Peer-to-peer trading platform with search caching

Abstract

A computer-implemented method and system is disclosed in which a network-based interaction environment includes a plurality of peer-to-peer nodes being able to communicate directly with each other using a peer-to-peer protocol and a peer-to-peer client application, the plurality of peer-to-peer nodes including a first peer-to-peer client, a second peer-to-peer client, and a third peer-to-peer client, a first peer-to-peer client application running on the first peer-to-peer client to process persistent item information on the first peer-to-peer client, the persistent item information being related to an item being offered by a first user of the first peer-to-peer client application, a second peer-to-peer client application running on the second peer-to-peer client to cache the persistent item information on the second peer-to-peer client; and a third peer-to-peer client application running on the third peer-to-peer client to search a cache of the second peer-to-peer client for the persistent item information related to the item being offered by the first user.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which:

An architectural overview of an example embodiment of a peer-to-peer (P2P) platform client is shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example architecture of a system supporting roles, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example architecture of a system supporting roles in an enterprise setting, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 4 illustrates an item listing process from the seller perspective, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 5 illustrates a list item event flow, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 6 illustrates an item search/retrieval process from the buyer perspective, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 7 illustrates a search item event flow, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 8 illustrates a view item event flow, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 9 illustrates an interconnectivity diagram showing the connections between functional components of an implementation, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 10 illustrates a peer-to-peer trading platform plug-in that may replace a central e-commerce browser, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 11 illustrates a P2P trading platform message exchange protocol, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 12 illustrates a messaging stack, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 13 illustrates a message format, according to an example embodiment.

FIGS. 14-25 illustrate various user interface screen snapshots, according to an example embodiment.

FIG. 26 shows a diagrammatic representation of machine 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.

Claims

1. A system comprising: a network-based interaction environment including a plurality of peer-to-peer nodes being able to communicate directly with each other using a peer-to-peer protocol and a peer-to-peer client application, the plurality of peer-to-peer nodes including a first peer-to-peer client, a second peer-to-peer client, and a third peer-to-peer client;a first peer-to-peer client application running on the first peer-to-peer client to process persistent item information on the first peer-to-peer client, the persistent item information being related to an item being offered by a first user of the first peer-to-peer client application;a second peer-to-peer client application running on the second peer-to-peer client to cache the persistent item information on the second peer-to-peer client; anda third peer-to-peer client application running on the third peer-to-peer client to search a cache of the second peer-to-peer client for the persistent item information related to the item being offered by the first user.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the third peer-to-peer client application accesses at least one intermediate peer-to-peer node of the plurality of peer-to-peer nodes prior to obtaining the information related to the item being offered by the first user.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the search by the third peer-to-peer client application is filtered based on the certification of the item being offered by the first user.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the search by the third peer-to-peer client application is filtered based on the category of the item being offered by the first user.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the search by the third peer-to-peer client application is filtered based on the price of the item being offered by the first user.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the search by the third peer-to-peer client application is filtered based on the location of the item being offered by the first user.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the search by the third peer-to-peer client application is filtered based on a trust level of the first user.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the search by the third peer-to-peer client application is filtered based on the quantity of found items.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the search by the third peer-to-peer client application is filtered based on the presence of an identity of the first user on a buddy list of a third user of the third peer-to-peer client application.

10. The system of claim 1 being further operable to cache search results on the second peer-to-peer client.

11. The system of claim 1 being further operable to cache search results on an intermediate node of the plurality of peer-to-peer nodes.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the cached search results are indexed.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the cached search results are encrypted.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the identity of a third user of the third peer-to-peer client application is hidden from other users.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein the second peer-to-peer client application running on the second peer-to-peer client is not aware of the content of the persistent item information stored in the cache.

16. A method comprising: enabling network communication among a plurality of peer-to-peer nodes, the peer-to-peer nodes being able to communicate directly with each other using a peer-to-peer protocol and a peer-to-peer client application, the plurality of peer-to-peer nodes including a first peer-to-peer client, a second peer-to-peer client, and a third peer-to-peer client;processing persistent item information on a first peer-to-peer client application running on the first peer-to-peer client, the persistent item information being related to an item being offered by a first user of the first peer-to-peer client application;caching the persistent item information with a second peer-to-peer client application running on the second peer-to-peer client; andusing a third peer-to-peer client application running on the third peer-to-peer client to search a cache of the second peer-to-peer client for the persistent item information related to the item being offered by the first user.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the third peer-to-peer client application accesses at least one intermediate peer-to-peer node of the plurality of peer-to-peer nodes prior to obtaining the information related to the item being offered by the first user.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the search by the third peer-to-peer client application is filtered based on the certification of the item being offered by the first user.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the search by the third peer-to-peer client application is filtered based on the category of the item being offered by the first user.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the search by the third peer-to-peer client application is filtered based on the price of the item being offered by the first user.

21. The method of claim 16 wherein the search by the third peer-to-peer client application is filtered based on the location of the item being offered by the first user.

22. The method of claim 16 wherein the search by the third peer-to-peer client application is filtered based on a trust level of the first user.

23. The method of claim 16 wherein the search by the third peer-to-peer client application is filtered based on the quantity of found items.

24. The method of claim 16 wherein the search by the third peer-to-peer client application is filtered based on the presence of an identity of the first user on a buddy list of a third user of the third peer-to-peer client application.

25. The method of claim 16 being further operable to cache search results on the second peer-to-peer client.

26. The method of claim 16 being further operable to cache search results on an intermediate node of the plurality of peer-to-peer nodes.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the cached search results are indexed.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the cached search results are encrypted.

29. The method of claim 16 wherein the identity of a third user of the third peer-to-peer client application is hidden from other users.

30. The method of claim 16 wherein the second peer-to-peer client application running on the second peer-to-peer client is not aware of the content of the persistent item information stored in the cache.

31. An article of manufacture comprising a machine-readable medium having machine executable instructions embedded thereon, which when executed by a machine, cause the machine to: enable network communication among a plurality of peer-to-peer nodes, the peer-to-peer nodes being able to communicate directly with each other using a peer-to-peer protocol and a peer-to-peer client application, the plurality of peer-to-peer nodes including a first peer-to-peer client, a second peer-to-peer client, and a third peer-to-peer client;process persistent item information on a first peer-to-peer client application running on the first peer-to-peer client, the persistent item information being related to an item being offered by a first user of the first peer-to-peer client application;cache the persistent item information with a second peer-to-peer client application running on the second peer-to-peer client; anduse a third peer-to-peer client application running on the third peer-to-peer client to search a cache of the second peer-to-peer client for the persistent item information related to the item being offered by the first user.

32. The article of manufacture of claim 31 wherein the third peer-to-peer client application accesses at least one intermediate peer-to-peer node of the plurality of peer-to-peer nodes prior to obtaining the information related to the item being offered by the first user.

33. The article of manufacture of claim 31 wherein the search by the third peer-to-peer client application is filtered based on the certification of the item being offered by the first user.

34. The article of manufacture of claim 31 wherein the search by the third peer-to-peer client application is filtered based on the category of the item being offered by the first user.