Granted Patent B2

US 7,693,834 · App. 11/006,064 · Granted Apr 6, 2010

Assignee: SNAP Technologies, Inc.

Abstract

Claims (80)

1. A method for dynamically generating search results using a computer, the method comprising:

submitting on the computer a primary search query for searching a primary database, wherein the primary database includes data associated with one or more of a plurality of providers;

obtaining primary search listings based upon the search of the primary database;

searching, based upon one or more secondary search parameters, one or more secondary databases related at least in part to the subject matter of the search listings obtained in response to the primary search; and

presenting on the computer dynamic search results that include data gathered in response to the search of the secondary database,

wherein the dynamic search results include dynamically changing information associated with a webpage or a database that exist when the search is performed.

2. A method for dynamically generating search results using a computer, the method comprising:

submitting on the computer a primary search query for searching a primary database, wherein the primary database includes data associated with one or more of a plurality of providers;

obtaining primary search listings based upon the search of the primary database;

searching, based upon one or more secondary search parameters, one or more secondary databases related at least in part to the subject matter of the search listings obtained in response to the primary search; and

presenting on the computer dynamic search results that include data gathered in response to the search of the secondary database,

wherein the dynamic search results include both textual and graphical content, including icons associated with at least the paid listings provider.

3. A method for dynamically generating search results using a computer, the method comprising:

submitting on the computer a primary search query for searching a primary database, wherein the primary database includes data associated with one or more of a plurality of providers;

obtaining primary search listings based upon the search of the primary database;

searching, based upon one or more secondary search parameters, one or more secondary databases related at least in part to the subject matter of the search listings obtained in response to the primary search;

presenting on the computer dynamic search results that include data gathered in response to the search of the secondary database; and

using the dynamic search listing as a portal to a website identified in the dynamic search results.

4. A method for dynamically generating search results using a computer, the method comprising:

submitting on the computer a primary search query for searching a primary database, wherein the primary database includes data associated with one or more of a plurality of providers;

obtaining primary search listings based upon the search of the primary database;

searching, based upon one or more secondary search parameters, one or more secondary databases related at least in part to the subject matter of the search listings obtained in response to the primary search;

presenting on the computer dynamic search results that include data gathered in response to the search of the secondary database; and

locating the secondary database from a metatag of a website identified in the search of the primary database.

5. A method for dynamically generating search results using a computer, the method comprising:

submitting on the computer a primary search query for searching a primary database, wherein the primary database includes data associated with one or more of a plurality of providers;

obtaining primary search listings based upon the search of the primary database;

searching, based upon one or more secondary search parameters, one or more secondary databases related at least in part to the subject matter of the search listings obtained in response to the primary search; and

presenting on the computer dynamic search results that include data gathered in response to the search of the secondary database,

wherein the search parameters are based upon the rules configured to adjust the content of the dynamic search results based on real-time performance data.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the real-time performance data includes one or more of click-through rates, click-through to purchase rates, or sales rates.

7. A method for dynamically generating search results using a computer, the method comprising:

submitting on the computer a primary search query for searching a primary database, wherein the primary database includes data associated with one or more of a plurality of providers;

obtaining primary search listings based upon the search of the primary database;

searching, based upon one or more secondary search parameters that are at least partly obtained from a result of the search of the primary database, one or more secondary databases related at least in part to the subject matter of the search listings obtained in response to the primary search;

presenting on the computer dynamic search results that include at least a portion of the primary search listings and data gathered in response to the search of the secondary database, wherein the dynamic search results include a price relating to a product or service provided as part of a paid listing that is associated with the subject matter of the primary search query, wherein price of the product and/or service is included within the dynamic search results; and

updating the price included within the dynamic search results based upon the following function:

Price

updated

=

Price

initial

×

k

×

Click

⁢

-

⁢

Through

actual

Click

⁢

-

⁢

Through

target

wherein Price updated is a dynamically updated price, Price initial is a first price previously listed in a paid listing, Click-Through actual is a click-through rate achieved when the first price was listed in the paid listing, Click-Through target is a target click-through rate, and k is a calibration constant.

8. A method for dynamically generating search results using a computer, the method comprising:

submitting on the computer a primary search query for searching a primary database, wherein the primary database includes data associated with one or more of a plurality of providers;

obtaining primary search listings based upon the search of the primary database;

searching, based upon one or more secondary search parameters, one or more secondary databases related at least in part to the subject matter of the search listings obtained in response to the primary search;

presenting on the computer dynamic search results that include data gathered in response to the search of the secondary database; and

modifying the dynamic search results based on price points calculated using real-time data such as one or more of inventory levels, sales volumes, profit margins, consumer demand, competitors' prices or auction-related parameters.

9. A method for dynamically generating search results using a computer, the method comprising:

submitting on the computer a primary search query for searching a primary database, wherein the primary database includes data associated with one or more of a plurality of providers;

obtaining primary search listings based upon the search of the primary database;

searching, based upon one or more secondary search parameters, one or more secondary databases related at least in part to the subject matter of the search listings obtained in response to the primary search; and

presenting on the computer dynamic search results that include data gathered in response to the search of the secondary database,

wherein the step of presenting the dynamic search results to the user comprises grouping the listings returned to the user based on keywords identified by the paid-listings provider.

10. A method for dynamically generating search listings using a computer, the method comprising:

submitting on the computer a first search query for searching a primary database, wherein the primary database includes data associated with one or more of a plurality of providers, and wherein the providers include non-paid listings providers and paid listings providers;

obtaining primary search results based upon the search of the primary database, wherein the primary search results include non-paid listings associated with one or more of the non-paid listings providers and paid listings associated with one or more of the paid listings providers;

searching, based upon one or more search parameters, one or more secondary databases associated with at least one of the paid listings providers whose paid listing appears in the primary search results, wherein at least one of the secondary databases is updated in real- time;

obtaining secondary search results based upon the search of the one or more of the secondary databases;

compiling the primary search results and secondary search results to produce dynamic search results that include at least one listing that combines at least a portion of the primary search results and at least a portion of the secondary search results; and

presenting on the computer the dynamic search results to the user.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of searching the secondary database comprises searching a dynamic data store that includes data obtained from a plurality of databases according to predetermined rules, and further includes data delivered to the dynamic data store by one or more of the paid listings providers.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising the step of clustering the dynamic search results prior to presenting the dynamic search results to the user.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of modifying the dynamic search results based on price points calculated using real-time data, including one or more of inventory levels, sales volumes, profit margins, consumer demand, competitors' prices or auction-related parameters.

Assignments (11)

Continuity (2)