SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO CONNECT PEOPLE IN A MARKETPLACE ENVIRONMENT

• US 20070160184A1
• Filed: 08/24/2006
• Published: 07/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thryv, Inc. (Mudrick Capital Management LP)
• Original Assignee: UTBK, Inc.
• Inventors: HIRSON, Ron, FABER, Scott, ALTBERG, Ebbe, VAN DER LINDEN, Sean
• Granted Patent: US 8,180,676 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/114.130
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/903 Querying for retrieval from the web G06F16/953
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0256 User search
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 User requested
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0264 based upon schedule
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0267 Wireless devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0273 Determination of fees for advertising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0275 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/65 Telephone numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5061 Pools of addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/00 Arrangements for metering, time-control or time indication ; Metering, charging or billing arrangements for voice wireline or wireless communications, e.g. VoIP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/09 Third party charged communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/51 : for resellers, retailers or service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/68 : Payment of value-added services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0192 : Sponsored, subsidised calls via advertising, e.g. calling cards with ads or connecting to special ads, free calling time by purchasing goods
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/0196 : Payment of value-added services, mainly when their charges are added on the telephone bill, e.g. payment of non-telecom services, e-commerce, on-line banking
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/54 : Resellers-retail or service providers billing, e.g. agreements with telephone service operator, activation, charging/recharging of accounts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/66 : Third party billing, i.e. third party can also be the predetermined telephone line of the caller if he is calling from another telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 : Click to dial services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/006 : Networks other than PSTN/ISDN providing telephone service, e.g. Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) , including next generation networks with a packet-switched transport layer H04L65/00 takes precedence; aspects not specific to the type of network H04M3/00; special services in those networks H04M3/42

Abstract

Systems and methods to provide telephonic connections. In one embodiment, a method includes: providing a listing on a marketplace, the listing including an assigned reference to be used to initiate a real time communication connection; and billing for a real time communication lead generated from presenting the listing in response to a real time communication initiated via the reference. In one embodiment, a method includes: conducting online auction of telephonic leads; determining a way to present listings based at least partially on received price bids on the telephonic leads (e.g., the order of placement, the selection for placement, etc); and providing the listings with information to initiate a telephonic connection in a way trackable to measure a number of telephonic calls generated from presenting the listings.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing a listing on a marketplace, the listing including an assigned reference to be used to initiate a real time communication connection; and

billing for a real time communication lead generated from presenting the listing in response to a real time communication initiated via the reference.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the real time communication lead comprises a telephonic lead.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

presenting, to a first entity, a second price bid for a telephonic lead to be generated from presenting information on behalf of a second entity; and

receiving, from the first entity, a first price bid for a telephonic lead to be generated from presenting information on behalf of the first entity.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the listing comprises auction information related to an auctioned item of the first entity;

and the method further comprises;

receiving a price bid on the auctioned item as a response to the auction information.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

presenting auction information related to an auctioned item of a third entity, the auction information comprising information to request a telephonic connection to the third entity.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the auction information contains no direct telephonic contact information of the third entity;

and the method further comprises;

receiving from a customer a request made according to the information to request a telephonic connection to the third entity; and

according to a schedule of the third entity, establishing a telephonic connection between the customer and the third entity through making separate connections to the customer and the third entity and joining the separate connections.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the auctioned item of the first entity comprises at least one of:

a product, and a service;

the auction information and the second price for a telephonic lead are presented over Internet; and

wherein the price bid on the auctioned item and the first price bid for a telephonic lead are received over Internet.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the real time communication is initiated via Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the real time communication is at least partially carried via Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

10. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

billing the first entity according to the first price bid and a measurement of a number of telephonic calls initiated via the reference.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the reference comprises a telephone number of a server;

the telephone number is assigned to the first entity;

the method further comprising;

receiving a telephonic call from a first consumer to the server at the telephone number;

establishing a telephonic connection to the first entity by making a separate telephonic call to the first entity; and

bridging the telephonic call from the first consumer with the telephone connection to the first entity to connect the first consumer and the first entity.

12. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining a way to present information on behalf of one or more of the first entity and the second entity based at least partially on the first price bid and the second price bid.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said determining a way to present information comprises:

determining an order of placement of first information to be presented on behalf of the first entity relative to placement of second information to be presented on behalf the second entity, based at least partially on the first price bid and the second price bid.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

performing a search to determine a result containing the first information to be presented on behalf of the first entity and the second information to be presented on behalf of the second entity.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the search is based at least partially on user specified search criteria on a geographical area and a service category.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein said determining a way to present information comprises:

selecting one from at least first information to be presented on behalf of the first entity and second information to be presented on behalf of the second entity for presentation at an advertisement location, based at least partially on the first price bid and the second price bid.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

providing information in the determined way for presentation on behalf of one or more of the first entity and the second entity, the information in the determined way including at least one of;

first information to initiate a telephonic connection to the first entity and second information to initiate a telephonic connection to the second entity.

18. A machine readable media embodying instructions, the instructions causing a machine to perform a method, the method comprising:

providing a listing on a marketplace, the listing including an assigned reference to be used to initiate a real time communication connection; and

billing for a real time communication lead generated from presenting the listing in response to a real time communication initiated via the reference.

19. A data processing system, comprising:

means for providing a listing on a marketplace, the listing including an assigned reference to be used to initiate a real time communication connection; and

means for billing for a real time communication lead generated from presenting the listing in response to a real time communication initiated via the reference.

20. A method, comprising:

presenting, to a first entity, a second price bid for a telephonic lead to be generated from presenting information on behalf of a second entity;

receiving, from the first entity, a first price bid for a telephonic lead to be generated from presenting information on behalf of the first entity;

prioritizing first information related to an auctioned item of the first entity and second information related to an auctioned item of the second entity, based at least partially on the first price bid and the second price bid;

presenting auction information including at least one of the first information and the second information in accordance with a result of said prioritizing, the auction information comprising information to initiate a telephonic connection to at least one of the first entity and the second entity in a way trackable to measure a number of telephonic calls generated from presenting the information;

receiving a price bid on at least one of the auctioned item of the first entity and the auctioned item of the second entity as a response to the auction information;

determining a measurement of a number of telephonic calls generated from presenting information on behalf of the first entity; and

billing the first entity according to the measurement of a number of telephonic calls generated from presenting information on behalf of the first entity and the first price bid.