US6523037B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and system for communicating selected search results between first and second entities over a network
Assignee: eBay Inc
•
Filing: 2000-09-22
•
Granted: 2003-02-18
•
Expires: 2020-09-22
Abstract
Abstract A search result set is communicated to a first user as hypertext descriptions of data items constituting the result search set. A check box is displayed adjacent each hypertext description, utilizing which the first user may select a subset of the search result set. This subset is then communicated to a second user, again as hypertext descriptions of the subset. Check boxes are furthermore displayed to the second user so as to enable the second user to select a further and narrower subset of the search result set. Selected items of a result set of an Internet-based search may in this way conveniently be communicated between first and second users. Each of a number of interfaces provides the hypertext descriptions of the data items of the search result set.
Inventors
- 👤 Jay Monahan
- 👤 Bradley A. Handler
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 21:48
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/048; G06F3/0481; G06F3/0482; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/10; G06F16/00; G06F16/20; G06F16/27; G06F16/90; G06F16/93; G06F16/95; G06F16/953; G06F16/9535; G06F16/9538; G06F16/955; G06F3/0484; G06F3/04842; G06Q30/00; G06Q30/06; G06Q30/08; H; H04; H04L; H04L67/00; H04L67/01; H04L67/10; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99933; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99944; Y10S707/99945
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
95 words
A method to communicate search results between first and second entities over a communications network, the method including: communicating a search result set to the first entity as a first transmission over the communications network; identifying a subset of the search result set as having being selected by the first entity; identifying an associated message to be communicated together with the subset of the search result set to a second entity; and communicating the subset of the search results and the associated message to the second entity as a second transmission over the communications network.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
95 words
A method to communicate search results between first and second entities over a communications network, the method including: communicating a search result set to the first entity as a first transmission over the communications network; identifying a subset of the search result set as having being selected by the first entity; identifying an associated message to be communicated together with the subset of the search result set to a second entity; and communicating the subset of the search results and the associated message to the second entity as a second transmission over the communications network.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the search result set is automatically generated by an automated search function that performs a search operation.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 where in the search result set is generated responsive to a search request from the first entity.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the search result set is communicated to the first entity as information utilized to generated an interface on a display device, the interface including item identifiers for each item of the search result set.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the interface comprises a markup language document.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the markup language document is communicated as a response to a browser request.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the markup language document is communicated as part of an email communication to the first entity.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the interface provides a selection function associated with each item of the search result set that is selectable by the first entity to include an associated item of the search result set within the subset.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 8 wherein the interface comprises a markup language document and the selection function comprises one of a group including a radio button and a check box.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the identifying of the subset includes identifying items of the search result set indicated by the first entity as belong to the subset via the interface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the message is a default message associated with communications to the second entity.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the default message is selected from a number of messages associated with the first entity.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the message is inputted by the first entity via an interface sequence that displays the search results set to the first entity on a display device.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 including identifying an address of the second entity to which the subset of the search result set is to be communicated.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the address is a default address associated with communications from the first entity.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the address is selected from a plurality of target network addresses maintained for the first entity.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the address is inputted by the first entity via an interface sequence that displays the search result set to the first entity on a display device.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the subset is communicated to the second entity as information utilized to generate a further interface on a display device, the further interface including links to each item of the subset.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 18 wherein the further interface comprises a markup language document.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 18 wherein the markup language document is communicated as a response to a browser request.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 18 wherein the markup language document is communicated as part of an e-mail communication to the second entity.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
96 words
A machine-readable medium storing a sequence of instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to: communicate a search result set to a first entity as a first transmission over a communications network; identify a subset of the search result set as having been selected by the first entity; identify an associated message to be communicated together with the subset of the search result set to a second entity; and communicate the subset of the search result set and the associated message to the second entity as a second transmission over the communications network.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
96 words
A machine-readable medium storing a sequence of instructions that, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to: communicate a search result set to a first entity as a first transmission over a communications network; identify a subset of the search result set as having been selected by the first entity; identify an associated message to be communicated together with the subset of the search result set to a second entity; and communicate the subset of the search result set and the associated message to the second entity as a second transmission over the communications network.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
111 words
A system to communicate search results between first and second entities over a communications network, the system including: a communications server to communicate a search result set to the first entity as a first transmission over the communications network; and a processing server to identify a subset of the search result set as having been selected by the first entity and an associated message to be communicated together with the subset of the search result set to the second entity, wherein the communications server is further to communicate the subset of the search result set and the associated message to the second entity as a second transmission over the communications network.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
111 words
A system to communicate search results between first and second entities over a communications network, the system including: a communications server to communicate a search result set to the first entity as a first transmission over the communications network; and a processing server to identify a subset of the search result set as having been selected by the first entity and an associated message to be communicated together with the subset of the search result set to the second entity, wherein the communications server is further to communicate the subset of the search result set and the associated message to the second entity as a second transmission over the communications network.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 23 including a search server to perform an automated search function automatically to generate the search result set.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 23 including a search server to perform a search to generate the search result set responsive to a search request from the first entity.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
44 words
The system of claim 23 wherein the communications server is to communicate the search result set to the first entity as information utilized to display an interface on a display device, the interface including item identifiers for each item of the search result set.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 26 wherein the interface comprises a markup language document.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 27 wherein the communications server communicates the markup language document to the first entity responsive to a browser request.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 27 wherein the communications server is to communicate the markup language document to the first entity as part of an e-mail communication.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
41 words
The system of claim 26 wherein the interface provides a selection function associated with each item of the search result set that is selectable by the first entity to include an associated item of the search result set within the subset.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
31 words
The system of claim 26 wherein the processing server is to identify items of the search result set indicated by the first entity as belonging to the subset via the interface.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system of claim 23 wherein the communications server is to identify an address of the second entity to which the subset of the search result set is to be communicated as the second transmission over the communications network.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
41 words
The system of claim 23 wherein the communications server is to communicate the subset to the second entity as information utilized to display a further interface on a display device, the further interface including links to each item of the subset.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
110 words
A system to communicate search results between first and second entities over a communications network, the system including: first means for communicating a search result set to the first entity as a first transmission over the communications network; and second means for identifying a subset of the search result set as having being selected by the first entity and an associated message, the subset of the search result set and the associated message for communication to the second entity, wherein the first means is further for communicating the subset of the search result set and the associated message to the second entity as a second transmission over the communications network.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
110 words
A system to communicate search results between first and second entities over a communications network, the system including: first means for communicating a search result set to the first entity as a first transmission over the communications network; and second means for identifying a subset of the search result set as having being selected by the first entity and an associated message, the subset of the search result set and the associated message for communication to the second entity, wherein the first means is further for communicating the subset of the search result set and the associated message to the second entity as a second transmission over the communications network.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-02-17 | 2006-08-19 | 2007-02-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-02-17 | 2010-08-19 | 2011-02-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-02-17 | 2014-08-19 | 2015-02-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |