System and methods for browsing a database of items and conducting associated transactions
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for facilitating browsing of an electronic catalog, the system comprising:
- a database which contains an electronic catalog of items; and
a server system coupled to the database, the server system providing a user interface for browsing the electronic catalog over a computer network, the user interface including functionality for users to at least (1) formulate and submit search queries for searching the electronic catalog, (2) assign category names to individual search queries, and (3) save the search queries and associated category names on the server system for subsequent use as user-defined categories that are selectable via the user interface to browse the electronic catalog of items;
wherein the server system presents to a user that has created one or more user-defined categories a web page that lists the one or more user-defined categories such that each such category may be selected to view a corresponding set of catalog items.
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Abstract
An electronic commerce system provides various features for assisting customers in locating items and generating orders from a merchant'"'"'s electronic catalog, and for assisting customers and merchants in communicating about such orders. A user-definable categories feature allows customers and/or merchants to define search queries for searching the electronic catalog, and to store these search queries under user-defined category names for subsequent use.
177 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A system for facilitating browsing of an electronic catalog, the system comprising:
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a database which contains an electronic catalog of items; and a server system coupled to the database, the server system providing a user interface for browsing the electronic catalog over a computer network, the user interface including functionality for users to at least (1) formulate and submit search queries for searching the electronic catalog, (2) assign category names to individual search queries, and (3) save the search queries and associated category names on the server system for subsequent use as user-defined categories that are selectable via the user interface to browse the electronic catalog of items; wherein the server system presents to a user that has created one or more user-defined categories a web page that lists the one or more user-defined categories such that each such category may be selected to view a corresponding set of catalog items. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A computer-implemented method of facilitating browsing of an electronic repository of items, the method comprising:
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maintaining a history of search queries submitted by a user to search the electronic repository of items; analyzing the history of search queries to identify a search query that has been submitted multiple times by the user; and in response to identifying the search query, creating for the user, or providing to the user an option to create, a persistent link that is selectable by the user to view a current set of items within the repository that match the search query. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for facilitating browsing of a database of items, the method comprising:
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receiving a search query from a user; executing the search query to generate a search results list of items within the database that match the search query; presenting to the user a first web page that displays at least a portion of the search results list together with an option to save the search query for subsequent use; in response to election of said option by the user to save the search query, storing the search query in association with a category name specified by the user; and presenting to the user a second web page that provides an option for the user to select the category name to view an updated list of items within the database that match the search query; whereby the search query and category name serve as a user-defined category that may be selected by the user over time to browse the database. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification