Patent ID: 9177054
Filing Date: 2015-11-03
Classification: G06F,G06Q

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: identifying a plurality of data items responsive to a first query at a search component of a processing device; determining, at a value component of the processing device, a set of data items from the plurality of data items, each data item of the set having a presentation value associated therewith, the presentation value of a respective data item being a monetary value offered by a first user in exchange for a visually distinguished presentation of the data item over other data items of the plurality of data items to be presented on a user interface by a publication system; determining the presentation value for each data item of the set of data items; ranking, at a ranking component of the processing device, the set of data items for presentation to a second user based on the respective presentation values that are monetary values offered by users for the visually distinguished presentation of their respective data items; based on the ranking, identifying at least one data item to be featured in a featured items portion of the user interface; and causing presentation of the plurality of data items that displays, based on the ranking, the at least one data item to be featured visually distinguished from other data items of the plurality of data items by positioning the at least one data item to be featured in a predetermined promotional slot of the featured items portion of the user interface, a portion of the at least one data item to be featured being expanded to occupy an entire area of the feature items portion of the user interface in response to a lesser number of identified data items to be featured than promotional slots in the featured items portion of the user interface.