Amazon Technologies, Inc.

A9.com, Inc.

Other

Greg Linden

Josh Petersen

Joel R Spiegel

Ruben Ernesto Ortega

Dwayne Edward Bowman

Andrej Gregov

Brent Russell Smith

Ryan Justin Snodgrass

Neil Roseman

Jeremy Charles York

Gus Lopez

Andrew V Harbick

Jonathan Pak

A method and system for authenticating users while conducting an auction via a computer system. The system can automatically authenticate users who have previously registered with the auction system and who have enabled automatic authentication. When a user is registered, the system may store authentication information in a cookie on the user's computer. When the user decides to perform a transaction (e.g., list item auction or place a bid for an item) that requires authentication, the system retrieves the stored authentication information. If automatic authentication is enabled, then the system allows the transaction to proceed without manual authentication. If, however, automatic authentication is not enabled or the system does not recognize the stored authentication information, then the system requests manual authentication. The use of automatic authentication allows a user to enter information relating to a transaction without manually entering any identification information.

User authentication in an auction system

The present invention provides a software facility for identifying the items most relevant to a current query based on items selected in connection with similar queries. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the facility receives a query specifying one or more query terms. In response, the facility generates a query result identifying a plurality of items that satisfy the query. The facility then produces a ranking value for at least a portion of the items identified in the query result by combining the relative frequencies with which users selected that item from the query results generated from queries specifying each of the terms specified by the query. The facility identifies as most relevant those items having the highest ranking values.

Identifying items relevant to a current query based on items accessed in connection with similar queries

A facility for generating item recommendations is described. In one embodiment, the facility displays a plurality of item indications each indicating an item. The facility then receives user input selecting one or more of the displayed item indications, and selects as seed items the items indicated by the selected item indications. The facility then uses the selected seed items to generate a list of recommended items, and displays the generated list of recommended items.

User-directed product recommendations

A facility for identifying purchasing opportunities within a set of purchasing opportunities that are similar to a distinguished purchasing opportunity is described. The distinguished purchasing opportunity has descriptive information associated with it. For each of several terms occurring in this descriptive information, the facility generates a term score. Each term score reflects the extent to which the occurrence of the term and the descriptive information associated with the distinguished purchasing opportunity differentiates the distinguished purchasing opportunity from auto purchasing opportunities in the set. The facility then selects as key words the terms occurring in the descriptive information associated with the distinguished purchasing opportunity that have the highest term scores. The facility identifies purchasing opportunities of the set containing the selected key words, and establishes a purchasing opportunity score for each identified purchasing opportunity by summing the term score of the key words occurring in information associated with the identified purchasing opportunities.

Automatically identifying similar purchasing opportunities

A facility for presenting information about new items, such as new items available via a web site is described. The facility receives a request for information submitted on behalf of an identified user. In processing the request, the facility accesses a set of items having effective times. The facility performs a first filtering process to eliminate items of the set whose effective times indicate that the items are not new. The facility performs a second filtering process to eliminate items of the set in which the user likely has a low level of interest. Subsequent to both the first and second filterings, the facility presents to the user information about each of at least a portion of the filtered items.

Personalized promotion of new content

A method and system for authenticating users while conducting an auction via a computer system. The system can automatically authenticate users who have previously registered with the auction system and who have enabled automatic authentication. When a user is registered, the system may store authentication information in a cookie on the user's computer. When the user decides to perform a transaction (e.g., list item auction or place a bid for an item) that requires authentication, the system retrieves the stored authentication information. If automatic authentication is enabled, then the system allows the transaction to proceed without manual authentication. If, however, automatic authentication is not enabled or the system does not recognize the stored authentication information, then the system requests manual authentication. The use of automatic authentication allows a user to enter information relating to a transaction without manually entering any identification information. The system also defers manual authentication until a transaction is ready to proceed.

Method and system for authenticating users when conducting commercial transactions using a computer

The present invention provides a software facility for identifying the items most relevant to a current query based on items selected in connection with similar queries. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the facility receives a query specifying one or more query terms. In response, the facility generates a query result identifying a plurality of items that satisfy the query. The facility then produces a ranking value for at least a portion of the item identified in the query result by combining the relative frequencies with which users selected that item from the query results generated from queries specifying each of the terms specified by the query. The facility identifies as most relevant those items having the highest ranking values.

Growing community of inventors

Seattle, WA, United States of America

Greg Linden