Social network-based inventory management

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11615452-B2
Application number	US-202117241235-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 27, 2021
Priority date	Aug 13, 2015
Publication date	Mar 28, 2023
Grant date	Mar 28, 2023

Abstract

An example embodiment includes a system server configured for social network-based inventory management. The system server includes processors and non-transitory computer-readable storage media communicatively coupled to the processors. The media store instructions that, in response to execution by the processors, cause the processors to perform operations. The operations include receiving category specifications and access category definitions for access categories. The access category definitions include relationship criteria for the access categories. The operations include identifying a relationship between a second user and a first user, comparing an identified relationship with the relationship criteria, and determining which of the access categories the second user is included based on the comparison.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
receiving, by a system server from a first user device, electronic data comprising category specifications for a first access category and a second access category;
transmitting, by the system server via an API call to a social network that is hosted on a third party server, a request for data elements associated with connections between a first user, a second user, and a third user;
responsive to transmitting the request, receiving, from the third party server, the data elements associated with the connections between the first user, the second user, and the third user;
identifying, by the system server, the connections within the data elements received from the third party server, associated with the first user, the second user, and the third user within a social structure of the social network hosted by the third party server;
generating, by the system server, a digital mapping of the connections of the social network between the first user and the second user, and between the first user and the third user within the social network;
constructing, by the system server, a social graph based on the social structure of the social network that is hosted on the third party server;
based on the digital mapping and the social graph, identifying, by the system server, a first relationship between the second user and the first user;
based on the digital mapping and the social graph identifying, by the system server, a second relationship between the third user and the first user;
determining, by the system server, in which access categories the second user and the third user are included based on a comparison between the first relationship, the second relationship, and a relationship criteria;
receiving, by the system server from a second user device associated with the second user, a first category specification request for a particular category specification that is offered by the first user; and
in response to the first category specification request and a determination that the second user meets the relationship criteria of the first access category:
generating, by the system server, a first category specification graphic comprising a first side portion, a second portion, and a third side portion, each of the category specifications of the first access category being arranged at the first side portion, the second portion, and the third side portion;
generating, by the system server, a second category specification graphic comprising a fourth side portion, fifth portion, and a sixth side portion, each of the category specifications of the second access category being arranged at the fourth side portion, the fifth portion, and the sixth side portion; and
causing, via a communication network, display of the first category specification graphic on the second user device;

receiving, by the system server from a third user device that is associated with the third user, a second category specification request for the particular category specification based on a determination that the third user meets the relationship criteria of the second access category; and
based on the second category specification request, the digital mapping, and the social graph:
causing, via the communication network, display of the second category specification graphic on the third user device, the second category specification graphic comprising a second category specification that includes transaction terms and transaction types arranged at the fourth side portion, the fifth portion, and the sixth side portion of the second category specification graphic consistent with the category specifications of the second access category of the third user relative to the first user.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, from the first user device, an access category definition that includes the relationship criteria defined for the first access category and the second access category.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the relationship criteria includes one or more or a combination of a temporary location, a permanent location, and a group membership.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from the first user device, a product description for a product;
accessing transaction records on an e-commerce server; and
comparing at least a part of the product description with information in the transaction records to determine a market price for the product,
wherein the transaction terms include a discount applied to the market price.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from the second user device, a product search for a product, wherein the product search includes one or both of a particular transaction type and a particular transaction term;
identifying, by the system server, one or more relationships between the second user and one or more other users; and
determining, by the system server, which access categories the second user is included in relative to each of the one or more other users based on a comparison between identified relationships and relationship criteria defined by the one or more other users.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving from the first user device, a buyer search that includes one or more buyer search criteria including one or more or a combination of a particular transaction type, a particular term, and a product description; and
in response to the buyer search, providing to the first user device, an identification of the third user who meets the relationship criteria relative to the first user such that the one or more buyer search criteria are available to the third user.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the transaction types include a rent transaction, a buy transaction, a use transaction, a receive transaction, a share transaction, or an auction transaction; and
the particular category specification includes personal property or real property.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving input used to indicate that the second user selects the particular category specification; and
completing at least a portion of a transaction for the particular category specification according to the category specifications of the first access category.

9. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
comparing at least a part of a received product description with information in the transaction records to determine the market price for the product.

10. A system comprising:
one or more processors; and
one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media communicatively coupled to the one or more processors and storing instructions that, in response to execution by the one or more processors, cause a system to perform operations comprising:
receiving, by a system server from a first user device, electronic data comprising category specifications for a first access category and a second access category;
transmitting, by the system server via an API call to a social network that is hosted on a third party server, a request for data elements associated with connections between a first user, a second user, and a third user;
responsive to transmitting the request, receiving, from the third party server, the data elements associated with the connections between the first user, the second user, and the third user;
identifying, by the system server, the connections within the data elements received from the third party server, associated with the first user, the second user, and the third user within a social structure of the social network hosted by the third party server;
generating, by the system server, a digital mapping of the connections of the social network betwe

Assignees

• Ebay Inc

Inventors

• Glasgow Dane
• VanWinkle Justin

Classifications

• G06Q10/40

  Business processes related to social networking or social networking services · CPC title

• G06Q10/087

  Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders · CPC title

• G06Q30/0627

  by specifying product or service characteristics, e.g. product dimensions · CPC title

• G06Q30/0613 Primary

  using intermediate agents · CPC title

• G06Q50/01

  Physics · mapped topic