Method and system for searching and submitting online via an aggregation portal
First Claim
1. A method of searching intellectual property listings, comprising:
- a) maintaining a user-interface site accessible by a plurality of users;
b) establishing a connection to a plurality of third-party sources of intellectual property listings;
c) receiving from at least one of said plurality of users search criteria for searching said plurality of third-party sources of intellectual property listings;
d) searching said plurality of third-party sources of intellectual property listings according to said search criteria;
e) presenting a resulting set of intellectual property listings to said at least one of said plurality of users; and
f) receiving from said at least one of said plurality of users an identification of those of said resulting set of intellectual property listings that are of interest to said at least one of said plurality of users.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system is disclosed for searching and submitting intellectual property listings, goods and services offered for sale online. Tailored searching is provided in a convenient and efficient manner on the Internet via an Aggregation Portal. The Aggregation Portal provides a uniform and user-friendly interface, whereby intermediary services are provided to facilitate transactions utilizing the Internet. Such services include legal, valuation, insurance, escrow, brokering, consulting and other professional services. Further, a multiple-listing type of commission sharing is created between the Aggregation Portal and various Internet auctions and exchanges. In one embodiment, a software application is downloaded on a user'"'"'s personal computer (or network terminal) for searching, marketing and transacting goods and services, especially intellectual property.
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Citations
87 Claims
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1. A method of searching intellectual property listings, comprising:
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a) maintaining a user-interface site accessible by a plurality of users;
b) establishing a connection to a plurality of third-party sources of intellectual property listings;
c) receiving from at least one of said plurality of users search criteria for searching said plurality of third-party sources of intellectual property listings;
d) searching said plurality of third-party sources of intellectual property listings according to said search criteria;
e) presenting a resulting set of intellectual property listings to said at least one of said plurality of users; and
f) receiving from said at least one of said plurality of users an identification of those of said resulting set of intellectual property listings that are of interest to said at least one of said plurality of users. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of searching intellectual property listings online, comprising the steps of:
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a) maintaining a user-interface site accessible by a plurality of users;
b) maintaining access to a predetermined set of third-party sources of intellectual property listings searchable online;
c) eliciting from each user search criteria for searching each of said third-party sources of intellectual property listings;
d) designating first and second memory storage areas for storage of intellectual property listings;
e) taking a snapshot of each of said third-party sources of intellectual property listings;
f) storing said snapshots in said first memory storage area;
g) reformatting each of said snapshots in a predetermined format; and
h) storing said reformatted snapshots in said second memory storage area. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 46, 47, 86, 87)
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39. A method of searching listings of goods or services, comprising:
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a) maintaining a user-interface site accessible by a plurality of users;
b) establishing a connection to a plurality of third-party sources of said goods or services;
c) receiving from at least one of said plurality of user search criteria for searching said plurality of third-party sources;
d) searching said plurality of third-party sources according to said search criteria;
e) presenting a resulting set of goods or services listings to said at least one of said plurality of user; and
f) receiving from said at least one of said plurality of users an identification of those of said resulting set of goods or services listings that are of interest to said at least one of said plurality of users.
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45. A system for searching for a desired one of many items offered on the Internet, where said items are presented on third-party user-interface sites in multiple lists, said lists being in differing formats, comprising:
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a) means for hosting a user-interface site;
b) means for eliciting at least one identifying characteristic of the desired item from a user;
c) means for reformatting said identifying characteristic of the desired item elicited from said user in accordance with the requirements of each of said third-party user-interface sites;
d) means for searching each of said multiple lists to identify each item listed therein possessing said at least one identifying characteristic and compiling a list thereof;
e) means for reformatting at least one of said lists of items possessing said at least one identifying characteristic into a predetermined format; and
f) means for presenting said reformatted list to said user for further selection of the desired item.
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48. A system for searching intellectual property listings online, comprising:
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a) means for maintaining a user-interface site accessible by a plurality of users;
b) means for maintaining access to a predetermined set of third-party sources of intellectual property listings searchable online;
c) means for eliciting from each user search criteria for searching each of said third-party sources of intellectual property listings;
d) means for searching said predetermined set of third-party sources of intellectual property listings in accord with said search criteria elicited from said user;
e) means for presenting a resulting set of intellectual property listings to said user; and
f) means for eliciting from said user an identification of those listings of said set of intellectual property listings which are of interest.
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49. A system for searching intellectual property listings online, comprising:
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a) means for maintaining a user-interface site accessible by a plurality of users;
b) means for maintaining access to a predetermined set of third-party sources of intellectual property listings searchable online;
c) means for eliciting from each user search criteria for searching each of said third-party sources of intellectual property listings;
d) means for designating first and second memory storage areas for storage of intellectual property listings;
e) means for taking a snapshot of each of said third-party sources of intellectual property listings;
f) means for storing said snapshots in said first memory storage area;
g) means for reformatting each of said snapshots in a predetermined format; and
h) means for storing said reformatted snapshots in said second memory storage area.
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50. A method of searching intellectual property listings online, comprising:
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a) maintaining a user-interface site accessible by a plurality of users;
b) designating first and second memory storage areas for storage of intellectual property listings;
c) taking a snapshot of each of a plurality of third-party sources of intellectual property listings searchable online;
d) storing said snapshots in said first memory storage area;
e) reformatting each of said snapshots in a predetermined format; and
f) storing said reformatted snapshots in said second memory storage area.
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51. A system for searching intellectual property listings online, comprising:
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a) means for maintaining a user-interface site accessible by a plurality of users;
b) means for designating first and second memory storage areas for storage of intellectual property listings;
c) means for taking a snapshot of each of a plurality of third-party sources of intellectual property listings searchable online;
d) means for storing said snapshots in said first memory storage area;
e) means for reformatting each of said snapshots in a predetermined format; and
f) means for storing said reformatted snapshots in said second memory storage area.
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52. A method of searching intellectual property listings online, comprising:
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a) designating first and second memory storage areas for storage of intellectual property listings;
b) taking a snapshot of each of a plurality of third-party sources of intellectual property listings searchable online;
c) storing said snapshots in said first memory storage area;
d) reformatting each of said snapshots in a predetermined format; and
e) storing said reformatted snapshots in said second memory storage area.
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53. A system for searching intellectual property listings online, comprising:
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a) means for designating first and second memory storage areas for storage of intellectual property listings;
b) means for taking a snapshot of each of a plurality of third-party sources of intellectual property listings searchable online;
c) means for storing said snapshots in said first memory storage area;
d) means for reformatting each of said snapshots in a predetermined format; and
e) means for storing said reformatted snapshots in said second memory storage area.
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54. A method of evaluating and comparing a plurality of online auctions and exchanges, comprising:
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a) maintaining a user-interface site accessible by a plurality of users;
b) soliciting relevant information from a plurality of third-party online auctions and exchanges;
c) formating said relevant information related to said plurality of third-party online auctions and exchanges in a format conducive to the comparison of said third-party online auctions and exchanges by a user; and
d) displaying on said user-interface site said relevant information related to said plurality of third-party online auctions and exchanges in said format. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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57. A method of submitting a listing of goods and services, comprising:
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a) soliciting from a user an indication of at least one third-party online auction or exchange; and
b) soliciting from said user a listing of goods or services desired by said user to be submitted to said third-party online auction or exchange.
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62. A system for submitting listings to online auctions and exchanges, comprising:
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a) means for maintaining a user-interface site accessible by a plurality of users;
b) means for soliciting relevant information from a plurality of third-party online auctions and exchanges; and
c) means for displaying on said user-interface site said relevant information related to said plurality of third-party online auctions and exchanges. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65)
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66. A method of searching intellectual property listings online, comprising:
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a) making available to a user a software application for installment on said user'"'"'s computing device, said application comprising instructions to;
i. execute a query as specified by said user;
ii. search predetermined Internet sites and exchanges;
iii. display search results to said user via said terminal, said search results comprising one or more intellectual property listings; and
iv. enabling said user to indicate a listing of interest; and
b) assigning a transaction manager to contact said user and the source of said listing to facilitate a desired transaction related to said listing of interest. - View Dependent Claims (67, 68, 69)
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70. A system for searching intellectual property listings online, comprising:
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a) means for maintaining a user-interface site accessible by a plurality of users; and
b) means for downloading a software application to a user'"'"'s network terminal, said application comprising instructions to;
i. execute a query as specified by said user;
ii. search predetermined Internet sites and exchanges via said user-interface site;
iii. display search results to said user via said terminal, said search results comprising one or more intellectual property listings; and
iv. enabling said user to indicate a listing of interest; and
c) means for assigning a transaction manager to contact said user and the source of said listing to facilitate a desired transaction related to said listing of interest. - View Dependent Claims (71, 72)
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73. A method of building an intellectual property database for storing the results of searching a plurality of third-party sources, comprising:
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a) designating a buffer memory for temporary storage of intellectual property listings matching search criteria elicited from a user;
b) reformatting as necessary said search criteria elicited from said user in accord with individual requirements of a specific third-party source of intellectual property listings;
c) searching through the listings of said third-party source for matches with said reformatted search criteria;
d) collecting such intellectual property listings that match said reformatted criteria and storing said listings in said buffer memory;
e) determining whether any of said third-party sources of intellectual property listings of said set remain unsearched; and
f) performing steps b) through e) until all of said third-party sources of intellectual property listings of said set have been searched.
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74. A system for building an intellectual property database for storing the results of searching a plurality of third-party sources, comprising:
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a) means for designating a buffer memory for temporary storage of intellectual property listings matching search criteria elicited from a user;
b) means for reformatting as necessary said search criteria elicited from said user in accord with individual requirements of a specific third-party source of intellectual property listings;
c) means for searching through the listings of said third-party source for matches with said reformatted search criteria;
d) means for collecting such intellectual property listings that match said reformatted criteria and storing said listings in said buffer memory; and
e) means for determining whether any of said third-party sources of intellectual property listings of said set remain unsearched.
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75. A method for purchasing an item offered for sale by at least one of a plurality of entities, comprising the steps of:
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a) receiving a search request for said item from a user;
b) locating said item in at least one of said plurality of entities;
c) receiving a bid to purchase said item from said user; and
d) forwarding said bid to said at least one of said plurality of entities. - View Dependent Claims (76, 77, 78, 79)
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80. A method for purchasing an item offered for sale by a plurality of entities, comprising the steps of:
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e) receiving a search request for said item from a user;
f) searching said plurality of entities;
g) locating said item in a subset of said plurality of entities;
h) receiving a bid to purchase said item from said user;
i) comparing fees and commissions charged to said user by said subset of said plurality of entities;
j) selecting one of said subset of said plurality of entities, which charges the least amount of fees and commission; and
k) forwarding said bid to said one of said subset of said plurality of entities, which charges the least amount of fees and commission.
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81. A method for placing an item for sale on a plurality of entities, comprising the steps of:
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a) receiving a listing for said item;
b) forwarding said listing to said plurality of entities; and
c) monitoring said plurality of entities for a highest bidder. - View Dependent Claims (82, 83, 84, 85)
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Specification