IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,269,027
Granted Patent B2
US 10,269,027 · App. 13/552,249 · Granted Apr 23, 2019

Method and system configured to assess a fee for communication facilitation regarding publication information

Inventors: Arturo Manuel Zacarias (Cupertino, CA); Valerie K. Shirk (San Jose, CA); Erik Anderson Stuart (San Mateo, CA)
Assignee: eBay Inc.
G06Q30/02
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,269,027
App. No.
13/552,249
Granted
Apr 23, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method and system are configured to assess a fee for communication facilitation. An electronic publication system includes a publication module configured to generate a user interface. The user interface includes search result information associated with a first entity and communication initiation information associated with the first entity. The communication initiation information includes identification information configured to identify a contact module of the first entity. The communication initiation information may be selectable to facilitate communication with the first entity. The publication system also includes a receiving module configured to receive a lead data record from a communication system for communication between the first entity and a second entity via the contact module. The publication system also includes a fee assessment module configured to receive the lead data record and to assess a fee to the first entity.

Claims (55)

1. A publication system comprising:

one or more processors;

memory including instructions that, upon execution by the one or more processors, cause the publication system to:

determine search result information associated with a first content provider;

receive, from a communication system, a temporary identifier to which to route a first communication from a first client directly to the communication system and indirectly to the first content provider;

provide, to the first client, a first user interface that includes the search result information and a user interface element to initiate the first communication via the temporary identifier;

receive, by the first user interface from the first client, a selection of the temporary identifier;

provide a set of user information associated with the first client for display on a second user interface presented to the first content provider;

receive, from the communication system, a communication length associated with the first communication; and

determine a fee for the first content provider based on including the temporary identifier within the first user interface, a type of the first communication, and the communication length.

2. The publication system of claim 1 wherein the instructions upon execution further cause the system to:

receive a lead data record that stores the communication length as at least one of a time duration or a character count and information indicative of an identity of the first content provider.

3. The publication system of claim 1 wherein the temporary identifier includes an electronic mail link that at least initially hides an associated electronic mail address of the first content provider.

4. The publication system of claim 1 wherein the temporary identifier includes an instant messaging link that at least initially hides an associated instant messaging name of the first content provider.

5. The publication system of claim 1 wherein the temporary identifier includes a telephone call link that at least initially hides an associated telephone number of the first content provider.

6. A method comprising:

determining, by a publication system, search result information associated with a first content provider;

receiving, by the publication system from a communication system, a temporary identifier to which to route a first communication from a first client directly to the communication system and indirectly to the first content provider;

providing, by the publication system to the first client, a first user interface that includes the search result information and a user interface element to initiate a first communication via the temporary identifier;

receiving, by the first user interface from the first client, a selection of the temporary identifier;

providing a set of user information associated with the first client for display on a second user interface presented to the first content provider;

receiving, by the publication system from the communication system, a communication length associated with the first communication; and

determining, by the publication system, a fee for the first content provider based on including the temporary identifier within the first user interface, a type of the first communication, and the communication length.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

receiving a lead data record that stores the communication length, the type of the first communication, and information indicative of an identity of the first content provider.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the temporary identifier includes an electronic mail link that at least initially hides an associated electronic mail address of the first content provider.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the temporary identifier includes an instant messaging link that at least initially hides an associated instant messaging name of the first content provider.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the temporary identifier includes a telephone call link that at least initially hides an associated telephone number of the first content provider.

11. The method of claim 6 , wherein the type of the first communication is selected from a group consisting of an electronic message, an instant message, and a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) communication.

12. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

receiving a beginning time and an ending time of the first communication; and

determining the communication length based on the beginning time and the ending time of the communication.

13. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

sending information regarding the first client to the first content provider, the information being selected from a group consisting of reputation information, feedback information, a previous purchase category, a previous selling category, demographic information, contact information, and user information.

14. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

receiving a search query from the first client;

determining multiple search results generated in response to the search query;

sending the multiple search results to the first client: and

receiving, from the first client, a selection of the search result information as a search result among the multiple search results.

15. The method of claim 6 , wherein the communication length represents a character count, and wherein the minimum communication threshold represents a minimum number of characters.

16. The method of claim 6 , wherein the first client displays user interface using a browser application.

17. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a publication system, cause the publication system to perform operations comprising:

determining search result information associated with a first content provider;

receiving from a communication system, a temporary identifier to which to route a first communication from a first client directly to the communication system and indirectly to the first content provider;

providing to the first client, a first user interface that includes the search result information and a user interface element to initiate the first communication via the temporary identifier;

receiving, by the first user interface from the first client, a selection of the temporary identifier;

providing a set of user information associated with the first client for display on a second user interface presented to the first content provider;

receiving from the communication system a communication length-associated with the first communication; and

determining a fee to for first content provider based on including the temporary identifier within the first user interface, a type of the first communication, and the communication length.

18. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a lead data record that stores the communication length, the type of the first communication and information indicative of an identity of the first content provider.

19. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the type of the first communication is selected from a group consisting of an electronic message, an instant message, and a voice over Internet protocol VoIP communication.

20. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the operations further comprise:

sending information regarding the first client to the first content provider, the information being selected from a group consisting of reputation information, feedback information, a previous purchase category, a previous selling category, demographic information, contact information, and user information.

21. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the communication length represents a character count, and wherein the minimum communication threshold represents a minimum number of characters.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 9, 2015
From: ZACARIAS, ARTURO MANUEL; SHIRK, VALERIE K.; STUART, ERIK ANDERSON
To: EBAY INC.
Reel/Frame 034916/0801 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 11744349 · May 4, 2007
Related Publication 20130007631A1 · Jan 3, 2013