Collaborative system for online search

• US 9,576,317 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2013
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Redfin Corporation
• Original Assignee: Redfin Corporation
• Inventors: Eraker, David, Dougherty, Adam Michael, Smith, Edward M., Eraker, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Sittner, Matthew T
• Application Number:
  US13/754,833
• Publication Number:
  US 20130254072A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,483 Days
• Field of Search: 705/313
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/16 Real estate
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/167 Closing

Abstract

A collaborative real estate search is described. Overlay data including indications of properties for sale within a geographic area are provided to a first user device. The overlay data are capable of being overlaid on a map of the geographic area on a user interface. Selections of some of the properties for sale are received from the first user device and a list of those properties is stored within a folder associated with the first user. The system enables a second user device—associated with a second user who is associated with the first user—to access the list of the properties selected by the user. This includes enabling the second user device to cause information regarding the properties to be stored within the folder. The information is made available for display on a user interface of the first user device.

Claims

1. Non-transitory computer-readable storage media comprising programming instructions that are executable by a geographic information system, the programming instructions comprising:

first programming instructions executable by the geographic information system to access a data store storing information associated with;

a plurality of properties available for acquisition within a geographic area; and

a plurality of user accounts on the geographic information system, the plurality of user accounts including at least a first user account and a second user account;

second programming instructions executable by the geographic information system, wherein execution of the second programming instructions causes the geographic information system to;

store, within the data store, an association between the first user account and an account of an agent on the computing system, wherein the account of the agent is distinct from the plurality of user accounts;

receive a search query from a first user device associated with the first user account of the plurality of user accounts;

in response to the search query, generate map overlay data from at least the information stored within the data store, the map overlay data including an indication of each of one or more of the plurality of properties;

transmit the map overlay data to the first user device;

receive, from the first user device, selection of one or more properties, of the plurality of properties, to flag as associated with the first user account;

store, within the data store, an association between the first user account and the one or more properties selected;

provide, to the first user device, data for generation of a user interface that enables selection, from the plurality of user accounts, of at least one additional user account that is permitted to view the one or more properties associated with the first user account, to flag at least one additional property as associated with the first user account, and to provide a comment regarding a first property of the one or more properties;

receive selection of the second user account as the at least one additional user account, wherein the selection is made via the user interface;

allow a second user device that is associated with the second user account to access data identifying the association between the first user account and the one or more properties;

receive, from the second user device, a first comment regarding the first property;

store, in the data store, the first comment regarding the first property;

receive, from the second user device, selection of the at least one additional property to flag as associated with the first user account;

store, in the data store, an association between the first user account and the at least one additional property;

make the first comment and the association between the first user account and the at least one additional property available for display on the first user device;

receive, from the first user device, a second comment regarding a second property, the second property being within the one or more properties or the at least one additional property; and

make the second comment available for display on the second user device.

2. The non-transitory computer-readable storage media of claim 1, wherein the second programming instructions are further executable to:

receive selection of a third user account of the plurality of user accounts as the at least one additional user account, wherein the selection is made via the user interface;

allow a third user device associated with the third user account to cause a third comment regarding the first property to be stored; and

make the third comment available for display on the first user device.

3. A system comprising:

a data store including information identifying;

a plurality of land parcels offered for acquisition within a geographic area; and

a plurality of user accounts, the plurality of user accounts including at least a first user account and a second user account; and

one or more processors in in communication with the data store, the one or more processors configured with programming instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to;

store, within the data store, an association between the first user account and an account of an agent, wherein the account of the agent is distinct from the plurality of user accounts;

receive a search query from a first user device associated with the first user account of the plurality of user accounts;

in response to the search query, generate overlay data from at least the information stored within the data store, the overlay data identifying one or more land parcels from the plurality of land parcels that are offered for acquisition within the geographic area and that satisfy the search query, the overlay data formatted for overlay onto a map of the geographic area displayed on the first user device;

transmit the overlay data to the first user device;

receive, from the first user device, a request to flag the one or more land parcels as associated with the first user account;

store, in the data store, an association between the first user account and the one or more land parcels;

allow the first user device to provide a first comment regarding a first land parcel of the one or more land parcels;

provide, to the first user device, data for generation of a user interface that enables selection, from the plurality of user accounts, of at least one additional user account that is permitted to view the one or more land parcels associated with the first user account, to flag at least one additional land parcel as associated with the first user account, and to provide a comment regarding at least one land parcel;

receive selection of the second user account of the plurality of user accounts as the at least one additional user account, wherein the selection is made via the user interface;

provide, to a second user device associated with the second user account, the first comment regarding the first land parcel and data identifying the one or more land parcels as associated with the first user account;

receive a second comment regarding the first land parcel, the second comment received from the second user device;

store, in the data store, the second comment regarding the first land parcel;

receive from the second user device, selection of the at least one additional land parcel to flag as associated with the first user account;

store, in the data store, an association between the first user account and the at least one additional land parcel;

provide, to the first user device, the second comment and an indication that the first user account has been associated with the at least one additional land parcel; and

allow the first user device to provide a third comment regarding the at least one additional land parcel.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the one or more processors are further configured with the programming instructions to restrict access to data within the data store indicating the association between the first user account and the one or more land parcels to the first user account and to a subset of the plurality of user accounts including at least the second user account.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the one or more processors are further configured with the programming instructions to restrict access to the first comment, the second comment, and the third comment to a subset the plurality of user accounts including at least the first user account.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the programming instructions are further executable by the one or more processors to:

receive selection of a third user account of the plurality of user accounts as the at least one additional user account, wherein the selection is made via the user interface;

allow a third user device associated with the third user account to cause a fourth comment regarding the first property to be stored; and

make the fourth comment available for display on the first user device.

7. A system comprising:

a data store including information identifying;

a plurality of land parcels offered for acquisition within a geographic area;

a plurality of user accounts, the plurality of user accounts including at least a first user account and a second user account;

an association between the first user account and one or more land parcels from the plurality of land parcels; and

an association between the first user account and an account of an agent, wherein the account of the agent is distinct from the plurality of user accounts; and

one or more processors in communication with the data store, the one or more processors configured with programming instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to;

obtain, from a user device associated with the first user account, authorization to permit the second user account to view the one or more land parcels associated with the first user account, to flag at least one additional land parcel as associated with the first user account, and to provide a comment regarding a first land parcel of the one or more land parcels;

provide to a user device associated with the second user account, based at least on the agent user being authorized by the device associated with the first user account, an indication of the one or more land parcels associated with the first user account;

receive, from the user device of the second user, a comment regarding the first land parcel of the one or more land parcels;

store the first comment received from the user device of the second user in the data store;

transmit, to a user device associated with the first user account, the comment received from the second user;

receive, from the user device of the second user, selection of an additional land parcel to flag as associated with the first user account;

store, in the data store, an association between the first user account and the additional land parcel;

provide, to the user device associated with the first user account, an indication that the first user account has been associated with the additional land parcel;

receive from the user device associated with the first user account a second comment regarding the additional land parcel;

store the second comment received from the user device associated with the first user account in the data store; and

allow the user device associated with the second user account to access the second comment regarding the additional land parcel.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the programming instructions are further executable by the one or more processors to:

obtain, from the user device associated with the first user account, authorization to permit a third user account of the plurality of user accounts to provide a comment regarding the first land parcel of the one or more land parcel;

enable the third user device to cause a third comment regarding the first land parcel to be stored; and

make the third comment available for display on the user device associated with the first user account.

9. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

under control of one or more computing devices executing specific computer-executable instructions,

accessing a data set including information identifying;

a plurality of properties offer for acquisition within a geographic area; and

a plurality of user accounts, the plurality of user accounts including at least a first user account and a second user account, wherein the first and second user accounts are associated with potential acquirers of the properties offered for acquisition within the geographic area and are distinct from accounts of agents providing services in the geographic area to the potential acquirers;

receive a search query from a first user device associated with the first user account;

in response to the search query, transmit to the first user device overlay data associated with the geographic area that includes indications of one or more properties of the plurality of properties, satisfying the search query;

receiving, from the first user device, a request to flag the one or more properties as associated with the first user account, wherein the selection occurs by interaction with the overlay data;

adding the one or more properties to a set of properties flagged as associated with the first user account;

obtaining, from a user device associated with the first user account, authorization to permit the second user account to view information identifying the set of properties flagged as associated with the first user account, to add an additional property to the set of properties flagged as associated with the first user account, and to provide a comment regarding a first property of the set of properties flagged as associated with the first user account;

restricting access to the information identifying the set of properties flagged as associated with the first user account to the first user account and the second user account for which authorization was obtained;

receiving, from a second user device associated with the second user account, selection of the additional property to be added to the set of properties flagged as associated with the first user account;

adding the additional property to the set of properties flagged as associated with the first user account;

receiving a comment from the second user device regarding the additional property;

transmitting to the first user device the comment and information identifying the set of properties flagged as associated with the first user account, including the additional property;

receiving, from the first user device, a second comment regarding the additional property; and

making the second comment available for display on the second user device.