Searching multiple data sources
AssigneeOpenlane, Inc.
InventorsEd Berkowitz, Zachary E. Hallowell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A computer implemented method for searching data in a plurality of data sources is described. At a host system, a request to search a local data source is received. The request is associated with a user account of the local data source. The request is processed to determine one or more third party data sources associated with the user account. Local search parameters associated with the local data source and third party search parameters associated with the one or more third party data sources are dynamically assembled. The local search parameters and the third party search parameters are transmitted to a client device for display. A host system comprising a processor and memory storing instructions for implementing the method is also described.
Claims20
A computer implemented method for a client device to receive data searched from a plurality of data sources, the method comprising:
- transmitting, from the client device to a host system, an interface request to search, the interface request being associated with a user account;
- the interface request indicative to the host system to:
- process the interface request to determine a first data source and a second data source associated with the user account, the first data source and the second data source being selected from vehicle history report vendors, pricing guide book vendors, financing vendors, vehicle demand data vendors, or vehicle data sources, the first data source being different from the second data source;
- assemble a common interface comprising search parameters associated with the first data source and the second data source;
- transmit the common interface comprising search parameters to the client device for display, wherein a first section of the common interface includes first search parameters associated with the first data source and a second section of the common interface includes second search parameters associated with the second data source, wherein at least one of the second search parameters being of a different type than the first search parameters, at least one of the first search parameters indicative of a narrowing of searching criteria for searching the first data source, at least one of the second search parameters indicative of a narrowing of searching criteria for searching the second data source;
- receiving, at the client device, the common interface;
- displaying, on a display of the client device, the common interface so that the common interface enables a client to select one or both of the first search parameters and the second search parameters from the common interface;
- receiving, via the client interacting with the common interface on the display, an indication of client-requested one or more of the first search parameters associated with the first data source and an indication of client-requested one or more second search parameters associated with the second data source, wherein the client-requested one or more first search parameters associated with the first data source is of the different type from the client-requested one or more second search parameters associated with the second data source;
- and
- transmitting, to the host system, a search request including the indication of client-requested one or more of the first search parameters associated with the first data source and the indication of client-requested one or more second search parameters associated with the second data source;
- the search request indicative to the host system to:
- request a search of the first data source with the client-requested one or more first search parameters with the search of the first data source being narrowed by the at least one of the first search parameters and a search of the second data source with the client-requested one or more second search parameters with the search of the second data source being narrowed by the at least one of the second search parameters;
- receive results of the search of the first data source with the client-requested one or more first search parameters associated with the first data source and results of the search of the second data source with the client-requested one or more second search parameters;
- combine the results of the search of the first data source with the results of the search of the second data source;
- and
- transmit, to the client device for display, the combined results of the search of the first data source with the results of the search of the second data source.
A client device configured to receive data searched from a plurality of data sources, the client device comprising:
- at least one computer comprising at least one a processor, at least one memory, and at least one display;
- and
- wherein the at least one memory has stored instructions which, when executed, cause the processor to:
- transmit, from the client device to a host system, an interface request to search, the interface request being associated with a user account;
- the interface request indicative to the host system to:
- process the interface request to determine a first data source and a second data source associated with the user account, the first data source and the second data source being selected from vehicle history report vendors, pricing guide book vendors, financing vendors, vehicle demand data vendors, or vehicle data sources, the first data source being different from the second data source;
- assemble a common interface comprising search parameters associated with the first data source and the second data source;
- transmit the common interface comprising search parameters to the client device for display, wherein a first section of the common interface includes first search parameters associated with the first data source and a second section of the common interface includes second search parameters associated with the second data source, wherein at least one of the second search parameters being of a different type than the first search parameters, at least one of the first search parameters indicative of a narrowing of searching criteria for searching the first data source, at least one of the second search parameters indicative of a narrowing of searching criteria for searching the second data source;
- receive, at the client device, the common interface;
- display, on the display of the client device, the common interface so that the common interface enables a client to select one or both of the first search parameters and the second search parameters from the common interface;
- receive, via the client interacting with the common interface on the display, an indication of client-requested one or more of the first search parameters associated with the first data source and an indication of client-requested one or more second search parameters associated with the second data source, wherein the client-requested one or more first search parameters associated with the first data source is of the different type from the client-requested one or more second search parameters associated with the second data source;
- and
- transmit, to the host system, a search request including the indication of client-requested one or more of the first search parameters associated with the first data source and the indication of client-requested one or more second search parameters associated with the second data source;
- the search request indicative to the host system to:
- request a search of the first data source with the client-requested one or more first search parameters with the search of the first data source being narrowed by the at least one of the first search parameters and a search of the second data source with the client-requested one or more second search parameters with the search of the second data source being narrowed by the at least one of the second search parameters;
- receive results of the search of the first data source with the client-requested one or more first search parameters associated with the first data source and results of the search of the second data source with the client-requested one or more second search parameters;
- combine the results of the search of the first data source with the results of the search of the second data source;
- and
- transmit, to the client device for display, the combined results of the search of the first data source with the results of the search of the second data source.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.