Patent US6978263B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US6978263B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for influencing a position on a search result list generated by a computer network search engine
Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC
•
Filing: 2001-06-01
•
Granted: 2005-12-20
•
Expires: 2021-06-01
Abstract
Abstract A method for providing a search result list. The method includes receiving a search request from a searcher. In a database of search listings in which each search listing is associated with an advertiser and includes at least one search term and a bid amount by the advertiser, search listings generating a match with the search request are identified. A predetermined number of identified search listings are selected according to bid amount for display to the searcher. The identified search listings are arranged for display in a random order as the search result list. The search result list is then communicated to the searcher.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas A. Soulanille
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 13:37
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q30/00; G06Q30/02; G06Q30/0241; G06Q30/0273; G06Q30/0275; G06F; G06F16/00; G06F16/90; G06F16/95; G06F16/951; G06F16/953; G06Q30/04; G06Q30/06; G06Q30/0601; G06Q30/0633; G06Q30/08; G06Q40/00; G06Q40/04; G06Q50/00; G06Q50/10; G06Q50/18; G06Q50/188; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99931; Y10S707/99932; Y10S707/99933; Y10S707/99934; Y10S707/99935; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99944; Y10S707/99945
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
171 words
A method for providing a search result list, the method comprising: receiving a search request from a searcher; in a database of search listings, each search listing being associated with an advertiser and including at least one search term and a bid amount modifiably bid by the advertiser, identifying search listings having search terms generating a match with the search request; selecting according to bid amount no more than a predetermined number of identified search listings for display to the searcher; arranging as the search result list the identified search listings for display in a random order weighted according to the bid amount associated with each respective identified search listing, included for each identified search listing, comparing the bid amount for the each search listing with a value weighted by a random number, if the bid amount for the identified search listing does not exceed the value weighted by the random number, moving the identified search listing to the search result list; and communicating the search result list to the searcher.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
171 words
A method for providing a search result list, the method comprising: receiving a search request from a searcher; in a database of search listings, each search listing being associated with an advertiser and including at least one search term and a bid amount modifiably bid by the advertiser, identifying search listings having search terms generating a match with the search request; selecting according to bid amount no more than a predetermined number of identified search listings for display to the searcher; arranging as the search result list the identified search listings for display in a random order weighted according to the bid amount associated with each respective identified search listing, included for each identified search listing, comparing the bid amount for the each search listing with a value weighted by a random number, if the bid amount for the identified search listing does not exceed the value weighted by the random number, moving the identified search listing to the search result list; and communicating the search result list to the searcher.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
74 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising: combining the bid amount for the each identified search listing with a bid amount for another identified search listing; comparing the combined bid amounts to a product of the value and the random number; if the bid amount for the identified search listing does not exceed the product of the value and the random number, subtracting the bid amount for the other search listing from the value.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the value comprises a sum of the bid amounts of the selected search listings.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
192 words
A method for providing a search result list, the method comprising: receiving a search request from a searcher; in a database of search listings, each search listing being associated with an advertiser and including at least one search term and a bid amount modifiably bid by the advertiser, identifying search listings having search terms generating a match with the search request; selecting according to bid amount no more than a predetermined number of identified search listings for display to the searcher; arranging as the search result list the identified search listings for display, including (a) for each selected search listing, determining a sorting variable T, where T=Q −S , where Q is equal to the number of selected search listings and S is a predefined display parameter; (b) comparing the sorting variable to a random number; (c) if the sorting variable exceeds the random number, moving the each selected search listing to the search result list, otherwise (d) modifying the value of Q and determining the sorting variable, (e) repeating (a), (b) (c), and (d) until the sorting variable exceeds the random number; and communicating the search result list to the searcher.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
192 words
A method for providing a search result list, the method comprising: receiving a search request from a searcher; in a database of search listings, each search listing being associated with an advertiser and including at least one search term and a bid amount modifiably bid by the advertiser, identifying search listings having search terms generating a match with the search request; selecting according to bid amount no more than a predetermined number of identified search listings for display to the searcher; arranging as the search result list the identified search listings for display, including (a) for each selected search listing, determining a sorting variable T, where T=Q −S , where Q is equal to the number of selected search listings and S is a predefined display parameter; (b) comparing the sorting variable to a random number; (c) if the sorting variable exceeds the random number, moving the each selected search listing to the search result list, otherwise (d) modifying the value of Q and determining the sorting variable, (e) repeating (a), (b) (c), and (d) until the sorting variable exceeds the random number; and communicating the search result list to the searcher.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 4 further comprising setting the display parameter S to a value selected for arranging the selected search results in a random order.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 4 comprising setting the display parameter S to a value of 1.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5724424A
Cited
US5768521A
Cited
US5826241A
Cited
US5717923A
Cited
US5724521A
Cited
US5752238A
Cited
US5659732A
Cited
US5748954A
Cited
US6182063B1
Cited
US5794210A
Cited
US5855008A
Cited
US5778367A
Cited
US5724524A
Cited
US5918014A
Cited
US5848397A
Cited
US5848407A
Cited
US5864845A
Cited
US5864846A
Cited
US5862223A
Cited
US5852820A
Cited
US5920854A
Cited
WO1999020486A1
Cited
US6119114A
Cited
US5903882A
Cited
US6285987B1
Cited
US5920859A
Cited
US6058379A
Cited
US6038668A
Cited
US6377961B1
Cited
WO1999048028A2
Cited
US6078866A
Cited
WO2000016218A1
Cited
US6141653A
Cited
WO2000041090A1
Cited
WO2000057333A2
Cited
US6269361B1
Cited
WO2000073960A1
Cited
US6161127A
Cited
WO2001016842A1
Cited
US6296361B1
Cited
US20020004735A1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2008-12-19 | 2009-06-20 | 2009-12-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2012-12-19 | 2013-06-20 | 2013-12-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2016-12-19 | 2017-06-20 | 2017-12-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |