Displaying values specified in a number of offers for a number of offer variables with respect to price

• US 20030208424A1
• Filed: 05/01/2003
• Published: 11/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blue Yonder Group, Inc. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: i2 Technologies US Incorporated (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Tenorio, Manoel
• Granted Patent: US 8,396,767 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0611 Request for offers or quotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes

Abstract

A method for displaying values specified in a number of offers for a number of offer variables with respect to price includes receiving data for multiple offers that reflects values specified in the offers for multiple offer variables and generating a display of the received data. The display includes multiple offer variable windows that are each associated with an offer variable. Each offer variable window includes an offer price axis representing a range of offer prices and an offer variable axis substantially perpendicular to the offer price axis that represents a range of values for the offer variable associated with the offer variable window. Each offer variable window includes multiple bars. Each bar represents a value specified in one or more offers for the offer variable associated with the offer variable window and is positioned with respect to the offer price axis according to an offer price specified in the one or more offers. A height of the bar with respect to the offer variable axis represents the value specified in the one or more offers for the offer variable associated with the offer variable window. Each bar is associated with a quantity indicator that indicates a quantity of items specified in the one or more offers. In each offer variable window, a marker substantially perpendicular to the offer price axis visually marks a particular offer price that is linked to every other marker within every other offer variable window such that the markers are operable to visually mark substantially equal offer prices within the multiple offer variable windows. The marker is movable by a user to visually mark a particular offer price and, in response to being moved by the user, automatically causes every other marker within every other offer variable window to move to visually mark the particular offer price within the other offer variable windows.

Claims

1. A system for displaying values specified in a number of offers for a number of offer variables with respect to price, the system comprising one or more components operable to:

receive data for a plurality of offers, the data reflecting values specified in the offers for a plurality offer variables; and

generate a display of the received data, the display comprising a plurality of offer variable windows, each being associated with an offer variable and comprising;

an offer price axis representing a range of offer prices;

an offer variable axis substantially perpendicular to the offer price axis and representing a range of values for the offer variable associated with the offer variable window;

a plurality of bars, each representing a value specified in one or more offers for the offer variable associated with the offer variable window and being positioned with respect to the offer price axis according to an offer price specified in the one or more offers, a height of the bar with respect to the offer variable axis representing the value specified in the one or more offers for the offer variable associated with the offer variable window, each bar being associated with a quantity indicator that indicates a quantity of items specified in the one or more offers; and

a marker substantially perpendicular to the offer price axis and operable to visually mark a particular offer price, the marker being linked to every other marker within every other offer variable window such that the markers are operable to visually mark substantially equal offer prices within the plurality of offer variable windows, the marker being movable by a user to visually mark a particular offer price and being operable to, in response to being moved by the user, automatically cause ever other marker within every other offer variable window to move to visually mark the particular offer price within the other offer variable windows.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of offers comprise asks only from approved sellers.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of offer variables comprise one or more of a purity offer variable, a quantity offer variable, a packaging size offer variable, and a delivery date offer variable.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

two or more offers specifying substantially equal offer prices specify substantially different values for an offer variable; and

two or more bars within an offer variable window associated with the offer variable represent the substantially different values specified in the two or more offers, the bars overlapping each other such that a shorter bar is displayed over a taller bar.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the display further comprises a request window for entering requests, a request comprising one or more values for one or more offer variables, entry of a request causing markers within the offer variable windows to move such that the markers mark one or more offers substantially matching the request and further causing values specified in the one or more offers substantially matching the request to be displayed within the request window.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein a user is given an opportunity to select from among two or more offers that each substantially match an entered request, selection by the user of one of the two or more offers causing values specified in the selected offer to be displayed within the request window.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the display further comprises an execution icon, selection of the execution icon by a user causing one or more orders to be generated based on information displayed within the request window and communicate the generated orders for matching with one or more offers.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising an electronic marketplace.

9. A method for displaying values specified in a number of offers for a number of offer variables with respect to price, the method comprising:

receiving data for a plurality of offers, the data reflecting values specified in the offers for a plurality offer variables; and

generating a display of the received data, the display comprising a plurality of offer variable windows, each being associated with an offer variable and comprising;

an offer price axis representing a range of offer prices;

an offer variable axis substantially perpendicular to the offer price axis and representing a range of values for the offer variable associated with the offer variable window;

a plurality of bars, each representing a value specified in one or more offers for the offer variable associated with the offer variable window and being positioned with respect to the offer price axis according to an offer price specified in the one or more offers, a height of the bar with respect to the offer variable axis representing the value specified in the one or more offers for the offer variable associated with the offer variable window, each bar being associated with a quantity indicator that indicates a quantity of items specified in the one or more offers; and

a marker substantially perpendicular to the offer price axis and operable to visually mark a particular offer price, the marker being linked to every other marker within every other offer variable window such that the markers are operable to visually mark substantially equal offer prices within the plurality of offer variable windows, the marker being movable by a user to visually mark a particular offer price and being operable to, in response to being moved by the user, automatically cause ever other marker within every other offer variable window to move to visually mark the particular offer price within the other offer variable windows.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of offers comprise asks only from approved sellers.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the plurality of offer variables comprise one or more of a purity offer variable, a quantity offer variable, a packaging size offer variable, and a delivery date offer variable.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein:

two or more offers specifying substantially equal offer prices specify substantially different values for an offer variable; and

two or more bars within an offer variable window associated with the offer variable represent the substantially different values specified in the two or more offers, the bars overlapping each other such that a shorter bar is displayed over a taller bar.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the display further comprises a request window for entering requests, a request comprising one or more values for one or more offer variables, entry of a request causing markers within the offer variable windows to move such that the markers mark one or more offers substantially matching the request and further causing values specified in the one or more offers substantially matching the request to be displayed within the request window.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein a user is given an opportunity to select from among two or more offers that each substantially match an entered request, selection by the user of one of the two or more offers causing values specified in the selected offer to be displayed within the request window.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the display further comprises an execution icon, selection of the execution icon by a user causing one or more orders to be generated based on information displayed within the request window and communicate the generated orders for matching with one or more offers.

16. Software for displaying values specified in a number of offers for a number of offer variables with respect to price, the software encoded in media and when executed operable to:

receive data for a plurality of offers, the data reflecting values specified in the offers for a plurality offer variables; and

generate a display of the received data, the display comprising a plurality of offer variable windows, each being associated with an offer variable and comprising;

an offer price axis representing a range of offer prices;

an offer variable axis substantially perpendicular to the offer price axis and representing a range of values for the offer variable associated with the offer variable window;

a plurality of bars, each representing a value specified in one or more offers for the offer variable associated with the offer variable window and being positioned with respect to the offer price axis according to an offer price specified in the one or more offers, a height of the bar with respect to the offer variable axis representing the value specified in the one or more offers for the offer variable associated with the offer variable window, each bar being associated with a quantity indicator that indicates a quantity of items specified in the one or more offers; and

a marker substantially perpendicular to the offer price axis and operable to visually mark a particular offer price, the marker being linked to every other marker within every other offer variable window such that the markers are operable to visually mark substantially equal offer prices within the plurality of offer variable windows, the marker being movable by a user to visually mark a particular offer price and being operable to, in response to being moved by the user, automatically cause ever other marker within every other offer variable window to move to visually mark the particular offer price within the other offer variable windows.

17. The software of claim 16, wherein the plurality of offers comprise asks only from approved sellers.

18. The software of claim 16, wherein the plurality of offer variables comprise one or more of a purity offer variable, a quantity offer variable, a packaging size offer variable, and a delivery date offer variable.

19. The software of claim 16, wherein:

two or more offers specifying substantially equal offer prices specify substantially different values for an offer variable; and

two or more bars within an offer variable window associated with the offer variable represent the substantially different values specified in the two or more offers, the bars overlapping each other such that a shorter bar is displayed over a taller bar.

20. The software of claim 16, wherein the display further comprises a request window for entering requests, a request comprising one or more values for one or more offer variables, entry of a request causing markers within the offer variable windows to move such that the markers mark one or more offers substantially matching the request and further causing values specified in the one or more offers substantially matching the request to be displayed within the request window.

21. The software of claim 20, wherein a user is given an opportunity to select from among two or more offers that each substantially match an entered request, selection by the user of one of the two or more offers causing values specified in the selected offer to be displayed within the request window.

22. The software of claim 20, wherein the display further comprises an execution icon, selection of the execution icon by a user causing one or more orders to be generated based on information displayed within the request window and communicate the generated orders for matching with one or more offers.

23. The software of claim 16, wherein the software is executed by one or more computer systems associated with an electronic marketplace.