Method and system for generating a data grid interface to monitor and recommend relevant products

1. A computer-implemented method for generating a data grid interface, comprising:

receiving, via a network interface of a data mining system, data in association with a plurality of products from one or more merchant websites;

generating and presenting, by the data mining system, a data grid interface including cells based on the data, wherein each cell of the cells represents a product of the plurality of products or a replacement of the product of the plurality of products;

identifying and displaying, by the data mining system, information regarding products or replacements of the products in the cells; and

updating, by the data mining system, the contents of cells of the data grid interface automatically in real time in response to new data received from the merchant websites;

responsive to updating the contents of cells and detecting historical information of the grid, adding, by the data mining system, a time element into a cell, the time element configured to allow selection of a slice of time for the grid and the time element configured to, responsive to a selected slice of time, track the historical information of the grid by being configured to layer multiple slices of grid data on top of each other;

wherein a cell of the cells contains multiple frames and represents a product, each frame of the frames represents a status of the product at a different time point; and

wherein the cell contains an interactive time control, the interactive time control configured to cause a switch between the frames of the cell in response to a user request.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

updating the data grid interface in response to a user interacting with a cell of the cells, wherein the user is one of a plurality of users each of whom is viewing an instance of the data grid interface; and

synchronizing the instances of the data grid interface being viewed by the users based on the updating.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein said updating comprises:

updating the contents of cells of the data grid interface automatically in real time in response to new data received from the merchant websites, without an intervention from a user.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the new data include information of a price change for a product, an update of a time limited offer, a change of shipping information, or a change of a rebate for a product.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein at least one cell of the cells spans across multiple columns or multiple rows.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein at least one cell of the cells spanning across multiple rows represents a bundled product.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein at least one cell of the cells spanning across multiple columns represents a product that is being sold by a merchant designated by a first column of the columns, and is manufactured by manufacture designated by a second column of the columns.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the interactive time control is configured to cause the frames of the cell to display sequentially in response to the user request.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein at least one cell of the cells contains an interactive control that can be used to indicate a replacement represented by the cell is a good or bad match to a product.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein at least one cell of the cells contains an interactive control that can be used to set a rating for a product or a replacement of a product that is represented by the cell.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein at least one cell of the cells contains an interactive control that can be used to suggest a promotion of a product that is presented by the cell is noteworthy.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the information regarding the products or the replacements of the products in the cells includes product prices, rebate information, shipping information, or cost of ownership information.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the cells contain text, images, animated figures, movies, games, audio clips, or interactive contents.

14. A computer system for generating a data grid interface, comprising:

a processor;

a network interface, coupled to the processor, through which the computer system can retrieve data in association with a plurality of products from one or more merchant websites; and

a memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the computer system to perform a process including:

generating and presenting a data grid interface including cells based on the data, wherein each cell of the cells represents a product of the plurality of products or a replacement of the product of the plurality of products;

identifying and displaying information regarding products or replacements of the products in the cells; and

updating the contents of cells of the data grid interface automatically in real time in response to new data received from the merchant websites;

responsive to updating the contents of cells and detecting historical information of the grid, adding, a time element into a cell, the time element configured to allow selection of a slice of time for the grid and the time element configured to, responsive to a selected slice of time, track the historical information of the qrid by being configured to layer multiple slices of grid data on top of each other;

wherein a cell of the cells contains multiple frames and represents a product, each frame of the frames represents a status of the product at a different time point; and

wherein the cell contains an interactive time control, the interactive time control configured to cause the frames of the cell to display sequentially in response to a user request.

15. The computer system of claim 14 , wherein the network interface is configured to transmit instructions to a client device for presenting an instance of the data grid interface on the client device.

16. The computer system of claim 14 , wherein the network interface is configured to receive a signal indicating that a user interacts with a cell of the cells of the data grid interface, and wherein the process further includes:

updating the data grid interface in response to the signal; and

transmitting instructions to a plurality of client devices for updating instances of the data grid interface on the client devices.

17. The computer system of claim 14 , wherein a cell of the cells spans across multiple columns or multiple rows.

18. The computer system of claim 14 , wherein the information regarding the products or the replacements of the products in the cells includes product prices, rebate information, shipping information, or cost of ownership information; and wherein the cells present the information in forms of text, images, animated figures, movies, games, audio clips, or interactive contents.

19. A processing system for generating a data grid interface, the processing system comprising:

means for receiving data in association with a plurality of products from one or more merchant websites;

means for generating and presenting the data grid interface including cells based on the data, wherein each cell of the cells represents a product of the plurality of products or a replacement of the product of the plurality of products;

means for identifying and displaying information regarding products or replacements of the products in the cells; and

means for updating the contents of cells of the data grid interface automatically in real time in response to new data received from the merchant websites;

means for adding, responsive to updating the contents of cells and detecting historical information of the grid, a time element into a cell, the time element configured to allow selection of a slice of time for the grid and the time element configured to, responsive to a selected slice of time, track the historical information of the grid by being configured to layer multiple slices of grid data on too of each other;

wherein a cell of the cells contains multiple frames and represents a product, each frame of the frames represents a status of the product at a different time point; and

wherein the cell contains an interactive time control, the interactive time control configured to cause a switch between the frames of the cell in response to a user request.

20. The processing system of claim 19 , further comprising:

means for expanding a cell of the cells to span across multiple columns or multiple rows of the data grid interface, wherein the cell represents a bundled product or a product being sold or manufactured by different parties respectively.