationship of the seller with the content provider system; and

cause display of one or more selectable representations, wherein the display of the one or more selectable representations correspond to the prioritized order of for the first instance type and the second instance type;

obtain from the user via the user interface a selection of a selectable representation of the one or more selectable representations corresponding to the first instance type or the second instance type, wherein the selection of the selectable representation corresponding to the first instance type or the second instance type results in a selected instance type;

dynamically determine a prioritized order for selectable representations of the selected instance type based, at least in part, on an attribute prioritization criteria; and

cause display of the selectable representations of the selected instance type in accordance with the attribute prioritization criteria.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the prioritization order relates additionally to at least one of an attribute of the first and second seller.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein an attribute of the first and second seller corresponds to affiliation information associated with an identified entity.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein an attribute of the first and second seller corresponds to location information associated with the first and second seller.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein an attribute of the first and second seller corresponds to review information associated with the first and second seller.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the first and second seller are different sellers.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the first and second seller are a same seller.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein an attribute of the first and second seller corresponds to service levels associated with the first and second seller.