Transaction management system and method
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic transaction management system has at least some sellers associated with agencies. Information is provided for each agency to indicate whether the agency is prepared to offer sellers associated with the agency to buyers associated with other agencies and the terms of any such offer. A buyer interface is used to receive a purchase inquiry from a buyer, and seller offer data is provided to the buyer for a plurality of sellers. The seller offer data presented to the buyer takes into account the terms of said offer of sellers associated with an agency to buyers associated with other agencies. This system allows middlemen to operate in an online spot market. This is achieved by enabling agencies in a market sector to present their buyers and sellers with the agency'"'"'s own version of such a market but draw on the buyer/seller relationships enjoyed by other agencies using the system. Agencies can operate their own market which is a distinct part of a wider market.
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Citations
90 Claims
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1-60. -60. (canceled)
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61. A transaction management system for managing the purchase of an item and/or service by a buyer from a seller, wherein at least some sellers are associated with agencies, the system comprising:
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a plurality of agency data stores, each for storing agency data comprising;
seller data for each of a plurality of sellers associated with the agency; and
indication data for indicating whether the agency is prepared to offer sellers associated with the agency to buyers associated with other agencies and the terms of any such offer;
a program store storing processor implementable instructions; and
a processor coupled to the agency data store and to the program store for implementing the stored instructions;
wherein the stored instructions comprise instructions for controlling the processor to;
implement a buyer interface to receive a purchase inquiry from a buyer;
output seller offer data to the buyer for a plurality of sellers, wherein the seller offer data presented to the buyer takes into account the terms of said offer of sellers associated with an agency to buyers associated with other agencies;
receive a purchase request from the buyer accepting a said offer; and
implement a seller interface to output the purchase request to the identified seller for requesting purchase of a service or item; and
ascertain compliance data for determining whether the identified seller is willing or able to comply with the buyer purchase request.
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75. A method for managing the purchase of an item and/or service by a buyer from a seller, wherein at least some sellers are associated with agencies, the method comprising:
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storing in an agency data store seller data for each of a plurality of sellers associated with the agency, and indication data for indicating whether the agency is prepared to offer sellers associated with the agency to buyers associated with other agencies and the terms of any such offer;
implementing a buyer interface for receiving a purchase inquiry from a buyer;
outputting seller offer data to the buyer for a plurality of sellers, wherein the seller offer data presented to the buyer takes into account the terms of said offer of sellers associated with an agency to buyers associated with other agencies;
receiving a purchase request from the buyer accepting a said offer;
implementing a seller interface to output the purchase request to the identified seller for requesting purchase of a service or item; and
ascertaining compliance data for determining whether the identified seller is willing or able to comply with the buyer purchase request.
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88. A buyer terminal for a buyer to remotely purchase a service or item from a seller via an intermediary system, the buyer being associated with an agency, the terminal comprising:
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a data memory operable to store data to be processed;
a program store for storing processor implementable instructions;
a communications interface for receiving data from and transmitting data to the intermediary system; and
a processor, coupled to the data memory and to the program store for implementing the stored instructions, and to the communications interface for receiving and storing instructions for the processor in the program store;
and wherein, in use, the program store stores instructions for controlling the processor to;
implement a buyer interface to receive a purchase inquiry from a buyer;
receive seller data comprising, for each of a plurality of sellers, seller offer data indicating at least one service or item of commerce offered for sale relating to the purchase inquiry, the seller offer data presented to the buyer including sellers associated with other agencies and taking into account the terms under which said other agencies offer their sellers to the agency with which the buyer is associated;
generate a user interface to output said seller offer data and to receive a purchase request from the buyer accepting a said offer; and
transmit the purchase request to the intermediary system.
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89. A method for using a buyer terminal to remotely purchase a service or item from a seller via an intermediary system, the buyer being associated with an agency, the method comprising:
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using the buyer terminal to make a purchase inquiry;
receiving seller data comprising, for each of a plurality of sellers, seller offer data indicating at least one service or item of commerce offered for sale relating to the purchase inquiry;
generating a user interface to output said seller offer data and receive a purchase request from the buyer accepting a said offer, the seller offer data presented to the buyer including sellers associated with other agencies and taking into account the terms under which said other agencies offer their sellers to the agency with which the buyer is associated; and
transmitting the purchase request to the intermediary system.
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90. A method of supplying goods and/or services from a buyer to a seller via an intermediary, the method comprising:
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logging details of goods/services on offer from a plurality of sellers;
recording which sellers are associated with agencies;
recording which buyers are associated with agencies;
recording which agencies are prepared to offer sellers associated with the agency to buyers associated with other agencies and the terms of any such offers;
receiving a purchase inquiry from a buyer;
presenting seller offer data to the buyer which takes into account the terms of any said offers;
receiving a purchase request from the buyer accepting a said offer;
providing the purchase request to the identified seller; and
ascertaining compliance data for determining whether the identified seller is willing or able to comply with the buyer purchase request.
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Specification