System and method for handling item listings with generic attributes

• US 7,536,402 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2006
• Issued: 05/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Wang, Hsiaozhang Bill
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Uyen T.
• Application Number:
  US11/558,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20070088722A1
• Time in Patent Office: 922 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/28 Databases characterised by their database models, e.g. relational or object models
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/288 Entity relationship models
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/117 Tagging; Marking up details of markup languages G06F40/143; Designating a block; Setting of attributes style sheets, e.g. eXtensible Stylesheet Language Transformation [XSLT], G06F40/154
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/962 Entity-attribute-value
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

A system for storing a plurality of items across different categories in a database including a database that stores a data structure that has item entries for items of different categories. Each item entry includes one or more associated attributes. The attributes may be shared by multiple items across more than one category.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system for searching a database of item listings, said computer-implemented system comprising:

a database component for storing said item listings, each of said item listings having associated attributes, the item listings each being categorized into at least one of a plurality of categories, at least one attribute being shared by item listings having mutually exclusive categories; and

a database engine server, said database engine server receiving a set of requested attributes for a requested item in a requested category, said database engine server returning a set of item listings from said database component having said requested category and said set of requested attributes.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the database component includes a data structure that associates an identifier of an attribute with an entry selected from a group of entries comprising an attribute name, attribute type and a site identifier.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the database component includes a data structure that stores the items, and associated attributes, represented in the plurality of categories.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the database component includes a data structure that translates attributes based on parameters associated with an item of the items, including category.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the database component includes a data structure that defines allowable values for each attribute.

6. A method for searching a database of item listings, said method comprising:

receiving search parameters including a requested attribute and a requested category of item listings to be searched;

selectively removing from consideration item listings from said database of item listings having different categories than the requested category;

locating a set of item listings that match the requested attribute and the requested category, the set of item listings being stored within a data structure containing item listings belonging to more than one category;

presenting the set of item listings to a user.

7. The method for searching a database of item listings as set forth in claim 6, including:

validating the requested attribute against valid attribute values stored within a data structure.

8. The method for searching a database of item listings as set forth in claim 6, including:

utilizing a translation data structure to determine category specific display characteristics of the attribute selected from a group comprising display position, display length, and attribute position.

9. The method for searching a database of item listings as set forth in claim 6, wherein the item listings searched include item listings from a plurality of sites.

10. The method for searching a database of item listings as set forth in claim 9, wherein the selective removal includes matching both the category of item listings searched and a site of the plurality of sites.

11. A system for storing items in a database, the system comprising:

an interface module to receive data; and

a database component, said database component including;

a data structure that stores a plurality of items, each item with one or more associated attributes, the items being categorized into a plurality of categories and at least one attribute being shared by items across at least two different categories of the plurality of categories; and

a data structure that translates attributes being shared by the plurality of categories into category specific attributes.

12. The system of claim 11, including a data structure that stores valid values for each attribute.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the valid values for each attribute are represented by a minimum and maximum value.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein a valid value of each attribute is represented by one or more specific values.

15. The system of claim 11, including a data structure that associates an identifier of an attribute with a name and a type of the attribute.

16. A method for storing items in a database, the method comprising:

receiving a data entry including an item with an attribute;

validating the attribute of the item against a data structure containing valid values for the attribute; and

storing the item in a data structure containing items from a plurality of categories, and the attribute is being shared across two categories.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the valid values for the attribute include a minimum and maximum value.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the valid values for the attribute include a plurality of specific values.

19. The method of claim 16, including storing attribute mapping information in a data structure, wherein the data structure includes a plurality of elements selected from a group comprising:

attribute position;

attribute display length;

attribute display position;

attribute identification; and

a search flag.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the mapping information is used to determine how the attribute will be displayed when used within a particular category.