System, method and apparatus for electronically searching for an item
First Claim
1. A method for electronically searching for an item, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing an item search index comprising a plurality of item search requests stored in accordance with a set of predefined item categories and a set of predefined item attributes, wherein each item search request comprises at least one of the predefined item categories and at least one of the predefined item attributes, each predefined item category is defined by a taxonomy of attributes comprising the set of predefined item attributes, each predefined item attribute is defined by at least one question and one or more answers to each question, and the requested attributes of the item are selected from the set of predefined item attributes by providing at least one of the answers to at least one of the questions defining the requested attribute of the item;
receiving a search request for the item from a user, wherein the search request comprises a requested category for the item selected from the set of predefined item categories and a requested attribute for the item selected from the set of predefined item attributes;
storing the received search request for the item in the item search index based on the requested category for the item and the requested attribute for the item;
searching the item search index for any previously stored item search requests from other users that match the requested category and the requested attribute;
determining a result of the search;
sending a search response comprising the result of the search;
after completion of searching the item search index, determining the result and sending the search response, automatically monitoring the item search index for a trigger event until the search request is terminated, the trigger event comprising at least one of;
storing a new item search request submitted by a different user in the item search index, deleting an existing item search request submitted by the different user from the item search index, and storing a change to the existing item search request submitted by the different user in the item search index;
whenever the trigger event is detected, automatically searching the item search index for any stored item search results that match the requested category and the requested attribute, determining a new result of the search, and comparing the new search result of the search with the result of the search;
whenever the new result differs from the result, automatically sending an updated search response comprising the new result of the search; and
whenever the new result is the same as the result, no new search response is sent.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a system, method and apparatus for electronically searching for an item by receiving a search request comprising a requested category and one or more requested attributes of the item and storing the search request in a search index based on the requested category and the requested attribute(s). The search index includes one or more categories and each category is defined by a taxonomy of attributes. The search index is then searched for any previously stored search requests that match the requested category and the requested attribute(s), a result of the search is determined and a search response that includes the result of the search is sent.
66 Citations
61 Claims
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1. A method for electronically searching for an item, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing an item search index comprising a plurality of item search requests stored in accordance with a set of predefined item categories and a set of predefined item attributes, wherein each item search request comprises at least one of the predefined item categories and at least one of the predefined item attributes, each predefined item category is defined by a taxonomy of attributes comprising the set of predefined item attributes, each predefined item attribute is defined by at least one question and one or more answers to each question, and the requested attributes of the item are selected from the set of predefined item attributes by providing at least one of the answers to at least one of the questions defining the requested attribute of the item; receiving a search request for the item from a user, wherein the search request comprises a requested category for the item selected from the set of predefined item categories and a requested attribute for the item selected from the set of predefined item attributes; storing the received search request for the item in the item search index based on the requested category for the item and the requested attribute for the item; searching the item search index for any previously stored item search requests from other users that match the requested category and the requested attribute; determining a result of the search; sending a search response comprising the result of the search; after completion of searching the item search index, determining the result and sending the search response, automatically monitoring the item search index for a trigger event until the search request is terminated, the trigger event comprising at least one of;
storing a new item search request submitted by a different user in the item search index, deleting an existing item search request submitted by the different user from the item search index, and storing a change to the existing item search request submitted by the different user in the item search index;whenever the trigger event is detected, automatically searching the item search index for any stored item search results that match the requested category and the requested attribute, determining a new result of the search, and comparing the new search result of the search with the result of the search; whenever the new result differs from the result, automatically sending an updated search response comprising the new result of the search; and whenever the new result is the same as the result, no new search response is sent. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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50. A non-transitory computer readable medium for electronically searching for an item comprising program instructions when executed by a processor causes the processor to perform the steps of:
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accessing an item search index comprising a plurality of item search requests stored in accordance with a set of predefined item categories and a set of predefined item attributes, wherein each item search request comprises at least one of the predefined item categories and at least one of the predefined item attributes, each predefined item category is defined by a taxonomy of attributes comprising the set of predefined item attributes, each predefined item attribute is defined by at least one question and one or more answers to each question, and the requested attributes of the item are selected from the set of predefined item attributes by providing at least one of the answers to at least one of the questions defining the requested attribute of the item; receiving a search request for the item from a user, wherein the search request comprises a requested category for the item selected from the set of predefined item categories and a requested attribute for the item selected from the set of predefined item attributes; storing the received search request for the item in the item search index based on the requested category for the item and the requested attribute for the item; searching the item search index for any previously stored item search requests from other users that match the requested category and the requested attribute; determining a result of the search; sending a search response comprising the result of the search; after completion of searching the item search index, determining the result and sending the search response, automatically monitoring the item search index for a trigger event until the search request is terminated, wherein the trigger event comprises at least one of;
storing a new search request submitted by a different user in the item search index, deleting an existing search request submitted by the different user from the item search index, and storing a change to the existing item search request submitted by the different user in the item search index;whenever the trigger event is detected, automatically searching the item search index for any stored item search results that match the requested category and the requested attribute, determining a new result of the search, and comparing the new search result of the search with the result of the search; whenever the new result differs from the result, automatically sending an updated search response comprising the new result of the search; and whenever the new result is the same as the result, no new search response is sent.
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51. An apparatus for electronically searching for an item comprising:
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a computer having a processor communicably coupled to a data storage; an item search index stored in the data storage comprising a plurality of item search requests stored in accordance with a set of predefined item categories and a set of predefined item attributes, wherein each item search request comprises at least one of the predefined item categories and at least one of the predefined item attributes, each predefined item category is defined by a taxonomy of attributes comprising the set of predefined item attributes, each predefined item attribute is defined by at least one question and one or more answers to each question, and the requested attributes of the item are selected from the set of predefined item attributes by providing at least one of the answers to at least one of the questions defining the requested attribute of the item; a search engine executable by the processor that causes the processor to; (a) receive a search request for the item from a user, wherein the search request comprises a requested category for the item selected from the set of predefined item categories and a requested attribute for the item selected from the set of predefined item attributes; (b) store the received search request for the item in the item search index based on the requested category for the item and the requested attribute for the item; (c) search the item search index for any previously stored item search requests from other users that match the requested category and the requested attribute; (d) determine a result of the search; (e) send a search response comprising the result of the search; (f) after the processor completes searching the item search index, determining the result and sending the search response, automatically monitoring the item search index for a trigger event until the search request is terminated, wherein the trigger event comprises at least one of;
storing a new search request submitted by a different user in the item search index, deleting an existing search request submitted by the different user from the item search index, and storing a change to the existing item search request submitted by the different user in the item search index;(g) whenever the trigger event is detected, automatically search the item search index for any stored item search results that match the requested category and the requested attribute, determine a new result of the search, and compare the new search result of the search with the result of the search; (h) whenever the new result differs from the result, automatically send an updated search response comprising the new result of the search; and (i) whenever the new result is the same as the result, no new search response is sent. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A system for electronically searching for an item comprising:
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a network; an item search index communicably coupled to the network comprising a plurality of item search requests stored in accordance with a set of predefined item categories and a set of predefined item attributes, wherein each item search request comprises at least one of the predefined item categories and at least one of the predefined item attributes, each predefined item category is defined by a taxonomy of attributes comprising the set of predefined item attributes, each predefined item attribute is defined by at least one question and one or more answers to each question, and the requested attributes of the item are selected from the set of predefined item attributes by providing at least one of the answers to at least one of the questions defining the requested attribute of the item; one or more user devices communicably coupled to the network; a user interface communicably coupled to the network for entering a search request from a user and receiving a search response, wherein the search request comprises a requested category for the item selected from the set of predefined item categories; a search engine communicably coupled to the user interface and the item search index via the network wherein the search engine; (a) receives the search request for the item wherein the requested category for the item is selected from the set of predefined item categories and a requested attribute for the item selected from the set of predefined item attributes; (b) stores the received search request for the item in the item search index based on the requested category for the item and the requested attribute for the item; (c) searches the item search index for any previously stored item search requests from other users that match the requested category and the requested attribute; (d) determines the result of the search; (e) sends the result of the search; (f) after the search engine completes searching the item search index, determining the result and sending the search response, automatically monitoring the item search index for a trigger event until the search request is terminated, wherein the trigger event comprises at least one of;
storing a new search request submitted by a different user in the item search index, deleting an existing search request submitted by the different user from the item search index, and storing a change to the existing item search request submitted by the different user in the item search index;(g) whenever the trigger event is detected, automatically searches the item search index for any stored item search results that match the requested category and the requested attribute, determines a new result of the search, and compares the new search result of the search with the result of the search; (h) whenever the new result differs from the result, automatically sends an updated search response comprising the new result of the search; and (i) whenever the new result is the same as the result, no new search response is sent. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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Specification