Abstract:
Systems and methods for multi-dimensional query statement modification are described. A system presents a user interface including a first plurality of graphical elements representing a plurality of activity dimensions to a user. The system detects a user selection of a first activity dimension and a second user selection of a first attribute of the first activity dimension without a selection of the second attribute. The system searches objects using a search query based on the first activity dimension and the first attribute to return search results including a first object published on a network-based publication system by a client. The system provides a notification message to the user responsive to identifying feedback information that is received from a trading partner of the client as transgressing a first threshold. The feedback information is identified based on the first object and the second attribute that is not selected from the user interface.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application is a continuation application that claims the benefit of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/780,985, filed Jul. 20, 2007 which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    Example embodiments relate generally to the technical field of query statement modification, and in one specific example, to a system for multi-dimensional query statement modification. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    The Internet technologies and their widespread use have made it possible for many people to participate in online trade activities. Many companies facilitate trade on servers connected to users over one or more networks, typically including the Internet. The users buying and/or selling items over these networks loosely comprise a marketplace community within an electronic environment. A distinction between non-electronic selling practices such as traditional stores and current electronic selling mechanisms is the component of anonymity inherent in an electronic environment, which is not always conducive to forming a trusting environment in which two or more users wish to form a business relationship. 
         [0004]    To overcome some reservations about the anonymity component within the electronic marketplace community and to provide incentives for participating in transactions within electronic marketplaces. Internet marketplaces, such as auction sites run by eBay. Inc. of San Jose, Calif. provide feedback ratings generated from feedback between users. A user&#39;s feedback rating may indicate the user&#39;s reputation within the electronic community and provides some indication of the trustworthiness and responsiveness of that user. A representation of a user&#39;s feedback rating may be displayed along with a business transaction request by the user. 
         [0005]    Feedback ratings may provide a useful mechanism for indicating a level of user&#39;s trustworthiness or past participation within an electronic commerce forum. Users desire to increase their feedback ratings because they are one indication of a user&#39;s reputation in the electronic community, and users with high feedback ratings may enjoy expanded opportunities to transact business and obtain higher profits or access to more goods and services. To further motivate the earning of a high feedback rating, some marketplace providers give awards or identify the users whose feedback ratings have reached a certain value, or who are among some number of users with the highest feedback ratings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    Some embodiments are illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a high level diagram depicting an example embodiment of a system for conducting multifaceted search for objects using reputation information; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating an example embodiment of a multifaceted search system using reputation information; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a flow diagram illustrating an example embodiment of a method of searching for objects using reputation information; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a flow diagram depicting an example embodiment of a method for sorting the search results of the method of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating in an example embodiment of sets of reputation dimensions associated with sellers, buyers, and service providers; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a screen shot illustrating an example embodiment of a user interface including reputation dimensions in search options; 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a screen shot illustrating an example embodiment of a user interface including reputation dimensions in the search options and displaying search results sorted based on selected reputation dimensions; 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is high level block diagram illustrating an example embodiment of a network-based commerce system, having a client-server architecture, using reputation information for multifaceted search for objects; 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is an example set of marketplace and multifaceted search applications used by the network-based commerce system of  FIG. 8 ; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 10  is a block diagram illustrating a diagrammatic representation of a machine in the example form of a computer system. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]    Example methods and systems for searching for objects using reputation information have been described. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of example embodiments. It will be evident, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. 
         [0018]    For the purpose of present application, the term “reputation dimension” shall be taken to include, but not be limited to, various aspects of reputation information associated with an entity participating in an activity (e.g., overall performance, cost of shipping, timeliness, communication, quality of advertisements, quality of listing descriptions, quality of packaging, quality of services provided, and the like). 
         [0019]    Some embodiments described herein may include searching databases of objects (e.g., items, services, etc.) using some reputation dimensions and their related attributes (e.g., feedback scores, percentage ratings, overall feedback ratings such as a weighted average of feedback scores, positive and negative comments, etc.) as part of search query. The feedbacks received from trading parties may be analyzed and the result of the analysis (e.g., in the form of attributes of the reputation dimensions) may be presented to users for selection. The selected reputation dimensions and related attributes may then be included in the search criteria. This refinement of search may be conducive to enhancement of the user&#39;s confidence in certain qualifications of a third party (e.g., a potential trading party). 
         [0020]    In some example embodiments, a method may include presenting multiple reputation dimensions and attributes, related to each of the reputation dimensions, to users. The reputation dimensions may include the reputation dimensions related to a marketplace participant (e.g., seller, buyer, service provider, or client) or participant in some other network-based activity (e.g., online gaming, social or business networking etc.). A method may also include detecting user selections of a reputation dimensions and attributes related to the reputation dimension. 
         [0021]    The selected attributes related to reputation dimensions may then be included as a criterion part of a search query when conducting a search of a database of objects using the search query to generate search results. The criterion part of the search query may be used to filter the database of objects in order to limit the number of objects included in the search results. 
         [0022]    In an example embodiment, a method may include sorting the search results, using a selected reputation dimension (e.g. selected by a user from a list of reputation dimensions presented to the user) and displaying sorted search results. An example method may include providing a notification message to the user when an attribute of a reputation dimension other than the reputation dimensions selected by the user transgresses a threshold (e.g., one of the feedback ratings or an overall feedback rating falls below a predefined lower limit or exceeds a predefined higher limit). 
         [0023]    According to some example embodiments, a reputation dimension may include transaction participation aspects for which feedback is available (e.g., overall performance, cost of shipping, timeliness, communication, quality of advertisements, quality of listing descriptions, quality of packaging, quality of services provided, and the like). A selected attribute related to a reputation dimension may include feedback ratings and comments corresponding to the reputation dimension (e.g., feedback scores, percentage ratings, overall feedback rating, positive and negative comments, etc.). 
         [0024]    In one example embodiment, a method may include receiving detailed feedback ratings by requesting a feedback giver to respond to specific questions relating to certain transaction participation aspects (e.g., what aspect of the shipping and handling the feedback giver was least satisfied with, or what specific qualification of a seller the feedback giver appreciates the most, etc.). This kind of granular feedback may be useful for a user to obtain a better understanding of the qualifications of a respective trading party. 
         [0025]      FIG. 1  is a high level diagram depicting an example embodiment of a system  100  for conducting multifaceted search for objects using reputation information. The system  100  may include a user  110 , a user computer  120 , a server  170 , a network  180  and a user interface  130 . The user computer  120  is linked to the server  170  via the network  180  (e.g., the Internet). The server  170  may include a database of objects that the user  110  may be interested in searching. 
         [0026]    The user  110  may use the user computer  120  to go online and provide input to a page provided by the server  170  to search for an object. The example user interface  130  may be provided by the server  170  to the user  110  to search for an object using reputation information. The user interface  130  depicts a search-box  140 , multiple reputation dimensions  150 , and list-boxes  190 , which may list attributes  160  related to each of the reputation dimensions  150 . 
         [0027]    The user  110  may select any of the reputation dimensions  150  to be used in the search for the object. In addition, in the list-boxes  190 , under each selected reputation dimension(s)  150 , the user  110  may select any attributes  160  related to the selected reputation dimensions  150  that the user may want to be used for the search of the object. The server  170  may use the selected reputation dimensions and the selected attributes related to the selected reputation dimensions as a criterion part of a query used to search for the object. 
         [0028]    In an example embodiment, the object may be an item (e.g., a data item or a described physical item) or a service. The object may also be listed in an online marketplace, for example. The reputation dimension  150 , for example, may include overall performance, cost of shipping, timeliness, communication, quality of advertisement, quality of a listing description, quality of packaging, quality of service provided and the like. Reputation dimension attributes  160  may include feedback scores, percentage ratings, overall feedback ratings such as a weighted average of feedback scores, positive and negative comments, etc. 
         [0029]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating an example embodiment of a multifaceted search system  200  using reputation information. The search system  200  may include a user interface module  210 , a detection module  220 , a database server  230 , a database  240 , a search engine  250 , a sort module  260  and a notification module  270 . 
         [0030]    The user interface module  210  may present to the user  110  the user interface  130 , on which the user  110  may search for an object using reputation dimension  150  and related attributes  160  to be used as part of a search criterion in searching for the object. The user  110  may also select any of the reputation dimensions  150  presented in the user interface  130  to be applied in the search criteria used to search for the object. The user  110  also has the option of selecting any attribute  160  related to the selected reputation dimension (s)  150  to be included in the search criteria for the search. 
         [0031]    The detection module  220  may detect the selected reputation dimensions  150  and the selected related attributes  160  by the user  110 . The search engine  250  may use the selected reputation dimension(s)  150  and the attributes  160  detected by the detection module  220 , as part of the search query used to search the database  240  of objects via the database server  230 . 
         [0032]    In an example embodiment, the search engine  250  may use other search criteria not shown in the user interface  130 . According to some example embodiments, the user  110  may require to have the search result sorted, based on the selected reputation dimensions  150  and the attributes  160  selected by the user  110 . The sort module  260  may sort the search results using the selected reputation dimension(s)  150  (e.g., selected by the user  110  from a list of reputation dimension  150  presented to the user.) The sort module  260  may send the sorted results to the user interface module  210  for display to the user  110 . 
         [0033]    In an example embodiment, the notification module  270  may provide a notification message to the user  110 , in case where an attribute  160  of a reputation dimension other than the reputation dimensions  150  selected by the user transgresses a threshold (e.g., one of the feedback ratings or an overall feedback rating falls below a predefined lower limit or exceeds a pre-defined higher limit). The notification message provided by the notification module  270  may be passed to the user interface module  210  to be displayed in an appropriate location in the user interface  130  presented to the user  110 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 3  is a flow diagram illustrating an example embodiment of a method  300  of searching for objects using reputation information. The method  300  starts at operation  310 , where the user interface module  210  presents to the user  110 , via a user interface  130 , one or more reputation dimensions  150  and one or more attributes  160  related to each of the reputation dimensions  150 . The user  110  then may select any of the reputation dimensions  150 , as well as the attributes  160  related to the selected reputation dimension(s)  150 , to be used in the search query when searching for the object. 
         [0035]    At operation  320 , the detection module  220  may detect the user  110  selection of the reputation dimensions  150  and attributes  160  related to the selected reputation dimension(s)  150 . In an example embodiment, at operation  330 , the search engine  250  may include the selected reputation dimension(s)  150  and selected attribute(s)  160 , related to the selected reputation dimension(s)  150 , as a criterion part of a search query and conduct a search of a database  240  of objects, using the database server  230 , to generate search results. 
         [0036]      FIG. 4  is a flow diagram depicting an example embodiment of a method  400  for sorting the search results of the method of  FIG. 4 . The method  400  starts at operation  410  where the sort module  260  checks the detected reputation dimension  150 , selected by the user  110  and detected by the detection module  220 , to determine if any of the reputation dimensions  150  have been selected by the user. 
         [0037]    In control operation  420 , it is determined whether the user  110  has selected at least one of the reputation dimensions  150  to be included in the search query of the object. At operation  430 , the sort module  260  may sort the search results produced by the search engine  250  according to the selected reputation dimension(s)  150  as shown in more detail in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0038]    In an example embodiment, in a case where the user  110  did not select any of the reputation dimensions presented via the user interface  130 , then the sort module  260  may sort the results produced by the search engine  250 , based on some default reputation dimensions not selected by the user  110 , or even not presented to the user  110  via user interface  130 . 
         [0039]    At control operation  450 , the notification module  270 , may determine that one or more reputation dimensions, associated with a party other than the reputation dimension(s)  150  selected by the user  110 , have transgressed a threshold (e.g., one of the feedback ratings or an overall feedback rating has fallen below a predefined lower limit, or has exceeded a predefined higher limit). This determination may be based on the information received from the detection module  220  and the existing information stored on the database  240 . In that case, at operation  460 , the notification module  270  may provide a notification message via the user interface module  210  to the user  110 . 
         [0040]    In an example embodiment, the user interface module  210  may accordingly include the notification message in the user interface  130  in order to notify user  110 . The notification message may be displayed as a footnote or adjacent to the name of the party. 
         [0041]      FIG. 5  is a diagram illustrating an example embodiment of sets  500  of reputation dimensions  150  associated with sellers, buyers, and service providers. The reputation information stored in a database  240  may include feedback information related to sellers, buyers, or service providers. 
         [0042]    In some embodiments, the feedback information pertaining to sellers may relate to one or more of the reputation dimensions  150  listed in box  510 , including shipping and handling, listing description, timeliness, and communication. The shipping and handling reputation dimension, for example, may indicate that the seller had negative feedback relating to some shipping and handling aspects such as shipment timing, or quality of packaging. The listing description aspect may correspond, for example, to a vague description of a listed item or a description lacking some key features of the listed items, etc. 
         [0043]    An example list  520  presents some example reputation dimensions pertaining to buyers that may have received feedback from the sellers of the items. These reputation dimensions may be related to timeliness in payment, communications, and returns. Concerning the returns, the seller might have provided comments regarding the quality of the packaging of a returned item or the status of the returned item received from a buyer, compared to the status of the item as it was delivered to the buyer. 
         [0044]    In cases where some listed services are provided by some service providers, a client may provide feedback related to the reputation dimensions listed in box  530  including quality of the service provided, cost of the service that was provided to the client, timeliness of the provision of the services, and the communication of the service provider with the client. In some example embodiments, the client may be unsatisfied or very satisfied with one or more aspects of a service received. The client may also find some portions of the cost of service charged by the service provider, excessive or irrelevant. The client may include these observations in a feedback left for the service provider. 
         [0045]      FIG. 6  is a screenshot illustrating an example embodiment of a user interface  600  including reputation dimensions added to the search options. The user interface  600  may represent an example user interface presented to the user  110  by the user interface module  210 . In the example user interface  600 , the user  110  is searching for an Apple iPod MP3 player. The user interface  600  may include a search option box  610  and a list view portion  670 . 
         [0046]    The user  110  may select from the options provided in the search option box  610  to limit his or her search to specific items. The search engine  250  may use the selected options to find objects of interest to the user  110 . The user interface module  210  then may present the results under the list view  670  of the user interface  600 . In the example embodiment shown in  FIG. 6 , the list view  670  includes number of bids, price, and shipping cost. 
         [0047]    The example search option box  610  may include a “show only” portion  620 . Only search objects satisfying the conditions listed in the show only portion  620  may be listed under the list view  670 . The show only portion  620  of the search option box  610  in the example user interface  600 , includes a first reputation dimension  630  (R.D.  1 ) and a second reputation dimension  640  (R.D.  2 ) 
         [0048]    Under the first reputation dimension  630  (e.g., shipping and handling), a list box  650  may be included to show the selections of attributes (e.g., feedback ratings such as 3, 4, 5, &gt;3, etc.) related to the first reputation dimension  630 . The user  110  may select, from the list box  650 , the desired attributes of the first reputation dimension  630  that he or she may desire to be included in the search of the object. A list-box  660 , shown under the second reputation dimension  640  (e.g., negative feedback ratings), may provide the user  110  with a list of attributes (e.g., &lt;20%, &lt;10%, &lt;5%, etc.) related to the second reputation dimension  640  that the user may select from. The selection of first and second reputation dimensions  630  and  640  may affect the search results generated by the search engine  250  as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0049]      FIG. 7  is a screenshot illustrating an example embodiment of a user interface  700 , including reputation dimensions in the search options and displaying search results sorted based on selected reputation dimensions. According to the example user interface  700 , the user  110  has selected both the first and the second reputation dimensions  630  and  640  to be included as the search criteria for an Apple iPod. 
         [0050]    The selections of the first reputation dimension  630  and the second reputation dimension  640  are reflected in the search results by including R.D.  1  and R.D.  2  as columns  720  and  740  of the list view  670 . According to the example user interface  700 , the user  110  has selected the shown attribute of greater than 3 (&gt;3) from the list-box  650  as a selected attribute of the selected first reputation dimension  630 . Also, by selecting the second reputation dimension  640  and the attribute value of less than 5 percent from the list-box  660 , the user  110  may have requested that only the Apple iPods having the qualifications corresponding to the selections be shown in the search result. 
         [0051]    Accordingly, only two of the Apple iPods presented in  FIG. 6  have been selected to be included in the listed view of the user interface  700 . For both of the included Apple iPods, the value of the first reputation dimension  630  in column  720  is higher than 3 (e.g.,  4  and  5 ); and both of these iPods are showing values of the second reputation dimension  640  (column  740 ) less than 5% (e.g., 4% and 1%). In some example embodiments, the first and the second reputation dimensions  630  and  640  may include any of the reputation dimensions listed in  FIG. 5  (e.g., shipping and handling, listing description, timeliness, communications, etc.). 
         [0052]      FIG. 8  is a high-level block diagram illustrating an example embodiment of a network-based publication system  800 , having a client-server architecture for performing search using multifaceted reputation information. A publication platform, in the example form of a network-based marketplace  802 , provides server-side functionality, via a network  180  (e.g., the Internet) to one or more clients.  FIG. 8  illustrates, for example, a web client  806  (e.g., a browser, such as the INTERNET EXPLORER browser developed by MICROSOFT CORPORATION of Redmond, Wash.), and a programmatic client  808  executing on respective client machines  810  and  812 . 
         [0053]    Turning specifically to the network-based marketplace  802 , an Application Program Interface (API) server  814  and a web server  816  are coupled to, and provide programmatic and web interfaces respectively to, one or more application servers  818 . The application servers  818  host one or more marketplace applications  820  and multifaceted search applications  822 . The application servers  818  are, in turn, shown to be coupled to one or more database servers  824  that facilitate access to one or more databases  826 . 
         [0054]    The marketplace applications  820  provide a number of marketplace functions and services to users that access the marketplace  802 . The multifaceted search applications  822  facilitates online search for objects using reputation dimensions as part of the search query. 
         [0055]    Further, while the system  800  shown in  FIG. 8  employs a client-server architecture, the present application is of course not limited to such an architecture, and could equally well find application in a distributed, or peer-to-peer, architecture system. The various marketplace and multifaceted search applications  820  and  822  may also be implemented as standalone software programs, which do not necessarily have networking capabilities. 
         [0056]    The web client  806 , it will be appreciated, may access the various marketplace and multifaceted search applications  820  and  822  via the web interface supported by the web server  816 . Similarly, the programmatic client  808  accesses the various services and functions provided by the marketplace and multifaceted search applications  820  and  822  via the programmatic interface provided by the API server  814 . The programmatic client  808  may, for example, be a seller application (e.g., the TurboLister application developed by EBAY INC., of San Jose, Calif.) to enable sellers to author and manage listings on the marketplace  802  in an off-line manner, and to perform batch-mode communications between the programmatic client  808  and the network-based marketplace  802 . 
         [0057]      FIG. 8  also illustrates a third party application  828 , executing on a third party server machine  830 , as having programmatic access to the network-based marketplace  802  via the programmatic interface provided by the API server  814 . For example, the third party application  828  may, utilizing information retrieved from the network-based marketplace  802 , support one or more features or functions on a website hosted by the third party. The third party website may, for example, provide one or more promotional, marketplace or payment functions that are supported by the relevant applications of the network-based marketplace  802 . 
         [0058]      FIG. 9  is a diagram illustrating multiple example marketplace and multifaceted search applications  900  that, in one example embodiment, are provided as part of the network-based marketplace  802 . The marketplace  802  may provide a number of listing and price-setting mechanisms whereby a seller may list goods or services for sale, a buyer may express interest in or indicate a desire to purchase such goods or services, and a price may be set for a transaction pertaining to the goods or services. 
         [0059]    The marketplace applications  820  are shown to include one or more auction applications  902  which support auction-format listing and price setting mechanisms (e.g., English, Dutch, Vickrey, Chinese, Double, Reverse auctions etc.). The various auction applications  902  may also provide a number of features in support of such auction-format listings, such as a reserve price feature whereby a seller may specify a reserve price in connection with a listing and a proxy-bidding feature whereby a bidder may invoke automated proxy bidding. 
         [0060]    A number of fixed-price applications  904  support fixed-price listing formats (e.g., the traditional classified advertisement-type listing or a catalogue listing) and buyout-type listings. Specifically, buyout-type listings (e.g., including the Buy-It-Now (BIN) technology developed by eBay Inc., of San Jose, Calif.) may be offered in conjunction with an auction-format listing, and allow a buyer to purchase goods or services, which are also being offered for sale via an auction, for a fixed-price that is typically higher than the starting price of the auction. 
         [0061]    Reputation applications  906  may allow parties that transact utilizing the network-based marketplace  802  to establish, build, and maintain reputations related to market participants (e.g., sellers, buyers, service providers, or clients) which may be published and made available to potential trading partners. Consider that where, for example, the network-based marketplace  802  supports person-to-person trading, users may have no history or other reference information whereby the trustworthiness and credibility of potential trading partners may be assessed. The reputation applications  906  may allow a user, for example through feedback provided by other transaction partners, to establish a reputation within the network-based marketplace  802  over time. Other potential trading partners may then reference such a reputation for the purposes of assessing credibility and trustworthiness. 
         [0062]    Listing creation applications  910  may allow sellers or service providers to conveniently author listings pertaining to goods or services that they wish to sell via the marketplace  802 . 
         [0063]    Dispute resolution applications  914  may provide mechanisms whereby disputes arising between transacting parties may be resolved. For example, the dispute resolution applications  914  may provide guided procedures whereby the parties are guided through a number of steps in an attempt to settle a dispute. In the event that the dispute cannot be settled via the guided procedures, the dispute may be escalated to a third party mediator or arbitrator. 
         [0064]    Feedback analysis applications  912  may allow the network-based marketplace  802  to analyze feedback information received by the reputation applications  906  and make assessments with respect to performances of the trading parties. The feedback analysis applications  912  may provide attributes (e.g., rankings, percentages, comments, etc.) related to reputation dimensions (e.g., overall feedback rating, feedback ratings on cost of shipping, timeliness, communication, quality of advertisements, quality of listing descriptions, quality of packaging, quality of services provided, and the like). These attributes may be used by sorting applications  916  to sort search results generated by search applications  922 . 
         [0065]    As part of the multifaceted search applications  822 , search applications  922  may facilitate searching objects using reputation dimensions from reputation applications  906  and attributes related to the reputation dimensions provided by the feedback analysis applications  912 , as part of their search query. The search results may be provided to sorting applications  916  for sorting. 
         [0066]    The sorting applications  916  may obtain the search results provided by the search applications  922  and sort the results based on the selected attributes related to reputation dimensions of interest to the user. For example a user may desire to sort found objects based on feedback ratings on timeliness of sellers of found objects. For example, the user may select that only objects offered by sellers who have timeliness rating score higher than 6 be displayed. The sorting applications  916 , then may sort the search results according to the seller&#39;s timeliness ranting score and only list those objects for which the sellers have timeliness scores better than 6. The sorting applications  916  may then send the listed objects to user interface applications  924  to be displayed to the user. 
         [0067]    Messaging applications  920  are responsible for the generation and delivery of messages to users of the network-based marketplace  802 . Such messages may, for example, advise users regarding the status of listings at the network-based marketplace  802  (e.g., providing “outbid” notices to bidders during an auction process or providing promotional and merchandising information to users). In one example embodiment, the messaging applications  920  may notify a user, when an entity (e.g., seller, buyer, service provider, or client) associated with a searched object has transgressed a predefined threshold related to an attribute of a reputation dimension other than the ones selected by the user as a search query (e.g., the user has selected the shipping cost as the search criteria but among the found objects, there are ones offered by sellers who have more than 35% late delivery of sold items. In this case, the messaging applications may notify the user of such instances if the predefined threshold is 20%) 
       Example Machine Architecture 
       [0068]      FIG. 10  is a block diagram, illustrating a diagrammatic representation of machine  1000  in the example form of a computer system within which a set of instructions for causing the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein may be executed. In alternative embodiments, the machine  1000  may operate as a standalone device or may be connected (e.g., networked) to other machines. In a networked deployment, the machine  1000  may operate in the capacity of a server or a client machine in a server-client network environment, or as a peer machine in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. The machine  1000  may be a server computer, a client computer, a personal computer (PC), a tablet PC, a set-top box (STB), a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a cellular telephone, a web appliance, a network router, switch or bridge, or any machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine. Further, while only a single machine is illustrated, the term “machine” shall also be taken to include any collection of machines that individually or jointly execute a set (or multiple sets) of instructions to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein. 
         [0069]    The example computer system  1000  may include a processor  1060  (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU) or both), a main memory  1070  and a static memory  1080 , all of which communicate with each other via a bus  1008 . The computer system  1000  may further include a video display unit  1010  (e.g., liquid crystal displays (LCD) or cathode ray tube (CRT)). The computer system  1000  also may include an alphanumeric input device  1020  (e.g., a keyboard), a cursor control device  1030  (e.g., a mouse), a disk drive unit  1040 , a signal generation device  1050  (e.g., a speaker) and a network interface device  1090 . 
         [0070]    The disk drive unit  1040  may include a machine-readable medium  1022  on which is stored one or more sets of instructions (e.g., software  1024 ) embodying any one or more of the methodologies or functions described herein. The software  1024  may also reside, completely or at least partially, within the main memory  1070  and/or within the processor  1060  during execution thereof by the computer system  1000 , the main memory  1070  and the processor  1060  also constituting machine-readable media. 
         [0071]    The software  1024  may further be transmitted or received over a network  280  via the network interface device  1090 . 
         [0072]    While the machine-readable medium  1022  is shown in an example embodiment to be a single medium, the term “machine-readable medium” should be taken to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers) that store the one or more sets of instructions. The term “machine-readable medium” shall also be taken to include any medium that is capable of storing, encoding or carrying a set of instructions for execution by the machine and that cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies of the present invention. The term “machine-readable medium” shall accordingly be taken to include, but not be limited to, solid-state memories and optical and magnetic media. 
         [0073]    Thus, a method and a system for searching for objects using reputation dimensions and their attributes as part of search query have been described. Although the present invention has been described with reference to specific example embodiments, it will be evident that various modifications and changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. 
         [0074]    The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b), requiring an abstract that will allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it may be seen that various features are grouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment.