Back to EveryPatent.com
United States Patent | 6,047,266 |
Van Horn ,   et al. | April 4, 2000 |
An online buying group (referred to herein as a "co-op`) is formed for the specific purpose of purchasing a particular product at (102) by defining a start time, end time, critical mass, any minimum number of units offered, any maximum number of units offered, starting price and product cost curve. As data is gathered from buyers, by means of their making binding purchase offers, the co-op is modified at (108) using a pricing tool, so as to take into account for this market data in the definition of the price curve. A buyer chooses a product co-op of interest at (114). The buyer is presented with the following essential co-op information: current price, closing time, next price level (as defined by a price curve visibility window and the price curve) sufficient to entice the buyer to make an offer. Once a buyer has made up his mind, the decision must be made at (116) to offer a purchase price which includes the current price, guaranteeing availability if critical mass has been achieved, or to make an offer at a lower price range that can be accepted only if the co-op price drops to that level, which may not occur. Given a decision to make an offer at such lower price, the buyer enters such maximum price at which he is willing to purchase the product at (118). Should the current price drop to the level at which the offer was made, the price contingency is removed from such offer and assuming critical mass is achieved, the offer is accepted at at the close of the co-op at (122), and processed accordingly. Inventory is allocated to fulfill the accepted offer at (126) following the closing of the co-op at (124).
Inventors: | Van Horn; Tom (Bellevue, WA); Gustafsson; Niklas (Bellevue, WA); Woodford; Dale (Redmond, WA) |
Assignee: | Mercata, Inc. (Bellevue, WA) |
Appl. No.: | 270219 |
Filed: | March 15, 1999 |
Intern'l Class: | G06F 017/00 |
Field of Search: | 705/1,14,26,27 |
3581072 | May., 1971 | Nymeyer. | |
4567359 | Jan., 1986 | Lockwood. | |
4789928 | Dec., 1988 | Fujisaki | 364/401. |
4949248 | Aug., 1990 | Caro. | |
5377095 | Dec., 1994 | Maeda et al. | |
5576951 | Nov., 1996 | Lockwood. | |
5640569 | Jun., 1997 | Miller et al. | |
5712985 | Jan., 1998 | Lee et al. | |
5724521 | Mar., 1998 | Dedrick. | |
5745882 | Apr., 1998 | Bixler et al. | |
5758327 | May., 1998 | Gardner et al. | |
5758328 | May., 1998 | Giovannoli. | |
5765143 | Jun., 1998 | Sheldon et al. | |
5794207 | Aug., 1998 | Walker et al. | 705/23. |
5794219 | Aug., 1998 | Brown. | |
5797127 | Aug., 1998 | Walker et al. | 705/5. |
5799284 | Aug., 1998 | Bourquin. | |
5806047 | Sep., 1998 | Hackel et al. | |
5809144 | Sep., 1998 | Sirbu et al. | |
5818914 | Oct., 1998 | Fujisaki. | |
5826244 | Oct., 1998 | Hubermann. | |
5832459 | Nov., 1998 | Cameron et al. | |
5835896 | Nov., 1998 | Fisher et al. | 705/37. |
5842178 | Nov., 1998 | Giovannoli. | |
5845265 | Dec., 1998 | Woolston | 705/37. |
5845266 | Dec., 1998 | Lupien et al. | |
5890138 | Mar., 1999 | Godin et al. | |
5895454 | Apr., 1999 | Harrington. | |
5897639 | Apr., 1999 | Greef et al. | |
5915209 | Jun., 1999 | Lawrence. | |
5950176 | Sep., 1999 | Keiser et al. | |
5956709 | Sep., 1999 | Xue. | |
5983199 | Nov., 1999 | Kaneko. |
Letter from Woolcott dated Aug. 31, 1999 and Search Report. http://www.storesearch.com/. htt://shop.netscape.com/auctions/main.adp. Http://auctions.yahoo.com/. Http://www.lycos.com/Shopping/sales.sub.-- and.sub.-- specials/. Dialog, The Gale Group Newsletter, "New Twist to Online Shopping: Service Hopes to Break Customer Apathy," Internet Week, 1(7), May 22, 1995. Dialog, The Gale Group Newsletter, "In Year 2020, Auctions and Agents to Rule Web," Newsbytes, Mar. 23, 1998. Dialog, "New Tricks in Pet Supplies" by Minkoff, J., Discount Merchandiser, 34(12)70-72, 1994. Online Document from Software Patent Institute Database of Software Technology, http://m.spi.org/, Record 1: "Management Data Processing," Serial No. acmr6512.0039, Printed Sep. 20, 1999. Online Document from Software Patent Institute Database of Software Technology, http://m.spi.org/, Record 2: "Management Science," Serial No. ACMGCL89.1066, Printed Sep. 20, 1999. Online Document from Software Patent Institute Database of Software Technology, http://m.spi.org/, Record 17: "Distribution Resource Planning," Serial No. HPAPPS.2620, Printed Sep. 20, 1999. Online Document from IBM Intellectual Property Network, http://www.patents.ibm.com/, Titled: Personalized Optimized Decision/Transaction Program, Jan. 1995, Reprinted Nov. 24, 1999. Online Document from Agorics, Inc., http://www.agorics.com/, Sections: "A Survey of Auctions," "English Auction," "A Dutch Auction," "The First Price Auction," "The Vickrey Auction," "The Double Auction," "Auction Offshoots," "Auction Stategies," "Auction Histories," "Government Securities--Auctioned Off," "Collusion in Auctions," "Auction Bibliography," Dated 1996, Reprinted Oct. 25, 1999. Management and Specialist Team, LetsBuyIt.com, http://www.euroferret.com, Jan. 15, 1999; Online Document, http://www.alumni.se/e-commerce/default.htm, Jan. 15, 1999, Printed Nov. 19, 1999. Online Document from Bid.com, http://www.bid.com/dutch, Printed Sep. 03, 1999. Online Document from Bullnet Online Auctions, http://www.bullnet.co.uk/auctions/info.htm, Printed Sep. 03, 1999. Online Document from Who's Who for The Commerce Standard, http://www.gii.com/standard/who/index.html. Printed Nov. 19, 1999. Online Document from Cooperative Educational Service Agency, http://www.cesa5.k12.wi.us/buying.htm, Printed Sep. 20, 1999. Online Document from Franklin Regional Council Governments, http://www.frcog.or/purch.html, Printed Sep 20, 1999. Online Document from Klik-Klok Online Dutch Auction, http://www.klik-klok.com/how.htm, Printed Sep. 03, 1999. Online Document, ComputerSweden, "Icon-grundare satsar narmare halv miljard p.ang. e-handel," http://nyheter.idg.se, Jan. 23, 1999 (w/English translation). Online Document from Artiklar fr.ang.n AffarsData ("Resume"), http://www.ad.se, Feb. 25, 1999 (w/English translation). Online Document from ComputerSweden, "Lke;; Sp.ang.ngberg . . . ," http://nyheter,idg.se, Mar. 3, 1999. Online Document from Accompany: About Team, http://www.accompany.com/about.sub.-- press.sub.-- faq.asp, Printed Mar. 03, 1999. Online Document from Accompany: About US, http://www.accompany.com/about.sub.-- press.sub.-- 0.asp, Printed Mar. 03, 1999. Online Document from Accompany: About Team, http://www.accompany.com/about.sub.-- team.asp, Printed Mar. 03, 1999. Online Document from Accompany: About Team Advisors, http://www.accompany.com/ablut.sub.-- team .sub.-- advisors.asp, Printed Mar. 03, 1999. Online Document from Accompany: About Team, http://www.accompany.com/about.sub.-- press.sub.-- analyst.asp, Printed Mar. 03, 1999. Online Document from Accompany: About Team Advisors, http://www.accompany.com/about.sub.-- teampartnes.asp, Printed Mar 03, 1999. Online Document from Accompany: Contact, http://www.accompany.com/about.sub.-- contact.asp, Printed Mar 03, 1999. Online Document from Ask Reggie Domain Search, Accompany.com Domain contacts, http://www.askreggie.com, Printed Mar. 03, 1999. Online Document from Accompany: About US, http://www.accompany.com/about.sub.-- press.sub.-- background.asp, Printed Mar. 03, 1999. Online Document from ZDNN, http://www.zdnet.com/stories/news, Printed Mar. 03, 1999. NewsAlert, "Accompany, Inc. to Revolutionize Commerce; Buys Come Together for Best Value," http://www.accompany.com, Printed Mar. 03, 1999. Online Document from Yahoo, "Web startup pushes volume shopping," http://dailynews.yahoo.com, Printed Mar. 04, 1999. Abstract, World Reporter, Dagens Industri, "Expected success for internet shopping," WL 5900897, Mar. 12, 1999. U.S. application No. 60/119,220 Filing Receipt and Specification, "A method and apparatus for creating and managing groups for increasing buying power on the World Wide Web," Feb. 08, 1999. Article from Sportfack, "Letsbuyit.com Kommer," Feb. 12, 1999. IBM Technical Disclosure Bulletin, "Multi-Product Delivery System Optimization Procedure," 38(4):502-503,Apr. 1995. Kroll et al., "World Weary Web," Forbes, Dec. 28, 1998, pp. 98-100. Pant et al., "Business on the Web: Strategies and Economics," Fifth International WWW Conference, May 6-10, 1996, Paris, France. Rockoff et al., "Design of an Internet-based System for Remote Dutch Auctions," Internet Research:Electronic Networking Applications and Policy, 5(4):10-16, 1995. Stang et al., "Scans" Section, Wired, Sep. 1995, pp. 51, 54, 56 and 58. Woolley, "Price War!," Forbes, Dec. 14, 1998, pp. 182 and 184. |
______________________________________ * MC.sub.-- COOP defining the co-op in detail, including, but not limited to, these fields: .box-solid. PRODUCT.sub.-- ID The unique ID for the product being offered .box-solid. MC.sub.-- COOP.sub.-- START.sub.-- DATETIME The date/time that the co-op is scheduled to open .box-solid. MC.sub.-- COOP.sub.-- FINISH.sub.-- DATETIME The date/time that the co-op is scheduled to close (might close early if sell all products) .box-solid. MC.sub.-- COOP.sub.-- MINIMUM.sub.-- The minimum quantity that we QUANTITY must sell .box-solid. MC.sub.-- COOP.sub.-- MAXIMUM.sub.-- The maximum quantity that QUANTITY we can sell .box-solid. MC.sub.-- COOP.sub.-- ORDER.sub.-- The limit on the # of items that QUANTITY.sub.-- LIMIT can be ordered by a single customer .box-solid. MC.sub.-- COOP.sub.-- BID.sub.-- REJECT.sub.-- Price limit: below this price an THRESHOLD offer is not considered "reasonable" .box-solid. MC.sub.-- COOP.sub.-- PRICING.sub.-- SCHEME Defines whether price curve is line segments or step-wise .box-solid. MC.sub.-- COOP.sub.-- COST.sub.-- SCHEME Defines whether cost curve is line segment or step-wise .box-solid. MC.sub.-- COOP.sub.-- IGNORE.sub.-- SCHEME Defines whether ignore curve is line segments or step-wise .box-solid. MC.sub.-- COOP.sub.-- STATUS Overall status (not yet started, etc.) .box-solid. MC.sub.-- COOP.sub.-- WINDOW.sub.-- PRICE Height of price window (used to encourage customers to notify their friends) .box-solid. MC.sub.-- COOP.sub.-- CURRENT.sub.-- PRICE The current price for the co-op item (by definition, some point on the price curve) ______________________________________
______________________________________ .box-solid. OID A unique identifier for the offer .box-solid. MC.sub.-- COOP.sub.-- OID The unique identifier for the co-op .box-solid. MC.sub.-- OFFER.sub.-- USER.sub.-- ID The unique identifier for the user who submitted the offer .box-solid. MC.sub.-- OFFER.sub.-- DATETIME The date/time the offer was submitted (early offers get priority) .box-solid. MC.sub.-- OFFER.sub.-- PRICE The price that was offered .box-solid. MC.sub.-- OFFER.sub.-- QUANTITY The quantity that was requested .box-solid. MC.sub.-- OFFER.sub.-- SHOWN.sub.-- PRICE The current c-op price at the time the offer was made (to calculate savings) .box-solid. MC.sub.-- OFFER.sub.-- MERCATA.sub.-- Part of the loyalty management BUCKS.sub.-- EARNED program .box-solid. MC.sub.-- OFFER.sub.-- SHIPPING.sub.-- ALIAS Identifies shipping destination (needed if offer becomes a real order) .box-solid. MC.sub.-- OFFER.sub.-- PAYMENT.sub.-- ALIAS Identifies payment method (needed if offer becomes a real order) ______________________________________
______________________________________ * MC.sub.-- COOP.sub.-- PRICE.sub.-- CURVE Defines the co-90 price curve (or steps) * MC.sub.-- COOP.sub.-- IGNORE.sub.-- CURVE Defines the co-op ignore curve (a "throttle" on the speed of the co-op) * MC.sub.-- COOP.sub.-- COST.sub.-- CURVE Defining the points of the price curve for the co-op, including, but not limited to, these fields: 1. Coop.sub.-- ID: The co-op identifier that this price curve point is relevant for. 2. Threshold.sub.-- Quantity: The quantity coordinate for the price curve point. 3. Threshold.sub.-- Price: The price coordinate for the price curve point. ______________________________________
______________________________________ MC Product List Display a list of products, showing co-op information MC Product Details Display a single product, showing co-op information Co-op offer & checkout Accept an offer from the user E-mail a friend Encourage participants to add to the co-op by sending e-mail to the friends ______________________________________