Data processing: financial – business practice – management – or co – Automated electrical financial or business practice or... – Finance
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-08
2003-06-24
Coggins, Wynn W. (Department: 3625)
Data processing: financial, business practice, management, or co
Automated electrical financial or business practice or...
Finance
C705S026640, C705S027200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06584451
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the use of networked computer systems for implementing an on-line trading market for the selling and purchase of goods and services
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The Internet is profoundly changing business realities. One of these profound changes is the shift in power from seller to buyer. Increasingly, buyers, whether consumers or businesses, are made aware of alternative sources of goods and services, and are able to leverage this knowledge to command better buying terms. Online comparison shopping services, such as Junglee, Jango, and mySimon, are good illustrations of this reality. Because of the availability of these well-known comparison shopping services, other services have been made available for inviting buyers to quote prices. There are several conventional services, among the best known being Priceline.com, which allow buyers to quote prices and invite sellers to accept the quote. Indeed, Priceline has been granted a patent in connection with such activity (U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,207).
A further edge is afforded to buyers by their ability to assemble into online communities of interest, and leverage this network to their commercial advantage. A straightforward way to leverage the community is through exchange of information. A more elaborate way to leverage the community is to aggregate the buying power of its members. There is already an implicit aggregation of buying power within communities. A service provider such as America Online is able to negotiate price discounts from vendors based on its very large subscriber base. The problem in such a situation is that the parties have no knowledge in advance of the actual buying volume; this limits the negotiating power of the service provider, and the willingness of the vendor to discount the price.
Thus, an apparatus is needed for facilitating the aggregation of buyer power in an on-line trading market system serving traders communicating via the Internet and similar networks.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The Online Buyers Club System (OBCS) is a mechanism for the online purchasing of goods and services. The mechanism is targeted at user communities consisting of a large number of small-volume buyers (the “Buyers Club”). The primary function of the mechanism is to automatically aggregate the buying power of these buyers. The present invention provides a mechanism to promote competition among vendors as well as a mechanism to incent buyers to make a purchase.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3581072 (1971-05-01), Nymeyer
patent: 4789928 (1988-12-01), Fujisaki
patent: 5101353 (1992-03-01), Lupien et al.
patent: 5136501 (1992-08-01), Silverman et al.
patent: 5603034 (1997-02-01), Swanson
patent: 5615109 (1997-03-01), Eder
patent: 5689652 (1997-11-01), Lupien et al.
patent: 5727165 (1998-03-01), Ordish et al.
patent: 5745765 (1998-04-01), Paseman
patent: 5774873 (1998-06-01), Berent et al.
patent: 5794207 (1998-08-01), Walker et al.
patent: 5794219 (1998-08-01), Brown
patent: 5799284 (1998-08-01), Bourquin
patent: 5812572 (1998-09-01), King et al.
patent: 5812668 (1998-09-01), Weber
patent: 5835896 (1998-11-01), Fisher et al.
patent: 5844554 (1998-12-01), Geller et al.
patent: 5845266 (1998-12-01), Lupien et al.
patent: 5862223 (1999-01-01), Walker et al.
patent: 5890137 (1999-03-01), Koreeda
patent: 5890138 (1999-03-01), Godin et al.
patent: 5905975 (1999-05-01), Ausubel
patent: 5913210 (1999-06-01), Call
patent: 5950001 (1999-09-01), Hamilton et al.
patent: 5966699 (1999-10-01), Zandi
patent: 6014643 (2000-01-01), Minton
patent: 6055518 (2000-04-01), Franklin et al.
patent: 6085169 (2000-07-01), Walker et al.
patent: 6101484 (2000-08-01), Halbert et al.
patent: 6146272 (2000-11-01), Walker et al.
patent: 6269343 (2001-07-01), Pallakoff
patent: 1 077 422 (2001-02-01), None
patent: 01/79961 (2001-10-01), None
Sairamesh et al.; “Economic Framework for Pricing and Charging in Digital Libraries,” D-Lab Magazine, ISSN 1082-9873, Feb. 1996.*
Marrinucci, Sandra; “Net proves a boon for research,” Electronic Engineering Times, Sep. 22, 1997.*
Bailey et al.; “An Exploratory Study of the Emerging Role of Electronic Intermediaries,” International Journal of Electronic Commerce, vol. 1, n3, p. 7-20, Spring 1997.*
Negromante, Nicholas; “Psst! Transactions,” Forbes, 80th Issue, Jul. 07, 1997.*
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/097,933, Pallakoff, filed Aug. 1998.*
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/097,932, Pallakoff, filed Aug. 1998.*
Ferranti, Marc; “Electronic Commerce: Ties That Bind;” InfoWorld, vol. 19, n14, p. 59-62, Apr. 07, 1997.*
Frook, John Evan, Packaged apps give auctioneers rich new options, Internetweek, May 25, 1998, Issue 716, p 14, 4/7, p, 2 graphs, 2 pgs.
Trommer, Diane, Moai intros auction software, Electronic Buyer's News, Mar. 23, 1998, Issue 1101, p78, 1/4p, 2 pgs.
Wilder, Clinton, Auctions for business, Information Week, Mar. 16, 1998, Issue 673, p90,2/3p, 1c., 2 pgs.
Millman, Howard, Legacy data links shrink costs, Info World, Jan. 5, 1998, vol. 20, Issue 1, p51, 2p, 1 chart, 1c, 4 pgs.
Opensite Technologies Introduces Innovative Web Auction Partner Program, Business Wire p.: 08041472, Aug. 4, 1998, 3 pgs.
Mase, K, et al., Scripting method based on temporal intervals for designing interactive systems, Transactions of the Information Processing Society of Japan, May 1, 1998, vol. 39, Issue 5, p1403-13, 2 pgs.
Emaze Software offers WebThread, ScriptWizard on BuyDirect.com, Business Wire p.: 12120089, Dec. 12, 1996, 3 pgs.
Cohen, Emily, Going . . . Going . . . Gone!(Fairmarket's Web Auction site, and Emaze Software's Emaze Auction Web auction software), PC Magazine, vol. v17, Issue n15, Sep. 1, 1998, 2 pgs.
Search Report for PCT/US00/15982; mailed Aug. 23, 2000; 6 pgs.
ONSALE; About ONSALE; Copyright 1996 ONSALE, 2 pgs.
ONSALE; Auction Formats; Copyright 1996 ONSALE, 2 pgs.
ONSALE; Auction Supersite; Copyright 1997 ONSALE, Inc.; Sep. 8, 1997, 7 pgs.
ONSALE HOME; Copyright 1997 ONSALE, Inc.; Sep. 8, 1997; 4 pgs.
Current Christmas Wishes 1991; Christmas 1991; 4 pgs.
Search Report for PCT/US00/17449, mailed Nov. 14, 2000, 4 pages.
Lal, Rajiv, et al.; An Approach For Developing An Optimal Discount Pricing Policy; Management Science, vol. 30, No. 12, Dec., 1984, pp. 1524-1539; The Institute of Management Sciences.
International Preliminary Examination Report for PCT/US00/15982; mailed May 8, 2001, 1 pg.
Search Report for PCT/US99/17248; dated Oct. 18, 1999; 4 pages.
Cruikshank Kirk
Perry Greg
Shoham Yoav
Ariba, Inc.
Blakely , Sokoloff, Taylor & Zafman LLP
Coggins Wynn W.
Thompson, Jr. Forest
LandOfFree
Facilitator for aggregating buyer power in an on-line market... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Facilitator for aggregating buyer power in an on-line market..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Facilitator for aggregating buyer power in an on-line market... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3147704