Method and apparatus for facilitating user selection of a category item in a transaction

• US 8,781,940 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2000
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Poon, Alex Dai-Shun
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafi, Muhammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): Malhotra, Sanjeev
• Application Number:
  US09/491,703
• Publication Number:
  US 20020062265A1
• Time in Patent Office: 5,284 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26, 705/35, 705/37, 707/102
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0623 Item investigation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed for facilitating category selection by a user in a computerized auction. A category field is provided, containing a plurality of category entries used to categorize an item in the auction. One category entry is selected in the category field and at least one subcategory field is provided, containing a plurality of subcategory entries also used to categorize the item in the auction, the subcategory entries corresponding to the one selected category entry of the plurality of category entries. At least one subcategory entry corresponding to the one selected category entry is further selected in the at least one subcategory field for further processing.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a plurality of category entries to be displayed in a display window, said plurality of category entries being indicative of a categorization of a plurality of items that are available, to be included in a computerized transaction;

detecting a selection of a category entry of said plurality of category entries in said display window;

in response to said detection of said selection of said category entry, providing a plurality of subcategory entries to be displayed in said display window, said plurality of subcategory entries being further indicative of said categorization of said plurality of items;

detecting a selection of a subcategory entry of said plurality of subcategory entries in said display window;

receiving a specification of a category number that uniquely identifies a combination of said category entry and said subcategory entry;

receiving an additional specification of said category number; and

based on said receiving of said additional specification of said category number automatically reselecting said category and said subcategory in said display window.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of category fields are to be displayed in a first portion of said display window and said plurality of subcategory fields are to be displayed in a second portion of said display window.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said first portion of said display window is substantially adjacent to said second portion of said display window.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein said first portion of said display window is a category field that corresponds to a page mark-up language document.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of category entries and said plurality of subcategory entries are to be displayed concurrently in said display window.

5. A computer readable medium containing executable instructions which, when executed in a processing system, cause said system to perform a method, said method comprising:

providing a plurality of category entries to be displayed in a display window, said plurality of category entries being indicative of a categorization of a plurality of item items that are available to be included in a computerized transaction;

detecting a selection of a category entry of said plurality of category entries in said display window;

in response to said detection of said selection of said category entry, providing a plurality of subcategory entries to be displayed in said display window, said plurality of subcategory entries being further indicative of said categorization of said plurality of items;

detecting a selection of a subcategory entry of said plurality of subcategory entries in said display window;

receiving a specification of a category number that uniquely identifies a combination of said category entry and said subcategory entry;

receiving an additional specification of said category number; and

based on said receiving of said additional specification of said category number.

6. THe computer readable medium according to claim 5, wherein said plurality of category fields are to be displayed in a first portion of said display window and plurality of subcategory fields are to be displayed in a second portion of said display window.

7. The computer readable medium according to claim 6, wherein said first portion of said display window is substantially adjacent to said second portion of said display window.

8. The computer readable medium according to claim 6, wherein said first portion of said display window is a category field that corresponds to a page mark-up language document.

14. The computer readable medium according to claim 5, wherein said plurality of category entries and said plurality of subcategory entries are to be displayed concurrently in said display window.

9. An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium readable by a computer and tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by said computer to perform a method, said method comprising:

providing a plurality of category entries to be displayed in a display window, said plurality of category entries being indicative of a categorization of a plurality of items that are available to be included in a computerized transaction;

detecting a selection of a category entry of said plurality of category entries in said display window;

in response to said detection at said selection of said category entry, providing a plurality of subcategory entries to be displayed in said display window, said plurality of subcategory entries being further indicative of said categorization at said plurality of items;

detecting a selection of a subcategory entry of said plurality of subcategory entries in said display window;

receiving a specification of a category number that uniquely identifies a combination of said category entry and said subcategory entry;

receiving an additional specification of said category number; and

based on said receiving of said additional specification of said category number automatically reselecting said category and said subcategory in said display window.

10. The article of manufacture according to claim 9, wherein said plurality of category fields are to be displayed in a first portion of said display window and plurality of subcategory fields are to be displayed in a second portion of said display window.

11. The article of manufacture according to claim 10, wherein said first portion of said display window is substantially adjacent to said second portion of said display window.

12. The article of manufacture according to claim 10, wherein said first portion of said display window is a category field that corresponds to a page mark-up language document.

15. The article of manufacture according to claim 9, wherein said plurality of category entries and said plurality of subcategory entries are to be displayed concurrently in said display window.