System and method for brokering wood products

• US 20020052802A1
• Filed: 10/31/2001
• Published: 05/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: W3 Net Limited
• Original Assignee: World Wide Wood Network Limited
• Inventors: Westbrook, Thomas J., Westbrook, Claudia J.
• Application Number:
  US10/001,556
• Publication Number:
  US 20020052802A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation

Abstract

A system and method for facilitating wood product transactions are provided. A transaction processing server obtains a request for transaction partners and generates a list of available sellers. The transaction processing server obtains a selection of transaction partners and initiates negotiations between the parties, either through the transaction processing system or through direct communication channels. Upon obtaining confirmation of the completion of a transaction, the transaction processing server generates confirmation/transaction records and can process any additional third-party transactions relating to the original wood product transaction.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating transactions between one or more buyers and sellers, the method comprising:

obtaining a buyer transaction request, the transaction request including one or more buyer criteria;

identifying a set of sellers corresponding to the at least one buyer criteria;

transmitting the set of sellers corresponding to the buyer criteria;

obtaining a selection of at least one seller corresponding to the buyer criteria;

processing the negotiation of a transaction between the buyer and the selected seller corresponding to the buyer criteria;

obtaining a confirmation of the completion of a transaction between the buyer and the selected seller; and

generating transaction records associated with the completed transaction.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein obtaining the buyer transaction request includes obtaining a buyer transaction inquiry from a buyer computing device, wherein the buyer transaction inquiry includes a request to identify sellers operable to sell a buyer specified product and quantity.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein identifying a set of sellers corresponding to the buyer criteria includes:

obtaining product and quantity correlation data; and

translating the buyer specified product and quantity data into a format compatible with each identified seller corresponding to the buyer criteria.

4. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein identifying a set of seller corresponding to the buyer criteria includes applying selection criteria.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the selection criteria includes information selecting one or more general seller categories to include/exclude.

6. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the selection criteria includes information identifying specific sellers to include/exclude.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the information identifying specific sellers to include/exclude is obtained from the buyer computing device.

8. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the information identifying specific sellers to include/exclude is obtained from a seller computing device.

9. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the selection criteria includes information identifying one or more general seller categories to include/exclude and one or more specific sellers corresponding to the general seller categories to include/exclude.

10. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein obtaining the buyer transaction request includes obtaining a buyer transaction query from a buyer computing device, wherein the buyer transaction query includes an invitation for offers from a number of sellers.

11. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein identifying a set of sellers corresponding to the buyer criteria includes:

identifying a set of sellers corresponding to the buyer criteria;

transmitting the transaction query to the set of sellers; and

obtaining one or more seller offers corresponding to the transaction query.

12. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein identifying a set of seller corresponding to the buyer criteria includes applying selection criteria.

13. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the selection criteria includes information selecting one or more general seller categories to include/exclude from the transaction query.

14. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the selection criteria includes information identifying specific sellers to include/exclude from the transaction query.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the information identifying specific sellers to include/exclude is obtained from the buyer computing device.

16. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the information identifying specific sellers to include/exclude is obtained from a seller computing device.

17. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the selection criteria includes information identifying one or more general seller categories to include/exclude and one or more specific sellers corresponding to the general seller categories to include/exclude.

18. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein obtaining a selection of at least one seller corresponding to the buyer criteria includes:

generating a Web page interface; and

obtaining a selection of the at least one seller via the Web page interface.

19. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein processing the negotiation of a transaction includes:

obtaining communications from the buyer; and

transmitting the communications to the selected seller.

20. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein processing the negotiation of a transaction includes:

obtaining communications from the selected seller; and

transmitting the communications to the buyer.

21. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein processing the negotiation of a transaction includes:

obtaining a selection of a direction communication method between the buyer and the selected seller; and

establishing the direct communication channel between the buyer and the selected seller.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the direct communication channel includes an Internet voice communication channel.

23. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the direct communication method includes a standard telephonic communication channel.

24. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

obtaining a third party transaction request;

identifying one or more third parties corresponding to third party transaction request;

transmitting a set of third parties corresponding to the third party transaction request;

obtaining a selection of at least one third party corresponding to the third party transaction request;

processing the negotiation of a transaction with the selected third party corresponding to the third party transaction request;

obtaining a confirmation of the completion of a transaction with the selected third party corresponding to the third party transaction request; and

generating transaction records associated with the completed transaction.

25. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the third party is a third party shipper, and wherein the third party transaction request includes a shipping transaction request.

26. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the third party is a third party insurance agent, and wherein the third party transaction request includes an insurance transaction request.

27. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the transaction request is obtained from the buyer.

28. The method as recited in claim 24, wherein the transaction request is obtained from the selected seller.

29. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the transaction request is a wood products transaction request.

30. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instruction for performing the method recited in claim 1.

31. A computer system having a processor, a memory, and an operating environment, the computer system operable to perform the method recited in claim 1.

32. In a computer system having a transaction processing server in communication with at least one buyer computing device and one seller computing device, a method for facilitating transactions between a buyer computing device and a seller computing device, the method comprising:

obtaining a buyer transaction request from a buyer computing device, the transaction request including one or more buyer criteria;

identifying a set of sellers corresponding to the at least one buyer criteria;

transmitting the set of sellers corresponding to the buyer criteria to the buyer computing device;

obtaining a selection of at least one seller corresponding to the buyer criteria from the buyer computing device;

processing the negotiation of a transaction between the buyer computing device and one or more seller computing devices corresponding to the selected seller;

obtaining a confirmation of the completion of a transaction between the buyer and the selected seller;

obtaining a third party transaction request;

identifying one or more third parties corresponding to third party transaction request;

transmitting a set of third parties corresponding to the third party transaction request;

obtaining a selection of at least one third party corresponding to the third party transaction request;

processing the negotiation of a transaction with the selected third party corresponding to the third party transaction request;

obtaining a confirmation of the completion of a transaction with the selected third party corresponding to the third party transaction request; and

generating transaction records associated with the completed transaction.

33. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein the buyer transaction inquiry includes a request to identify sellers operable to sell a buyer specified product and quantity.

34. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein identifying a set of sellers corresponding to the buyer criteria includes:

obtaining product and quantity correlation data; and

translating the buyer specified product and quantity data into a format compatible with each identified seller corresponding to the buyer criteria.

35. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein identifying a set of seller corresponding to the buyer criteria includes applying selection criteria.

36. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the selection criteria includes information selecting one or more general seller categories to include/exclude.

37. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the selection criteria includes information identifying specific sellers to include/exclude.

38. The method as recited in claim 37, wherein the information identifying specific sellers to include/exclude is obtained from the buyer computing device.

39. The method as recited in claim 37, wherein the information identifying specific sellers to include/exclude is obtained from a seller computing device.

40. The method as recited in claim 35, wherein the selection criteria includes information identifying one or more general seller categories to include/exclude and one or more specific sellers corresponding to the general seller categories to include/exclude.

41. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein obtaining the buyer transaction request includes obtaining a buyer transaction query from a buyer computing device, wherein the buyer transaction query includes an invitation for offers from a number of sellers.

42. The method as recited in claim 38, wherein identifying a set of sellers corresponding to the buyer criteria includes:

identifying a set of sellers corresponding to the buyer criteria;

transmitting the transaction query to the set of sellers; and

obtaining one or more seller offers corresponding to the transaction query.

43. The method as recited in claim 39, wherein identifying a set of seller corresponding to the buyer criteria includes applying selection criteria.

44. The method as recited in claim 39, wherein the selection criteria includes information selecting one or more general seller categories to include/exclude from the transaction query.

45. The method as recited in claim 39, wherein the selection criteria includes information identifying specific sellers to include/exclude from the transaction query.

46. The method as recited in claim 45, wherein the information identifying specific sellers to include/exclude is obtained from the buyer computing device.

47. The method as recited in claim 45, wherein the information identifying specific sellers to include/exclude is obtained from a seller computing device.

48. The method as recited in claim 39, wherein the selection criteria includes information identifying one or more general seller categories to include/exclude and one or more specific sellers corresponding to the general seller categories to include/exclude.

49. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein obtaining a selection of at least one seller corresponding to the buyer criteria includes:

generating a Web page interface; and

obtaining a selection of the at least one seller via the Web page interface.

50. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein processing the negotiation of a transaction includes:

obtaining communications from the buyer; and

transmitting the communications to the selected seller.

51. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein processing the negotiation of a transaction includes:

obtaining communications from the selected seller; and

transmitting the communications to the buyer.

52. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein processing the negotiation of a transaction includes:

obtaining a selection of a direction communication method between the buyer and the selected seller; and

establishing the direct communication channel between the buyer and the selected seller.

53. The method as recited in claim 52, wherein the direct communication channel includes an Internet voice communication channel.

54. The method as recited in claim 52, wherein the direct communication method includes a standard telephonic communication channel.

55. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein the transaction request is a wood products transaction request.

56. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instruction for performing the method recited in claim 32.

57. A computer system having a processor, a memory, and an operating environment, the computer system operable to perform the method recited in claim 32.

59. The method as recited in claim 58, wherein obtaining current buyer inventory status data includes polling a buyer computing device for the buyer inventory status data on a periodic bases.

60. The method as recited in claim 58, wherein obtaining current buyer inventory status data includes receiving the buyer inventory status data from a buyer computing device on a periodic basis.

61. The method as recited in claim 58, wherein processing a buyer and seller transaction includes:

identifying a set of sellers corresponding to the at least one buyer criteria;

transmitting the set of sellers corresponding to the buyer criteria;

obtaining a selection of at least one seller corresponding to the buyer criteria; and

processing the negotiation of a transaction between the buyer and the selected seller corresponding to the buyer criteria.

62. The method as recited in claim 61, wherein obtaining the buyer transaction request includes obtaining a buyer transaction inquiry from a buyer computing device, wherein the buyer transaction inquiry includes a request to identify sellers operable to sell a buyer specified product and quantity.

63. The method as recited in claim 61, wherein identifying a set of sellers corresponding to the buyer criteria includes:

identifying a set of sellers corresponding to the buyer criteria;

transmitting the transaction query to the set of sellers; and

obtaining one or more seller offers corresponding to the transaction query.

64. The method as recited in claim 61, wherein identifying a set of seller corresponding to the buyer criteria includes automatically initiating a transaction with at least one identified seller corresponding to the buyer criteria.

65. The method as recited in claim 61, wherein the transaction request is a wood products transaction request.

66. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instruction for performing the method recited in claim 58.

58. A method for facilitating transactions between buyers and sellers, the method comprising:

obtaining a buyer transaction request, the buyer transaction request including one or more buyer criteria and a buyer inventory threshold;

obtaining current buyer inventory status data;

determining whether the current buyer inventory status data is below the buyer inventory threshold; and

processing a buyer and seller transaction if the current buyer inventory status data is below the buyer inventory threshold.

67. A computer system having a processor, a memory, and an operating environment, the computer system operable to perform the method recited in claim 58.