Patent US6523037B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
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
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

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 22:02
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.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3581072A Cited
US3573747A Cited
US4412287A Cited
US4903201A Cited
US4677552A Cited
US4674044A Cited
US4789928A Cited
US4864516A Cited
US4799156A Cited
US4823265A Cited
US5168446A Cited
US5077665A Cited
US5136501A Cited
US5101353A Cited
US6345288B1 Cited
FR2658635A1 Cited
US5297031A Cited
US5205200A Cited
US5063507A Cited
US5243515A Cited
US5258908A Cited
US5305200A Cited
US5280422A Cited
US5727165A Cited
US5297032A Cited
WO1992015174A1 Cited
US5329589A Cited
US5557728A Cited
US5426281A Cited
US5375055A Cited
US5325297A Cited
US5598557A Cited
US5485510A Cited
NL9300266A Cited
US5771380A Cited
US5596994A Cited
US5722418A Cited
US5394324A Cited
WO1995017711A1 Cited
US5694546A Cited
US5717989A Cited
US5715314A Cited
US5818914A Cited
US5710889A Cited
US5553145A Cited
WO1996034356A1 Cited
US6085176A Cited
US5845265A Cited
US6202051B1 Cited
US5689652A Cited
US5640569A Cited
US5657389A Cited
US5664115A Cited
US5706457A Cited
US5826244A Cited
US5873069A Cited
US5715402A Cited
US5771291A Cited
US5845266A Cited
US5884056A Cited
US5905975A Cited
US6055518A Cited
US5794219A Cited
US5926794A Cited
US5850442A Cited
US5835896A Cited
CA2253543A1 Cited
US6243691B1 Cited
WO1997037315A1 Cited
US5799285A Cited
US6047264A Cited
US5890138A Cited
US6044363A Cited
US5790790A Cited
US6192407B1 Cited
US5905974A Cited
US6157935A Cited
US6035402A Cited
US5924072A Cited
US6104815A Cited
US5872848A Cited
US5922074A Cited
US6073117A Cited
US5803500A Cited
US6061448A Cited
US5974412A Cited
US5991739A Cited
US5960406A Cited
WO1999063461A1 Cited
US6058417A Cited
US6278993B1 Cited
US6178408B1 Cited
US20010027439A1 Cited
US20010029463A1 Cited
US20010034739A1 Cited
US20010034849A1 Cited

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

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag