IP Library Granted Patent US 8,606,650
Granted Patent B2
US 8,606,650 · App. 11/929,035 · Granted Dec 10, 2013

Method and medium for cross-category wedding vendor recommendations

Inventors: Timothy Chi (Chevy Chase, MD); Jeff Yeh (Potomac Falls, VA); Lee Wang (McLean, VA); Sonny Ganguly (Rockville, MD)
Assignee: WeddingWire, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,606,650
App. No.
11/929,035
Granted
Dec 10, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

Systems and methods providing a list having one or more wedding services vendors. The systems and method determine a valid set of vendors based on one or more received input data. A score for each respective vendor of the valid set of vendors is determined using the received input data and input data weighting rules. One or more recommended vendors are provided based on the determined valid set of vendors and the respective score for each respective vendor of the valid set of vendors. The one or more recommended vendors may be from the same category or from different categories of vendors. Systems and methods are also presented for managing electronic communications for wedding services by providing interfaces for enabling a vendor to present an electronic storefront related to wedding services and for a vendor to manage client leads received by the electronic storefront.

Claims (29)

1. A method for electronically providing, via a communications network, a list having one or more wedding services vendor recommendations, comprising:

receiving from a user input data comprising at least a date of an event and a selection of a first vendor from a first services category;

determining, using a computer processor, one or more wedding related services categories for which the user has not selected a vendor, wherein the determined one or more wedding related services categories do not include the first services category;

determining, based on the received input data, a valid set of vendors from the one or more wedding related services categories that are available for the date of the event; and

providing one or more recommended vendors from the valid set of vendors from the one or more wedding related services categories for which the user has not selected a vendor that have availability on the date of the event.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the received input data further comprises wedding services business name, wedding services vendor type, geographic region data, data indicating the user has already selected a vendor for a wedding related service, data indicating a user is interested in one or more wedding related service vendors, data indicating a recommended final date by which a user is to have selected a wedding related services vendor, data indicating that the user has received information from one or more vendors, data indicating that a user has received pricing information from one or more vendors, or data indicating the user has engaged in electronic communications with one or more vendors, or any combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining, with a processor, a score for each respective vendor of the valid set of vendors using input data weighting rules and the received input data, wherein the providing one or more recommended vendors from the valid set of vendors from the one or more wedding related services categories for which the user has not selected a vendor that have availability on the date of the event is based on the respective score for each respective vendor of the valid set of vendors.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the determining the score for each respective vendor of the valid set of vendors further comprises utilizing vendor rating data, vendor review data, vendor endorsement data, data related to the number of visitors to a vendor website, data related to the number of visitors to a vendor storefront, or data related other vendors of wedding services that a particular vendor has worked in conjunction with, or any combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein an increased weighting parameter is assigned to one or more vendors based on the respective review scores received by each vendor, the date the review was provided, or on a response time of a respective vendor responding to a user request, or any combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the determining the score for each respective vendor further comprises determining an estimated success factor of a respective vendor meeting a selected budget received from the user.

7. Non-transitory computer-readable media containing programming instructions for providing a list having one or more wedding services vendor recommendations, that upon execution thereof, causes one or more processors to perform the steps of:

receiving from a user input data comprising at least a date of an event and a selection of a first vendor from a first services category;

determining, using a computer processor, one or more wedding related services categories for which the user has not selected a vendor, wherein the determined one or more wedding related services categories do not include the first services category;

determining, based on the received input data, a valid set of vendors from the one or more wedding related services categories that are available for the date of the event; and

providing one or more recommended vendors from the valid set of vendors from the one or more wedding related services categories for which the user has not selected a vendor that have availability on the date of the event.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the received input data further comprises wedding data including at least one of total wedding budget, budget for each type of wedding related service, number of vendors selected by the user to perform wedding related services, one or more names of vendors selected by the user to perform wedding related services, number of vendors that have not been selected by the user to perform wedding related service, or one or more names of vendors that have not been selected by the user to perform wedding related services.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the determination of the valid set of vendors that are available for the date of the event from the one or more wedding related services categories for which the user has not selected a vendor is based on at least one of the total wedding budget, budget for each type of wedding related service, number of vendors selected by the user to perform wedding related services, one or more names of vendors selected by the user to perform wedding related services, number of vendors that have not been selected by the user to perform wedding related service, or one or more names of vendors that have not been selected by the user to perform wedding related services.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the received input data further comprises system data including data indicating one or more relationships between one or more vendors of wedding related services, data indicating one or more relationships between one or more brides, or data related to wedding cost trends over a period of time.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the determination of the valid set of vendors that are available for the date of the event from the one or more wedding related services categories for which the user has not selected a vendor is based on at least one of the one or more relationships between one or more of the vendors, data indicating one or more relationships between one or more users, or data related to wedding cost trends over a period of time.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the received input data further comprises external data including vendor website data, number of visitors to a vendor website, or review data for one or more vendors presented on one or more websites.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the determination of the valid set of vendors that are available for the date of the event from the one or more wedding related services categories for which the user has not selected a vendor is based on at least one of the vendor website data, the number of visitors to the vendor website, or the review data for the one or more vendors presented on one or more websites.

14. The method of claim 3 , wherein the determining the score for each respective vendor of the valid set of vendors further comprises determining if user budget data of the received input data corresponds to a respective vendor's pricing data.

15. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 7 , further comprising the step of determining, with one or more processors, a score for each respective vendor of the valid set of vendors using input data weighting rules and the received input data, wherein the providing the one or more recommended vendors from the valid set of vendors from the one or more wedding related services categories for which the user has not selected a vendor that have availability on the date of the event is based on the respective score for each respective vendor of the valid set of vendors.

16. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 7 , wherein the received input data further comprises wherein the received input data further comprises wedding data including at least one of total wedding budget, budget for each type of wedding related service, number of vendors selected by the user to perform wedding related services, one or more names of vendors selected by the user to perform wedding related services, number of vendors that have not been selected by the user to perform wedding related service, or one or more names of vendors that have not been selected by the user to perform wedding related services.

17. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 16 , wherein the determination of the valid set of vendors that are available for the date of the event from the one or more wedding related services categories for which the user has not selected a vendor is based on at least one of the total wedding budget, budget for each type of wedding related service, number of vendors selected by the user to perform wedding related services, one or more names of vendors selected by the user to perform wedding related services, number of vendors that have not been selected by the user to perform wedding related service, or one or more names of vendors that have not been selected by the user to perform wedding related services.

18. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 7 , wherein the received input data further comprises system data including data indicating one or more relationships between one or more vendors of wedding related services, data indicating one or more relationships between one or more brides, or data related to wedding cost trends over a period of time.

19. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 18 , wherein the determination of the valid set of vendors that are available for the date of the event from the one or more wedding related services categories for which the user has not selected a vendor is based on at least one of the one or more relationships between one or more of the vendors, data indicating one or more relationships between one or more users, or data related to wedding cost trends over a period of time.

20. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 7 , wherein the received input data further comprises external data including vendor website data, number of visitors to a vendor website, or review data for one or more vendors presented on one or more websites.

21. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 20 , wherein the determination of the valid set of vendors that are available for the date of the event from the one or more wedding related services categories for which the user has not selected a vendor is based on at least one of the vendor website data, the number of visitors to the vendor website, or the review data for the one or more vendors presented on one or more websites.

Assignments (10)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 14, 2022
From: XO GROUP INC.; THE KNOT WORLDWIDE INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 059252/0280 →
RELEASE OF SECOND LIEN SECURITY INTEREST (REEL/FRAME: 048432/0278) Recorded Feb 22, 2022
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: WEDDINGWIRE, INC.; XO GROUP INC.; WEDDINGCHANNEL.COM, INC.
Reel/Frame 059240/0079 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 5, 2019
From: WEDDINGWIRE, INC.
To: THE KNOT WORLDWIDE INC.
Reel/Frame 049385/0593 →
FIRST LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 7, 2019
From: WEDDINGWIRE, INC.; XO GROUP INC.; WEDDINGCHANNEL.COM, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 048019/0206 →
SECOND LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 7, 2019
From: WEDDINGWIRE, INC.; XO GROUP INC.; WEDDINGCHANNEL.COM, INC.
To: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 048432/0278 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 4, 2018
From: OAKTREE SPECIALTY LENDING CORPORATION (F/K/A FIFTH STREET FINANCE CORP.)
To: WEDDINGWIRE, INC.
Reel/Frame 045979/0392 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Feb 24, 2015
From: WEDDINGWIRE, INC.
To: FIFTH STREET FINANCE CORP.
Reel/Frame 035013/0732 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 12, 2013
From: VENTURE LENDING & LEASING V, INC.; VENTURE LENDING & LEASING VI, INC.
To: WEDDINGWIRE, INC.
Reel/Frame 031196/0551 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Dec 20, 2010
From: WEDDINGWIRE, INC.
To: VENTURE LENDING & LEASING VI, INC.; VENTURE LENDING & LEASING V, INC.
Reel/Frame 025526/0596 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 25, 2008
From: CHI, TIMOTHY; YEH, JEFF; WANG, LEE; GANGULY, SONNY
To: WEDDINGWIRE, INC.
Reel/Frame 020418/0647 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20090112727A1 · Apr 30, 2009