Patent US1222985A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US6606619B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6606619B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Computer processes for selecting nodes to call to attention of a user during browsing of a hierarchical browse structure
Assignee: A9 com Inc
•
Filing: 2002-07-29
•
Granted: 2003-08-12
•
Expires: 2022-07-29
Abstract
Abstract A computer-implemented process identifies specific nodes within a browse tree or other hierarchical browse structure based on historical actions of online users, and calls such nodes to the attention of users during navigation of the browse structure. The system and method are particularly useful for assisting users in locating popular products and/or product categories within a catalog of an online merchant, but may be used in connection with browse structures used to locate other types of items. In one embodiment, node popularity levels are determined periodically (e.g., once per day) based on user activity data that represents users' affinities for such nodes (items and/or item categories). Popular nodes are called to the attention of users, preferably by automatically "elevating" such nodes for display within the browse tree. The node elevation process may also be used to elevate nodes that are predicted to be of interest to a particular user.
Inventors
- 👤 Ruben E. Ortega
- 👤 Joel R. Spiegel
- 👤 Lauri E. Bortscheller
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 21:26
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/048; G06F3/0481; G06F3/0482; G06F16/00; G06F16/90; G06F16/95; G06F16/954; G06Q; G06Q30/00; G06Q30/02; G06Q30/06; G06Q30/0601; G06Q30/0623; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99932; Y10S707/99933; Y10S707/99935; Y10S707/99937; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99944; Y10S707/99945
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 55
Claim 1
Independent Claim
154 words
A system for facilitating browsing of hierarchical browse structure that comprises a plurality of nodes, wherein leaf nodes represent items and non-leaf nodes represent item categories, the system comprising: a tracking component that monitors and records user actions of a plurality of users to generate user activity data, said user actions including actions reflective of user affinities for specific nodes of the hierarchical browse structure; an analysis component that analyzes the user activity data and generates scores for specific nodes of the hierarchical browse structure; and a node elevation component that uses the scores to select specific nodes of the hierarchical browse structure to elevate for display to users; wherein, by elevating a selected node for display to a user, the node elevation component enables the user to view the selected node during browsing of the hierarchical browse structure without drilling down within the hierarchical browse structure to a level of the selected node.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
154 words
A system for facilitating browsing of hierarchical browse structure that comprises a plurality of nodes, wherein leaf nodes represent items and non-leaf nodes represent item categories, the system comprising: a tracking component that monitors and records user actions of a plurality of users to generate user activity data, said user actions including actions reflective of user affinities for specific nodes of the hierarchical browse structure; an analysis component that analyzes the user activity data and generates scores for specific nodes of the hierarchical browse structure; and a node elevation component that uses the scores to select specific nodes of the hierarchical browse structure to elevate for display to users; wherein, by elevating a selected node for display to a user, the node elevation component enables the user to view the selected node during browsing of the hierarchical browse structure without drilling down within the hierarchical browse structure to a level of the selected node.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
The system as in claim 1 , wherein the analysis component periodically regenerates the scores such that the scores reflect most recently recorded sets of user activity data, whereby different nodes are selected for elevation in different time periods according to changes in user browsing patterns.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system as in claim 1 , wherein the node elevation component elevates the selected nodes along parent-child paths of the hierarchical browse structure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system as in claim 1 , wherein the scores generated by the analysis component reflect current popularity levels of the nodes among the plurality of users.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
58 words
The system as in claim 1 , wherein the analysis component generates community-specific sets of said scores for each of a plurality of user communities, and wherein the node elevation component selects nodes to elevate for a given user based on a set of scores corresponding to a user community of which the given user is a member.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system as in claim 1 , wherein the analysis component generates user-specific scores, and the node elevation component uses the user-specific scores to personalize selections of nodes to elevate for users.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
55 words
The system as in claim 1 , wherein the node elevation component selects leaf nodes to elevate for display in conjunction with a non-leaf category node at least in-part by identifying a set of leaf nodes that fall below the non-leaf category node; and selecting a subset of said set of leaf nodes to elevate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system as in claim 1 , wherein the nodes selected for elevation by the node elevation component include leaf nodes that represent respective items.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system as in claim 1 , wherein the nodes selected for elevation by the node elevation component include nodes that represent respective item subcategories.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system as in claim 1 , wherein the hierarchical browse structure is a directed acyclic graph structure.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system as in claim 1 , wherein the node elevation component selects nodes to elevate recursively on a node-by-node basis.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
135 words
A computer-implemented method for facilitating browsing of a hierarchical browse structure in which each node represents an item or an item category, the method comprising: monitoring at least one type of user activity that is indicative of user affinities for particular nodes of the hierarchical browse structure; generating scores using data collected during said monitoring, the scores reflecting at least one of (a) popularity levels of particular nodes, and (b) predicted user affinities for particular nodes; and based at least in-part upon on the scores, elevating selected nodes along parent-child paths of the hierarchical browse structure for display; wherein, by elevating a node, the method enables a user to view the node during browsing of the hierarchical browse structure without having to navigate down to a level of the node within the hierarchical browse structure.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
135 words
A computer-implemented method for facilitating browsing of a hierarchical browse structure in which each node represents an item or an item category, the method comprising: monitoring at least one type of user activity that is indicative of user affinities for particular nodes of the hierarchical browse structure; generating scores using data collected during said monitoring, the scores reflecting at least one of (a) popularity levels of particular nodes, and (b) predicted user affinities for particular nodes; and based at least in-part upon on the scores, elevating selected nodes along parent-child paths of the hierarchical browse structure for display; wherein, by elevating a node, the method enables a user to view the node during browsing of the hierarchical browse structure without having to navigate down to a level of the node within the hierarchical browse structure.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method as in claim 12 , wherein generating scores comprises periodically processing user activity data collected over a selected period of time to generate scores reflective of current node popularity levels.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein the browse structure is a directed acyclic graph structure.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as in claim 12 , wherein monitoring at least one type of user activity comprises tracking online purchases of items.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method as in claim 12 , wherein generating scores comprises applying a recommendation algorithm to activity data collected for a particular user to generate user-specific scores.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method as in claim 12 , wherein elevating selected nodes comprises selecting nodes to elevate on a user-specific basis.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method as in claim 12 , wherein elevating selected nodes comprises: identifying a set of leaf nodes that fall below a current node being accessed by a user; and selecting a subset of said set of leaf nodes to elevate for display in conjunction with the current node.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
51 words
The method as in claim 12 , wherein the method comprises generating sets of said scores separately for each of a plurality of user communities, and using a set of scores associated with each community to elevate nodes for members of that community, whereby nodes are elevated differently for different users.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein the selected nodes elevated for display include nodes that represent respective items.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 20 , wherein at least some of the items are auctions.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein the selected nodes elevated for display include nodes that represent respective item subcategories.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
11 words
A computer system that embodies the method of claim 12 .
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
49 words
A web page generated in accordance with the method of claim 12 , the web page including a representation of a first node of the hierarchical browse structure, and further including a representation of a second node that has been elevated for display in conjunction with the first node.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
144 words
A system for facilitating browsing of an electronic catalog of items, the system comprising: a database which contains information about a plurality of items; a hierarchical browse structure represented within a server system that provides user access to the database, wherein items from the database are arranged within the hierarchical browse structure according to a hierarchy of item categories, and wherein the hierarchical browse structure is interactively browsable by users to locate items according to the hierarchy of item categories; a first process which tracks at least one type of user activity that is reflective of user affinities for particular items in the hierarchical browse structure to generate item popularity data; and a second process which uses at least the item popularity data to elevate items for display to expose popular items to users during viewing of non-leaf categories of the hierarchical browse structure.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
144 words
A system for facilitating browsing of an electronic catalog of items, the system comprising: a database which contains information about a plurality of items; a hierarchical browse structure represented within a server system that provides user access to the database, wherein items from the database are arranged within the hierarchical browse structure according to a hierarchy of item categories, and wherein the hierarchical browse structure is interactively browsable by users to locate items according to the hierarchy of item categories; a first process which tracks at least one type of user activity that is reflective of user affinities for particular items in the hierarchical browse structure to generate item popularity data; and a second process which uses at least the item popularity data to elevate items for display to expose popular items to users during viewing of non-leaf categories of the hierarchical browse structure.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
16 words
The system of claim 25 , wherein the hierarchical browse structure is a directed acyclic graph.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
50 words
The system of claim 25 , wherein the first process additionally tracks at least one type of user activity that is reflective of user affinities for particular categories of items to generate category popularity data, and the second process further uses the category popularity data to select items to elevate.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
24 words
The system of claim 27 , wherein the second process further uses the category popularity data to select leaf categories to elevate for display.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 25 , wherein the second process uses user-specific data to elevate items on a user-specific basis, so that items are elevated differently for different users of the hierarchical browse structure.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system of claim 25 , wherein the first process periodically uses activity data collected over a selected period of time to generate item popularity data that reflects current interests of users.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
23 words
The system of claim 25 , wherein the second process elevates the items for display along parent-child paths of the hierarchical browse structure.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
153 words
A method of assisting users in browsing a hierarchical browse structure in which items are arranged by category, said hierarchical browse structure including multiple levels of categories, and being browsable by users to locate specific items within a database of items, the method comprising: monitoring user actions that are reflective of user affinities for particular items in the hierarchical browse structure, said user actions including actions of a plurality of users; analyzing user activity data resulting from said monitoring of user actions to generate item popularity data reflective of current popularity levels of specific items of the hierarchical browse structure among said plurality of users; and when a user accesses a non-leaf category of said hierarchical browse structure, selecting, from a set of items that fall below the non-leaf category within the hierarchical browse structure, at least one item to present to the user based at least in-part on the item popularity data.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
153 words
A method of assisting users in browsing a hierarchical browse structure in which items are arranged by category, said hierarchical browse structure including multiple levels of categories, and being browsable by users to locate specific items within a database of items, the method comprising: monitoring user actions that are reflective of user affinities for particular items in the hierarchical browse structure, said user actions including actions of a plurality of users; analyzing user activity data resulting from said monitoring of user actions to generate item popularity data reflective of current popularity levels of specific items of the hierarchical browse structure among said plurality of users; and when a user accesses a non-leaf category of said hierarchical browse structure, selecting, from a set of items that fall below the non-leaf category within the hierarchical browse structure, at least one item to present to the user based at least in-part on the item popularity data.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 32 , wherein said set of items consists of items that are non-immediate children of the non-leaf category.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 32 , wherein the item popularity data is based at least in-part on item selection actions of users during navigation of the hierarchical browse structure.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 32 , wherein the at least one item is selected to present to the user based further upon a profile of said user.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 32 , wherein analyzing the user activity data comprises periodically analyzing a most recent set of the user activity data.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 32 , wherein the hierarchical browse structure is a pure tree.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 32 , wherein the hierarchical browse structure is a directed acyclic graph.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
17 words
A computer program which, when executed by a computer system, performs the method of claim 32 .
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
27 words
A web page generated according to the method of claim 32 , said web page including representations of the non-leaf category and the at least one item.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 32 , wherein selecting at least one item to present to the user comprises recursively selecting items to elevate within each of a plurality of categories falling below said non-leaf category.
Claim 46
Independent Claim
179 words
A method of personalizing the display of a hierarchical browse structure in which items are arranged within multiple levels of item categories, and in which items and item categories are represented as respective nodes of the hierarchical browse structure, the method comprising: monitoring online actions of the user over time to collect personal user activity data; analyzing the personal user activity data to generate, for each of a plurality of nodes of the hierarchical browse structure, a user-specific score reflective of the user's predicted affinity for that node, to thereby generate a plurality of user-specific scores; and using the user-specific scores to select, from a set of nodes falling below a first node within the hierarchical browse structure, a second node to elevate for display such that the second node is exposed to the user when the user accesses the first node; wherein, by elevating the second node, the second node is exposed to the user without the user having to drill down within the hierarchical browse structure below the first node to a level of the second node.
Claim 47
Independent Claim
179 words
A method of personalizing the display of a hierarchical browse structure in which items are arranged within multiple levels of item categories, and in which items and item categories are represented as respective nodes of the hierarchical browse structure, the method comprising: monitoring online actions of the user over time to collect personal user activity data; analyzing the personal user activity data to generate, for each of a plurality of nodes of the hierarchical browse structure, a user-specific score reflective of the user's predicted affinity for that node, to thereby generate a plurality of user-specific scores; and using the user-specific scores to select, from a set of nodes falling below a first node within the hierarchical browse structure, a second node to elevate for display such that the second node is exposed to the user when the user accesses the first node; wherein, by elevating the second node, the second node is exposed to the user without the user having to drill down within the hierarchical browse structure below the first node to a level of the second node.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 42 , wherein the second node represents a leaf category.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 42 , wherein the second node is a leaf node that represents a single item.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 42 , wherein the first node resides multiple levels above the second node in the hierarchical browse structure.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 42 , wherein the set of nodes consists of nodes falling multiple levels below the first node within the hierarchical browse structure.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 42 , wherein the second node is selected based further upon node popularity data reflective of actions of a plurality of users.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 42 , wherein the hierarchical browse structure is a directed acyclic graph.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 42 , wherein analyzing the personal user activity data comprises applying a personal recommendations algorithm to the personal user activity data.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
11 words
A computer system that embodies the method of claim 42 .
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5781904A
Cited
US5630125A
Cited
US6029195A
Cited
US6460036B1
Cited
US5625783A
Cited
US5864854A
Cited
US6055515A
Cited
EP0827063A1
Cited
US6144962A
Cited
US5842218A
Cited
US5895470A
Cited
US5991756A
Cited
US6014639A
Cited
WO1999041694A1
Cited
WO1999045487A1
Cited
US6421675B1
Cited
US6064980A
Cited
US6216134B1
Cited
US6317734B1
Cited
US6317722B1
Cited
US6366910B1
Cited
US6385619B1
Cited
US6360227B1
Cited
US6460033B1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2006-08-11 | 2007-02-10 | 2007-08-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2010-08-11 | 2011-02-10 | 2011-08-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2014-08-11 | 2015-02-10 | 2015-08-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |