Distinguishing search results associated with an electronic commerce system

US8078497B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Google LLC · US

Inventors

• Benjamin Ling · San Jose, US
• Wendy Tobagus · Mountain View, US
• Robert T. Brown · New York, US
• Eric Lange · San Francisco, US
• Adam Smith · San Francisco, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 19, 2007
• Grant date: Dec 13, 2011
• Expiry date: Jul 2, 2030

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06Q30/0601
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A search engine communicates with a broker to identify search result content associated with merchants that support purchases through an electronic commerce system provided by the broker. The results of a search can include some content associated with merchants that support purchases through the broker, some content associated with merchants that do not support purchases through the broker, and some content not associated with any merchant. The search engine visually distinguishes content in the search results associated with merchants that support purchases through the broker by displaying a badge, such as a graphical icon, with the content. The search engine can use different types of badges to indicate different characteristics of the merchants.