Query analysis for geographic-based listing service

• US 20070118430A1
• Filed: 11/07/2005
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Atherton, Mark, Wiseman, Garry
• Granted Patent: US 8,090,620 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0625 Directed, with specific intent or strategy
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

A unique system and method facilitates analyzes searches or queries that are geographic based. In particular, a user can submit a geo-tag based search for items posted on a listing service according to the item'"'"'s location or geo-tag information. The geo-tag information for each item can be approximate such as the city, state, or zip code or more specific such as the street address where the item is located. The amount of geo-tag information disclosed to any other user can depend on the type of item being offered. Geo-tag information is analyzed to facilitate determining item matches. In addition, users that post items can employ query results to analyze the quality of their items such as from the buyer'"'"'s perspective.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates searching for items for sale on an online classifieds site comprising:

an item posting component that receives and posts at least one of new or updated geo-tagged items;

a monitor that examines the new or updated geo-tagged items for at least their geo-tag information;

an analysis component that determines whether a match exists between at least one new or updated item and a user'"'"'s geo-tag preferences; and

a notification component that alerts the user when at least one item satisfies the user'"'"'s geo-tag preferences.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprises a component that receives and stores user profile information per user.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the user profile information comprises at least one of the following:

username, email address, city and state, and one or more user preferences.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the user preferences comprise at least one of location preferences, item preferences, and seller preferences.

5. The system of claim 1, the one or more items comprise any good, service, personal listing, event, or employment.

6. The system of claim 1, the notification component alerts the user in part by sending at least one of an email or instant message to the user.

7. The system of claim 1, the notification component appends a symbol to an item to indicate to the user that the item has at least a preferred location to quickly identify such items to the user.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitor examines the new or updated geo-tagged items for at least one of the type of item being listed or the seller of the item.

9. The system of claim 8, the notification component alerts the user when at least one geo-tag preference and at least one item preference are satisfied.

10. The system of claim 8, the notification component alerts the user when at least one geo-tag preference and at least one seller preference are satisfied.

11. A system that facilitates improved efficiency when searching for items for sale on an online classifieds site comprising:

a query component that processes a query that is related to a search for an item posted on the classifieds site across a set of geo-tagged items and returns at least a subset of items in response to the query as a function of item location for a user to view;

a discard monitor that examines user historical behavior and activity with respect to at least one of previous searches, purchases, selected items, and expressly discard items for the user; and

a discard component that marks one or more items that are suitable for discard based at least in part on data collected by the discard monitor.

12. The system of claim 11 further comprises a feedback component that provides implicit user feedback by collecting data relating to discarded items and communicating this data to one or more relevant owners of such items.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the data comprises the discarded item and at least one of the following:

username or email address of the user that discarded the item and a rate at which the item was explicitly discarded by users.

14. The system of claim 11 further comprises an AI component that learns one or more factors for discarding items for a particular user in part by comparing characteristics of the discarded items with those of any non-discarded items.

15. A computer-implemented method that facilitates searching within an online classifieds site comprising:

monitoring new or updated items posted to the classifieds site;

determining whether a match is present between any new or updated item and at least the user'"'"'s geo-tag preferences; and

alerting the user when at least one match is determined.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein alerting the user comprises sending a message to the user.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein alerting the user comprises appending a symbol to the respective geo-tag preference to indicate to the user that an item having at least that location is available.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprises receiving and storing user preferences.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the user preferences comprise geo-tag preferences, seller preferences, and item preferences.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprises geo-tagging an item with its location information and posting it on the online classifieds site.