METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PREFERRED VENDOR PRE-TRANSACTION BIDDING

• US 20080091477A1
• Filed: 10/16/2006
• Published: 04/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deem, Incorporated (Jack Taylor Family Voting Trust U A D 4 14 99)
• Original Assignee: Rearden Commerce Inc
• Inventors: Mortimore, William Charles
• Granted Patent: US 7,739,134 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method that can be performed on a system, is provided for preferred vender pre-transaction bidding. In one embodiment, the method comprises providing to a user one or more offers for sale of an item or service, the offers matching criteria pre-determined by one of a separate user or entity; receiving a selection of at least one offer from the user; comparing the selected offer to a set of pre-determined preferences of the user and generating and transmitting a request to one or more vendors for a counter-offer based on the set of pre-determined preferences of the user; in response to receiving one or more counter-offers, comparing the one or more counter offers to the criteria pre-determined by the separate user or entity; and providing to the user one or more of the counter-offers matching the criteria pre-determined by the separate user or entity.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

Providing to a user one or more offers for sale of an item or service, the offers matching criteria pre-determined by one of a separate user or entity;

Receiving a selection of at least one offer from the user;

Comparing the selected offer to a set of pre-determined preferences of the user and generating and transmitting a request to one or more vendors for a counter-offer based on the set of pre-determined preferences of the user;

In response to receiving one or more counter-offers, comparing the one or more counter offers to the criteria pre-determined by the separate user or entity; and

Providing to the user one or more of the counter-offers matching the criteria pre-determined by the separate user or entity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the item or service comprises a travel reservation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the item or service comprises one of an airline flight, a hotel reservation, and a restaurant reservation.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the criteria pre-determined by another includes one or more of a class of travel, cost, destination, and carrier of travel.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the separate user or entity is an employer of the user.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the set of pre-determined preferences of the user include one or more of a travel carrier, a class of travel, and a seating position.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the counter-offer is matching one or more of the offers for sale of an item or service.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the counter-offer is within a predetermined range of the one or more offers for sale of the item or service.

9. A machine readable medium having stored thereon a set of instructions, which when executed perform a method comprising:

Providing to a user one or more offers for sale of an item or service, the offers matching criteria pre-determined by one of a separate user or entity;

Receiving a selection of at least one offer from the user;

Comparing the selected offer to a set of pre-determined preferences of the user and generating and transmitting a request to one or more vendors for a counter-offer based on the set of pre-determined preferences of the user;

In response to receiving one or more counter-offers, comparing the one or more counter offers to the criteria pre-determined by the separate user or entity; and

Providing to the user one or more of the counter-offers matching the criteria pre-determined by the separate user or entity.

10. The machine readable medium of claim 9, wherein the item or service comprises a travel reservation.

11. The machine readable medium of claim 9, wherein the item or service comprises one of an airline flight, a hotel reservation, and a restaurant reservation.

12. The machine readable medium of claim 11, wherein the criteria pre-determined by another includes one or more of a class of travel, cost, destination, and carrier of travel.

13. The machine readable medium of claim 11, wherein the separate user or entity is an employer of the user.

14. The machine readable medium of claim 13, wherein the set of pre-determined preferences of the user include one or more of a travel carrier, a class of travel, and a seating position.

15. The machine readable medium of claim 14, wherein the counter-offer is matching one or more of the offers for sale of an item or service.

16. The machine readable medium of claim 14, wherein the counter-offer is within a predetermined range of the one or more offers for sale of the item or service.