APPARATUS, SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR INTERNET TRADE

• US 20070088652A1
• Filed: 03/30/2006
• Published: 04/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jeffrey Thomson, Jonathan Firmage, Joshua Higginbotham, Miles Romney
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey Thomson, Jonathan Firmage, Joshua Higginbotham, Miles Romney
• Inventors: Firmage, Jonathan, Higginbotham, Joshua, Romney, Miles, Thomson, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US11/278,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20070088652A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for facilitating internet trading by combining trading network information and social network information. The apparatus may determine a search parameter and a level of degree of contact between a searcher and members associated with a social network. The level of degree of contract defines a number of degrees of separation between the searcher and seller within the social network. A search module may limit the search, or filter the results, to goods and services offered by members of the social network having a relationship within the level of degree of contact to the searcher. A matching module may perform n-way cross matching of items on one or more lists of goods and services offered and items on one or more lists of goods and services desired where n is an integer equal to, or greater than, two. A notification module configured to present the results of a search to the searcher.

Claims

1. An apparatus to perform electronic trading, the apparatus comprising:

a repository of goods or services offered;

a repository of social relationships of members associated with the goods or services of the repository of goods or services offered;

a search module configured to search the repository of goods or services offered and the repository of social relationships based on a search parameter and a level of degree of contact between a searcher and a member of the repository of social relationships, the search module further configured to determine whether goods or services offered satisfy the search parameter and the level of degree of contact.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the repository of social relationships comprises a user defined contact pool.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the degree of contact comprises a relationship between a member of a first contact pool and a member of a second contact pool, the level of degree of contact defining a number of degrees of separation between the searcher and a seller, wherein the search module limits searches for goods and services offered to one or more members of the repository of social relationships having a relationship within the level of degree of contact.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the repository of social relationships further comprises a voucher system in which one user vouches as to the trustworthiness of another user.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a negotiation module configured to enable electronic transaction negotiations between two or more users, the electronic transaction negotiations comprising communicating offers and counteroffers between two or more users.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a definition module configured to categorize related goods or services according to predefined features.

7. An apparatus to perform electronic trading, the apparatus comprising:

a search module configured to search a repository of goods or services offered and a repository of social relationships based on a search parameter, the repository of social relationships comprising members offering goods or services in the repository of goods or services; and

a results module configured to evaluate results of the search based on a level of degree of contact between a searcher and members of the repository of social relationships.

8. An apparatus to perform electronic trading, the apparatus comprising:

a criteria module configured to determine a search parameter and a level of degree of contact between a searcher and members associated with a repository of social relationships;

a search module configured to search a repository of goods or services offered, a repository of goods or services sought, and the repository of social relationships based on a search parameter and a level of degree of contact;

a matching module configured to perform n-way cross matching of repository content including cross-matching of items on one or more lists of goods and services offered and items on one or more lists of goods and services desired where n is an integer equal to, or greater than, two; and

a notification module configured to present the results of the matching to a user.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the matching module is further configured to automatically perform n-way cross matching of items within one or more lists of goods and services offered and items within one or more lists of goods and services desired.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the notification module is further configured to automatically present the results of the matching to a user in response to the matching module finding a new match.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the matching module is further configured to match a portion of a list of the goods or services.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the matching module is further configured to match an entire list of the goods and services.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the search parameter comprises one of a price, a geographic location, and a product description.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a data management module configured to modify the repository of goods or services offered and the repository of social relationships based on user input.

15. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the repository of social relationships comprises a user defined contact pool.

16. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the repository of social relationships further comprises a voucher system in which one user vouches as to the trustworthiness of another user.

17. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the repository of social relationships further comprises a genealogy of degrees of contact.

18. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a financial module configured to enable electronic financial transactions associated with trading or selling the goods or services offered.

19. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a definition module configured to categorize related goods or services according to predefined features.

20. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a feedback module configured to communicate electronic offers and counteroffers between two or more users.

21. An apparatus to perform electronic trading, the apparatus comprising:

a search module configured to search a repository of goods or services offered, a repository of goods or services sought, and a repository of social relationships based on a search parameter and a level of degree of contact between a searcher and members of the repository of social relationships;

a matching module configured to perform autonomic n-way cross matching of repository content based on the level of degree of contact between users including cross-matching of lists of goods and services offered and goods and services desired where n is an integer equal to or greater than two; and

a notification module configured to present the results of the matching to a user.