# US 10,482,469 B2 · Systems and methods for providing information from multiple sources > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,482,469 B2 - Document ID: US10482469B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/776,937 - Filed: 2010-05-10 - Published: 2011-11-10 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2010-05-10 - Assignees: eBay Inc. - Applicants: Shikha Khanna; Nicole Lee Birdsall - Inventors: Shikha Khanna; Nicole Lee Birdsall - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10482469B2 ## CPC - G06Q 30/00: Commerce - G06Q 30/0641: {utilising user interfaces specially adapted for shopping} - 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 ## Abstract A method and a system for providing information about a posting from multiple sources are provided. For example, the method may comprise storing a posting that was submitted by a first user in an online publication system. Then, one or more stored inquiries associated with the posting may be retrieved. Finally, a response is selectively retrieved from a response source. The retrieved response may correspond to the stored inquiry and the posting. The response source is at least one of the posting, the online publication system, the first user, and a user account of a second user. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: a memory that stores instructions; and one or more processors configured by the instructions to perform operations comprising: receiving, from a first user, a selection of a question to include in postings by the first user for items in an online publication system; receiving, after the selection of the question, data for an item, the data submitted by the first user; generating a posting for the item in the online publication system based on the data and the selected question; receiving, via a network, an inquiry submitted by a second user; selectively retrieving, in response to the inquiry submitted by the second user, a response comprising an answer to the selected question, the answer comprising at least a portion of the data submitted by the first user; and providing a user interface depicting the selected question and the retrieved response. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise receiving contact settings from the first user. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the contact settings comprise a first contact option for a first transaction state of the item and a second contact option for a second transaction state of the item. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the inquiry submitted by the second user is submitted post-purchase of the item by the second user. ### Claim 5 A method comprising: receiving, from a first user, a selection of a question to include in postings by the first user for items in an online publication system; receiving, after the selection of the question, data for an item, the data submitted by the first user; generating a posting for the item in the online publication system based on the data and the selected question; receiving, via a network, an inquiry submitted by a second user; selectively retrieving, using one or more processors and in response to the inquiry received from the second user, a response comprising an answer to the selected question, the answer comprising at least a portion of the data submitted by the first user; and providing a user interface depicting the selected question and the retrieved response. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising receiving contact settings from the first user. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the contact settings comprise a first contact option for a first transaction state of the item and a second contact option for a second transaction state of the item. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the retrieved response is generated post-purchase of the item. ### Claim 9 A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions embodied thereon, the instructions executable by one or more processors for performing operations comprising: receiving, from a first user, a selection of a question to include in postings by the first user for items in an online publication system; receiving, after the selection of the question, data for an item, the data submitted by the first user; generating a posting for the item in the online publication system based on the data and the selected question; receiving, via a network, an inquiry submitted by a second user; selectively retrieving, in response to the inquiry received from the second user, a response comprising an answer to the selected question, the answer comprising at least a portion of the data submitted by the first user; and providing a user interface depicting the selected question and the retrieved response. ### Claim 10 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein: the first contact option for the first transaction state of the item does not allow the second user to contact the first user directly; and the second contact option for the second transaction state of the item allows the second user to contact the first user directly. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein: the first transaction state is pre-transaction; and the second transaction state is post-transaction. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein: the first contact option for the first transaction state of the item does not allow the second user to contact the first user directly; and the second contact option for the second transaction state of the item allows the second user to contact the first user directly. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the operations further comprise receiving contact settings from the first user. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the contact settings comprise a first contact option for a first transaction state of the item and a second contact option for a second transaction state of the item. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein: the first contact option for the first transaction state of the item does not allow the second user to contact the first user directly; and the second contact option for the second transaction state of the item allows the second user to contact the first user directly.