Abstract:
A system, according to some example embodiments, includes a commerce database storing item data for a plurality of items offered for sale. A search criteria database stores search criteria associated with a user, the search criteria including search frequency information indicating frequency of a search update to be performed using the search criteria. A search server operation retrieves the search criteria from the search criteria database and performs an update search of the commerce database, the search being performed using the search criteria and in accordance with the search frequency information. A notification engine operationally identifies an update to a previous search result based on the update search and generates a notification of the update to the previous search result.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/159,339, filed Jan. 20, 2014, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/572,493 filed Aug. 10, 2012, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,635,202 on Jan. 21, 2014, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/284,717 filed Oct. 28, 2011, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,244,709 on Aug. 14, 2012, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/751,679 filed Mar. 31, 2010, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,051,064 on Nov. 11, 2011, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/539,167, filed Mar. 29, 2000, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,720,833 on May 18, 2010, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/179,645 filed Feb. 2, 2000, all of which applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to the retrieval of information over a network and more particularly to a change detection and notification system. 
     BACKGROUND 
     As networks and computers have been able to deliver information faster, users have begun to expect instantaneous information and information available from anywhere in the world. The vast amount of information available has created an overload of information for the user. 
     Internet search tools and search engines allow users to find information by searching for keywords throughout an index of millions of documents posted on websites. However, a problem with the search engines is the inability to receive updated information on specific pages. A user may frequently access the information on web pages to see if changes have occurred, but this is time consuming. Accessing information is tedious, particularly when information contained in a large database and large searches must be conducted. 
     Software tools have been developed to automate the task of detecting updates to information on web pages and within databases. These tools allow users to specify keywords which are periodically searched for in a news database. Some of these tools send news articles containing the specified keywords to the user by electronic mail (e-mail). 
     These automated software tools are sometimes known as “netbots”, a network robot which automatically performs some task for a user. Netbots allow the users to manage the information within databases and reduce the amount of information that the user must read. Filtering of the information is critical to making good use of the overwhelming amount of information available to the user. 
     Change detection tools allow users to register a document or web page on the Internet and be notified when any change to that document occurs. The user registers a document by specifying the URL of the document and providing the user&#39;s e-mail address. The change detection tool stores a local copy of the document together with the user&#39;s e-mail address. Periodically (for example daily or weekly), the change detection tool access the source document specified by the URL and compares the retrieved source document to the local saved copy of the document. If a difference between the two copies is detected, a message is sent to the user&#39;s e-mail address notifying the user of the change in the document. These document change tools may store an actual copy of the entire document on the tools website for comparison. However, such tools are inefficient for retrieving updated information within a database, for example, an auction site. Because of the large amount of data within these sites, a user may be notified too often or with too much information for the updates to be useful. Often the user is notified of many insignificant changes and frequent e-mail notices of minor irrelevant changes become irritating to the user. In addition, such URL reminders notify the user only that a change has taken place and do not highlight the changes or indicate the changes to the user. Thus, the user must re-read the entire document to determine what has changed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Features and advantages will be apparent to one skilled in the art in light of the following detailed description in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an illustration of one embodiment for a distributed auction site, search updating system; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram of one embodiment of an architecture of a computer system; 
         FIG. 3A  is a block diagram of one embodiment for a random access memory, such as that shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 3B  is a block diagram of one embodiment of search criteria used in the system of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4A  is a block diagram of one embodiment for an auction site, search updating system; 
         FIG. 4B  is a block diagram of one embodiment of search results; 
         FIG. 5  is a flow diagram of one embodiment for automatically updating auction site searches; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates an exemplary personal shopper user log-in window; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates an exemplary saved search results window; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates an exemplary existing search and modification window; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates an exemplary search criteria preview and save window; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates an exemplary search modified verification window; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates an exemplary window existing search deletion window; 
         FIG. 12  illustrates art exemplary new search recorded verification window; 
         FIG. 13A  illustrates an exemplary search results window; and 
         FIG. 13B  illustrates the exemplary search results window. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A method, apparatus, and system for automatically updating searches are described. In one embodiment, a first search result may be compared with a second search result to automatically identify at least one data item within the first search result that is changed relative to the second search result. The at least one data item may comprise a transaction term. A notification of the at least one data item may be transmitted to a user device. 
     Reference in the specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Although the search update system is described in terms of an auction site, the system and method may be used to automatically update searches of any database. 
     Some portions of the detailed description that follows are presented in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on data bits within a computer memory in the form of a computer program. Such a computer program may be stored in a computer readable storage medium, such as, but is not limited to, any type of disk including floppy disks, optical disks, CD-ROMs, and magnetic-optical disks, read-only memories (ROMs), random access memories (RAMs), EPROMs, EEPROMs, magnetic or optical cards, or any type of media suitable for storing electronic instructions, and each coupled to a computer system bus. 
       FIG. 1  is a diagram of one embodiment for a distributed auction site, search updating system  100 . Referring to  FIG. 1 , server  102  is coupled to mass storage device  104 . Server  102  and mass storage device  104  are coupled via wide area network (WAN)  112  to a variety of clients  106  and  108 . Wide area network  112  may be coupled to any of a variety of clients  106  and  108 . In one embodiment, mass storage device  104  contains an auction item database, a modified or new item database, a search criteria database, and a search results database. In an alternate embodiment, each of the databases may be contained in a separate mass storage devices  104 . A user accesses a server through client  106 ,  108  via wide area network  112  in order to enter items for sale in the auction item database, modify items for sale, and enter search criteria for searching for items within the auction item database. After the user enters all the information into the system  100 , server  102  uses the search criteria to search for items within the auction item database. The search results are stored in the search results database and the user is notified that the search is complete. In one embodiment, the user is notified by an e-mail sent from server  102  via wide area network  112  to client  106 ,  108 . 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram of one embodiment for an architecture for a computer system  200 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , CPU  202  is coupled via bus  215  to a variety of memory structures and input/output  210 . The memory structures may include, for example, read only memory (ROM)  204 , random access memory (RAM)  206 , and/or non-volatile memory  208 . In one embodiment, CPU  202  is also coupled via bus  215  to network interface  212 . Network interface  212  is used to communicate between computer system  200  and server  102  and a variety of other computer terminals  108 . Network interface  212  is coupled to the wide area network  112  by any of a variety of means such as, for example, a telephone connection via modem, a DSL line, or the like. The architecture shown in  FIG. 2  may be utilized for either client  106 ,  108 , server  102 , or both. 
       FIG. 3A  is a block diagram of one embodiment for random access memory (RAM)  206 . Referring to  FIG. 3A , RAM  206  contains auction item application  302 , search criteria application  304 , search engine  312 , and change-detection manager  310 . Change-detection manager  310  includes update responder  306  and update detector  308 . Auction item application  302  is used to add or modify items to the item database. Auction item application  302  interacts with the user via a graphical user interface (GUI) to set up items for sale. Search criteria application  304  is used to add, modify and delete search criteria for searching the item database. Search criteria application  304  interacts with the user via a GUI to set up criteria for searching the item database. Search engine  312  searches the item database using the search criteria entered through search criteria application  304 . Update responder  306  handles communication between server  102  and the search engine software. Update detector  308  is responsible for performing the automatic update of the searches. In one embodiment, change-detection manager  310  is the NetMind Change-Detection tool provided by NetMind Services, Inc. of Campbell, Calif. 
       FIG. 3B  is a block diagram for one embodiment of search criteria  320  used in system  100 . Referring to  FIG. 3B , search criteria  320  may include a unique search ID  322 , a user identification  324 , user e-mail address  326 , category indicator  328 , search string  330 , search frequency  332 , minimum bidding price  334 , maximum bidding price  336 , search includes description  338 , order of the search results  340 , search starting date  342 , and search ending date  344 . The entries in search criteria  320  are entered through a GUI. 
     Search ID  322  is a unique identifier for the search criteria  320 . In one embodiment, search ID  322  is automatically generated by system  100  when the search is saved. User ID  324  is a unique identifier for the user and is entered by the user when the user signs-up for the notification service. User e-mail address  326  is used to notify the user of the results of the updated search results. Category search  328  indicates the auction site category for the search. In one embodiment, the user may search items for sale based upon the item category (for example, autos, boats, or the like). Search string  320  contains the search data entered by the user for the search (for example, “BMW 3225i”). Search frequency  332  indicates how often a search update is performed. For example, search frequency  332  may indicate a daily, weekly, or monthly update. Minimum bidding price  334  contains the lowest bid price entered by the user for the item and maximum bidding price  336  contains the highest bid price entered by the user. Search includes description  338  is a tag that indicates whether the search is to be performed on the description of the item in addition to the title of the item. Order of search results  340  indicates whether the search results are displayed newest first or oldest first. Search starting date  342  indicates the date from which the search updates are performed. In one embodiment, search starting date  342  is automatically inserted by the system when the user saves the search information. Search ending date  344  indicates the date at which the search updates are to be concluded. 
       FIG. 4A  is a block diagram of one embodiment of an auction site, search updating system  400 . Referring to  FIG. 4A , items processor  405  accesses item database  410  to add items to item database  410 . Items are entered by a user through a GUI. Items processor  405  extracts new or modified items from item database  410  and places the extracted items in modified or new items database  415 . The extraction of modified or new items is performed on a regular basis. For example, the extraction may be run on an hourly or nightly basis. 
     Search criteria input processor  425  downloads search criteria  320  into search criteria database  420 . Search criteria  320  is input into the system  400  by the user through a GUI. In one embodiment, the user is queried at the time a search is initially entered into the system whether the user wishes to save the search for future updates. If the user does not wish to save the search, the search is performed on the item database  410  and the results displayed to the user. However, if the user wishes to save the search, search criteria input processor  425  performs an initial search against auction item database  410  and displays the search results on the user&#39;s terminal. In addition, search criteria input processor  425  saves search criteria  320  entered by the user in search criteria database  420 . 
     Update notification engine  430  uses search criteria  320  from search criteria database  420  to search the modified or new items database  415  to create search results. The search results are stored in search result database  440 . Update notification engine  430  compares search results on a periodic basis. The periodic basis is determined by search frequency  332 . Thus, search criteria  320  may indicate that the search is performed and the comparison made on an hourly, nightly, or weekly basis. Update notification engine  430  runs the current search and compares the search results for the current search with search results from a prior run stored in search results database  440 . 
     Update notification engine  430  retrieves search criteria  320  from search criteria database  420 . Search criteria  320  is used to search the modified or new items database  415  and the results are transferred to update manager  310 . Update detector  308  parses the new search results. In one embodiment, the search results are sorted in date order with the latest date first. Update detector  308  retrieves the previously stored search results from search result database  440  to make the comparison. In one embodiment, each auction item extracted from new or modified items database  415  is tagged with a beginning and ending tag. During the parsing, each result is divided into sections based upon the tags and the new search results are parsed and divided depending on the tags. In one embodiment, each tag section is then processed by a CRC generator to checksum each section. After all sections of the search results have been checksummed, the archived checksummed sections in search result database  440  for the corresponding search are compared to the current checksummed sections. If a match is found, then a section has not changed. However, if no match is found, then that particular auction item has changed. The changed items are saved in mail notification  435 . After all comparisons have been made, the newest checksummed search results are saved in search result database  440  replacing the previous search results for the particular search. 
       FIG. 4B  is a block diagram of one embodiment of the search results  450 . Each search result  450  contains a search ID  452  and a number of search result entries  454 . Each search result entry  454  contains an item tag  456 , checksum entry  458 , and change tag  460 . Search ID  452  corresponds to search ID  332 . Item tags  456  are unique identification tags to each individual auction item contained within database  410 . Checksums  458  are the checksum values generated by update detector  308  and change tags  460  are temporary data areas used by update detector  308  to determine if a change has occurred. In one embodiment, the change codes are initialized to 11 before processing. Any entries  454  whose change code remains 11 at the end of processing are new sections or changed sections. Change tags  460  keep track of type of change found. A change code is written into the change tags  460  for each entry  454  when a match is found or not found. In one embodiment, when a match is found, change tag  460  is set to 00 indicating that no change occurred in this section. After all archived sections in search result  450  have been compared, if all change tags  460  are 00, then no new sections or changes were found. However, entries  454  with change tags  460  other than 00 indicate that a change has occurred. 
     The results of the comparison are sent to the user via e-mail notification  435 . In one embodiment, the notification is by an e-mail message sent from server  102  to client  106 ,  108 . In alternate embodiments, any applicable notification system may be utilized such as, for example, notification by web page, by facsimile, or by pager. In one embodiment, the e-mail message contains the changed auction items retrieved from auction item database  410  or new and modified item database  415 . In one embodiment, an e-mail notification is sent for each item that has been found to have changed. In an alternate embodiment, a single e-mail notification  435  will be sent out for each search criteria. E-mail may include not only the item found to have been new or changed, but also the unique search ID  322 , user ID  324 , the category based on the category searched  328 , the search from search string  330 , the frequency  332 , minimum or maximum bidding prices  334 ,  336 , whether the search included the description  338 , the starting date  342 , and ending date  344 . In alternate embodiments, additional information may be also sent in the e-mail notification  435 . 
     In one embodiment, update notification engine  430  retrieves searches from modified or new items database  415  on a daily basis. Update notification engine  430  executes the searches for each user for each search. In one embodiment, a user may save up to three searches at any one time. In alternate embodiments, any number of searches may be saved. A search may be active or inactive depending on search criteria  320 . Whether a search is active for a particular execution is dependent upon the duration of a search and frequency  332  entered by the user. If update notification engine  430  finds a match for the search and the comparison shows that a change has occurred from a prior search, the results are sent to the user. In one embodiment, each search result is sent in a separate e-mail notification  435 . If a search is not found or there has been no update since the prior search, update notification engine  430  sends notification message  435  to the user indicating that no match was found. In one embodiment, an e-mail notification  435  is sent only after a specific period of time to indicate that no matches have been found. For example, in one embodiment, if update notification engine  430  does not find an updated match for a week, a “still looking” message is sent to the user. 
     Update notification engine  430  also sends a notification  435  to the user that a search will expire. In one embodiment, the update notification engine  430  sends the expiration notice to the user 24 hours prior to the expiration of the search. 
       FIG. 5  is a flow diagram of one embodiment for automatically updating auction site  100  searches. Initially at processing block  505 , new and modified items for sale are extracted from item database  410  and placed into modified or new items database  415 . In one embodiment, the extraction is performed on a periodic basis, for example, hourly or nightly. In addition, search criteria  320  are extracted from search criteria database  420 . In one embodiment, search criteria  320  are extracted for each user and each user may have up to three search criteria. 
     At processing block  510 , modified or new items database  415  is searched using the extracted search criteria  320  from search criteria database  420 . Search results are saved in search results database  440 . Any known searching method may be used to search the database. 
     At processing block  515 , the search results for the new search are compared to the search results from a previous search. If any items have changed or are new, the particular items are tagged. Update notification engine  430  uses search criteria  320  from search criteria database  420  to search the modified or new items database  415  to create search results. The search results are stored in search result database  440 . Update notification engine  430  compares search results on a periodic basis. The periodic basis is determined by search frequency  332 . Thus, search criteria  320  may indicate that the search is performed and the comparison made on an hourly, nightly, or weekly basis. Update notification engine  430  runs the current search and compares the search results for the current search with search results from a prior run stored in search results database  440 . 
     At processing block  520 , the results of a comparison are sent to the user by e-mail notification. The results of the comparison are sent to the user via e-mail notification  435 . In one embodiment, the notification is by an e-mail message sent from server  102  to client  106 ,  108 . In alternate embodiments, any applicable notification system may be utilized. In one embodiment, the e-mail message contains the changed auction items retrieved from auction item database  410  or new and modified item database  415 . In one embodiment, an e-mail notification is sent for each item that has been found to have changed. In an alternate embodiment, a single e-mail notification  435  will be sent out for each search criteria. E-mail may include not only the item found to have been new or changed, but also the unique search ID  322 , user ID  324 , the category based on the category searched  328 , the search from search string  330 , the frequency  332 , minimum or maximum bidding prices  334 ,  336 , whether the search included the description  338 , the starting date  342 , and ending date  344 . In alternate embodiments, additional information may be also sent in the e-mail notification  435 . In alternate embodiments, any appropriate notification method may be used. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates an exemplary personal shopper user log-in window  600 . Referring to  FIG. 6 , log-in window  600  includes user ID input area  602 , password input area  604 , and a remember me check box  610 . In one embodiment, when a user signs onto the auction site and enters the search area, the user is presented with the user log-in screen  600 . In an alternate embodiment, log-in window  600  may be displayed when a user enters a search string in any window in system  100 . The user has the option of performing a one time search by entering a search criteria or search string in search string input area  606  and by checking the search titles and description check box  608 . In one embodiment, the user may also create a personal shopper log-in by entering or creating a user ID and password in the appropriate areas  602 ,  604 . The user may only save search criteria by creating a personal shopper log-in account. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates an exemplary saved search results window  700 . Saved search results window  700  includes search string input area  702 , search titles and description checkbox  704 , and saved searches  706 . In one embodiment, a user is allowed to save up to three searches at any given time. In an alternate embodiment, the user may save any number of searches. Saved search results  706  include the name of the search and the search status (that is, whether the search is active and the date at which it will end). In addition, saved searches  706  include save search actions  708  that the user may perform on the saved searches  706 . For example, the user may search using the saved search, modify the saved search or delete the saved search. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates an exemplary existing search and modification window  800 . Referring to  FIG. 8 , window  800  includes search modification dialog box  802 . Search modification dialog box  802  includes search string input area  804 , search item title or search item title and description check boxes  806 , minimum price range input area  808 , maximum price input area  810 , notification frequency input area  812 , and e-mail notification duration input area  814 . In addition, window  800  includes a preview button  816  for previewing the search and an undo button  818  for undoing the input into dialog box  802 . Dialog box  802  may be used for modification of existing searches or for the input of new searches. Information entered into dialog box  802  is saved in search criteria  320 . 
       FIG. 9  illustrates an exemplary search criteria preview and save window  900 . Referring to  FIG. 9 , search criteria  320  entered by the user within dialog box  802  is displayed in search criteria area  902 . Window  900  also includes save button  904  for saving the search results into search criteria  320  and search results received from a search of database  415  in search results area  906 . In one embodiment, the search results shown in search results area  906  show the first four items of items found in database  410 . In an alternate embodiment, any number of search results may be shown in area  906 . 
     Once the user saves the search by pressing save button  904 , the information entered in dialog box  802  is saved in search criteria  320 . The unique search ID  322  is generated for the search and the user identification (entered through user log-in window  600 ) is saved in user ID  324 . User identification may be a combination of the user name and user password entered in log-in window of  FIG. 6 . Information entered in input area  804  is saved in search string  330 . If a category had been chosen for the search, the category name will be placed in category search  328 , the price range is placed in the minimum bidding and maximum bidding price  334  and  336 , the frequency is entered into search frequency  332 , an indication whether the search includes a description from  806  is placed into  338 , and the starting date  342  and ending date  344  is generated from the e-mail duration. In one embodiment, starting date  342  is the date the search is entered or modified and ending date  344  is generated based upon the duration and starting date  342 . 
       FIG. 10  illustrates an exemplary search modified verification window  1000 . Referring to  FIG. 10 , window  1000  includes an add a new search button  1002  and a view existing searches button  1004 . After save button  904  has been entered, window  1000  is presented to the user for verification of the save operation to either save another search or modify a saved search. 
       FIG. 11  illustrates an exemplary window existing search deletion window  1100 . Referring to  FIG. 11 , a user may indicate that a search is to be deleted by entering the delete button in existing search actions area  708 . After the user clicks or enters the delete action, window  1100  is displayed. Window  1100  includes the search to be deleted at  1102  and a delete button  1104 . A user may delete the displayed search by clicking on the delete button  1104 . 
       FIG. 12  illustrates an exemplary new search recorded verification window  1200 . Referring to  FIG. 12 , verification window  1200  includes an add a new search button  1202  and a view existing search button  1204 . Verification window  1200  may be displayed after the user has entered a new search in search dialog blocks  802  or through the search string input area  702  of any of the display screens of system  100 . 
       FIG. 13A  and  FIG. 13B  illustrate an exemplary search results window  1300 . Referring to  FIG. 13A  and  FIG. 13B , search results window  1300  is displayed whenever the user searches on an existing search or enters a search string in a search string input area  702 . Window  1300  includes search string input area  1304 , e-mail notification and update access area  1306 , and other search criteria information  1308 . In addition, window  1300  includes search results area  1310 . Items found based upon the search are displayed in search result area  1310 . In one embodiment, the items are displayed beginning with the newest item through the oldest item found. The newest item is based upon the date the item was entered into the auction site or the date that the item was last updated. By clicking on e-mail notification access area  1306 , the user may enter the input of saving searches. If the user has previously signed on, the clicking on  1306  will take the user to the search modification or input window  800  or if the user has not signed on, log-in window  600  will be displayed. By clicking on the e-mail notification access  1306 , the search results displayed in search result area  1310  are saved in search results database  440 . Each item in the search result area  1310  is tagged and a checksum (by the method as described above) is created for the item. The item number and checksum are saved in database  450 . 
     The specific arrangements and methods herein are merely illustrative of the principles of this invention. Numerous modifications in form and detail may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.