Identification of merchandise to be subsequently identified and delivered by a merchandise provider

• US 20050010498A1
• Filed: 08/04/2004
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: DigiMedia Tech, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Union Beach Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Tannenbaum, David H.
• Application Number:
  US10/910,872
• Publication Number:
  US 20050010498A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0613 Third-party assisted
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0625 Directed, with specific intent or strategy
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17327 with deferred transmission or handling of upstream communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

Users may identify on an interactive network merchandise that they desire and merchandise providers may access the identified merchandise from time to time so as to provide merchandise that matches the identified merchandise. In one embodiment, merchandise providers may access merchandise requests from time to time and provide the requested merchandise, even if the merchandise had not been available at the time the request was initially posted. Prior to delivery of the merchandise the parties, if desired, may negotiate when and how delivery will occur, what the cost of the merchandise is and the responsibilities of each of the parties pertaining to the merchandise. The requests may be stored local to the user or at one or more central sites.

Claims

1. A method for allowing a user to purchase tickets over an interactive network;

said method comprising;

posting on said interactive network by a posting user a description of tickets desired by said posting user, said ticket description not limited to events then currently scheduled; and

determining by a party other than said posting user that said determining party can provide tickets which match said posted ticket description when said tickets become available; and

communicating to said posting user by said determining party information pertaining to delivery of tickets desired by said posting user.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said determining further comprises:

searching said interactive network by ticket providers who are independent from any specific interactive network site upon which said posting occurred by said posting user.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said determining is facilitated by a specific network site upon which said posting user posted said ticket description.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said specific network site is available to a plurality of potential posting users and wherein said site is not specific to any particular ticket venue.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein said determining further comprises:

searching said specific network site by a plurality of potential ticket providers who are independent from said specific network site.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein said specific site facilitates said determining.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said posting is at a site local to said posting user.

8. A system for allowing users to purchase merchandise over the Internet;

said system comprising;

memory for accepting a description of merchandise desired by at least one user;

said desired merchandise not necessarily available at the time said memory accepts said description; and

a search engine controlled by a party other than said user for searching said Internet based on descriptions accepted by said memory, said search engine operable for determining from time to time if said memory has accepted a description of merchandise available for purchase by said user from at least one merchandise provider.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said search engine is controlled by at least one merchandise provider.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein said merchandise provider is controlled by an entity different from the entity controlling said memory.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein said memory is located on a public access a site remote from said user, said site accessible by a plurality of said users and independent from merchandise providers.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said search engine is controlled by said remote site.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein said merchandise comprises merchandise selected from the list of:

goods, services, tickets to events, vacations, travel, entertainment programs.

14. The method of obtaining merchandise on the Internet, said method comprising:

making it known on said Internet by a user that said user desires to obtain a specific item of merchandise;

searching on said Internet by entities independent from said user who believe they can supply merchandise to said user; and

indicating to said user that a search of said Internet has revealed that an entity believes it can supply said desired specific merchandise to said user.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said specific item of desired merchandise is not available to said user at the time said user first makes known that said user desires to obtain said specific item of merchandise.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein said searching is preformed by an entity other than said user and other than an actual merchandise supplier.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

facilitating consummation of a purchase by said user of said specific item of merchandise in response to said indicating.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein said merchandise comprises merchandise selected from the list of:

goods, services, tickets to events, vacations, travel, entertainment programs.

19. The method of providing to a user information pertaining to merchandise available at geographically diverse locations of said enterprise, said method comprising the steps of:

providing under control of any user an identity of an enterprise, said enterprise having a plurality of geographically diverse locations;

storing provided ones of said enterprise identities; and

accessing said stored provided ones of said identities by said enterprise so as to be able to provide each said providing user with merchandise information specific to an enterprise location at a current location of said user.

20. The method of claim 19 further including the step of:

sending to each said providing user said specific merchandise information.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said sending step includes an e-mail message specific to said providing user.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein said sending step includes sending a broadcast message to all providing users within said current location.