US 20020027567A1
(19) United States
(12) Patent Application Publication (io) Pub. No.: US 2002/0027567 Al
Niamir (43) Pub. Date: Mar. 7,2002
(54) LISTING NETWORK FOR CLASSIFIED INFORMATION
(76) Inventor: Bern B. Niamir, Vancouver (CA)
Correspondence Address:
OYEN, WIGGS, GREEN & MUTALA
480 - THE STATION
601 WEST CORDOVA STREET
VANCOUVER, BC V6B 1G1 (CA)
(21) Appl. No.: 09/824,093
(22) Filed: Apr. 3, 2001
Related U.S. Application Data
(63) Non-provisional ol provisional application No. 60/218,820, filed on Jul. 18, 2000.
Publication Classification
(51) Int. CI.7 G09G 5/00
Computer implemented methods and computer systems for locally creating, managing, publishing to peer computers, searching for, and retrieving classified listings are disclosed. Information about the listings is provided to search servers which can be used to locate listings of interest. In some embodiments a system has a central search server which can be queried to locate listings of interest. Other embodiments provide a peer-to-peer computer network which uses a distributed search method. Users can generate listings at their local computers. Listings are stored locally. Listings can include file attachments which can be transferred in a peer-to-peer manner. The system provides a classification data structure, which defines classifications which may be associated with listings. Listings can also be associated with geographical locations. The system may be used to share information about items for sale, upcoming events of interest, services available or needed, or the like.
