# US 10,121,175 B2 · Instant messaging robot to provide product information > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,121,175 B2 - Document ID: US10121175B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/690,508 - Filed: 2017-08-30 - Published: 2017-12-21 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-04-18 - Assignees: eBay Inc. - Applicants: eBay Inc. - Inventors: Xiaoming Zhang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10121175B2 ## CPC - G06Q 30/0613: {using intermediate agents} - G06F 16/258: {Data format conversion from or to a database} - G06Q 30/0269: {based on user profile or attribute} - G06Q 30/0611: {Request for offers or quotes} - G06Q 30/0625: {by formulating product or service queries, e.g. using keywords or predefined options} - H04L 51/02: using automatic reactions or user delegation, e.g. automatic replies or chatbot-generated messages - H04L 51/04: Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM] - H04L 67/10: in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network (software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46) - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract In one example, a data collection module collects product data over a network, identifies that the product data is related to a particular product, and stores the product data and an association between the product data and the particular product in a database. An instant messaging engine receives a request for the product data after the product data is stored in the database and an interpreter module identifies, in response to the request, the request to correspond to the particular product and retrieve the product data based on the association between the particular product and the product data. The instant messaging engine transmits, using an instant messaging protocol, a response to the request, the response including the product data. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method comprising: receiving a natural language request from a user via a messaging protocol, the natural language request comprising a first request criteria; translating the natural language request to a search query based on the first request criteria; retrieving a set of search results based on the search query; determining that the set of search results identifies more than a threshold number of items; prompting the user for additional request criteria through the messaging protocol in response to the determining that the set of search results identifies more than a threshold number of items; receiving a reply that comprises the additional request criteria from the user via the messaging protocol; converting the reply to a second request criteria; filtering the set of search results based on the second request criteria; and presenting the filtered set of search results to the user within a message presented to the user within the messaging protocol. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the search query is a machine readable search query. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the presenting of the filtered set of search results includes causing display of a set of links to one or more item listings. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold number of items is one item. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising associating the informal language request with a messaging identifier, and wherein the method further comprises: detecting a notification event; and retrieving a message associated with the messaging identifier in response to the notification event wherein the response to the request includes the message. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the messaging protocol is at least one of an instant messaging (IM) protocol, a short messaging service (SMS) messaging protocol, a multimedia messaging service (MMS) protocol, and a web browser-based messaging protocol. ### Claim 7 A system comprising: processors; and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by at least one processor among the processors, causes the system to perform operations comprising: receiving a natural language request from a user via a messaging protocol, the natural language request comprising a first request criteria; translating the natural language request to a search query based on the first request criteria; retrieving a set of search results based on the search query; determining that the set of search results identifies more than a threshold number of items; prompting the user for additional request criteria through the messaging protocol in response to the determining that the set of search results identifies more than a threshold number of items; receiving a reply that comprises the additional request criteria from the user via the messaging protocol; converting the reply to a second request criteria; filtering the set of search results based on the second request criteria; and presenting the filtered set of search results to the user within a message presented to the user within the messaging protocol. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the search query is a machine readable search query. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the threshold number of items is one of the filtered set of search results includes causing display of a set of links to one or more item listings. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the threshold number of items is one item. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, further comprising associating the informal language request with a messaging identifier, and wherein the method further comprises: detecting a notification event; and retrieving a message associated with the messaging identifier in response to the notification event wherein the response to the request includes the message. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the messaging protocol is at least one of an instant messaging (IM) protocol, a short messaging service (SMS) messaging protocol, a multimedia messaging service (MMS) protocol, and a web browser-based messaging protocol. ### Claim 13 A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a machine, cause the machine to perform operations comprising: receiving a natural language request from a user via a messaging protocol, the natural language request comprising a first request criteria; translating the natural language request to a search query based on the first request criteria; retrieving a set of search results based on the search query; determining that the set of search results identifies more than a threshold number of items; prompting the user for additional request criteria through the messaging protocol in response to the determining that the set of search results identifies more than a threshold number of items; receiving a reply that comprises the additional request criteria from the user via the messaging protocol; converting the reply to a second request criteria; filtering the set of search results based on the second request criteria; and presenting the filtered set of search results to the user within a message presented to the user within the messaging protocol. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the search query is a machine readable search query. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the presentation of the filtered set of search results includes a set of links to one or more item listings. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the threshold number of items is one item. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the messaging protocol is at least one of an instant messaging (IM) protocol, a short messaging service (SMS) messaging protocol, a multimedia messaging service (MMS) protocol, and a web browser-based messaging protocol.