System and method for highlighting differences in items in a search result listing

Abstract

A received search query is used to create a search result where the search result is a listing of items identified in a data repository of item information where the item information includes data indicative of parametric values for each of a plurality of items. Data indicative of parametric values within the item information of the listing of items is used to order the search result for display whereby at least one subset of items within the listing of items determined to have similar parametric values will be displayed as a group having positions within the listing of items that are proximate relative to each other. Data indicative of parametric values within the item information of the at least one subset of items is also used to discern differences in one or more parametric values between items in the at least one subset of items which discerned differences in the one or more parametric values between items in the at least one subset of items within the listing of items are caused to be highlighted.

1 . A computer readable media embodied in a non-transient, physical memory device having stored thereon computer executable instructions for providing a search result in response to a received search query wherein one or more subsets of items listed within the search result are displayed with readily discernable item difference information, the instructions perform steps comprising:
 using the received search query to create the search result wherein the search result comprises a listing of items, wherein the listing of items includes items identified in a data repository of item information, and wherein the item information includes data indicative of parametric values for each of a plurality of items;   using the data indicative of parametric values within the item information of the listing of items to order the search result for display whereby at least one subset of items within the listing of items determined to have similar parametric values will be displayed as a group having positions within the listing of items that are proximate relative to each other;   using the data indicative of parametric values within the item information of the at least one subset of items to discern differences in one or more parametric values between items in the at least one subset of items; and   causing the search results to be displayed using at least a portion of the item information from the data repository associated with each item in the listing of items with discerned differences in the one or more parametric values between items in the at least one subset of items within the listing of items being highlighted within the displayed search results.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the item information from the data repository associated with each item in the listing of items caused to be displayed as the search result comprises informational descriptions for each item within the listing of items stored with the data repository. 
     
     
         3 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 2 , wherein one or more parametric values included within the informational descriptions for each item within the at least one subset of items within the listing of items which were discerned to be different is caused to be displayed with highlighting. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the discerned differences in the one or more parametric values between items in the at least one subset of items within the listing of items is highlighted by being added for display with the displayed informational descriptions for each item within the at least one subset of items within the listing of items. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the search query is received from a remote computer via a network link. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the items comprise products being offered for sale via an online commerce system. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a parametric signature is created for each item within the listing of items and wherein the parametric signatures are evaluated to order the items within the listing of items and to determine the one or more subsets within the listing of items. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the search result is displayed using a gallery mode. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-readable media as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the items comprise video clips.