Search Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »
Advanced Patent Search | Web History | Sign in

Patents

An interactive linkage between a search engine and dynamic pricing content available on a computer network can be provided by organizing links to dynamic pricing information (e.g., bid/ask pricing information) on the computer network into a predetermined taxonomy, and providing to the search engine a mapping between search requests and the predetermined taxonomy. The mapping includes reference pointers to dynamic pricing content that can be returned in response to search requests at the search engine. Accordingly, in response to a search request at the search engine, a reference pointer (e.g., an interactive link, a URL, a meta-tag and/or an index into a database) to dynamic pricing information corresponding to the search request can be returned.

InventorsThomas G. Woolston, Paul Andrew Kavitz, Cameron David John McEachern
Original AssigneeMercExchange, LLC
Primary Examiner: F. J. Bartuska
Attorney: Fish & Richardson P.C.
Current U.S. Classification705/26.3; 705/26.62
International Classification: G06F017/60

View patent at USPTO
Search USPTO Assignment Database

Citations

Cited PatentFiling dateIssue dateOriginal AssigneeTitle
US5136501May 26, 1989Aug 4, 1992Reuters LimitedAnonymous matching system
US5594732Mar 3, 1995Jan 14, 1997Intecom, IncorporatedBridging and signalling subsystems and methods for private and hybrid communications systems including multimedia systems
US5752238Nov 3, 1994May 12, 1998Intel CorporationConsumer-driven electronic information pricing mechanism
US5842040Jun 18, 1996Nov 24, 1998Storage Technology CorporationPolicy caching method and apparatus for use in a communication device based on contents of one data unit in a subset of related data units
US5845265Nov 7, 1995Dec 1, 1998MercExchange, L.L.C.Consignment nodes
US5864823Jun 25, 1997Jan 26, 1999Virtel CorporationIntegrated virtual telecommunication system for E-commerce
US5870717Nov 13, 1995Feb 9, 1999International Business Machines CorporationSystem for ordering items over computer network using an electronic catalog
US5878400Jun 17, 1996Mar 2, 1999Trilogy Development Group, Inc.Method and apparatus for pricing products in multi-level product and organizational groups
US5878423Apr 21, 1997Mar 2, 1999Bellsouth CorporationDynamically processing an index to create an ordered set of questions
US5890138Aug 26, 1996Mar 30, 1999Bid.Com International Inc.Computer auction system
US5896379Aug 26, 1996Apr 20, 1999Motorola, Inc.Network node for packet switching with selective data processing and method therefor
US5903647Jun 7, 1995May 11, 1999Digital River, Inc.Self-launching encrypted digital information distribution system
US5933813Apr 15, 1996Aug 3, 1999Eldat Communication Ltd.Sales promotion data processor system and interactive changeable display particularly useful therein
US5946467Nov 7, 1996Aug 31, 1999Novell, Inc.Application-level, persistent packeting apparatus and method
US5987425Oct 10, 1997Nov 16, 1999United Hardware Distributing CompanyVariable margin pricing system
US6029141Jun 27, 1997Feb 22, 2000Amazon.com, Inc.Internet-based customer referral system
US6055573Jan 7, 1999Apr 25, 2000SuperMarkets Online, Inc.Communicating with a computer based on an updated purchase behavior classification of a particular consumer
US6061660Mar 18, 1998May 9, 2000York EgglestonSystem and method for incentive programs and award fulfillment
US6123737May 21, 1997Sep 26, 2000Symantec CorporationPush deployment of software packages using notification transports
US6195647Sep 26, 1996Feb 27, 2001The Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc.On-line transaction processing system for security trading
US6205432Nov 16, 1998Mar 20, 2001Creative Internet Concepts, LLCBackground advertising system
US6259699Dec 30, 1997Jul 10, 2001Nexabit Networks, LLCSystem architecture for and method of processing packets and/or cells in a common switch
US6272474Feb 8, 1999Aug 7, 2001Method for monitoring and trading stocks via the internet displaying bid/ask trade bars
US6282516Jun 1, 1999Aug 28, 2001Catalina Marketing International, Inc.Process, system and computer readable medium for in-store printing of discount coupons and/or other purchasing incentives in various departments within a retail store
US6292786Aug 11, 1999Sep 18, 2001Incentech, Inc.Method and system for generating incentives based on substantially real-time product purchase information
US6336105Nov 16, 1998Jan 1, 2002Trade Access Inc.System and method for representing data and providing electronic non-repudiation in a negotiations system
US6336138Aug 25, 1998Jan 1, 2002Hewlett-Packard CompanyTemplate-driven approach for generating models on network services
US6377937May 28, 1998Apr 23, 2002Paskowitz AssociatesMethod and system for more effective communication of characteristics data for products and services
US6397212Mar 4, 1999May 28, 2002Peter BiffarSelf-learning and self-personalizing knowledge search engine that delivers holistic results
US6415270Nov 15, 1999Jul 2, 2002Omnihub, Inc.Multiple auction coordination method and system
US6427132Aug 31, 1999Jul 30, 2002Accenture LLPSystem, method and article of manufacture for demonstrating E-commerce capabilities via a simulation on a network

Referenced by

Citing PatentFiling dateIssue dateOriginal AssigneeTitle
US6986155Jul 12, 2000Jan 10, 2006Sun Microsystems, Inc.Methods and apparatus for selecting multicast IP data transmitted in broadcast streams
US7076445Sep 29, 2000Jul 11, 2006System and methods for obtaining advantages and transacting the same in a computer gaming environment
US7107227Mar 29, 1999Sep 12, 2006Amazon.com, Inc.Method and system for publicizing commercial transactions on a computer network
US7305436Aug 22, 2003Dec 4, 2007SAP AktiengesellschaftUser collaboration through discussion forums
US7360697Nov 18, 2004Apr 22, 2008Vendavo, Inc.Methods and systems for making pricing decisions in a price management system
US7483883May 3, 2005Jan 27, 2009Kayak Software CorporationIncremental presentation of search results from multiple suppliers
US7512561May 3, 2006Mar 31, 2009Trading Technologies International, Inc.Method, apparatus and interface for trading multiple tradeable objects
US7523064Sep 30, 2004Apr 21, 2009Trading Technologies International, Inc.System and method for facilitating trading of multiple tradeable objects in an electronic trading environment
US7529685Oct 23, 2001May 5, 2009MD Datacor, Inc.System, method, and apparatus for storing, retrieving, and integrating clinical, diagnostic, genomic, and therapeutic data
US7530020Aug 28, 2006May 5, 2009Computer graphic display visualization system and method
US7571134Sep 30, 2004Aug 4, 2009Trading Technologies International, Inc.Trading interface for facilitating trading of multiple tradeable objects in an electronic trading environment
US7574659Mar 4, 2005Aug 11, 2009Computer graphic display visualization system and method
US7590754Jul 28, 2003Sep 15, 2009Context-sensitive switching in a computer network environment
US7613626Jul 30, 2005Nov 3, 2009Vendavo, Inc.Integrated price management systems with future-pricing and methods therefor
US7627519May 3, 2006Dec 1, 2009Trading Technologies International, Inc.Method, apparatus and interface for trading multiple tradeable objects
US7627568Jun 29, 2004Dec 1, 2009Micron Technology, Inc.Method and system for updating a search engine database based on popularity of links
US7627606Aug 10, 2005Dec 1, 2009Kayak Software CorporationSecondary search for a travel related item based on the detection of a purchase offer from a prior travel related search
US7640198May 28, 2004Dec 29, 2009Vendavo, Inc.System and method for generating and displaying indexed price modeling data
US7668811Mar 3, 2006Feb 23, 2010Kayak Software CorporationUpdating prices of search results during a search for a travel related item
US7680686Aug 29, 2006Mar 16, 2010Vendavo, Inc.System and methods for business to business price modeling using price change optimization
US7702570Mar 15, 2007Apr 20, 2010BGC Partners, Inc.System and method for providing an operator interface for a radar display of market data
US7729977Aug 15, 2006Jun 1, 2010Quan Xiao
Meimei Zhao
Method and system for grouping merchandise, services and users and for trading merchandise and services
US7742973Mar 31, 2005Jun 22, 2010Credigy Technologies, Inc.System and method for an exchange of financial instruments
US7774267Jan 6, 2009Aug 10, 2010Trading Technologies International, Inc.System and method for facilitating trading of multiple tradeable objects in an electronic trading environment
US7774331Mar 28, 2005Aug 10, 2010Kayak Software CorporationMethod and apparatus for dynamic information connection engine
US7801896Feb 19, 2007Sep 21, 2010Database access system
US7904355Feb 6, 2008Mar 8, 2011Vendavo, Inc.Systems and methods for a revenue causality analyzer
US7912792Aug 9, 2004Mar 22, 2011Vendavo, Inc.Systems and methods for making margin-sensitive price adjustments in an integrated price management system
US7979427Nov 11, 2009Jul 12, 2011Round Rock Research, LLCMethod and system for updating a search engine
US7979457Feb 14, 2006Jul 12, 2011Kayak Software CorporationEfficient search of supplier servers based on stored search results
US7987419Jan 6, 2009Jul 26, 2011IGTMethod and apparatus for data communication in a gaming system
US8005744Sep 23, 2005Aug 23, 2011Methods and systems for facilitating bids on products and services
US8015100Oct 16, 2009Sep 6, 2011Trading Technologies International, Inc.Method, apparatus, and interface for trading multiple tradeable objects
US8028092Jun 28, 2002Sep 27, 2011AOL Inc.Inserting advertising content
US8069099Jun 26, 2008Nov 29, 2011Yahoo! Inc.Systems and methods for presenting advertising content based on publisher-selected labels
US8108385Sep 3, 2009Jan 31, 2012Yahoo! Inc.User interfaces for search systems using in-line contextual queries
US8126912Jun 27, 2008Feb 28, 2012Microsoft CorporationGuided content metadata tagging for an online content repository

Claims

1. A method for providing an interactive linkage between a search engine and dynamic pricing content available on a computer network, the method comprising:

receiving dynamic pricing information representing items available on the computer network, the items having a predetermined taxonomy classification encoded in a header for each item;

concentrating said encoded dynamic pricing information onto a concentration layer, said concentration layer having more than one output, at least one output having a selection based on the predetermined taxonomy classification for selecting dynamic pricing information from a category in the predetermined taxonomy, the category having at least one sub-category in the taxonomy classification schema;

organizing links to the received dynamic pricing information into a predetermined taxonomy; and

providing to the search engine a mapping between search requests and the predetermined taxonomy, the mapping comprising reference pointers to dynamic pricing content that can be returned in response to search requests at the search engine.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising returning, in response to a search request at the search engine, a reference pointer comprising an interactive link to dynamic pricing information corresponding to the search request.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the interactive link comprises one or more Uniform Resource Locator (URL) addresses.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the interactive link comprises one or more meta-tags.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the reference pointers are indexable.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the reference pointers comprise indices into a database of dynamic pricing information.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein dynamic pricing information comprises bid/ask pricing information for goods/services available in commerce.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined taxonomy comprises a classification hierarchy.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the classification hierarchy corresponds to goods/services available in commerce.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the classification hierarchy includes a plurality of levels including a category level, a topic level and a sub-topic level.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein a highest level of the classification hierarchy describes goods/services at a highest level of generality and each subsequent level in the classification hierarchy describes goods/services at increasingly detailed levels of generality.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein organizing links to dynamic pricing information comprises generating data packets having encoded headers, each encoded header describing a payload of the data packet.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the reference pointers comprise a stream of dynamic pricing information that has been collected from the Internet.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the stream of dynamic pricing information is organized and/or filtered according to predetermined criteria.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the available items comprise goods or services or a combination of goods and services.

16. A dynamic pricing system comprising:

one or more sources of dynamic pricing information representing items available on a computer network, the items having a predetermined taxonomy classification encoded in a header for each item;

a dynamic taxonomy, having a plurality of levels of detail for describing available items, for classifying the dynamic pricing information;

a mapping between the dynamic taxonomy and a fixed taxonomy employed by a search engine, wherein the mapping is applied to a starch request at the search engine to return a pointer to dynamic pricing information corresponding to the search request; and

a concentration layer for encoding dynamic pricing information, the concentration layer having more than one output, at least one output having a selection based on the predetermined taxonomy classification for selecting dynamic pricing information from a category in the predetermined taxonomy, the category having at least one sub-category in the taxonomy classification schema.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the pointer to dynamic pricing information comprises a uniform resource locator (URL) address.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein the pointer to dynamic pricing information comprises a meta-tag.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the pointer to dynamic pricing information comprises an index to a database of dynamic pricing information.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein the available items comprise goods or services or a combination of goods and services.