Systems and methods for improving the liquidity and distribution network for luxury and other illiquid items
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- creating a standard diamond profile; and
posting a futures or options contract based on the diamond profile.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods for improving the liquidity and distribution network for luxury and other illiquid items are provided. These systems and methods preferably include the trading of futures and options contracts, which will provide the liquidity and distribution network for luxury items. Possible embodiments of these systems and methods include the trading of futures and options contracts for diamonds and wine. Another embodiment of this invention preferably includes generating indexes for diamond prices, wine prices, luxury item prices, housing values, mortgage prepayments, privately-held companies or for anything with from sufficiently liquid points of value. Another embodiment of this invention preferably includes a centralized data base for retrieving closing and current auction prices for determining the value of, and best method for the auctioning of various items The data provided by this data base would improve liquidity by creating greater price transparency.
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Citations
120 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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creating a standard diamond profile; and
posting a futures or options contract based on the diamond profile. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method for trading of diamonds futures or options contracts in a computer-based futures or options exchange system, comprising:
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accessing a listing of a plurality of diamonds futures or options contracts;
selecting a diamonds futures or options contract from the listing; and
viewing trading status of the diamonds futures or options contract.
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7. A method comprising:
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offering a diamond futures or options contract; and
executing a trade of the diamond futures or options contract based on the offering.
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8. A method comprising:
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creating a standard wine profile; and
posting a futures or options contract based on the wine profile. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. A method for trading of wine futures or options contracts in a computer-based futures or options exchange system, comprising:
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accessing a listing of a plurality of wine futures or options contracts;
selecting a wine futures or options contract from the listing; and
viewing trading status of the wine futures or options contract.
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12. A method comprising:
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offering a wine futures or options contract; and
executing a trade of the wine futures or options contract based on the offering.
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13. A method comprising:
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creating a standard luxury item profile; and
posting a futures or options contract based on that profile. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A method comprising:
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creating a custom luxury item profile based on user input;
posting a futures or options contract based on that profile. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for trading of luxury item futures or options contracts in a computer-based futures or options exchange system, comprising:
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accessing a listing of a plurality of luxury item futures or options contracts;
selecting a luxury item futures or options contract from the listing; and
viewing trading status of the luxury item futures or options contract.
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22. A method comprising:
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offering a luxury item futures or options contract; and
executing a trade of the luxury item futures or options contract based on the offering.
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23. A method for creating an index for the support of diamonds futures or options contracts comprising:
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electronically capturing diamond data from industry price lists;
electronically compiling the diamond data;
electronically sorting the diamond data; and
electronically updating the diamond data to form a diamond index.
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24. A method for creating an index for the support of wine futures or options contracts comprising:
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electronically capturing the wine data from industry price lists;
electronically compiling the wine data;
electronically sorting the wine data; and
electronically updating the wine data to form a wine index. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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25. A method for creating an index for the support of luxury item futures or options contracts comprising:
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electronically capturing luxury item data from industry price lists;
electronically compiling the luxury item data;
electronically sorting the luxury item data; and
electronically updating the luxury item data to form a luxury item index.
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28. A method for creating an index for housing values comprising:
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electronically capturing housing values data from real estate price surveys;
electronically compiling the housing values data;
electronically sorting the housing values data; and
electronically updating the housing values data to create a housing values index. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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32. A method for creating an index for housing values comprising:
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electronically capturing housing values data from mortgage applications;
electronically compiling the housing values data;
electronically sorting data the housing values data; and
electronically updating the housing values data to form a housing values index. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
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36. A method for creating an index for privately-held companies comprising:
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electronically capturing data about privately-held companies from Earnings Before Interest Depreciation and Taxes (EBIDTA);
electronically compiling the data about privately-held companies;
electronically sorting the data about privately-held companies; and
electronically updating the data about privately-held companies to form a privately-held company index.
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37. A method for creating an index for mortgage prepayments comprising:
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electronically capturing mortgage prepayment data from banking institutions;
electronically compiling the mortgage prepayment data;
electronically sorting the mortgage prepayment data; and
electronically updating the mortgage prepayment data to form a mortgage prepayment index.
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38. A method for tracking Internet auctions comprising:
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providing an access tool that is user configurable to electronically search at least one Internet auction site for auction data;
capturing the data;
compiling the data;
extracting a portion of the auction data; and
providing a calculation tool that is user configurable to perform at least one user-defined calculation on the extracted portion of the auction data. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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65. A system comprising:
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a storage device;
a processor connected to the storage device, the storage device storing a program for controlling the processor, the processor operative with the program to;
create a standard diamond profile; and
post a diamond futures or options contract based on the profile. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67)
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68. A system for trading of diamond futures or options contracts, the system comprising:
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a server comprising;
a server storage device;
a server processor connected to the server storage device, the server storage device storing a program for controlling the server processor; and
the server processor operative with the program to transact a trade of the diamond futures or options contracts;
a plurality of workstations, each of the plurality of workstations operative to communicate with the server, each of the workstations comprising;
a workstation storage device;
a workstation processor connected to the workstation storage device, the workstation storage device storing a workstation program for controlling the workstation processor, the workstation processor operative with the workstation program to;
access a listing of a plurality of diamonds futures or options contracts;
select a diamond futures or options contract from the listing;
view trading status of the diamonds futures or options contract; and
enter into and proceed with trades;
a clearing center operative to communicate with the server, the clearing center comprising;
a clearing storage device; and
a clearing processor connected to the clearing storage device, the clearing storage device that stores a clearing program for controlling the clearing processor, the clearing processor that is operative with the clearing program to cause the transactions to be completed and cleared and to verify that the transactions are completed and cleared.
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69. A system comprising:
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a storage device;
a processor connected to the storage device, the storage device storing a program for controlling the processor, the processor operative with the program to;
create a standard wine profile; and
post a wine futures or options contract based on the profile. - View Dependent Claims (70)
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71. A system for trading of wine futures or options contracts, the system comprising:
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a server comprising;
a server storage device;
a server processor connected to the server storage device, the server storage device storing a program for controlling the server processor; and
the server processor operative with the program to transact a trade of the wine futures or options contracts;
a plurality of workstations, each of the plurality of workstations operative to communicate with the server, each of the workstations comprising;
a workstation storage device;
a workstation processor connected to the workstation storage device, the workstation storage device storing a workstation program for controlling the workstation processor, the workstation processor operative with the workstation program to;
access a listing of a plurality of wines futures or options contracts;
select a wine futures or options contract from the listing;
view trading status of the wines futures or options contract; and
enter into and proceed with trades;
a clearing center operative to communicate with the server, the clearing center comprising;
a clearing storage device; and
a clearing processor connected to the clearing storage device, the clearing storage device that stores a clearing program for controlling the clearing processor, the clearing processor that is operative with the clearing program to cause the transactions to be completed and cleared and to verify that the transactions are completed and cleared.
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72. A system comprising:
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a storage device;
a processor connected to the storage device, the storage device storing a program for controlling the processor, the processor operative with the program to;
create a standard luxury item profile; and
post a luxury item futures or options contract based on the profile. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74)
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75. A system comprising:
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a storage device;
a processor connected to the storage device, the storage device storing a program for controlling the processor, the processor operative with the program to;
create a custom luxury item profile; and
post a luxury item futures or options contract based on the custom profile. - View Dependent Claims (76, 77)
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78. A system for trading of luxury item futures or options contracts, the system comprising:
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a server comprising;
a server storage device;
a server processor connected to the server storage device, the server storage device storing a program for controlling the server processor; and
the server processor operative with the program to transact a trade of the luxury item futures or options contracts;
a plurality of workstations, each of the plurality of workstations operative to communicate with the server, each of the workstations comprising;
a workstation storage device;
a workstation processor connected to the workstation storage device, the workstation storage device storing a workstation program for controlling the workstation processor, the workstation processor operative with the workstation program to;
access a listing of a plurality of luxury items futures or options contracts;
select a luxury item futures or options contract from the listing;
view trading status of the luxury items futures or options contract; and
enter into and proceed with trades;
a clearing center operative to communicate with the server, the clearing center comprising;
a clearing storage device; and
a clearing processor connected to the clearing storage device, the clearing storage device that stores a clearing program for controlling the clearing processor, the clearing processor that is operative with the clearing program to cause the transactions to be completed and cleared and to verify that the transactions are completed and cleared.
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79. A system for creating an index for the support of diamond futures or options contracts, the system comprising:
an index processor operative to;
electronically capture diamond data from industry price lists;
electronically compile the diamond data;
electronically sort the diamond data; and
electronically update the diamond data to form a diamond index.
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80. A system for creating an index for the support of wine futures or options contracts, the system comprising:
an index processor operative to;
electronically capture wine data from industry price lists;
electronically compile the wine data;
electronically sort the wine data; and
electronically update the wine data to form a wine index.
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81. A system for creating an index for the support of luxury item futures or options contracts, the system comprising:
an index processor operative to;
electronically capture luxury item data from industry price lists;
electronically compile the luxury item data;
electronically sort the luxury item data; and
electronically update the luxury item data to form a luxury item index. - View Dependent Claims (82, 83)
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84. A system for creating an index for housing values, the system comprising:
an index processor operative to;
electronically capture housing values data from real estate price surveys;
electronically compile the housing values data;
electronically sort the housing values data; and
electronically update the housing values data to form a housing values index. - View Dependent Claims (85, 86, 87, 89, 90, 91)
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88. A system for creating an index for housing values, the system comprising:
an index processor operative to;
electronically capture housing values data from mortgage applications;
electronically compile the housing values data;
electronically sort the housing values data; and
electronically update the housing values data to form a housing values index.
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92. A system for creating an index for privately-held companies, the system comprising:
an index processor operative to;
electronically capture privately-held companies data from Earnings Before Interest Depreciation and Taxes (EBIDTA);
electronically compile the privately-held companies data;
electronically sort the privately-held companies data; and
electronically update the privately-held companies data to form a privately-held companies index.
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93. A system for creating an index for mortgage prepayments, the system comprising:
an index processor operative to;
electronically capture mortgage prepayment data from banking institutions;
electronically compile the mortgage prepayment data;
electronically sort the mortgage prepayment data; and
electronically update the mortgage prepayment data to form a mortgage prepayment index.
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94. A system for tracking Internet auctions, the system comprising:
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a server comprising;
a server storage device;
a server processor connected to the server storage device, the server storage device storing a server program for controlling the server processor, the server processor operative with the server program to;
electronically search at least one Internet auction site for auction data;
capture the auction data;
compile the auction data;
extract a portion of the auction data; and
perform at least one calculation on the extracted portion of the auction data;
a plurality of workstations operative to communicate with the server, the workstation comprising;
a workstation storage device;
a workstation processor connected to the workstation storage device, the workstation storage device storing a workstation program for controlling the workstation processor, the workstation processor operative with the workstation program to;
view the extracted auction data;
view the calculated auction data; and
enable the user to configure the searching, capturing, compiling, sorting, extracting, and arranging of the auction data. - View Dependent Claims (95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120)
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Specification