Patents by Inventor Thomas A. Soulanille

Thomas A. Soulanille has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20050289120
    Abstract: A method for providing a search result list. The method includes receiving a search request from a searcher. In a database of search listings in which each search listing is associated with an advertiser and includes at least one search term and a bid amount by the advertiser, search listings generating a match with the search request are identified. A predetermined number of identified search listings are selected according to bid amount for display to the searcher. The identified search listings are arranged for display in a random order as the search result list. The search result list is then communicated to the searcher.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2001
    Publication date: December 29, 2005
    Inventors: Thomas Soulanille, Darren Davis
  • Patent number: 6978263
    Abstract: A method for providing a search result list. The method includes receiving a search request from a searcher. In a database of search listings in which each search listing is associated with an advertiser and includes at least one search term and a bid amount by the advertiser, search listings generating a match with the search request are identified. A predetermined number of identified search listings are selected according to bid amount for display to the searcher. The identified search listings are arranged for display in a random order as the search result list. The search result list is then communicated to the searcher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2005
    Assignee: Overture Services, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas A. Soulanille
  • Publication number: 20050240557
    Abstract: A method of generating a search result list also provides related searches for use by a searcher. Search listings which generate a match with a search request submitted by the searcher are identified in a pay-for-placement database which includes a plurality of search listings. Related search listings contained in a related search database generated from the pay-for-placement database are identified as relevant to the search request. A search result list is returned to the searcher including the identified search listings and one or more of the identified search listings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Publication date: October 27, 2005
    Inventors: Phillip Rorex, Thomas Soulanille, Bradley Haugaard
  • Patent number: 6876997
    Abstract: A method of generating a search result list also provides related searches for use by a searcher. Search listings which generate a match with a search request submitted by the searcher are identified in a pay for placement database which includes a plurality of search listings. Related search listings contained in a related search database generated from the pay for placement database are identified as relevant to the search request. A search result list is returned to the searcher including the identified search listings and one or more of the identified search listings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Overture Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Phillip G. Rorex, Thomas A. Soulanille, Bradley R. Haugaard
  • Publication number: 20040260689
    Abstract: A system for advertisers to efficiently manage their search listings in placement database search system includes grouping means for managing multiple categories for the search listings and query means for searching search listings. The system further includes quick-fill means for modifying an attribute in plurality of search listings by specifying the modification at single location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Applicant: Overture Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Ann-Bettina Colace, Scott W. Snell, Jeremy Daw, Dominic Dough-Ming Cheung, Benjamin James Watkins, Thomas A. Soulanille, Matthew S. Ropp, Gabriel Graham, Peng Zhao, Kenneth A. Kharma, Susan Florence Phillips
  • Patent number: 6826572
    Abstract: A system for advertisers to efficiently manage their search listings in placement database search system includes grouping means for managing multiple categories for the search listings and query means for searching search listings. The system further includes quick-fill means for modifying an attribute in plurality of search listings by specifying the modification at single location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Overture Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Ann-Bettina Colace, Scott W. Snell, Jeremy Daw, Dominic Dough-Ming Cheung, Benjamin James Watkins, Thomas A. Soulanille, Matthew S. Ropp, Gabriel Graham, Peng Zhao, Kenneth A. Kharma, Susan Florence Phillips
  • Publication number: 20040039733
    Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for displaying a search result list in response to a search request from a searcher using a computer network. Ranks in the search result list are auctioned for a search term for a determined display period. A database is maintained to include search listings, where the search listings are associated with a winning bidder for a specified rank in the search result list, the search term and the determined display period. The search result list displayed to the searcher includes search listings ordered in accordance with respective ranks, for the determined display period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2002
    Publication date: February 26, 2004
    Inventor: Thomas A. Soulanille
  • Publication number: 20030208474
    Abstract: A method for providing a search result list. The method includes receiving a search request from a searcher. In a database of search listings in which each search listing is associated with an advertiser and includes at least one search term and a bid amount by the advertiser, search listings generating a match with the search request are identified. A predetermined number of identified search listings are selected according to bid amount for display to the searcher. The identified search listings are arranged for display in a random order as the search result list. The search result list is then communicated to the searcher.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2001
    Publication date: November 6, 2003
    Applicant: GoTo.com, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas A. Soulanille, Darren J. Davis
  • Publication number: 20030093285
    Abstract: A system for advertisers to efficiently manage their search listings in placement database search system includes grouping means for managing multiple categories for the search listings and query means for searching search listings. The system further includes quick-fill means for modifying an attribute in plurality of search listings by specifying the modification at single location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Publication date: May 15, 2003
    Inventors: Ann-Bettina Colace, Scott W. Snell, Jeremy Daw, Dominic Dough-Ming Cheung, Benjamin James Watkins, Thomas A. Soulanille, Matthew S. Ropp, Gabriel Graham, Peng Zhao, Kenneth A. Kharma, Susan Florence Phillips
  • Publication number: 20030033292
    Abstract: A system and method for enabling information providers using a computer network such as the Internet to influence a position for a search listing within a search result list generated by an Internet search engine. A database stores accounts for the network information providers. Each account contains contact and billing information for a network information provider. In addition, each account contains at least one search listing having at least three components: a description, a search term comprising one or more keywords, and a bid amount. The network information provider may add, delete, or modify a search listing after authenticated login. A search term relevant to the content of the web site or other information source to be listed is first selected. A search listing includes the search term and a description. A bidding process occurs when the network information provider enters a new bid amount for a search listing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2002
    Publication date: February 13, 2003
    Inventors: Ted Meisel, Peter Savich, Thomas A. Soulanille
  • Publication number: 20020169760
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing search listings in a search database include storing one or more search listings for an advertiser. Each search listing includes an associated search term. The system receives from the advertiser identification information for a search listing and a desired rank for the identified search listing, a maximum cost per click for the search listing, or both. The system stores the desired rank and/or maximum cost per click for the search listing. The system then determines a cost per click for the identified search listing based on the desired rank and other search listings which include the search term associated with the identified search listing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2001
    Publication date: November 14, 2002
    Inventors: Dominic Dough-Ming Cheung, Narinder Pal Singh, Thomas A. Soulanille, Darren J. Davis
  • Publication number: 20020165849
    Abstract: A notification method in a computer database system includes receiving a notification instruction from an owner associated with a search listing stored in the computer database system, monitoring conditions specified by the notification instruction for the search listing, and sending a notification to the owner upon detection of a changed condition of the search listing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2001
    Publication date: November 7, 2002
    Inventors: Narinder Pal Singh, Scott W. Snell, Douglas T. Huffman, Darren J. Davis, Thomas A. Soulanille, Dominic Dough-Ming Cheung
  • Publication number: 20010051940
    Abstract: A method for providing a search result list. The method includes receiving a search request from a searcher. In a database of search listings in which each search listing is associated with an advertiser and includes at least one search term and a bid amount by the advertiser, search listings generating a match with the search request are identified. A predetermined number of identified search listings are selected according to bid amount for display to the searcher. The identified search listings are arranged for display in a random order as the search result list. The search result list is then communicated to the searcher.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2001
    Publication date: December 13, 2001
    Applicant: GoTo.com, Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas A. Soulanille