Relationship management in an auction environment

• US 20070203820A1
• Filed: 06/30/2005
• Published: 08/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siebel Systems Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Rashid, Taimur
• Granted Patent: US 8,442,883 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/37
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A system for providing relationship management in an auction environment is disclosed. The system includes a relationship management system and an auction system. The relationship management system and the auction system are communicatively coupled to one another. The relationship management system is configured to provide access to a relationship management function in conjunction with access to the auction system.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a relationship management system; and

an auction system, wherein

said auction system and said relationship management system are communicatively coupled to one another, and

said relationship management system is configured to provide a relationship management function in conjunction with access to said auction system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein

said relationship management system comprises a product management module.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an auction system connector, wherein

said relationship management system and said auction system are communicatively coupled to one another via said auction system connector.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein

said auction system comprises an application programming interface, and

said auction system connector is configured to communicate with said application programming interface.

5. The system of claim 3, further comprising:

a customer relationship management application service provider system, wherein

said relationship management system and said customer relationship management application service provider system are configured to communicate with one another.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein

said relationship management system comprises a product management module, and

said product management module supports communication with said customer relationship management application service provider system.

7. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

a payment system, wherein

said relationship management system and said customer relationship management application service provider system are communicatively coupled to one another.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein

said relationship management system and said customer relationship management application service provider system are communicatively coupled to one another via said customer relationship management application service provider system.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a payment system connector, wherein

said customer relationship management application service provider system and said customer relationship management application service provider system are communicatively coupled to one another via said payment system connector.

10. The system of claim 3, further comprising:

an on-line storefront system, wherein

said on-line storefront system and said relationship management system are communicatively coupled to one another, and

said relationship management system is configured to provide a relationship management function in conjunction with access to said on-line storefront system.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

an on-line storefront system connector, wherein

said relationship management system and said on-line storefront system are communicatively coupled to one another via said auction system connector.

12. The system of claim 3, wherein said auction system comprises:

an application programming interface; and

an internet server application programming interface, wherein

said internet server application programming interface provides a programmatic interface that permits access to said auction system.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said auction system further comprises

an auction platform, wherein

said application programming interface and said internet server application programming interface are communicatively coupled to said auction platform.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

an auction database, wherein

said auction platform is configured to access said auction database.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein said auction system further comprises:

a search module; and

a listing module, wherein

said search module and said listing module are communicatively coupled to said auction platform,

said application programming interface provides said auction system connector with access to said search module and said listing module, and

said internet server application programming interface provides access to said search module and said listing module.

16. A method comprising:

receiving first information from an auction system;

receiving second information from a customer relationship management system; and

displaying said first information and said second information in a user interface, wherein

said first information and said second information are integrated with one another in a process of performing said displaying.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said displaying further comprises:

integrating said first information and said second information.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

transferring said second information from said customer relationship management system to said auction system, wherein

said transferring is performed using said user interface.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

automatically transferring said first information from said auction system to said customer relationship management system via an auction system connector.

20. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving first information from an auction system;

means for receiving second information from a customer relationship management system;

means for integrating said first information and said second information; and

means for displaying said first information and said second information in a user interface, wherein

said means for receiving first information and said means for receiving second information are coupled to said means for integrating, and

said means for integrating is coupled to said means for displaying.