The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 31, 2011
Filed:
Dec. 31, 2003
Kenneth A. Moss, Mercer Island, WA (US);
Eric Watson, Redmond, WA (US);
Eytan D. Seidman, Seattle, WA (US);
Kenneth A. Moss, Mercer Island, WA (US);
Eric Watson, Redmond, WA (US);
Eytan D. Seidman, Seattle, WA (US);
Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA (US);
Abstract
The subject invention provides for systems and methods that visually enhance paid inclusion listings to facilitate offering a clear and substantial value to paid inclusion advertisers while retaining ordering rights to keep listings relevant to users. More specifically, the systems and methods allow paid inclusion listings to be visually modified at the discretion of the advertiser, the user, and/or the search service provider (e.g., publisher of search results) to facilitate differentiation among advertisers, companies, and the like. The ordering of the enhanced paid inclusion listings is not compromised based on the number or type of enhancement selected by the paid inclusion customer. A search service provider or search result publisher ('service provider') can offer a plurality, or at least one, of different types of enhancements to paid inclusion customers ('advertisers') to affect the rendering of any paid inclusion listing to the user.