Method and system for categorizing items in both actual and virtual categories

• US 9,141,652 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2013
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Seamon, Joseph Socrates
• Primary Examiner(s): THAI, HANH B
• Application Number:
  US13/968,100
• Publication Number:
  US 20130332492A1
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: 707790-793, 707/802
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/211 Schema design and management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

Systems and a method for categorizing items in both actual and virtual categories are described. The method receives a selection that identifies a parent category and a first category based on the parent category. The method further identifies the plurality of data items based on a link from the first category to a second category. The data items are not user-classifiable under the first category and are user-classified under the second category. The method finally communicates a user interface, over a network, that includes the plurality of data items.

Claims

1. A method of identifying and presenting a plurality of data items, the method including:

receiving a selection that identifies a parent category;

identifying a first category based on the parent category, the first category is a first leaf category;

identifying the plurality of data items based on a link from the first category to a second category, the second category is a second leaf category that corresponds to the first leaf category, the data items are not user-classifiable under the first category and are user-classifiable under the second category, the identifying done at least in part through the use of one or more processors; and

communicating, over a network, a user interface responsive to the receiving the selection, the user interface including the plurality of data items.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first leaf category is a virtual leaf category.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second leaf category is an actual leaf category.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data items are directly categorized as being within the second category and indirectly categorized within the first category.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second categories are defined in a category table including a plurality of category records, wherein the plurality of category records include a category record for each category of the first and second categories.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein each category record within the category table includes a category identifier.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein a category record that describes the first category includes the link.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the link includes a category identifier of a category record for the second category.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of data items includes a data item, wherein the data item is a database record describing any one of a group consisting of products and services of a transaction facilitated by a network-based transaction facility.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface includes the first plurality of categories.

11. A system to identify and present a plurality of data items, the system includes:

a server; and

a database that stores the plurality of data items, the server to receive a selection that identifies a parent category, the server to identify a first category based on the parent category, the first category is a first leaf category, the server to identify the plurality of data items based on a link from the first category to a second category, the second category is a second leaf category that corresponds to the first leaf category, the data items are not user-classifiable under the first category and are user-classified under the second category, the server to communicate, over a network, a user interface in response to receipt of the selection, the user interface includes the plurality of data items.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first leaf category is a virtual leaf category.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the second leaf category is an actual leaf category.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the data items are directly categorized as being within the second category and indirectly categorized within the first category.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the first and second categories are defined in a category table including a plurality of category records, wherein the plurality of category records include a category record for each category of the first and second categories.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein each category record within the category table includes a category identifier.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein a category record that describes the first category includes the link, wherein the link includes a category identifier of a category record for the second category.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of data items includes a data item, wherein the data item is a database record describing any one of a group consisting of products and services of a transaction facilitated by a network-based transaction facility.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the user interface includes the first category.

20. A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing a sequence of instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform actions comprising:

receiving a selection that identifies a parent category;

identifying a first category based on the parent category, the first category is a first leaf category;

identifying a plurality of data items based on a link from the first category to a second category, the second category is a second leaf category that corresponds to the first leaf category, the data items are not user-classifiable under the first category and are user-classified under the second category; and

communicating, over a network, a user interface in response to the receipt of the selection, the user interface includes the plurality of data items.